The journey back to Black Hollow was not a triumphant one.The villagers trudged through the gates, their faces streaked with soot and exhaustion, their eyes hollow with the weight of what they had witnessed.The warding stone in the square pulsed with a faint, unsteady light, its golden glow flickering like a dying ember. The air smelled of burnt herbs and damp earth, but beneath it, something older lingered, a scent like metal left too long in the rain.Dain walked at the front, his steps slow, his hand clutching the Blade of Severing. The scar where the King’s name had once burned was gone, but the skin beneath it ached, a phantom pain that echoed the void’s hunger. His eyes were dull, the fire that had burned in them after the valley now extinguished. He felt hollow, like a vessel drained of its purpose, yet filled with something new, something unnameable.Serra stepped beside him, her sword sheathed, her expression grave. "We did it," she said, her voice low. "We sealed it."Dain

The villagers trudged back to Black Hollow under a sky choked with heavy, lead-gray clouds, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and burnt herbs. The warding stone in the square pulsed with a faint, unsteady light, its golden glow flickering like a candle in a draft. The villagers moved through the village like ghosts, their faces streaked with soot and exhaustion, their eyes hollow with the weight of what they had witnessed.Dain walked at the front, his steps slow, his hand clutching the Blade of Severing. The scar where the King’s name had once burned was gone, but the skin beneath it ached, a phantom pain that echoed the land’s hunger. His eyes were dull, the fire that had burned in them after the valley now extinguished. He felt hollow, like a vessel drained of its purpose, yet filled with something new, something unnameable.Serra stepped beside him, her sword sheathed, her expression grave. "We did it," she said, her voice low. "We sealed it."Dain didn’t glance at her. "

The villagers returned to Black Hollow under a sky choked with heavy, lead-gray clouds, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and burnt herbs. The warding stone in the square pulsed with a faint, unsteady light, its golden glow flickering like a dying ember.The villagers moved through the village like ghosts, their faces streaked with soot and exhaustion, their eyes hollow with the weight of what they had witnessed.Dain walked at the front, his steps slow, his hand clutching the Blade of Severing. The scar where the King’s name had once burned was gone, but the skin beneath it ached, a phantom pain that echoed the land’s hunger. His eyes were dull, the fire that had burned in them after the valley now extinguished. He felt hollow, like a vessel drained of its purpose, yet filled with something new, something unnameable.Serra stepped beside him, her sword sheathed, her expression grave. "We did it," she said, her voice low. "We sealed it."Dain didn’t glance at her. "We delayed

The villagers stumbled back into Black Hollow as the first light of dawn crept over the horizon, painting the sky in streaks of pale orange and bruised purple. The warding stone in the square pulsed weakly, its golden light flickering like a dying ember, struggling to hold back the darkness that lingered at the edges of the village.The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and burnt herbs, a remnant of the battle they had fought and barely won. The villagers moved in silence, their faces streaked with dirt and exhaustion, their eyes hollow with the weight of what they had seen and done.Dain walked at the front, his steps slow, his hand gripping the Blade of Severing. The scar where the King’s name had once burned was gone, but the skin beneath it ached, a phantom pain that echoed the land’s hunger. His eyes were dull, the fire that had burned in them after the valley now extinguished, replaced by a weariness that settled deep in his bones. He felt hollow, like a vessel drained

The villagers returned to Black Hollow under a sky choked with heavy, lead-gray clouds, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and burnt herbs. The warding stone in the square pulsed with a faint, unsteady light, its golden glow flickering like a dying ember, struggling to hold back the darkness that lingered at the edges of the village.The villagers moved in silence, their faces streaked with dirt and exhaustion, their eyes hollow with the weight of what they had seen and done.Dain walked at the front, his steps slow, his hand gripping the Blade of Severing. The scar where the King’s name had once burned was gone, but the skin beneath it ached, a phantom pain that echoed the land’s hunger. His eyes were dull, the fire that had burned in them after the valley now extinguished, replaced by a weariness that settled deep in his bones. He felt hollow, like a vessel drained of its purpose, yet filled with something new, something unnameable, something heavier than sorrow.Serra stepp