The battlefield on the floating islands fell quiet. The only sounds were the gentle hum of the god Nodes and the wind whispering through the strange, twisted trees.
On Node Alpha, Chris "Boulder" Magnus was busy polishing a tiny scratch on his shield, muttering to himself about how it "ruined the whole look." Emma was passing out rations, and Jennifer was sitting with her eyes closed, enjoying the sudden peace.
Scarlett stood watch, her sharp eyes scanning the empty sky, a silent guardian. They had won the fight, but now came the boring part: waiting. The rules said they had to hold the nodes for one full hour.
It was possibly the most boring hour of their lives.
Chris tried to start a game of "I spy," but it was hard to play when everything was either "rock" or "cloud." Emma tried to explain the complex energy theories behind the floating islands, but everyone's brains were too tired to understand. They mostly just sat, ate their rations, and waited for the clock to run out.
