Following behind Kaelira, after what felt like a few too many slip-ups and nearly going off in the opposite direction, I finally returned to what was supposed to be the camp site.
Only… it wasn't.
No tents, no formation, no semblance of order—just chaos. Total, irreversible chaos. The ground was torn, trees were scorched, and the scent of blood mingled with burning miasma hung thick in the air.
A crooked grin almost escaped me, but I reeled it in. Now wasn't the time for amusement.
My gaze scanned the battlefield. Some students were shivering like wet leaves, huddled in corners behind debris and stones, clutching their arms or staring blankly into space. A few had bloodied limbs wrapped with makeshift bandages, their skin pale with fatigue. Others… they were still fighting.
