The village buzzed with life again. Children ran through the streets, laughter replacing the eerie silence that once hung over the town like a curse. The villagers, though still shaken, had begun rebuilding. Homes were repaired, roads cleared, and for the first time in what felt like forever, the air smelled of fresh bread and roasted meat instead of fear.
Mallory watched from a distance, sitting on a wooden fence with Greg, Alex, and Quinn beside her. Greg was stuffing his face with a loaf of bread he'd somehow acquired, crumbs decorating his jacket.
Alex sighed. "Do you ever eat like a normal person?"
Greg spoke through a mouthful. "I almost got eaten by a shadow monster, so yeah, I think I deserve this."
Quinn chuckled. "Hard to argue with that logic."