The aftermath
The aftermath of the battle hung in the air like a thick fog, the remnants of destruction scattered across the landscape. Smoke still curled from the charred remains of buildings, and the ground was littered with debris, the eerie silence broken only by the occasional crackle of embers. The rebels moved among the ruins, their steps heavy with exhaustion but their spirits somehow lighter. They had survived, against all odds, and though the cost had been high, there was a flicker of hope that had not been there before.