The forest's silence after the battle was a stark contrast to the chaos they had just endured. As Kael and Mareth stumbled into a small clearing, it felt as though the world was holding its breath. Every rustle of leaves or distant call of a bird made their nerves jump.
Kael collapsed near the roots of a large tree, his sword falling from his grasp. His hands were still trembling as he reached for the health potion in his pouch. He uncorked it with his teeth, the liquid inside glowing faintly in the dim light.
"You good?" Mareth asked as he dropped onto a nearby log, his armor clinking with the motion.
Kael downed the potion, grimacing at the sharp heat that spread through his chest and limbs. "Define 'good,'" he replied, wiping his mouth.
"Not dead and not missing a limb. That's the baseline," Mareth said, pulling out his own potion. "Because I feel like I got stomped on by a mountain."
"You and me both," Kael muttered, leaning his head back against the tree. His muscles ached, and even though the potion had sealed his wounds, it couldn't erase the exhaustion etched into his body.
Mareth examined his health potion with a frown. "Why do these things always taste like burnt socks?"
Kael raised an eyebrow. "You've eaten burnt socks?"
Mareth shrugged. "Not on purpose. But there was this one time in the barracks..."
Kael snorted, the faintest hint of a smile breaking through his exhaustion.
The two sat in silence for a while, the clearing bathed in the dim, fading glow of the setting sun. Kael forced himself to his feet, pulling out his tent from his pack. "We need to set up camp. No telling what else is lurking out there."
Mareth groaned but got up to help. "Yeah, because fighting off a dozen monsters wasn't enough. I'm sure something bigger and uglier is just waiting for us to fall asleep."
"Probably," Kael said, deadpan.
"Your optimism is inspiring, Kael," Mareth replied with mock enthusiasm.
They worked together, setting up the tent near the base of a large tree whose twisted roots formed a natural barrier on one side. As Mareth hammered in the stakes, he muttered, "This whole trial thing is starting to feel less like a test and more like a cosmic joke. Who even makes beasts like those?"
Kael tightened a rope and glanced at Mareth. "You think the system has a sense of humor?"
"If it does, it's a terrible one," Mareth said. "It's like, 'Congratulations, you survived. Here's a forest of nightmares as your reward!'"
Kael couldn't help but chuckle. "Maybe we'll find a suggestion box at the Heart of Trials."
"Right. I'll be the first to sign it. 'Dear System: Stop trying to kill us. Sincerely, Mareth.'"
Once the tent was up, they cleared a space for a fire. Kael gathered kindling while Mareth stacked stones for a makeshift fire pit. When the fire finally blazed to life, they both sat back with a sigh of relief.
Kael pulled out some dried rations from his pack, tossing a piece of jerky to Mareth. "Dinner's served."
Mareth caught it, examining it like it might bite him. "You sure this isn't just a chunk of leather?"
"It's food," Kael said, taking a bite of his own.
Mareth chewed thoughtfully, his face contorting as he swallowed. "Barely."
The fire crackled between them, casting flickering shadows on their tired faces. Mareth leaned back, his hands behind his head. "So, about earlier. When that alpha beast had you cornered... you looked like you were about to do something drastic."
Kael stiffened but kept his expression neutral. "What do you mean?"
Mareth shrugged, staring up at the sky. "I don't know. You just... looked different for a second. Like you were weighing something heavy."
Kael's hand unconsciously brushed the hilt of his sword. The temptation to use the Abyss's power during the fight had been overwhelming. He had felt its dark energy coiling within him, whispering promises of strength and victory. But he had resisted. Barely.
"I was just trying to figure out how to stay alive," Kael said finally.
Mareth nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Well, whatever you figured out, it worked. Just don't leave me hanging next time. I'd rather not face another one of those things alone."
Kael smirked faintly. "Noted."
The sun dipped below the horizon, and the clearing grew darker. The fire's glow became their only source of light as the forest around them fell into shadow.
"You think we're safe here?" Mareth asked, his voice quieter now.
Kael scanned the perimeter, his eyes lingering on the dark shapes of the trees. "Safe enough for now. The fire will keep most things away."
"'Safe enough,'" Mareth repeated with a wry grin. "Comforting."
Kael chuckled softly, shaking his head.
They sat in silence for a while, the tension of the day slowly ebbing away. Mareth stared into the fire, his usual humor giving way to a rare moment of introspection. "You ever wonder if this is all worth it? The trials, the fighting, the near-death experiences?"
Kael looked at him, then back at the fire. "I try not to think about it. One step at a time."
Mareth nodded. "Yeah, I get that. But if we make it through this, I'm demanding a reward. Something good. Like a kingdom. Or unlimited ale."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "Dreaming big, I see."
"Go big or go home," Mareth said with a grin.
Kael leaned back, staring up at the stars peeking through the canopy. For a moment, he let himself relax, the tension in his shoulders easing. But the weight of the Abyss lingered in the back of his mind, a dark reminder of what he had resisted and what might still come.
The fire crackled softly, and the two men sat together in the clearing, the darkness of the Wailing Forest pressing in around them. They had survived another day, but the trials ahead were far from over. For now, though, they allowed themselves a moment to breathe.