From the portal, a phantom slowly took shape — a silhouette of a man, blurred and indistinct, as though half-formed from smoke and blood. The battlefield, which had already been steeped in tension, fell utterly still.
Yu Xuan narrowed his eyes. The phantom wasn't tall; in fact, it appeared a full head shorter than the woman who had summoned it. The contrast struck him immediately. Their features did not align, their presence felt entirely different, yet the way she bowed her head made it obvious this was no stranger to her.
The phantom's gaze swept across the ruined field. Its eyes, if they could be called that — flickered faintly with crimson light.
When they settled on the woman and the dragon kneeling behind her, the air shivered. A mental wave pulsed outward, threading directly into her mind.
The woman stiffened, then lowered her head further. Her lips curved into a solemn smile as she answered a silent call.
"Yes… it is me. The youngest, the one who had gone missing."
