The trek back to New Haven was calm, though the silence was heavy with the implications of what they had just done. George led the group, keeping a steady pace as they navigated through the trees, their footsteps muffled by the thick forest floor. They hadn't encountered any creatures after dismantling the ritual site, and while George took it as a sign that they had successfully severed one of the monster's control points, he knew they had barely scratched the surface of the threat looming over them.
As they reached the outer perimeter of New Haven, John greeted them with a look of relief. He'd kept watch while they were gone, prepared to mobilize a backup team if anything went wrong. George gave him a quick nod, a silent assurance that all had gone as planned, at least for now.
