The chamber no longer felt unstable.
That was the first thing Adrian noticed.
Despite the fractured ground, the damaged pillars, and the lingering pressure from the creature's presence, everything held together with a strange, unnatural balance. The energy that once threatened to tear the space apart now moved in steady currents, weaving through the structure with purpose.
And at the center of it—
Was him.
Adrian stood still, his breathing steady but deliberate, as if every inhale had to pass through something before reaching him. The strain in his body hadn't disappeared. His muscles still carried the memory of every impact, every miscalculation, every moment he had nearly lost control.
But now—
It didn't control him.
He controlled it.
The creature watched him without moving.
Its massive form loomed across the chamber, wings partially spread, its presence no longer overwhelming—but still undeniable. Its red eyes locked onto Adrian, not with curiosity, but with recognition.
