The halls of the fortress had grown silent, echoes from the Gauntlet ringing through Ryu's ears as he and Kaelith trailed a quiet guard to their quarters. The Iron Vanguard's soldiers had given them a look of wonder and wariness as they had passed by, whispering to each other about as much as they were allowed.
"Not bad for tramps," one murmured.
Ryu ignored them, though his shoulders felt heavy under their scrutinizing gazes. Beside him, Kaelith walked with her usual grace, her expression unreadable but her silence a clear signal that her mind was elsewhere.
As they arrived at the rooms allocated to them, the guard nodded curtly and walked out without a word. The room was plain: stone walls, a wooden table, and two cots on either side. A single lantern burned low, casting flickering shadows.
Kaelith closed the door behind them and leaned against it, exhaling deeply. "That was… intense."
