As the last bottle clicked softly into her pouch, Lira leaned back and let out a quiet sigh. Her hands smelled of lavender, mint, and something ancient, the faint trace of the memory herb still lingering on her fingertips.
The grove was calm. The spirit tree stood tall and still, its earlier pulse of light now just a gentle shimmer beneath the bark. Renkai stirred where he sat, his eyes opening slowly. He looked at her without a word, only nodding, as if he'd felt the moment she was ready.
She rose and walked over to him. He stood with ease and gave her a half-smile. "Time to return," he said softly.
Together, they walked back toward the edge of the grove, through the portal. As they reached the mist, Lira paused and glanced over her shoulder. The ruins in the distance, were already beginning to fade behind her. Like a dream slipping through daylight.
