The words hung in the air like cold mist. Fraven froze mid-laugh. Keith tilted his head slightly. Shania's eyes flicked toward him with a ghost of curiosity.
Fraven barked out another laugh. "That a challenge?"
Elius didn't reply.
Instead, he shifted slightly, cracking his neck with a soft pop as the air thickened with tension.
Keith's expression changed. Subtle, but noticeable. His playful arrogance faded, replaced by a narrowed-eyed assessment. Calculating. Like a general observing a battlefield.
Fraven, still in mockery mode, turned toward the tomb and called again.
"Hey, Zhark! That hero just asked all of us to fight him! What do you say, tag-team?"
"DON'T YOU DARE!" Zhark screamed from within. "I'M TELLING YOU—I GOT THIS! I'LL BREAK OUT AND FRY HIM!"
"Sure, sure," Fraven said, grinning. "Just so you know, your little dirt prison's glowing like a decorative lantern. You've got, what, five more seconds before you pass out?"
"STAY OUT OF IT!"
