The journey back felt longer than before.
Neither Kai nor Ethan spoke.
The forest remained silent.
Moonlight filtered through the branches above, illuminating the narrow path ahead.
Kai carried Lily carefully in his arms.
The torn cape covered most of her injuries.
Most.
He made sure Ethan couldn't see the rest.
The boy walked several steps behind him.
Head lowered.
Shoulders trembling.
Every now and then Kai could hear quiet sobbing.
But he said nothing.
There was nothing to say.
No words could fix what had happened tonight.
No apology would bring Lily back.
So they simply walked.
One carrying the dead.
The other carrying guilt.
---
The village lights eventually appeared between the trees.
Torches.
Lanterns.
Dozens of them.
People were waiting.
Kai could see them gathered near the entrance.
Men holding spears.
Women clutching lanterns.
Children peeking from behind adults.
The moment someone spotted movement in the darkness, voices erupted.
"They're back!"
"I see them!"
"Over there!"
Hope spread through the crowd.
For a moment.
Just a moment.
Then they saw what Kai was carrying.
And everything became quiet.
The kind of silence that only tragedy could create.
Kai stepped into the torchlight.
Ethan immediately broke into a run.
His father rushed forward.
The two collided.
The man dropped to his knees and wrapped his son in a crushing embrace.
Ethan finally broke.
The tears he had been holding back flooded out.
The sight made several villagers look away.
No one wanted to watch.
No one wanted to imagine their own child in that situation.
Then Lily's mother stepped forward.