Fin stood over the specialist's body. The air settled, quiet except for the rustle of leaves high in the canopy. Blood stained the moss around the corpse.
Arachne pushed herself fully upright, walking towards Fin, her movements stiff. Meg followed close behind her, keeping her eyes averted from the body on the ground. Scarlet approached from the other side, kicking idly at a loose root.
"Well," Scarlet said, looking down at the dead man. "That was… something."
Fin didn't look at the body. He turned towards the castle. "Let's go inside."
They walked back, leaving the clearing and the corpse behind. Fin walked steadily, though his shoulders slumped slightly. Arachne walked beside him, still favoring her injured side. Meg trailed them, looking down at the ground. Scarlet brought up the rear, glancing back occasionally.
Inside the main hall of the castle, the heavy doors closed behind them with a soft thud. The space felt large, quiet. Fin stopped near the center of the room.
