They made camp in a fold of the ashen hills, hidden from the world by Kael's shadow and the dying light. The survivors took turns on watch, their faces grim with exhaustion and grief. But for a few precious hours, Elara and Kael were alone.
Not alone in the way of warriors on a mission. Alone in the way of two souls who had carried the world's weight and found, in each other, the only rest.
The Umbrablade lay beside Kael, its darkness pulsing softly in rhythm with his heartbeat. The amulet rested between them, its glow a gentle witness. The spark within Elara was quiet, contemplative, as if it too understood the need for stillness.
They sat with their backs against a weathered stone, watching the stars emerge through the thinning ash clouds. Kael's arm was around her shoulders, her head
