The masked man let his arms fall back to his sides, his tone cooling just slightly, like a snake coiling to rest after flicking its tongue.
"My question then… What do you plan to do now?"
The simplicity of it made her pause. Not "What are you," not "How powerful are you," not even "Why were you sealed."
Just that.
What now?
Her lips pressed into a thin line, the flames in her palm dimming to embers. That question clawed at her more than she expected.
What did she plan to do?
Revenge, of course. That much was clear. Dreck had to die. The betrayal was carved into her bones, and it would not be forgotten.
But the world had changed since her sealing. This land no longer bore the scent of the demons she knew. The sky felt heavier. The mana… thinner. Like the world had been drained while she slept.
Still, she couldn't afford to show uncertainty.
"I'll survive. I'll regain what was stolen. Then… I'll raze the ones who wronged me," she said.
