Noel sat inside the broken building, resting against a fractured pillar while keeping his attention split between the room and the sounds outside.

Three people were unconscious.

Clara lay with her head resting on Selene's lap, her breathing slow and steady. Selene hadn't moved, one hand lightly placed near Clara's shoulder, eyes never leaving her face. A few steps away, the rescued boy and girl lay on the cold floor, their chains gone, their breathing calm. Noel watched them carefully, alert for any sign of trouble.

From outside, voices carried in through the street.

"So… what happened here?" Laziel's voice echoed first. "This looks worse than what we dealt with on the other island."

Elyra answered him without hesitation. "It was Noel," she said dryly. "So I doubt anyone came out completely intact."

Elena laughed softly at that, the sound light with relief.

Before any of them entered, a black blur leapt through the doorway.

Noir was the first inside.

She landed lightly, crossed the ruined floor in two quick steps, and jumped straight into Noel's lap. She curled there immediately, tail flicking once before settling, completely relaxed now that she was back with him.

Noel let out a small breath and glanced down at her. "I don't think it was that bad," he said aloud, half joking.

Elyra entered next, followed by Elena and Laziel. She stopped just inside, taking in the scene—the unconscious bodies, Selene kneeling on the floor, Noel sitting calmly with Noir resting against him.

"Well," Elyra said, arms crossing. "It's certainly a sight. Your Archmage status is obvious." Her gaze sharpened. "Jokes aside… what happened? These don't look like enemies."

Noel looked up at her, then at Elena and Laziel as they stepped further in. "They weren't," he said. "They were bound by chains too. Controlled. That's why things got messy."

His eyes shifted briefly to Clara. "Clara's out for now, but she's stable. We'll need to be careful with her from here on. It'll be easier now that we're all together."

Elyra nodded once. "Do we know who they are?"

"Not yet," Noel replied. "They're from this island. Once they wake up, we'll get answers."

Outside, the last light of the day faded, and inside the building, the violence finally gave way to uneasy calm. Night settled in quietly.

Clara stirred first.

She let out a small breath as her eyes fluttered open, blinking up at Selene's face above her. "Mm… figures," she murmured weakly. "Of all places to wake up."

Selene exhaled in relief, tension easing from her shoulders. "Don't move," she said softly. "You took a hit."

"Yeah," Clara replied, lips twitching. "I noticed."

Not long after, movement came from the other side of the room.

The boy groaned, one hand pressing against the floor as he tried to push himself upright. Pain cut through the motion instantly, forcing him back down with a sharp breath. The girl beside him fared no better, her attempt ending in a hiss as she leaned against the wall instead.

Elyra stepped forward before anyone else could speak. "Easy," she said, calm but firm. "Do you know where you are? And do you remember what happened?"

The boy swallowed, throat dry. His voice came out rough. "We… yeah. We remember everything." He paused, then bowed his head slightly. "Thank you. For stopping us."

The girl nodded beside him. "We would've kept fighting. We couldn't stop ourselves."

Elena crouched down immediately, her expression gentle. "Don't move too much," she said, holding out a bottle of water. "Drink slowly."

They both took it with visible gratitude, drinking far too fast before catching themselves. "Thank you," the girl said again, quieter this time.

The boy's gaze shifted toward Clara, guilt weighing heavily in his eyes. "About earlier… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

Clara glanced over, still lying back against Selene. "Hey," she said lightly. "I'm not dead. That already puts us on decent terms. Though I won't lie—it hurt."

He winced. "Still. I'm sorry."

"My name's Harper," he added after a moment. "And she's Maria. We're from this island."

Noel stepped closer then. "Noel," he said. "And that's Elyra, Elena, Selene, Clara, and Laziel." He glanced down briefly. "And this is Noir. She's my familiar."

Noir flicked her tail once, clearly pleased with the attention.

Maria smiled faintly and reached out, gently brushing her fingers through Noir's fur. "She's beautiful."

Her expression darkened as she looked back up. "You should know… we're not the only ones here. There are over a thousand people on this island."

Noel's eyes sharpened. "That many… yeah. That fits." He looked toward the darkened skyline beyond the broken wall. "Where are they?"

Harper exhaled slowly. "All controlled. Gathered in the main building." His jaw tightened. "They're guarding something. We were sent out because we were the strongest. To deal with intruders."

Noel went still.

"A fragment," he said quietly. "Something radiating power."

Harper's head snapped up. "Yes. That's exactly it. How did you—"

Noel pulled the shard from his Dimensional Pouch, its faint glow cutting through the darkness. "We took one from another island. It boosts her. The Second Pillar." His voice hardened. "If we take it, the chains weaken across the entire island. That's the plan."

Maria pushed herself up slightly despite the pain. "Then we should go now."

"No," Elyra said sharply.

The word cut through the room.

"You need rest," she continued, unwavering. "It's night. Tomorrow, you'll give us a map and tell us everything you know about the city. Patrol routes, choke points, where the civilians are gathered. Charging in now helps no one—least of all them."

Maria's hands clenched briefly in her lap. The urge to argue flickered across her face, then faded. Exhaustion won out. She lowered her gaze and nodded once.

Harper followed a moment later, shoulders sagging as the tension finally left him. "Alright," he said quietly. "We'll do that."

Noel reached into his pouch again, pulling out food and passing it around. Simple rations, but warm. When he handed Selene hers, the portion was noticeably larger.

She noticed immediately. Smiled. Then leaned in and whispered, "Thanks, Noel."

He didn't answer, just dipped his head slightly.

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