Chapter 113: The Long Road Home

Alex stood in the quiet inn of Rodent City, the weight of recent events pressing heavily on his mind. The desert heat was fading now that the sun had dipped below the horizon, leaving the streets outside bathed in a warm, amber glow. He gazed out of the small, cracked window in his room, his thoughts swirling in an anxious whirlpool. His heart ached to return home, to hold Lyra and Yuki in his arms and to see his son, Joan, again. He wondered how much Joan had grown in his absence and if Yuki was coping well with the pregnancy.

Thrain knocked on the door and entered quietly, giving Alex a knowing look. Tommy followed, adjusting his gear as he prepared for their journey back north. Alex stood up, grabbing his worn-out cloak, still covered in the dust from the desert.

"You ready?" Thrain asked, his eyes flicking between Alex and the window, sensing the turmoil his old friend was grappling with.