The bell’s final echo faded into the mountains.
Eldermere stood unusually still.
For a long moment...
No one moved.
The villagers remained kneeling.
Not because Noah had asked them to.
But because, for the first time in generations...
Hope had returned.
Chief Elias slowly rose.
His eyes never left the bronze bell hanging from Noah’s belt.
"...My grandfather..."
"...used to say this day would never come."
He smiled through moist eyes.
"I’m glad he was wrong."
Noah looked uncomfortable.
"We only followed the path."
Father Benedict shook his head.
"No."
"You chose it."
"There is a difference."
That evening...
The entire village gathered in the central square.
Long wooden tables filled the streets.
Fresh bread.
Roasted meat.
Warm stew.
Children laughed once again.
For the first time since Squad Seven had arrived...
The fear hanging over Eldermere had begun to lift.
Eric held up a mug of apple cider.
"So..."
"Does this count as getting paid?"
Luna looked at the overflowing table.
"You’d accept food as payment."
"I absolutely would."
Sophia giggled.
"You already have."
The square erupted into laughter.
Even Noah found himself smiling.
As the celebration continued...
Chief Elias quietly approached Noah.
"I have something for you."
He handed over a small wooden box.
Simple.
Handcrafted.
Noah opened it.
Inside rested...
A beautifully carved wooden sparrow.
Unlike the others...
This one’s wings were spread wide.
As if in flight.
Elias smiled.
"My family carved sparrows for over a hundred years."
"We stopped after Lily disappeared."
He looked toward the children playing nearby.
"...Tonight..."
"...we’ll begin carving them again."
Noah carefully closed the box.
"Thank you."
Later that night...
Squad Seven gathered outside the guest house beneath a sky filled with stars.
The village was quiet once more.
Peaceful.
Eric leaned back against the wooden fence.
"You know..."
"This mission wasn’t what I expected."
Damien nodded.
"It wasn’t supposed to be."
Sophia looked toward Noah.
"What happens now?"
Noah glanced at the road leading back toward Valhalla Academy.
"We finish our report."
"We return."
"And..."
He smiled faintly.
"We keep training."
Luna smirked.
"You sound like Professor Ingrid."
Everyone laughed.
The next morning...
The caravan prepared to leave.
Merchants loaded their wagons.
Villagers waved goodbye.
Children chased one another around the horses.
Life had returned.
Or at least...
It was beginning to.
Rowan climbed into the lead wagon.
"Ready?"
Noah nodded.
"Ready."
Just before the caravan departed...
A small voice called out.
"Wait!"
Everyone turned.
A little boy ran toward Noah.
He couldn’t have been older than seven.
He held something tightly in both hands.
When he reached Noah...
He held it up proudly.
It was a freshly carved wooden sparrow.
"My grandpa taught me."
He grinned.
"I’m going to make one every year."
Noah accepted it with a smile.
"It’s beautiful."
The boy puffed out his chest.
"I’ll make better ones."
The caravan finally rolled out of Eldermere.
The villagers stood at the gate, waving until the wagons disappeared over the hill.
As the village faded into the distance...
Sophia suddenly looked back.
"...Noah."
He turned.
Standing on the old stone bridge over Whisper Creek...
Were two children.
A little girl in a faded blue dress.
Holding the hand of an older boy.
Lily.
And Owen.
Neither looked transparent.
Neither looked sad.
They simply smiled.
Lily gave Noah a tiny wave.
Owen bowed his head in gratitude.
Then...
The morning mist drifted across the bridge.
When it cleared...
The children were gone.
Noah smiled quietly.
"...They’re finally together."
No one answered.
They didn’t need to.
Far above the mountains...
Hidden beyond the clouds...
The tiny crack in the sky remained.
Invisible to ordinary eyes.
From within its endless darkness...
A low voice echoed.
Neither angry.
Nor impatient.
Merely waiting.
"One promise has been fulfilled..."
A pause.
Then...
"...Six remain."
The crimson eye slowly opened once more.
Watching.
Waiting.
For the next move.
The caravan left Eldermere behind.
The village slowly disappeared beyond the rolling hills.
For a while...
No one spoke.
Each member of Squad Seven was lost in thought.
The journey through Graypine Forest felt...
Different.
The oppressive silence was gone.
Birds sang among the branches.
Sunlight pierced the canopy.
Even the horses seemed calmer.
Eric looked around suspiciously.
"...It’s weird."
Luna raised an eyebrow.
"What is?"
"I almost miss being terrified."
Damien sighed.
"I don’t."
Rowan laughed from the lead wagon.
"That’s the forest’s way."
"When it wants you gone..."
"...it lets you leave peacefully."
They reached Whisper Creek just before noon.
The old stone bridge stood exactly as before.
Water flowed gently beneath it.
Wildflowers bloomed along the banks.
Nothing suggested that centuries of mystery had once surrounded the place.
Noah paused in the middle of the bridge.
The Bell of Returning hanging from his belt gave the faintest chime.
Ting...
The sound carried across the water.
Then faded.
He smiled quietly.
"...Goodbye."
The caravan continued.
By sunset...
Graypine Forest was behind them.
Open fields stretched toward the horizon.
Everyone breathed a little easier.
Three days later...
The white towers of Valhalla Academy appeared in the distance.
Students trained on the outer fields.
The academy banners fluttered proudly in the wind.
Home.
Eric threw both arms into the air.
"I’ve never been happier to see homework."
Luna stared at him.
"...You hit your head in the forest."
"I’m serious."
"No, you’re concussed."
Sophia laughed so hard she nearly dropped her staff.
As the caravan passed through the academy gates...
Several instructors were already waiting.
Professor Astrid stood at the front.
Clipboard in hand.
Professor Ingrid stood beside her.
Arms folded.
Watching silently.
Rowan climbed down from the lead wagon.
"The delivery’s complete."
Astrid nodded.
"And the investigation?"
Rowan looked toward Noah.
"That’s their report."
Professor Astrid’s gaze shifted to Squad Seven.
"You’ve returned."
Noah stepped forward.
"We completed the escort."
"And the disappearances?"
Noah hesitated.
"There are still unanswered questions."
He removed the travel journal from his pack.
"But we found enough..."
"...to know where to begin looking."
Astrid accepted the journal.
She didn’t open it immediately.
Instead...
She studied Noah.
Then her eyes drifted to the bronze bell hanging from his belt.
For the first time...
Her calm expression changed.
Only slightly.
Professor Ingrid noticed it too.
"...Where did you get that?"
Noah answered honestly.
"Inside the shrine."
Silence.
Astrid slowly closed her eyes.
"...I see."
She didn’t ask another question.
Professor Ingrid looked at Astrid.
"You knew."
Astrid answered quietly.
"I hoped."
Noah frowned.
"Hoped for what?"
Astrid looked toward the academy’s tallest tower.
"Not here."
"We’ll discuss it tomorrow."
She handed Noah a sealed envelope.
"Until then..."
"...tell no one about the shrine."
Eric blinked.
"...Seriously?"
Professor Ingrid answered for her.
"There are students in this academy..."
"...who would kill for far less."
The joking atmosphere vanished instantly.
As Squad Seven headed toward the dormitories...
Dozens of students noticed them.
Whispers spread quickly.
"They’re back."
"That’s Squad Seven."
"They completed the Eldermere mission."
"Look..."
"Is that Noah?"
High above the courtyard...
From the balcony of the Headmaster’s Tower...
Alaric watched them return.
A gentle breeze stirred his golden hair.
Standing beside him...
Was a woman no one else in the academy noticed.
She wore a long crimson cloak.
Her face remained hidden beneath its hood.
She watched Noah in silence.
Then quietly spoke.
"...So the Bell has chosen."
Alaric nodded once.
"It has."
The woman turned toward the distant horizon.
"...Then Volume One’s real ending..."
She corrected herself with a faint smile.
"...The first act..."
"...is almost over."
Alaric’s golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"No."
He looked toward Noah walking with his friends below.
"The peace is."
Far beneath Valhalla Academy...
Deep below the Hall of Oaths...
A single rusted chain snapped.
CLANG.
Something in the darkness...
Breathed.