Evening approached fast, bringing with it an abnormal chill that seemed to permeate the skin, causing the traveling group to shiver. They kept their trek in a still silence, the mountain goal ahead of them getting larger the closer they got.
It was during one of these quiet stretches that Tommen, who had been walking a little behind the group, caught up to Ivan.
"So," Tommen began, glancing at Ivan's injured form. "You've been on this road for a while, huh? How long since you left Yaran?"
Ivan's eyes remained forward as he responded. "A little over two days now. We had to move quickly. The city's gone… well, you know."
Tommen nodded grimly. "Yeah. Same for us. I've seen things… things I never thought I'd see." His voice grew quieter, as if the weight of those memories pressed heavily on his heart. "Ollana and I barely escaped the chaos. Everything we knew is gone."
Ivan's jaw tightened as he shared the young man's pain. "You're not alone in that."
