CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY - THE FUTURE AHEAD

"You're awfully quiet," Freya observed as they made camp on their second night. "Still thinking about what Eldric said?" Anna nodded, poking at the campfire with a stick. "It's a lot to take in. I feel like I've learned so much, but at the same time, I have more questions than ever." Magnus grunted in agreement. "Aye, that's the way of it with mages. They give you answers that only lead to more questions." "But we did what we came to do," Freya reminded them. "We returned the gem and helped purify it. Whatever comes next, we'll face it together." Anna smiled, grateful for her companions' support. "You're right. And at least the journey back is easier than the way in." Indeed, with Eldric's tokens guiding them, they encountered no further threats. The forest seemed to part before them, offering clear paths where before there had been only tangled underbrush. On the morning of the fourth day, Anna caught a familiar scent on the breeze. Her heart leaped in her chest. "We're close,"