Chapter 89 The Shadow's Return

• The night felt different after the battle. Though the moon hung high above them, casting a pale, silvery light over the landscape, there was a heaviness in the air that neither Ayaan nor Meher could shake. They had won. The creature was gone, and yet, the silence that followed felt like a warning.
• Ayaan kept a protective distance close to Meher as they walked through the darkened path toward the village. He could feel the lingering tension in the air, the uncertainty of what lay ahead. Even though they had fought and defeated a monster of unimaginable power, Ayaan’s instincts told him that this was not the end. It was merely the calm before a much darker storm.
• Meher, still weakened from the use of the Heartstone’s power, walked slowly beside him, her eyes constantly scanning the woods around them. Her hand brushed against the glowing gemstone at her neck, a constant reminder of the power she carried within her—a power that was both a gift and a curse. The Heartstone had saved them, but it had also drained her, and each time she used its power, it felt like a little more of herself slipped away.