The wind howled as the group trudged onward, the forest thinning into a desolate landscape of jagged rocks and ash. Each step was a battle against the oppressive energy radiating from the Rift. The world seemed to groan under its weight, the once vibrant land now a barren expanse.
Adira walked in the center of the group, her eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the final ward. Her body ached from the previous battles, but her resolve was unshaken. Every ward they stabilized brought them closer to stopping the Rift, and she couldn't let exhaustion win.
Kane walked beside her, his expression unreadable but his movements protective, always keeping her within arm's reach. Kael led the group, his focus unyielding as he mapped their path. Finn, usually quick with a joke or comment, was silent, his eyes darting nervously around the wasteland.
"Do you feel that?" Adira asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
