Chapter 169: A Day of Respite

The morning sun cast a warm glow over our camp, a rare moment of peace in the midst of our chaotic lives. I stretched and blinked against the light streaming into my tent, savoring the sounds of a bustling camp without the usual tension of impending battle. For once, it seemed like we could just be a group of friends enjoying a day off.

I stepped out to find Finn attempting to cook breakfast. The smell of burnt something hit my nose almost instantly.

"Finn, are you trying to poison us?" I called out, laughing as he frantically tried to salvage the charred remains.

"Hey, cooking is harder than it looks!" Finn protested, turning to reveal a face smeared with soot. "Besides, it's all part of my master plan to build up our immunity to... whatever this is."