The ride back to the fort was marked by a heavy silence. Though the rising sun cast warm light across the landscape, the weight of the village's destruction clung to Elara and her companions. The devastation they'd witnessed was a stark reminder that the forces beyond the Veil were far from defeated, and their attacks were growing bolder.
Elara's mind churned with thoughts of the shadowy figure they had faced at the fort. Their leader had escaped, and with them, a wealth of dark knowledge. She knew their victory had only delayed the inevitable. She glanced at Morgana, who was deep in thought, her face etched with concern as if she too felt the growing pressure.