The air grew heavier the deeper we ventured into the Veiled Ravine. Thick, gnarled trees surrounded us, their branches stretching like skeletal hands to block the dim sunlight that struggled to filter through the oppressive canopy. The ground beneath our boots was uneven, the moss-covered rocks slick with moisture.
On the contrary, Dylan led the group, his posture rigid but composed as always. Behind him trailed his beta, Cosmos, flanked by warriors who had remained stoically silent since the start of the mission. I stayed slightly to the side, a few paces behind Dylan—not too far to seem aloof but certainly not close enough to offer any familiarity.
“I’ve seen brighter graveyards,” I muttered under my breath, more to myself than anyone else, as I stepped over a twisted root.
“You’ll be
