The group's return to the surface brought with it a sense of accomplishment, but also an undercurrent of foreboding. The crystal they had obtained pulsed faintly in Elara's pack, a constant reminder of the power they now carried. The forest around them was dense and alive, the towering trees and tangled underbrush creating a labyrinthine atmosphere. The path back to the village seemed longer, the journey weighed down by the burden of their knowledge and the relentless pace of their mission.
