The next morning came quiet and cold. Dew clung to the grass, and a thin fog wove between the trees like drifting cloth. Adam stood before the cave, watching the light spread. His mind felt still. Heavy. Almost peaceful.
Behind him, he heard small footsteps shuffling against stone.
Kai emerged first, hair messy from sleep, rubbing his eyes. Mina followed, hugging her arms against the chill, eyes still swollen from sleep but bright beneath the haze.
They stood beside him, not speaking. They didn't need to. For a while, the three of them just watched the sun rise.
Adam turned to them. "Today we go back."
Mina tilted her head. "Back?"
"To the sect," he said.
Kai shifted on his feet, unsure. "Will… will they let us stay there?"
Adam looked at him. "They will."
He didn't say it like a promise. He said it like a fact. As if reality itself wouldn't dare argue.
