The weight of the battle lingered in the air, its echoes fading into the early whispers of dawn. The sky above the cavern's mouth lightened, streaks of gold and lavender seeping through the receding night. Scarlett sat on a jagged rock, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to process the storm they had just survived. Around her, the others moved with a quiet determination, their faces etched with exhaustion and lingering adrenaline.
Nathan approached her, a slight limp in his step, but his expression was resolute. His shadow stretched long over the ground, a reminder of the darkness they had left behind.
"You, okay?" he asked, his voice soft but steady.
Scarlett nodded, swallowing hard.
"It's... a lot."
Nathan offered a faint smile.
"We made it through worse."
Scarlett gave him a look, part disbelief, part admiration.
"I don't think it gets worse than this."