Xander walked beside Jo, the road still littered with dust and debris from the recent battle. The streets of the town were quieter now, but in the distance, the sounds of hammers and saws rang out, marking the early stages of rebuilding. Six days passed since their victory over General Malgrath, and although much was destroyed, the people lost no time in starting again.

The faint smell of burnt timber still hung in the air, though the worst of it had passed. Xander inhaled deeply, his body still tense from the memories of the siege. Jo limped slightly beside him, her sword at her side, though she hadn't needed to draw it since that last day. Her recovery was slow, but she was getting better. Every day, she moved a little more easily.

"They're making quick progress," Jo said, her voice carrying a hopeful note as she glanced at the workers hauling wood and stone. "I didn't think they'd get started so soon."

Xander nodded, keeping his gaze forward. "They want to get back to a sense of normalcy."

He glanced at her briefly, watching how her eyes lingered on the half-repaired buildings. The pain of the battle wasn't just physical for her; it clung to her in ways he couldn't touch, ways she still hadn't spoken about.

"Is there such a thing as normal now?" Zoey

They passed by the shattered wall, the remnants of what had once been a bustling shop, now reduced to rubble. The sight of it brought a pang of guilt, but he pushed it aside. They had done what they could. Maybe even more than anyone else could have. And the town, despite the next siege wave kicking off early, had survived.

Jo winced slightly as she stepped over a cracked stone, and Xander instinctively reached out, but she waved him off, her determination showing through the faint smile she gave him.

"I'm fine," she said, though he knew better. She had been pushing herself since the battle ended, as if the act of walking without assistance was her way of healing from the emotional weight of the last few days.

"Mason looked again for Lyra," Xander said, changing the subject as they approached the inn.

"And?" she asked.

"According to what he found, he still says that no one by that name has ever been in the safe zone. He checked all the records again. There's no trace of her."

Jo's steps faltered for just a second, her gaze shifting to him, eyes narrowing in confusion. "But you talked to her."

She trailed off, biting her lip, clearly thinking back. They both knew there was more to this, and that no one else had encountered Lyra was unsettling.

"I don't doubt you," she whispered, meeting his eyes. "But that leaves a big question, doesn't it? If no one else has seen her… then who, or what, is she?"

Xander didn't have an answer. His thoughts churned with possibilities, none of them comforting. He felt something strange when he spoke with Lyra, but both times, he was too tired and too focused on the moment to question it. Now, with the siege behind them, the mystery lingered like an unsolved riddle.

Before he could say anything more, a sudden shift on his shoulder caught his attention. Cabbot was no longer napping on his shoulder. The cat sat upright, its eyes glowing faintly as it stared off to the side of the street, ears flicking in silent concentration. Xander followed Cabbot's gaze to a rocking chair on the porch of a nearby shop.

The chair moved slowly, creaking in the gentle breeze. But there was no breeze. Nothing else stirred in the still air. The rocking seemed deliberate, as if someone sat there, gently swaying back and forth before pausing.

Xander turned to Jo. "Do you see that?"

Jo followed his gaze, and Zoey, who had been walking a few steps behind them, sidled up next to him and smirked.

"What, the creepy chair? I saw it, too," Zoey said, her tone light, as if it were nothing. "Maybe the town's haunted now."

Xander frowned but didn't reply. Cabbot, still gazing at the chair, gave no sign of danger, just a curious intensity that unnerved him. If Cabbot was seeing some kind of spirit, wouldn't he able to see it too with his Spectral Sight, he thought?

Zoey chuckled and patted Xander's back. "Relax, it's probably nothing. Speaking of good omens, though, check this out."

She pulled out her newly gained bow and spun it around with a flourish, the silvery sheen of the frost-enchanted weapon glinting in the fading daylight. "Loot from the siege quest reward. Not bad, right? It's got a nice frostbite to it."

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Xander raised an eyebrow, but couldn't help the faint smile that tugged at his lips. "Nice catch."

"Best part of the job," Zoey grinned. "A little reward for all the near-death experiences."

As they reached the inn's doors, the sound of voices and laughter spilled out into the street. The townsfolk gathered inside, waiting for them. When Xander pushed the door open, a round of cheers erupted, people raising their glasses in celebration. Despite the destruction, despite the losses, the town saw them as heroes.

Xander hesitated in the doorway, feeling the warmth of the moment wash over him. For a brief second, he thought of Alex and the vow he had made never to let anyone else fall on his watch. He clenched his fist, feeling a spark of hope that things were changing for the better.

The world outside was still dangerous, still broken in so many ways, but here, for now, they were safe. They had earned this moment of peace.

Jo touched his arm gently, her eyes softening. "Come on, hero," she said with a smile. "Let's go inside."

The scene inside the inn was one of celebration, as it had been for the past six days. Different groups were engaged in loud conversation, recounting their contributions to the site. Several other groups were discussing forming their own adventuring teams. The sound of glasses and music filled in the space between the conversations. Sitting in the back corner, the team's regular table sat empty, with a large reserved sign sitting on top of it, a few thanks from the innkeeper who was unabashedly using the fact the team stayed there regularly as a marketing point.

Xander took his seat and leaned back in his chair, the glow of the inn's fireplace casting soft shadows over the table where he, Jo, and Zoey sat. Xander watched as Cabbot padded quietly across the floor and curled up in front of the hearth, her silvery form almost shimmering in the firelight. He tilted his head slightly, studying her. Could she even feel the heat? Being more spirit than flesh, he doubted it. But there she was, curling into a ball as if she were a regular house cat basking in the warmth.

He smirked and said aloud, "You can't even feel the heat from the fire, can you?"

In response, Cabbot softly huffed, flicked her tail, and turned her back on him in what could only be described as the ghostly equivalent of a cat's cold shoulder. Xander chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright, no need to tell me off. Sheesh."

Jo, sitting across from him, glanced up with a faint smile. "You two really act like an old married couple sometimes. Should I be jealous?"

Xander raised an eyebrow. "What can I say? A cat is going to cat." He glanced at the spectral cat again, still amused at how much personality she could convey without uttering a single word.

But the moment of lightness passed as Xander reached into his satchel and pulled out the admin key. The small metallic artifact reflected the firelight, its surface intricate with strange symbols. He placed it on the table between them, staring at it for a moment before speaking.

"We need to figure out what this thing does," he said quietly. "The Cult of the Simulation knows we got something from the dungeon. They're not just going to let us walk away with it. They're probably already planning their next move."

His words settled over the table. The Cult had been relentless in their pursuit, and after everything they'd been through, Xander knew they wouldn't give up easily. This admin key was part of something larger. Something the Cult clearly wanted, and that meant they needed to be ready.

Jo, who had been quietly tracing her finger along the rim of her mug, looked up. Her eyes hardened slightly, a flicker of the old anger she kept buried deep inside surfacing for just a moment. "I'll spend some time going through the user manual we found with the key. There has to be something in there we can use."

Her voice was calm, but Xander could hear the steel in it. Jo's resolve had only grown since her encounter with the Cult. She wasn't one to back down. Not after whatever they had done to her. If there was a way to use the key and the manual against them, she would find it.

"We'll figure out who's pulling the strings," she continued. "And when we do, we'll crush them."

Xander nodded, knowing that Jo's personal vendetta with the Cult ran deep. He'd seen how much the Cult's actions had scarred her, even if she didn't talk about it. There was a fire in her, a quiet rage that burned behind her calm demeanor, and it was only a matter of time before she would have her reckoning.

Before the conversation could turn darker, Zoey leaned forward with a grin, breaking the tension. "So, what's the plan? Stick around here in the safe zone? Or…" She raised an eyebrow and tapped the table with her finger. "We could always hitch a ride on one of those steam trains once they get moving again. Get back out there and explore a bit. I mean, who wants to be a sitting duck, right? Not to mention there is still the mystery of what that enormous battle on the north side of Champaign was about."

Her eyes gleamed with excitement, the thought of adventure clearly stirring something inside her. Zoey had not been one to sit still since the cataclysm, and the idea of staying in one place for too long probably felt like a prison to her. Rumor had it that the steam trains were leaving soon. There was talk that they'd be venturing out into the wilds, connecting safe zones and scouting for more survivors.

"Could be fun," she added with a playful smile. "Besides, we've already done the whole 'stationary target' thing. Maybe it's time to stay ahead of the game."

Xander couldn't help but smile at her enthusiasm. Zoey always had a way of lightening the mood, even when the weight of their mission bore down on them. But he also knew she had a point. Staying in one place made them vulnerable. The Cult wasn't the type to let things go, and sitting around waiting for their next move wasn't exactly the safest option.

"We're not going anywhere just yet," he said finally. "Once the trains are ready to leave, we'll make that decision. For now, we rest. We take the time to figure out what this key does, and we get stronger."

Zoey rolled her eyes, but there was a playful glint in them. "Fine, fine. A break in the action. But don't expect me to sit around for too long."

Xander chuckled. "Wouldn't dream of it."

For now, though, the fire crackled beside them. Cabbot let out a soft purr in her sleep, and for the first time in days, Xander allowed himself to relax. They had time. Not much, but enough. And they would use it wisely.

—The End—

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