We walked out of the mountain slowly, each step a painful reminder of what we endured. Our bodies were covered in bruises and our hearts felt shattered into a thousand pieces.
The golden door closed behind us with a soft, final click. There was no more magical light pouring from the Heart chamber, just normal daylight filtering through the trees. We could smell fresh air and hear birds singing their cheerful songs.
It felt strange that the world didn't seem to know or care what we had lost.
Ezra leaned heavily on me for support, his ribs still badly damaged from the brutal fight. Luca had Marcus's arm draped over his shoulder, helping him walk. Marcus was limping noticeably with each step. None of us spoke, there were no words adequate for this moment.
