The night in the ravine stretched on, tense and uneasy. Every crackle of the fire seemed amplified, every distant howl of a beast a reminder of the dangers lurking in the shadows. Cruzer remained vigilant, his Abyssal Shardblade resting nearby, its dark energy a faint hum in the silence. Seris leaned against the ravine wall, her daggers in hand, while Kaela stirred fitfully in her sleep, murmuring incoherent words.
Dawn arrived slowly, the pale light of the sun creeping over the horizon and casting long shadows across the ravine. Cruzer stood, his body stiff from the night's rest, and stretched. His eyes scanned the traps Seris had set—small explosives hidden beneath leaves and rocks, tripwires strung between the jagged walls of the ravine.
"Seris," he said quietly, nudging her awake. "Time to move."
She groaned, rubbing her eyes. "You're relentless, you know that?"
