He stepped forward, toward the crater.
They followed.
At the edge of firelight, he paused and knew:
They had changed the island.
Now the island would change them.
And they would face whatever came, with memory, with love, as named and living selves.
Between ground that trembled and crater depths that glowed, they stepped into the breach.
The wind carried a strange freshness as they descended from the crater's rim, each step damp with ash and embers that cooled underfoot. Jude led the way, shoulders squared, face lit by quiet triumph, a victory they'd claimed together. Lucy held his hand tightly; Grace walked beside Nefertari, whose eyes reflected an ancient sorrow freshly purged. Emma hovered close to Jude's back, while the others followed in pairs, eyes alert and hearts pounding.
