The storm had finally passed, leaving behind an unsettling calm. The world around us seemed drained of color, the landscape washed in muted grays and browns, the ground still slick and damp from the torrential rain. Each step we took was accompanied by the squelch of mud underfoot, a reminder of the chaos that had just swept through. The air was thick with the scent of rain and earth, but it did nothing to mask the tension that hung between us like a heavy fog.