The walk back felt endless.
They left Ravenwood before the sun fully rose, following a narrow trail through thinning fog. No one spoke much; boots thudded dully against frozen earth, breaths curling like smoke. The silence wasn't awkward—it was heavy, the kind that only hunters returning from death's doorstep understood.
By midday the forest gave way to open ridges. A thin wind howled across the valley, carrying the scent of pine and iron. Kael led them to the old quarry at the ridge's base—nothing but jagged rock and forgotten rails to anyone else, yet this was one of the Corps' buried veins. Beneath the stone, hidden shafts and passages wound down to the Ash Unit's home.
Kael pressed his gloved hand against a rusted plate of metal wedged between the rocks. Faint heat pulsed beneath it—recognition code accepted. A mechanical hiss followed, and the plate sank inward. The ground split just enough for them to slip through before closing again, sealing the world above behind solid granite.
Inside, warm air enveloped them. Oil lamps lined the corridor walls, their light trembling across steel supports and old brick. The smell of iron, steam, and incense filled their lungs. The Hunters' Base was alive even in silence—pipes humming, gears turning, voices echoing faintly down distant halls. An entire society hidden from the world.
Taro let out a low whistle.
"Every time we come back, I forget how strange it is—feels like the world ends up there and starts again down here."
Rin chuckled, slinging his coat off one shoulder.
"Down here at least no one screams when they see us."
Lira adjusted her glasses, eyes flicking to the ceiling fans that creaked above.
"They'd scream louder if they knew how close Wendigos have come to finding these entrances."
That quieted them. The Corps kept its locations secret for a reason. Once, a base had been breached—an entire company wiped out overnight. Since then, every access tunnel was disguised, every signal encrypted. The fewer who knew a base's position, the safer everyone remained.
They reached the central corridor and slowed. Other hunters passed by—some blood-streaked from patrol, others limping from missions. A few nodded to Kael's team; others gave them a second glance, measuring the new faces who had survived Ravenwood's darkness.
When they reached the command chamber, the air changed. The hum of machines gave way to a grave stillness. The door ahead bore the emblem of the Corps. Kael knocked once, then pushed it open.
Commander Arden Voss waited inside.
He stood at the far end of the room, behind a table strewn with mission reports and old maps. The man's presence filled the space as surely as the low lamplight. Broad-shouldered, scar running from his chin to collarbone, hair silvered more from years than age. His gaze was calm but heavy—like he already knew too much.
"Ash Unit," he said. "Report."
Kael stepped forward, straightening instinctively. The others lined beside him.
He spoke plainly: how they'd tracked the traces of missing villagers to the forest tunnels, how the ice-blood Wendigo had organized a pack, how it had been the missing warden of Ravenwood. He told of the symbols at the chapel, the unnatural frost that spread even underground.
Arden listened without interruption. Only when Kael finished did he exhale through his nose—a quiet, thoughtful sound.
"You found a controlled mutation on your first mission."
"Yes, sir."
"And survived."
Kael nodded.
Arden's expression didn't change, but his tone softened just slightly.
"That's more than I expected of a rookie squad. You did well."
Relief flickered across Taro's face; even Lira's shoulders eased. But it lasted only a heartbeat. The commander turned to a file on the desk, eyes narrowing.
"Ravenwood is no longer a D-class infestation. It's being reclassified. A-rank. Another team will be dispatched."
Rin stiffened.
"Wait—that's our mission. We've already made progress—"
"And that progress kept you alive," Arden cut in. His voice was steel again. "Your duty was reconnaissance, not extermination. You've fulfilled it."
Lira stepped forward, measured but firm.
"Sir, our familiarity with the terrain could assist the next squad—"
"I've already chosen who goes," Arden said. "You'll stand down until further notice. Rest. Train. That's an order."
Silence pressed close. Kael's jaw tightened; he wanted to argue but found no ground that wouldn't sound like pride. Still, something in his chest rebelled at the thought of walking away while Ravenwood festered.
Arden seemed to sense it. He softened again, just enough to sound human.
"You did your part, Kael. Don't mistake survival for failure. Rest while you can—the work never ends."
Then he turned back to his desk, signaling dismissal.