The silence after the fall of the second Lament felt different.
Not because the threat was gone.
But because something in that room… had changed direction.
Fog still crept on the stairs.
The two remaining Laments still stood above.
But they did not descend.
Did not approach.
They waited.
Rowan wiped thin blood from his lip.
He glanced at Elias.
"…alright."
"I don't know what you just did."
"But do it again if you can."
The tone of his voice half serious.
Half honest.
Mara stood still.
The hammer in her hand was now only cold metal.
But her eyes remained sharp.
She did not look at the Lament.
She looked at Elias.
"It's not the book."
she said softly.
"You who changed."
Elias did not deny.
But he also did not explain.
Because he himself did not fully understand.
He only knew one thing—
that page was no longer in his hand.
But it had not disappeared either.
He could still feel it.
Like something that had now become part of how he saw the world.
Luca sat near the pillar.
The small light in the crack of the stone still burned.
More stable now.
As if something that had awakened… had settled.
The old carpenter rested against the wall.
His breath was heavy.
But his face was peaceful.
He looked at Elias with different eyes.
No longer full of request.
But… acknowledgment.
Rowan finally broke the silence.
"Alright."
"We need a name."
Everyone turned to him.
Rowan shrugged.
"We can't keep saying 'the guy with the weird book' all the time."
He pointed to Elias.
"You."
Then to Mara.
"Her."
Then to the carpenter.
"And even him."
He paused briefly.
"You all do the same thing."
Mara squinted her eyes.
"No."
"We don't."
Rowan nodded.
"Yes, the way is different."
"But the source is the same."
He pointed to the pillar.
"Or to that book."
"Whatever it is."
Elias finally spoke.
"It's not the source."
Rowan looked at him.
"Then?"
Elias answered softly.
"The ignited."
The room became quiet.
Luca smiled small.
Like a child hearing something right.
Rowan repeated softly.
"…the ignited."
Mara looked at her hand.
The trace of heat from the hammer was still felt.
The fire she had used earlier.
She nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"That feels… right."
The old carpenter laughed weakly small.
"I like it."
Rowan grinned.
"Good."
"Now we have a name."
He looked at Elias.
"The Ignited."
Elias corrected without emotion.
"The Ignited Ones."
Rowan raised his hand.
"Yes, that."
"A bit dramatic, but I can get used to it."
But before they could continue—
something changed on the stairs.
Fog no longer descended.
It… retreated.
Slowly.
Like water drawn back by the sea.
The two Laments did not enter.
Did not attack.
They retreated into the fog.
And disappeared.
Rowan blinked.
"…they left?"
Mara shook her head.
"No."
"They chose the time."
Elias looked at the stairs for a long time.
He could feel it.
Not defeat.
But… withdrawal.
Like someone realizing that this battle was not yet time to be won.
And that was more dangerous.
Luca stood.
"They will return."
Rowan sighed.
"Of course."
Elias closed his book.
He looked at the pillar of light once more.
Then spoke softly.
"Not just them."
Everyone turned.
"What do you mean?" asked Mara.
Elias looked up.
Toward the world outside Greyhaven.
"If this is truly one of the Gospels…"
"…then we are not the only ones seeking it."
Rowan smiled thinly.
"Good."
"Monsters alone are not enough."
Mara did not smile.
She understood Elias's meaning.
If the Gospel was power—
then there must be other humans who wanted it.
For hope.
Or for something far worse.
The old carpenter closed his eyes.
"I'm too old for a world like this…"
But he smiled.
"…but I'm glad I saw it before everything ends."
Luca walked toward the stairs.
He looked up.
Fog was no longer visible from here.
But he knew.
They were still there.
Waiting.
And now—
they also knew that humans were no longer merely prey.
Elias finally spoke.
"We can't stay in Greyhaven forever."
Rowan immediately answered.
"Agreed."
Mara crossed her arms.
"Then where?"
Elias did not answer immediately.
But in his mind—
for the first time—
he saw something.
Not a memory.
But a direction.
Like an echo from the page that had now become part of him.
Another place.
Another city.
And perhaps…
another Gospel.
He spoke softly.
"We find the others."
Rowan smiled.
"A journey."
Mara nodded.
"War."
Luca whispered.
"Hope."
And above them—
the Greyhaven sky was still covered in fog.
But for the first time—
that fog did not feel infinite.