Chapter 207: Shadows in the Mist

The morning light was just beginning to break through the treetops when we woke, the soft golden rays a gentle reminder that another day lay ahead of us. I stretched out on the rough ground, my body still sore from the events of the previous day. Around me, the others were already beginning to stir. Malik was the first up, as always, stoking the dying embers of last night's fire. Zara murmured something to Finn as they packed up their bedrolls, and Raven, my ever-watchful companion, met my eyes with a tired smile as she approached.

"You ready for another day?" she asked, her voice soft but carrying the weight of the journey we'd undertaken.

I nodded, though a part of me yearned for just one more hour of rest, of peace. But peace wasn't something we could afford. Not yet. Not with so much at stake. We were all bound by a purpose that wouldn't let us stop, not even for a moment.