"Take these with our gratitude," the chief said formally. "It's the least we can offer to the people who saved us from extinction. If you ever return to this valley, you will be honored as the heroes you are. Stories of this night will be told for generations."

Satou accepted the supplies gratefully, distributing them among his team. The healing salves in particular would be invaluable—they'd help with the worst of the injuries during the journey back to the carriage.

Then, with final farewells to the lizard-folk who'd gathered to see them off—dozens of warriors and civilians who wanted to express their gratitude—they began the journey back through the valley.

The walk back was quieter than the infiltration had been. Exhaustion weighed on everyone. Urgot had to be supported between Kelvin and Grimnir. Freda remained unconscious, now being carried by Shadow despite their own injuries—the mysterious figure seemed to have surprising strength despite their relatively small build.

They passed through terrain that showed the scars of months of warfare. Burned trees, scorched earth, craters from explosive magic, dried bloodstains. But already, Satou could see signs of potential recovery. The corruption was fading. Plants that had been withered were showing new growth. The land itself seemed to be healing now that the dark magic was purged.

By the time they reached their carriage, the eastern sky was beginning to lighten with the approach of dawn. The demon horses hadn't moved, and the driver looked exactly as patient as when they'd left, as if he'd expected nothing less than their successful return.

"All settled?" the driver asked calmly, as if they'd just been on a brief errand rather than preventing the resurrection of an ancient demon lord.

"All settled," Satou confirmed. "And we need to make up lost time. Maximum speed, no stops except for absolute necessities."

"Understood, Lord Satou."

They climbed into the carriage, everyone settling into seats with groans of exhaustion and pain. Urgot was laid on one of the longer benches next to Freda, both of them needing rest more than anything. Grimnir and Kelvin began properly treating each other's wounds now that they had time and supplies. Shadow finally sat down, that mysterious presence allowing themselves to rest.

Satou took his usual seat where he could observe everyone and monitor their condition. As the carriage lurched into motion, heading back toward their original route, he allowed himself a moment to simply... breathe.

They'd done it. Stopped a cult, prevented a resurrection, saved two tribes from extinction. The detour had cost them a full day, but it had been necessary. Some things couldn't be ignored, no matter how urgent your personal mission was.

"Lord Satou," Urgot said weakly from his position on the bench, "thank you. For letting me come. For giving me the chance to prove myself."

"You earned your place here," Satou replied. "You fought well. Your father will be proud when we return and tell him what you accomplished."

The young orc smiled, then his eyes drifted closed as exhaustion and pain medication from the healing salves pulled him toward sleep.

One by one, his companions settled into rest. Even Shadow eventually leaned back against the carriage wall, their breathing becoming deeper and more regular.

Satou remained awake, watching the landscape pass outside the window as dawn fully broke. The wasteland of the lizard-folk valley was gradually giving way to less corrupted terrain as they traveled. By tomorrow evening, they'd reach the Illusion Forest and begin the most dangerous part of their journey.

The journey to hunt Merc Assault. The assassin who'd tortured him. The nightmare demon who'd tried to break him.

His hand unconsciously moved to grip his blade, and he felt the weapon respond to his resolve. The ice-cold fury that had been burning in his chest since waking from the nightmare torture flared brighter.

Wait for me, Merc Assault, Satou thought grimly. I'm coming. And when I find you, you're going to understand exactly what kind of mistake you made when you failed to kill me.

The carriage rolled on through the morning light, carrying them steadily toward their true destination.

The hunt for vengeance continued.

—---------

The carriage rolled steadily through increasingly desolate terrain for hours after leaving the lizard-folk valley. The landscape had transformed from the scarred battlefield into something altogether more unsettling—a twilight realm where reality itself seemed uncertain.

Trees grew at impossible angles, their branches twisting back on themselves in geometries that hurt to look at. The sky overhead shifted between day and night without any clear transition, as if time itself couldn't decide what it wanted to be. Paths appeared and disappeared, and landmarks that should have been constant seemed to move when no one was looking directly at them.

Inside the carriage, the atmosphere was quiet. Urgot and Freda still slept, recovering from their injuries and magical exhaustion respectively. Grimnir dozed lightly, his enhanced healing working to close the deeper wounds. Kelvin sat alert but tired, occasionally checking on the younger members of their party.

Satou remained watchful, his eyes scanning the strange landscape outside while his mind churned through tactical considerations. They'd lost a full day to the detour. Merc Assault had that much more time to recover, to fortify his position, possibly even to relocate if he'd somehow learned they were coming.

Shadow stood in their characteristic position near the door, that mysterious cloaked presence somehow even more still than usual. Satou noticed they'd been unusually quiet since leaving the temple—not that Shadow was ever particularly talkative, but there was a weight to their silence now that felt different.

As the hours passed, the wrongness of the landscape intensified. Colors became slightly off—reds that were too purple, blues that were too green, yellows that seemed to vibrate at the edge of perception. Sounds echoed strangely, arriving at the ears a split-second before they should or lingering longer than natural.

Then Shadow suddenly moved, their hand coming up in a sharp gesture.

"Stop," Shadow commanded, their magically-altered voice carrying absolute authority. "Stop the carriage now."

The driver immediately pulled the reins, the demon horses coming to a smooth halt. Everyone in the carriage who'd been resting jolted awake, hands going to weapons instinctively.

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