Story 380: Shadows of Betrayal

Zara leaned against the crumbled remains of the tower, catching her breath. The air was thick with smoke and dust, and every muscle in her body screamed in exhaustion. Rowan sat a few feet away, his rifle resting across his knees as he scanned the rubble with uneasy eyes.

“Do you think it’s really dead?” he asked, breaking the tense silence.

“It better be,” Zara muttered, pulling a water flask from her belt and taking a small sip. “We don’t have the ammo or the explosives to deal with another one.”

Rowan chuckled nervously, but the humor didn’t reach his eyes. He wiped sweat and grime from his brow, then turned to Zara. “So, what’s next? We’ve destroyed the stronghold, taken down one of the King’s abominations… feels like we should be celebrating, right?”