Knowing the dangers of their environment, they didn't linger near the corpse. And besides, none of them would have considered eating a creature with a humanoid shape. They recovered the anima gem and quickly left the area.
But this time, they didn't return to their hideout.
Maggie had suggested they move straight toward their next target, and the group shifted in another direction, pushing through the mist into a more remote zone.
The gem was taken by Élisa. She didn't ask. She didn't explain — she took it as a given. A quiet but clear way of asserting her place in the trio's balance.
The first gem, taken from a second-rank awakened beast, had gone to Maggie. The second, to Dylan. It only made sense that this one would go to Élisa.
She slipped it into her pocket without a word and continued walking as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Dylan followed silently, making sure to keep some distance between himself and Maggie, who was leading the way.
