As the first rays of light pierced the horizon, the horde lay restrained, fragmented, neutralized through Kael's careful guidance. Fires of the enclave still smoldered, smoke curling into the sky, and the Sight pulsed faintly beneath Kael's skin, a reminder of the balance he had achieved.
The Witch appeared beside him, her presence quiet but commanding. "You faced chaos, hunger, and death," she said. "And you chose restraint, balance, and mercy. But greater tests await. The world is not yet saved, and the shadows within you are far from gone."
Kael's gaze hardened. The hunger still pulsed, insistent and patient, but now tempered by understanding. Every choice moving forward every soul guided, every fragment consumed....would define his path. He stood atop the walls, watching the horizon, knowing the next wave, the next moral test, was inevitable.
The first light of dawn illuminated the enclave, a fragile promise against the darkness. Kael inhaled deeply, feeling both exhaustion and resolve. He had survived, protected, and restrained, but the real battle for the world and his own humanity was only beginning.