The van hummed softly as it carried them back toward the city, the afternoon sun casting warm golden light through the windows. The team was tired but satisfied, the weight of the gate finally lifted from their shoulders.
Andrey sat in the passenger seat, his eyes half-closed, his body still heavy with exhaustion. Inside his soul, he could feel Morgana's presence—a warm, steady pulse, like a second heartbeat. She was resting, but he knew she was aware of everything happening around him.
Hope sat in the back beside Lisa, her greatsword resting across her knees. Her voice carried a note of gratitude as she looked at the team.
"I want to say thank you. All of you. If it weren't for your team, those trapped heroes wouldn't have made it out alive. You did something incredible today."
Sein leaned back in her seat, arms crossed, a smug grin on her face. "Of course we did. We're the ones you can always count on."
