The morning sun bathed the valley in golden light, its warmth a stark contrast to the bloodshed that had defined their journey. Elena stood atop a small ridge, gazing out at the landscape ahead. The fortress was behind them, its dark walls now eerily silent. Gragg was dead, and his forces had been scattered. Yet, victory felt hollow.
Kael approached, his boots crunching against the damp grass. “You’re quiet,” he noted.
Elena exhaled. “Just thinking.”
“About?”
She hesitated. “Everything. We fought so hard for this, and yet... it doesn’t feel like the end.”
Kael nodded, understanding. “Because it isn’t.”
Serin joined them, stretching her arms. “We dismantled Gragg’s hold, but we didn’t destroy the corruption that let him rise. There are others like him—waiting, watching.”
Elena turned
