The physical scars of the cosmic war did not completely vanish overnight, but the earth of Oakhaven possessed a profound, undeniable resilience.
It had been exactly three weeks since the absolute, crushing weight of the cosmic Architect fleet was violently forcefully ejected from the atmosphere. For the first time in a decade, the protective boundaries of the valley were not maintained by heavy celestial steel, terrifying localized gravity wells, or localized hydrostatic pressure domes. The valley was simply protected by the absolute, undeniable peace of a hard-won victory.
Valeria stepped out onto the wide, repaired wooden porch of the manor.
