Corruptions

Gabriel could only watch as Uriel disappeared into the distance, her silhouette shrinking against the vast sky.

Guilt and worry gnawed at him. He knew she was far from stable. Her wounds, both physical and emotional, were too fresh. And yet, she had chosen to push forward alone.

Should he have stopped her? Should he have insisted that she rest, even if it meant delaying their plans?

But his hands were tied. His people needed him. He couldn't simply turn his back on them, not when fear was thick in their eyes and when uncertainty hung over them like a storm.

Taking a deep breath, he turned his attention to the warrior who had approached him. The man still looked shaken, his battered armor smeared with dried blood.

"Has anything changed?" Gabriel asked, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him.