The night was suffocating in its stillness. The fog wrapped around the camp like ghostly tendrils, muting the flicker of the small fire and swallowing the faint sounds of the forest. The air was damp, thick with a metallic tang that clung to every breath. Each shadow felt alive, each distant whisper carried on the wind like the faintest sigh of something ancient and malevolent.
Ezra stood at the edge of the camp, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, eyes scanning the thick mist for any sign of movement. The others sat close to the fire, their faces illuminated by the faint, flickering glow. No one spoke. No one dared break the fragile silence that hung over them like a shroud.
Caroline sat a little apart from the others, her arms wrapped around her knees as she stared into the dyin
