The journey back to The Wellspring was a silent, somber procession. The vibrant forest that had felt merely quiet on their way north now felt like a roaring celebration of life in comparison to the dead hollow they had left behind. The memory of that grinding silence was a stain on their minds, a psychic chill that the valley's warmth could not immediately thaw.
When they finally passed through the Gate of Harmony, its welcoming tone felt like a balm. But the community that gathered around them saw the truth in their eyes before a single word was spoken. The joy of their return was instantly muted by the grim weight they carried.
In the council granary, they told their story. Kaelen spoke of the oppressive silence. Lyra described the barren soil and the brittle, lifeless plants. Bren presented his chilling data—the erratic pendulum, the resonant null point. And Finn, his voice still small with the memory, simply said, "They forgot how to hear."
