Night fell slowly—like an inky veil spreading between the trees. The sky, hidden by the canopy, let through only fragments of silvery light.
The air was heavy, heavy with the damp scent of the forest and the mana that still vibrated in the roots, though calmer now.
Kael decided that camping here would be the wisest course of action. There was no time, nor energy, to continue traveling.
They needed to breathe—at least for one night.
A small space between two rocks served as shelter. Amelia cleaned the ground with heat spells to dry the mud; Irelia erected a circle of stones; and Sylphie silently summoned small green sparks that lit the fire.
The fire crackled slowly, casting dancing shadows across the weary faces.
Kael watched silently as the three of them worked.
