They reached Luminara as the evening bells tolled. The golden lamps and lamplights were already lit, casting their warm glow over the streets. The couple moved through the crowds unnoticed, two shadows among thousands. Their clothes were still stained from the fight in the forest, their faces marked with exhaustion.
The guild hall was quieter at this hour. Fewer hunters. Fewer clerks. Alex walked to the main desk and reported the dungeon clear. The clerk with mechanical eyes raised an eyebrow at the speed of their return but said nothing. She processed the reward—a heavy pouch of gold coins—and handed it over.
"We encountered something on the way back," Alex said. "Corrupted creatures."
The clerk's fingers paused over her crystal screen. "Where?"
"The forest east of here, about a mile from the portal."
She nodded and made a note. "We'll send a team to investigate. Thank you for the report."
