The way ahead was marked by trails that threaded through expanding vistas, where the light danced between the leaves and sparked off the river like flares from the sun. Each turn brought new questions, and with them, new strengths were forged among the group, tightening their camaraderie and honing their purpose.
Alan paused often to look back, ensuring no one was left behind. His role as a leader had grown into his skin, as natural now as the map lines were once foreign. He knew each step forward was a step into collective destiny, shaped by shared dreams and the quiet, unspoken fears of what lay through the next portal.
