Neto's sister pushed through the crowd, her face streaked with tears, eyes locked on the closing opening.
At the last possible moment, Tyler burst through the portal, leaping forward with Neto still in his arms. They hit the ground hard, rolling across solid stone as the opening snapped shut behind them.
The flesh disintegrated completely, dissolving into nothing.
Silence fell. And then Cheers erupted across Leafrest as the last traces of fear finally lifted. Word spread quickly— almost unreal in its speed —that the demon general was gone.
The Town folks laughed, shouted, and embraced one another in the streets. Some fell to their knees in relief, pressing their foreheads to the ground as if afraid the nightmare might return if they stood too tall.
Not everyone celebrated without tears.
