The room felt different after Code left.
The sharp tension that had been hanging in the air seemed to drain away along with the purple haze, leaving only the soft crackle of the lamps and the steady sound of James's breathing.
Bruce turned back to him.
"For now, rest," he said calmly. "Your body just purged Violetbane. That doesn't mean you're fully healed yet. Your nerves were suppressed, your circulation disrupted. It'll take time for everything to stabilize."
James nodded slowly, easing back against the mat as the exhaustion finally caught up to him. The adrenaline that had kept him awake was fading fast.
"Yeah… I can feel that," he said with a weak chuckle. "Everything feels heavy. Like I ran for days straight."
"That's normal," Bruce replied. "Sleep if you can. I'll keep an eye on you."
