A month passed. Then two.
The humans left, just as the messenger had said. Their bases stood empty, their equipment abandoned, their ships gone from the sky. Verath was free.
The survivors emerged from the valley, blinking in the sunlight, unsure what to do with a world that no longer wanted to kill them.
They returned to the forest first. The old places. Hometree's remains, now overgrown with new life. The Tree of Voices, grown tall and strong. The clearing where Kaelen had first met Seri, so many years ago.
They stood there together, hand in hand, and said nothing. There was nothing to say.
Later, they would rebuild. They would find the scattered survivors, reunite the clans, plant new trees and raise new homes. They would remember the dead and honor their sacrifice. They would teach their children what had happened, so it would never happen again.
But for now, they just stood in the forest and let the peace wash over them.
"I see you," Seri whispered.
Kaelen turned to her. In the dappled light, she was beautiful—older, wearier, scarred by loss, but still her. Still the fierce girl who had aimed an arrow at his heart and ended up giving him her own.
"I see you," he answered. "Always."
They kissed, soft and slow, as the forest hummed around them and Eyva watched and the long defeat finally, mercifully, came to an end.