The faint glow of the reactivated ward faded into the distance as the group pressed onward, the forest closing in around them. Each step was a battle against exhaustion, but the urgency of their mission pushed them forward. Adira walked at the front, her shoulders tense and her thoughts a whirlwind of determination and unease.
The next ward was miles away, and Kael's warning about its condition hung heavy in the air. Unlike the previous one, this ward was rumored to be fractured, its energy unstable and dangerous.
Finn trudged beside her, his steps dragging. "Why does it always have to be blood with these things? Can't we just light a candle and call it a day?"
Adira allowed a small smile to tug at her lips. "Because that would be too easy."
"Easy sounds good," Finn muttered.
