***
The explosion's echo still lingered when the dust began to settle.
Trees lay snapped and splintered, this once-dense part of the forest now nothing more than a scar of broken stone with a single massive crater yawning open.
Not so far away from such ruin was the shimmering light of a Divine Stair.
It was almost... beautiful.
Two figures stared at that scene.
Both were wrapped head-to-toe in black, their long cloaks rippling in the wind that rose from deep below.
Even their faces were hidden, no features visible save for the faint glint of eyes beneath their hoods.
Neither of them spoke for a long moment; instead, they stared into that endless pit, watching faint sparks fade somewhere in the dark.
"…He fell."
The taller one broke the silence first.
"He really fell."
The shorter figure turned, the faint outline of a frown under his hood.
"No shit, he fell. Half the ground went with him."
They both looked back down again.
"Do you think he's alive?"
"..."
"..."
