The journey back to the village was quiet, each of them lost in their thoughts. The path that had once seemed treacherous and foreboding now felt almost mundane under the light of day. The landscape, though scarred by the recent turmoil, was beginning to show signs of life returning. Birds chirped cautiously from the treetops, and the breeze carried with it the scent of blooming flowers, a promise of renewal after the darkness they had faced.
Ethan walked at the front, his mind still processing the events that had unfolded. The weight of the Heart's destruction lingered, but it was now tempered by a quiet sense of resolve. They had accomplished something monumental, but as Morgana had said, the real work was just beginning. He glanced back at his companions—Morgana, Rami, and Alex—each of them bearing the same tired but determined expressions. They were a team, forged in the crucible of battle, and he knew they would face whatever came next together.