The walk back to the accommodation complex felt different.
The sky deepened into shades of amber and violet.
Lanterns around the outskirts began lighting up one by one.
The small town atmosphere grew warmer and almost romantic as street musicians played soft instrumental melodies.
The scent of food intensified as dinner crowds gathered.
Despite not entering the ruins, the day had still been full.
They had spent nearly two hours wandering and hadn't even covered every establishment.
Time had slipped quickly.
Part of that was because they had arrived late.
They had left school at noon and arrived just past 3 PM. They spent over an hour sorting accommodation and then two more exploring.
Even without entry, the outskirts alone were overwhelming.
"We still have the whole weekend," Nina said reassuringly.
"Tomorrow we go in," Darius added dramatically.
"And nothing will stop us."
West glanced toward the ruins one more time before turning away.
Nothing… or something?
