As the night deepened, the forest grew quieter, the stillness broken only by the occasional crackle of the campfire and the distant call of nocturnal creatures.
Kyle sat alert, senses sharp, while beside him Melissa visibly fought against her own exhaustion.
Her back was straight, her eyes fixed on the flames, but her eyelids fluttered more often now, and her head dipped slightly before she jerked it upright again.
She was trying her best not to fall asleep.
Kyle didn't blame her.
She had only recently started training in mana and swordsmanship, and even though she had the will, her body hadn't caught up yet.
She always pushed herself too hard.
He opened his mouth, about to gently tell her to go rest, when something stirred in the forest.
It wasn't a sound—more like a shift in the atmosphere.
A ripple in the ambient mana, almost imperceptible, but enough to alert Kyle immediately. His expression hardened.
He rose to his feet and whispered.
