As the last remnants of the storm faded, Kael, Morgana, and Rowan slowly made their way back to the Sanctuary. The once-chaotic winds had died, leaving behind a surreal stillness that blanketed the forest. A strange calm had settled over the land, but it felt tenuous, like a fragile truce. Each step echoed with the knowledge that something deeper lay unresolved, hidden in the shadows beyond the rift.
As they neared the Sanctuary's gates, Lira, the young scout who had been keeping watch, ran toward them. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with worry. "You… you made it back!" she said, relief flooding her voice. "We saw the storm… felt it… but no one knew if you'd—"
Kael placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, nodding. "The storm has been contained, for now. But we all felt its presence. Its power isn't gone—it's just waiting."
