After their brief reunion, Thane urged Kaelen to follow him deeper into the forest. They trudged through the misty woods until they reached an abandoned temple, its structure was barely visible among the towering trees and vines that clung to the crumbling stone. How thane had found this place, Kaelen didn't know, but he grateful to be somewhere that wasn't just endless fog.
Inside, the air was cooler and carried the faint scent of moss and old stone. Thane gestured for Kaelen to sit on a weathered rock, and he complied, sinking down with a sigh. Thane took a seat across from him, making the two of them to faced each other in the quiet gloom.
Not long after, Thane began to break the silence.
"So, how are you holding up?"
Kaelen took a swig from the water flask he'd pulled from his satchel. He swallowed, feeling the cool liquid soothe his dry throat, and gave a weary smile.
"Holding up... I guess."
He looked up at Thane and asked him back:
