The morning after the raid carried a strange energy. The camp buzzed with laughter, cheers, and the crackle of fresh fires. For the first time in weeks, soldiers moved with straight backs and confident steps. They polished weapons, sang crude songs, and shared tales of Ren’s strike at the river crossing.
But Ren felt the unease beneath it all. Victories were never without consequences.
He stood at the edge of the camp with Seris, who still bore a bruise across her jaw from the raid. She kept her hood low, though her eyes flicked constantly to the valley below.
“You know this won’t go unanswered,” she murmured.
Ren’s gaze hardened. “That’s why we won’t wait for Varik to come to us. We’ll be ready when he does.”
The System pulsed in his vision.
[Ding!]
System Alert: Enemy Commander Re
