The trio walked in silence, their thoughts as tangled as the branches overhead. The forest, once so menacing, now felt tranquil, as if it, too, had witnessed their transformation. Every step back toward Eldoria felt lighter, even though the path was still fraught with uncertainty. It was Emily who finally broke the silence.
"What do you think happens now?" she asked, her voice a gentle murmur against the whisper of the wind.
Alaric paused, glancing over his shoulder, as if expecting to see the remnants of the Nexus still lingering behind them. "We prepare," he replied. "We've only scratched the surface of the Abyss. Whatever lies ahead, it won't be easy."
"Do you think the scholars will even believe us?" Mira asked, her tone tinged with skepticism. "That we spoke with a harbinger of the Abyss and shattered some mystical veil?"
