The air in the Nexus chamber was heavy, trembling faintly with the Architect's rage. The golden glow of the crystalline shape pulsed gently, but Avery's instincts warned that the battle was far from done.
"Is it… over?" Lucas inquired, breaking the silence. His voice became low and hesitant, as if speaking too loudly would wake someone up.
Avery snuggled against him, her body shivering with tiredness. "I don't suppose so," she said gently, her gaze fixed on the Nexus.
Marcus scanned the room, his expression taut. "The architect does not retreat without a strategy. This is not a victory; it is a pause."
A faint, haunting hum echoed across the air, almost to a wail. Elena, who was toward the chamber's front, clutched her group of colleagues tightly. Her attention shifted to the Nexus, and a profound scowl formed across her face.
"The limitations," she said. "They're weakening."