"Long ago," the elder started, everyone listening attentively, "when the world was young and the spirits walked freely among us, a prophecy was spoken. It told of a group of warriors, bound by fate and friendship, who would face a great evil. But it also spoke of a shadow within their ranks, a betrayer who would threaten to undo all they had fought for."
The elder's words hung heavy in the air, each of us processing their implications. I could see the doubt beginning to take root in my companions' eyes, the seeds of suspicion already sprouting. The vulnerability of last night, so raw and recent, was making them all the more susceptible to these fears.
"This is nonsense," Zara declared, though I could hear the uncertainty beneath her bravado. Her admission of exhaustion from last night wa
