The residence stayed sealed through the night and into the next morning. Essence stabilizers did their work in silence. Bruises faded under medical pulses. Residual cold left the bones. By the time the sun cleared the eastern walls the eight of them moved with the same quiet coordination they had used inside the Ice Forge, only slower, heavier with the weight of what they had already survived and what still waited.
Trevor reviewed the final medical logs once more before he spoke. Lisa's side remained tender but functional. Rhea's shoulder carried a deep contusion that would take another day to clear completely. Everyone else showed only the expected residual drain. No lasting damage. The network confirmed it in real time: every presence sharp, every mark still saturated, every link locked at absolute maximum.
He gathered them in the main living area after the midday meal.
