The Adventurer's Guild was alive with activity, the scent of ink and aged parchment mixing with the clatter of weapons and the murmur of voices. Unlike the previous night, when the guild had felt indifferent, even dismissive, the atmosphere now buzzed with a quiet tension. More adventurers filled the hall, some clustered around quest boards, others deep in hushed discussions. A few cast curious glances at Kael and Liora as they entered, as if sensing something different about them.
Kael flexed his fingers, trying to shake off the stiffness still clinging to his muscles. Despite the hearty breakfast he'd eaten, a lingering fatigue sat in his bones, a reminder of their ordeal in the mines. Liora, in contrast, looked as composed as ever, his hands tucked lazily into his pockets as he surveyed the guild with his usual detached interest.
"Weird," Kael muttered under his breath. "Feels different today."