The rest of the day passed in a blur of activity.
With their first victory secured and the enemy's flag now hanging beside their own, the team's morale had shifted.
The nervous energy from the morning had been replaced by something steadier—confidence tempered with caution.
And under Niko and Seraphina's joint leadership, that energy was put to work.
◆ ◆ ◆
As the sun climbed higher, Seraphina organized rotating patrols around the base perimeter.
Kira, a scout, led a small group into the forest, mapping the terrain and watching for enemy movement.
She was accompanied by a small group of mages and knights.
Their job was simply to locate other bases and draw out a map of the area.
They moved deeper into the forest, their voices fading into the distance.
Back at the base, another group was reinforcing the defenses—sharpening stakes, setting traps along the bridge approach, preparing for the inevitable retaliation.
The work was methodical.
◆ ◆ ◆
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, the team gathered in the courtyard.
Someone had conjured a large campfire in the center, its flames crackling warmly against the growing chill of the evening air.
The team sat in loose clusters around it, exhaustion settling over them like a heavy blanket.
Conversations overlapped—quiet, tired, but comfortable.
Near the fire's edge, Niko and Seraphina sat together, reviewing notes and discussing strategy in low voices.
"Tomorrow, we push outward," Niko said, his tone thoughtful. "Scout further. Identify high-value targets."
Seraphina nodded. "Agreed. But we don't overextend. We keep the base secure."
"Of course."
Around them, the rest of the team had settled into their own conversations.
And tucked into a quieter corner, away from the main fire, sat two figures on a flat stone overlooking the waterfall.
Kael. Rylen.
◆ ◆ ◆
Kael had claimed the spot first, seeking solitude and a break from the noise.
That plan had lasted approximately three minutes before Rylen appeared, plopping down beside him with that ever-present grin.
"Mind if I join?"
"Yes."
"Great!" Rylen settled in, completely ignoring the answer.
Kael sighed, resigning himself to his fate.
For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, watching the waterfall cascade into the pool below, its roar a constant, soothing backdrop.
And then Rylen spoke.
"You know what's fascinating?" he said, his tone bright and conversational.
"No," Kael said immediately.
"The thermodynamic properties of mana," Rylen continued, completely undeterred. "See, most people think of mana as purely energy, but it's more accurately described as a quasi-particle exhibiting wave-particle duality—"
Kael tuned him out.
He'd discovered, through trial and error, that if he just... stopped listening, Rylen's voice became background noise. Like white noise. Or the waterfall.
It was surprisingly effective.
Rylen, oblivious, continued. "—and that's not even accounting for the observer effect, which introduces an entirely separate variable regarding consciousness and perception—"
"Rylen," Kael said flatly.
"Yes?"
"Shut up."
Rylen paused, considering. "No thank you."
And he kept talking.
◆ ◆ ◆
The night deepened.
Around the campfire, conversations grew quieter, exhaustion finally winning out.
One by one, team members drifted off to sleep—some in makeshift bedrolls, others leaning against walls, a few still sitting by the dying fire.
Niko and Seraphina remained awake, taking first watch, their silhouettes outlined against the flames.
Kael, half-asleep, his head tilted back against the rock.
And Rylen, still awake, still smiling, watching the stars with quiet fascination.
"Hey, Kael," he whispered.
"...What."
"Do you think the stars are just distant suns, or are they something more?"
"I think they're far away and I don't care."
"Fair enough."
Silence.
Then: "Thanks for not ditching me."
Kael cracked one eye open. "What?"
"Earlier. You could've left. Found somewhere quieter. But you didn't."
Kael closed his eye again. "You would've just followed me."
"True." Rylen's grin widened. "But still. Thanks."
Kael didn't respond.
But after a moment, he muttered, "...Yeah. Whatever."
And Rylen, for once, said nothing more.