Chapter 65 – Homeward Bound

The island was quiet as dawn broke over the horizon, casting the waters in hues of pink and gold. The crisp morning air was filled with the faint sounds of seabirds and the gentle lapping of the ocean against the shore. For a moment, it was as if the events of the past few weeks had been nothing more than a distant memory. But the tension in the air was undeniable, a reminder that their time on the island had come to an end.

Wyatt stood by the dock, his gaze fixed on the horizon. His partner's yacht bobbed gently in the water, ready to take him, Sean, Billy, and Rose back to the mainland. Nearby, the two island rangers approached, their expressions warm yet professional. Wyatt turned to them, extending a hand in gratitude.

"Thank you for everything," Wyatt said, shaking the first ranger's hand firmly. "We couldn't have asked for better care while we were here."

The ranger, a tall man with weathered features, nodded. "It's our job, Mr. Goodwin. But it was an honor to look after you and your family. We've got the island under control now, and we'll continue to make sure things stay secure."

Wyatt gave a slight smile. "I appreciate that. This place... it's become more than just a retreat for us. Keep an eye on it."

The second ranger, another man with sharp eyes and a calm demeanor, chimed in. "We'll make sure everything stays the way you left it."

With a final nod of thanks, Wyatt motioned to Sean, Billy, and Rose, who were already making their way onto the yacht. As they boarded, Wyatt took a deep breath, casting one last glance at the island that had been their temporary refuge. His thoughts, however, were already on the journey ahead—and what awaited them once they returned to their normal lives.

At the family's boat nearby, Bastian was loading a few bags into the cabin as Anastasia and Matt approached. Matt let out a long sigh, looking back at the island with a mix of exhaustion and relief.

"I can't believe we're finally leaving," Matt said, running a hand through his hair. "Feels like we've been here forever."

Anastasia nodded, though her thoughts were elsewhere. Bastian glanced over at her, sensing the shift in her mood but knowing better than to ask her about it right now.

As they climbed aboard the boat, Anastasia took a seat beside Matt while Bastian settled at the wheel on the bridge. The hum of the engine vibrated through the deck as Bastian expertly steered them away from the dock. The yacht carrying Wyatt and the others sailed ahead, leading the way.

For a while, none of them spoke, the sound of the waves and the wind filling the silence. Anastasia stared out at the big river stretching on for miles, her mind wandering. Eventually, she turned to Matt, her voice soft yet curious.

"So, what about Jenny?" Anastasia asked, breaking the silence. "Are you going to try and get her back when we get home?"

Matt tensed at the mention of Jenny's name. He sighed deeply, his gaze dropping to the water. "I don't know, Ana. Things were complicated before we left. I guess... I guess I just need to figure out if it's even worth trying again."

Anastasia raised an eyebrow. "You still care about her, though, right?"

Matt shrugged, leaning back against the seat. "Yeah, I do. But after everything that's happened... I'm not the same person I was when we left. And I'm pretty sure she's not either."

Anastasia nodded, understanding the weight of his words. "A lot's changed. For all of us."

Matt chuckled bitterly. "That's an understatement."

Bastian, listening quietly as he navigated the boat, glanced over at them. "If it's meant to be, Matt, you'll find a way to make it work. But don't force it. Sometimes people change in ways that make it impossible to go back to how things were."

Matt met Bastian's gaze, nodding thoughtfully. "Yeah... I guess we'll see."

The boat fell silent again for a few moments before Anastasia spoke up, her tone more serious. "What do you think it's going to be like when we get back home? With everything that's happened here... it feels like we're walking into something big. Like none of this is over yet."

Bastian's grip on the wheel tightened ever so slightly, his eyes focused on the horizon. "It's not over. The fight we had here was just the beginning. There's a lot we still don't know, and we're going to have to face it when we get back."

Matt frowned, his hands clenching into fists. "So, what now? More demons? More battles?"

"Most likely," Bastian said quietly. "But we're more prepared now. You, Sean, Anastasia... you've all come a long way. We're stronger together than we were before."

Anastasia leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "It's still hard to believe how much has changed since we got here. I mean, a few weeks ago, I didn't even know demons existed. Now, we're leaving this island after facing who-knows-what... and everything feels different."

Bastian nodded, his expression serious. "It is different. But that doesn't mean we're not ready for what's coming."

Matt, staring at the waves, seemed lost in thought for a moment. "Do you think we'll ever get back to normal? You know, like before all this started?"

Anastasia gave a small, sad smile. "I don't think 'normal' exists for us anymore, Matt. Whatever happens next, we're changed. And we're going to have to live with that."

The boat cut through the water, the distance between them and the island growing larger with each passing minute. The weight of what was left unsaid hung in the air—concerns about the future, about the battles they would face, and about the toll it would take on them all.

But for now, they were heading home. And whatever awaited them there, they would face it together.

As the shoreline of the mainland came into view, Bastian slowed the boat, his eyes flicking to Anastasia. She offered him a small, reassuring smile, though the worry still lingered in her eyes. They were leaving the island, but the war wasn't over yet.

As the hours went by, Bastian was teaching Anastasia how to steer in as they eventually approached land that they were going to dock at but what they saw, was something they didn't expect. The radio suddenly pitched as Wyatt's voice came through.

"Bastian, this is Wyatt. Do you copy?"

Bastian immediately picked up the radio and spoke, "Yes Sir, I copy you loud and clear. What do you see?"

"It looks like a party is waiting for us and they are not friendly. We need to go to the next dock as quickly as we can. We need to get to the main harbour. I will call the dock authorities and ask them for emergency docking."

Bastian grabbed the binoculars and sure enough, there were dozens of cars at the dock and a whole bunch of people looking out at them. "Isn't that your security detail?"

"No. I cant get hold of my guys so most likely they are dead," Wyatt sighed. Anastasia went wide-eyed looking at Bastian. "There are too many of them and they have an advantage so we need to dock where we have back up and we are not vulnerable in the water."

Just then, another voice came over the radio. "Bastian, its Billy. Use the powers I showed you. Sense the power coming from the crowd waiting for us." Bastian closed his eyes and did what Billy showed him on how to sense power from afar and whether its good or evil. Abilities he was about to learn before he insisted on coming back to her.

Anastasia watched as he concentrated but it didn't take long for Bastian to shoot open his eyes and his face was shock-ridden. Why didn't he pick this up before.

Anastasia saw his face and started to panic. "Bastian? What? What happened?"

Bastian didn't answer her as walked out the door of the bridge, leaned over the side of the bridge behind them. He came back and picked up the radio immediately.

"Billy, come in?"

"Yeah Bastian. Did you sense them?"

"Yeah I did. They are all demons. Powerful ones. We wont be able to take them on right now as Wyatt said. But did you sense the ones behind us?"