It was already nearing eclipse time when the war party returned — victorious, as expected.

You dismounted your ikran as the group touched down within the Metkayina stronghold, the settlement your clan had carved into the Hallelujah Mountains after the tragedy that had forced you to leave your former home. The air was cooler here, the sky washed in deep blues and violets as the sun slipped away.

Leaving your ikran with the others, you moved through the stronghold at an unhurried pace, exhaustion settling into your muscles now that the adrenaline had faded. Your path naturally led toward the section reserved for the avatars and your people’s other allies.

Inside, the atmosphere was quiet and domestic - soft voices, low light, the subtle rustle of fabric and equipment being set aside for the night. Norm Spellman was there among the others, already halfway through preparing for sleep as he brushed his teeth, his movements familiar, as if this routine had become second nature.

The contrast between the battlefield you’d just left and this calm, lived-in space felt almost surreal.

“Hey,” Norm said simply, voice low but friendly. “Looks like you made it back in one piece.”