章 214: Night

The night was thick with the scent of rain, the clouds hanging low over the forest like a gathering army. Emily, Mara, and Calem made camp under a cluster of trees, the fire crackling softly as they huddled close for warmth. They'd been traveling for hours since leaving the ruined temple, and though they had managed to weaken the relic's hold, the uncertainty of their journey was a constant weight on Emily's shoulders.

As the firelight flickered over their faces, casting long shadows that danced across the trees, Emily felt an unease settle in her chest. The relic in her pack was quiet for the first time since she'd found it, its usual hum replaced by an unsettling silence. She felt like she was waiting for something—a revelation, a confrontation, an answer she couldn't yet define.