The trek back to the village was heavy with silence, broken only by the crunch of leaves underfoot and the soft whimpers of the newly awakened Echoed. The young girl, now called Lila, clung to Sophie’s side, her gray eyes flickering with silver as she adjusted to her human form. Emon, still weak but walking, leaned on Eliah, his gaze distant but steady. The chorus hummed in Maya’s chest, its rhythm a quiet reassurance after the chaos at the riverbed. The white flame’s power lingered in her hands, a faint warmth that felt both foreign and familiar.
Kade led the group, his black cloak catching the moonlight, his steps sure despite the blood still staining his arm. Soren and Tari flanked the rear, their eyes scanning the forest for signs of the Council or the Hollowed. Sophie walked beside M
