The panic froze.
Shouts died mid-word. Accusations halted.
Everyone turned toward the city gate as a voice rang out from the walls above.
"The investigation team has returned!"
"We're opening the gate!"
All eyes snapped to the towering iron doors.
The guards nearby quickly assembled into formation.
Shields raised, pikes forward, boots locked behind the first line. A defensive stance.
Mages stepped behind them, ready to cast. Archers climbed the side towers and aimed downward.
The gate groaned.
Steel creaked slowly as the massive doors parted, inch by inch. Dust scattered. A cold wind swept in from the path beyond.
The crowd held its breath.
The squad leader stepped into the town square, his expression unreadable, followed by the rest of the investigation team, their faces pale and silent.
They were intact. Uninjured. No signs of a fight. No monsters behind them.
But something about their silence made the air heavier.
Everyone leaned forward, waiting.
