"Good, looks like we are in the clear."
Nobody answered imdiately after Marcus said that.
Not because they disagreed.
But because nobody inside the Black Hawk fully trusted the Forest of No Return anymore.
The helicopter continued pushing forward over the endless canopy, rotors cutting steadily through the cold upper air while the dark sea of trees stretched beneath them.
Minutes passed.
Then more.
Still nothing followed.
No vultures.
No movent beneath the canopy.
No giant tree monsters ripping themselves out of the forest floor.
Just silence.
The co-pilot slowly leaned back in his seat.
"...I think we actually made it."
The pilot didn’t relax yet.
"Don’t jinx it."
Marcus kept watching the forest below through the open side.
The pressure that had been sitting in the cabin earlier was fading now. Not completely gone, but weaker than before. Whatever awareness the forest had seed to stop at its borders.
Good.
He had no interest in testing whether it could extend farther.
The helicopter crossed the final stretch of dark canopy.
Then finally—
Open land appeared ahead.
The forest ended.
The transition was imdiate.
The air felt lighter.
Cleaner.
Even the cabin itself seed easier to breathe in once the Black Hawk fully crossed beyond the treeline.
The co-pilot let out a long breath.
"Yeah, screw that place."
One of the crew in the back nodded imdiately.
"Agreed."
The pilot finally eased his shoulders slightly.
"We’re out."
Marcus looked back one last ti through the side opening.
The Forest of No Return remained behind them, dark and silent beneath the afternoon sky.
No pursuit.
No movent.
No monsters crossing the border.
Just endless trees.
Watching.
Marcus turned away from it.
"Set course for base."
"Already on it," the pilot replied.
The Black Hawk banked slightly and accelerated across open land.
The difference in mood inside the helicopter was obvious now. The tension that had been choking the cabin earlier slowly disappeared as familiar terrain began appearing below.
Roads.
Fields.
Rivers.
Small villages.
Civilization.
The crew started talking again.
Not loudly.
But normally.
The pilot glanced back briefly.
"Still can’t believe we crossed that place twice."
The co-pilot snorted.
"And survived."
"Barely."
Marcus leaned back slightly in his seat.
"We learned."
The pilot nodded slowly.
"That forest is bad news."
"That’s putting it lightly," one of the crew muttered.
Marcus stayed quiet after that.
Because honestly—
They still didn’t fully understand what they encountered in there.
The tree monsters.
The vultures.
The way the forest reacted.
The way it healed itself.
That wasn’t normal wildlife.
That was sothing else entirely.
And the worst part?
Marcus had the feeling they only scratched the surface.
The helicopter continued flying for another hour before the landscape finally beca fully familiar.
The outskirts near Berm appeared first.
Then the roads leading toward their territory.
Then finally—
The base.
The Black Hawk descended slightly as the compound ca into view.
From above, the base looked active as usual. Personnel moved around the outer periter while several vehicles were parked neatly near the main structure. Guards on watchtowers quickly noticed the incoming helicopter.
Marcus imdiately saw the reaction below.
People were pointing upward already.
Word had probably spread that the mission had gone badly the mont communication beca unstable near the forest.
Seeing the helicopter return at all was likely enough to calm everyone down.
The pilot keyed the radio.
"Base, this is Atlas One returning from contract operation."
Static crackled briefly.
Then a familiar voice answered.
"Atlas One, this is Base. Welco back."
Marcus recognized the operator imdiately.
Relief was obvious in the man’s voice.
"You guys had us worried there."
"Yeah," the pilot replied. "We had so problems."
"That obvious, huh?"
"You have no idea."
The helicopter lowered further.
The landing pad approached quickly beneath them.
Marcus noticed people already gathering near the edge of the tarmac.
Then he spotted her imdiately.
Elaina.
She was standing near the landing area, eyes fixed entirely on the incoming Black Hawk.
The mont Marcus saw her, the exhaustion he had been ignoring since Crentis suddenly hit him harder than expected.
The helicopter touched down.
The landing gear hit the concrete with a slight jolt before stabilizing fully.
The rotors continued spinning overhead while the engine slowly powered down.
Marcus unbuckled imdiately.
The side door slid open.
Cold air rushed into the cabin.
Then Marcus stepped out.
The mont his boots touched the ground, Elaina was already moving toward him.
Fast.
Much faster than her usual composed pace.
Marcus barely had ti to take two steps before she reached him.
Then hugged him tightly.
Not casually.
Not politely.
Tightly enough that Marcus imdiately understood how worried she had been.
"You’re back," she said quietly.
Marcus wrapped one arm around her gently.
"Yeah."
Elaina pulled back slightly just enough to look at him properly.
Her eyes imdiately scanned him from head to toe.
The scratches on the gear.
The dirt.
The dried dark stains from the vulture attack still visible on parts of his clothing.
"Are you hurt?" she asked.
Marcus shook his head.
"I’m fine."
"You don’t look fine."
"We ran into so problems."
The co-pilot, climbing out behind them, imdiately spoke up.
"So problems is the understatent of the century."
Marcus looked at him.
The co-pilot imdiately raised both hands.
"What? It was horrible."
Elaina’s expression imdiately sharpened.
"Horrible?"
Marcus sighed quietly.
"We’ll explain later."
The pilot climbed out next and stretched heavily.
"Boss, next ti sobody says Forest of No Return, I’m voting we respect the na."
Several of the crew imdiately agreed.
One of them pointed toward the claw marks along the helicopter’s side.
"Those flying things nearly took the tail rotor."
Elaina blinked.
"...Flying things?"
Marcus rubbed the side of his forehead slightly.
"Long story."
"And very angry trees," the co-pilot added helpfully.
Marcus looked at him again.
"You are not helping."
"I’m helping emotionally prepare people."
Elaina stared at the damage along the Black Hawk now.
The scratches.
The dents.
The impact marks.
The helicopter looked like it had gone through a warzone.
Which honestly wasn’t far from the truth.
Her gaze returned to Marcus again.
"...You really are alright?"
Marcus nodded once.
"Yeah."
That seed enough for her.
At least for now.
She let out a small breath and relaxed slightly.
Then her eyes narrowed a little.
"Did the delivery succeed?"
Marcus looked toward the helicopter briefly before answering.
"Yes."
"And?"
Marcus gave a faint smirk.
"We got paid."
The co-pilot imdiately grinned.
"Oh, we got paid paid."
One of the crew laughed tiredly.
"Best suicidal delivery mission ever."
Elaina crossed her arms lightly.
"How much?"
Marcus answered simply.
"Fifty million from rchant Kelly."
Several nearby personnel imdiately froze after hearing that number.
Then Marcus added:
"And another fifty from rchant May."
Silence.
Complete silence for a second.
Even the co-pilot shook his head again despite already knowing.
"Still sounds insane hearing it out loud."
Elaina stared at Marcus.
"One hundred million kinah?"
Marcus nodded.
"Contract completed successfully."
One of the nearby guards muttered under his breath:
"What kind of cargo was that?"
Marcus shrugged slightly.
"Didn’t ask."
The pilot imdiately laughed.
"That part still kills ."
Elaina looked genuinely stunned now.
Not because Marcus succeeded.
Because of the scale.
One hundred million kinah was kingdom-level money.
Enough to fund armies.
Infrastructure.
Trade fleets.
And Marcus had earned it from one contract.
The co-pilot pointed toward the helicopter.
"To be fair, we definitely earned it."
"Agreed," another crew mber muttered.
Elaina looked at Marcus carefully for another few seconds.
Then finally shook her head softly.
"You crossed the Forest of No Return... for one hundred million kinah."
Marcus corrected her calmly.
"Twice."
The entire crew imdiately groaned.
"Please don’t remind us."
Marcus finally let out a small laugh.
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