Chapter 35: Descent into Darkness

The first light of dawn did little to chase away the darkness that clung to the mountains. It was a pale, sickly light, struggling to penetrate the heavy clouds that loomed overhead. Aria awoke with a start, the remnants of a nightmare fading as she opened her eyes to the bleak reality around her.

The camp was already stirring, the soldiers moving with grim determination as they prepared for the day ahead. There was a tension in the air, a silent understanding that today would bring challenges unlike any they had faced before.

Aria found Damien standing at the edge of the ridge, staring down into the Abyss with a distant look in his eyes. He had been on watch when she fell asleep, and she doubted he had rested at all. She approached him quietly, her heart heavy with the weight of what was to come.

"Did you get any sleep?" she asked softly, knowing the answer before he even responded.