The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth as we made our way back to the enclave, each of us lost in the silence, carrying the weight of our victory and the echoes of the shadows we'd fought. A quiet reverence settled over us, a shared understanding of the path we had chosen and the bond that had solidified between us in those moments of darkness.
We approached the familiar clearing where Elara awaited, her figure bathed in the soft light of the torches around her. She studied each of us, her gaze lingering on the weariness etched into our faces, but also the quiet resolve that now defined us.
"You've returned," she said, her voice filled with a rare warmth. "You've proven yourselves guardians not just by power, but by heart. Yet there is more that lies ahead—a purpose older than the Veil itself."
