The night deepened. The drills ended, and the soldiers began to rest. Fires crackled at the edges of the clearing, sending thin ribbons of smoke into the air.
Food was passed around, simple fare, but laughter began to ripple among the groups. It was the first time in months that laughter didn't sound forced.
Lindarion lingered a moment longer before turning toward the path that led up to the higher terraces of Lorienya.
The glow from the World Tree shimmered faintly through the canopy, its light stronger tonight than usual, pulsing in slow, steady waves.
He felt it in his mana core, a resonance that hummed like distant thunder beneath calm waters. The tree was watching. Or perhaps, listening.
