Dawn broke through with a golden light streaming through the area. Reinhard stood at the village edge watching smoke rise from cooking fires. The settlement had grown overnight, new structures appearing through sustained effort.
He headed northeast with Joseph and Janus. Their search would penetrate the northern area, hoping to find more people and not their bodies.
The morning air was crisp, carrying scents of pine and earth rather than decay.
Two hours in, they found a group of six. Adults clustered in a natural cave formation, having fled there when the tide approached. The cave's narrow entrance had protected them, corruption flowing past without penetrating the stone shelter.
A woman emerged first, shielding eyes against the sunlight. Her clothes were dirt-stained, face gaunt from days without proper food. "Is it... is it really over?"
Joseph smiled warmly. "Completely over. We're taking everyone to a new settlement."
The relief was instantaneous.
