Laxin scrambled to reassemble Clatter, muttering frantic motivational speeches at the pile of bones.
"Okay, team synergy, collaborative excellence, let's manifest some quarterly wins here—"
Clatter's skull clicked back onto its spine with a noise like an unimpressed stapler. Its eye flames guttered back to life, dim but stubborn. It sat up, shook off a rib like it was shedding self-doubt, and grabbed its staff.
"Good," Fenric said flatly, like an accountant noting a fire is now only smoldering instead of actively exploding.
Aria stood at attention, calm as glass, while Veil silently polished its wand tip on thin air—somehow managing to look haughty despite not having lips.
Fenric paced a slow circle around them, silver eyes like scalpels.
"This time," he said, "you will not duel. You will coordinate."
Laxin blinked. "Like… together?"
"Yes," Fenric replied, in the tone of someone confirming water is wet.
