The night air was thick with mist, clinging to Kael's skin as he stumbled forward. His legs were leaden, his lungs burned, and every muscle in his body ached from the desperate escape from the Shadowfang Mines. The damp grass of Theron's Rest cradled him as he collapsed onto the ground, the town's distant lanterns flickering like stars in the darkness. For the first time since they had entered the mines, he allowed himself to breathe, to close his eyes and feel the cool earth beneath his fingers.
Liora, standing beside him, showed no such signs of exhaustion. He remained upright, his sharp eyes scanning the shadows beyond the tree line, his dagger still in hand. His stance was coiled, tense, as though expecting another ambush at any moment.
"You always this dramatic, or just tonight?" Liora muttered, nudging Kael's boot lightly with his foot.
Kael groaned, rolling onto his back. "I think my everything hurts."
