The morning sun filtered through the trees, casting a gentle light over the forest as the fog dissipated. The sense of darkness that had clung to the air was finally lifting, yet a solemn stillness settled over those who remained. The once-vibrant forest was marked by the silence of loss.

Mihai lowered himself to the ground, feeling the weight of exhaustion in his limbs. He reached up, touching his head where the revenant’s claws had struck. The wound had healed, as it always did, but something felt… different. There were gaps, shadows where memories should have been—faces, voices, fragments of a life he could no longer reach.

He clenched his fists, the ache of absence mingling with the physical pain. Even as the village’s protector, he hadn’t been able to save everyone. And, now, part of himself was lost as well.

Cian approached, his expression clouded with concern. “Mihai… are you all right?”

Mihai forced a nod, though his gaze remained distant. “I… I don’t know. There are pieces missing. Faces I can’t remember, places that feel like echoes. And we lost so many…” His voice faltered, frustration flaring within him. “We trained for this, prepared as best we could. But it still wasn’t enough.”

Cian’s face softened, and he knelt beside Mihai, placing a hand on his shoulder. “None of us could have known what the revenant would bring. We did all we could.” His voice held a quiet strength, a determination that hadn’t wavered even through the darkest moments of the fight.

Mihai’s gaze flicked to Cian, a faint gratitude beneath his grief. “Thank you… for saving Raven. I don’t know what I would have done if—”

“You don’t have to thank me,” Cian interrupted, a small, sad smile crossing his face. “We’re in this together, you and I. You’ve saved me more times than I can count.”

Nearby, Ronan and Maeve gathered the remaining villagers, each face marked with sorrow. The cost had been heavy, and though the revenant was gone, the village bore the weight of its victory.

Maeve approached them, her voice soft yet steady. “It’s over. We stopped the darkness from spreading. For those who fell, we’ll honor their memories. And for those of us left, we will rebuild.”

Mihai nodded, though a part of him struggled to shake the feeling of emptiness. He had come here as an outsider, but in his heart, he felt the village’s grief as if it were his own. “They were brave… every one of them.”

Maeve’s gaze lingered on Mihai, understanding and compassion in her eyes. “Their courage was strengthened by yours. You fought with everything you had, Mihai. That’s all any of us could have done.”

Ronan approached, his scarred face hard but his gaze steady. “We will return to the village soon. But first… we go to the ancient tree.”

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

Mihai met his eyes, feeling the unspoken meaning behind his words. They had started this journey with Yahweh’s blessing, and it was only right to return to that sacred place and honor what had been given and what had been lost.

The Journey Back

The group moved in silence, a somber procession through the forest. Though the darkness had lifted, the landscape bore the marks of the battle—the broken branches, the scorched earth, reminders of the creatures that had fallen here. Mihai looked around, absorbing the stillness that now replaced the earlier chaos.

When they reached the clearing where the ancient tree stood, Mihai felt a faint warmth in the air, a sense of peace that seemed to radiate from the tree itself. Its branches stretched skyward, as if welcoming them back, the sunlight filtering through the leaves with a gentle glow.

Maeve and Ronan gathered the villagers in a circle around the tree, each person stepping forward to place a hand on its trunk. Mihai did the same, feeling the rough bark beneath his palm, grounding him in the moment.

Cian stood beside him, his expression somber. “We did what we came here to do, but… it doesn’t feel like a victory.”

“It’s never easy, losing so many,” Mihai replied quietly. “But we’ve given the village a chance to heal, a chance for peace.”

Ronan’s voice rose above the quiet, steady and strong. “We gather here to honor those who fought and fell. Their bravery will live on in this forest, their spirits joined with the strength of this land.”

Maeve nodded, her voice carrying the weight of her own grief. “Yahweh guided us, blessed us with his light. And though we mourn, we also celebrate their lives and their courage.”

They stood in silence, each person offering their own silent prayer, a quiet acknowledgment of both loss and gratitude. Mihai closed his eyes, reaching for that faint warmth he’d felt from Yahweh’s presence, a reminder of the divine strength that had helped them through the darkness.

A faint shimmer surrounded the tree, a soft glow that pulsed with life, as though Yahweh’s blessing lingered here, embracing them all. Mihai felt a sense of peace settle over him, a reminder that, despite the cost, they had accomplished something larger than themselves.

When the ritual ended, they gathered their fallen comrades’ belongings with care, their steps quieter but steadier as they began the journey back to the village.

Return to the Village

As they entered the village, the remaining villagers welcomed them with a quiet reverence, their faces filled with a mixture of relief and sadness. The news of those lost spread quickly, and a somber stillness settled over the town as families mourned and honored their loved ones.

Conall met them at the village entrance, his face a mask of sorrow as he counted those who had returned and those who had not. He placed a hand on Mihai’s shoulder, giving a quiet nod of acknowledgment. “You did what you set out to do. You brought light back to the village.”

Mihai managed a faint smile, though his heart felt heavy. “But not without a cost.”

Conall’s gaze softened, a rare gentleness in his eyes. “No battle worth fighting ever is. But you’ve given these people a future. That’s what matters.”

Mihai nodded, his gaze sweeping over the village, where families gathered in small groups, offering comfort and support. He knew the grief would linger, but there was also a quiet resilience in the faces around him, a sense of unity born from shared loss.

A Moment of Reflection

That night, Mihai stood alone at the edge of the village, gazing out toward the forest. The weight of the memories he’d lost felt like a dull ache, a reminder of what he had given up. But beyond the emptiness, there was a glimmer of peace—a sense that he had fulfilled a purpose, even if it had cost him a part of himself.

Cian joined him, his presence a steadying force. They stood together in silence, the stars overhead casting a soft light over the quiet landscape.

“Do you think… we’ll ever really heal from this?” Cian asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Mihai looked at him, a faint smile crossing his face. “I think we will. In time. And until then, we keep moving forward.”

Cian nodded, a hint of determination in his gaze. “For them. And for the village.”

They stood together, the weight of the past and the promise of the future mingling in the stillness of the night. They had fought, they had lost, but they had also won something greater—a chance to protect the light within their world.

And as they turned back toward the village, Mihai felt a quiet resolve settle over him.