The once-quiet infirmary had taken on a new energy now. The scent of herbs and potions still lingered but now it was accompanied by low laughter, casual chatter, and the shuffling footsteps of visiting soldiers.
Word had spread quickly through the palace that the adventurers who had returned were the ones responsible for the forest's salvation. And now, curious guards, knights, and even junior Mages made their way into the room with wide eyes and eager questions.
"I still can't believe it," one young soldier said, standing at the foot of Jan's cot. "You really went inside the god's temple?"
Jan raised an eyebrow, a faint grin curling his lips. "Something like that."
"Is it true?" another guard asked Kaela, who was lying back with her arm in a sling. "You guys really faced down an ancient god? Like the kind from the stone tablets in the archives?"
Kaela smirked. "Yup. Strong, angry, and full of vines."