"Woaaahh, seriously? It was Inky that saved you guys?" I gasp, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Yup." Eris nods firmly, a small, fond smile playing on her lips.
She reaches down and gently scratches Inky's head. Even though it's not technically a cat, this little darkness spirit sure behaves like one. Right now, it's curled up lazily on her lap, tail flicking slightly, purring in pure, unbothered bliss.
I reach out and pet it too.
Its body—if you could even call it that—feels strange and soft, somewhere between fur and mist. It's like brushing your hand through warm smoke. Weightless, smooth, comforting. A shadow made real just for the sake of being cuddly.
"You know," Eris says quietly, her fingers still stroking along Inky's velvety back, "it was honestly a miracle."
And so she begins.
"Despite my wounds being that severe, the mana-dense atmosphere actually kept them from going bad."
"Oh, that's so nice!" I breathe in relief.
