The sky above was painted in hues of orange and purple as the sun dipped below the horizon.
A fire crackled in the center of the camp, the scent of roasting meat mingling with the cool evening breeze. Ren, Lilith, Thorn, Elias, and Valen sat in a loose circle, stretching out after a long day of travel.
"I don't think the idiot sent out any signal." Thorn joked, not taking his eyes off the meat. "We would've at least seen signs of the Church. And so far, there's nothing."
"Or maybe they're as good at hiding as we are and we missed each other." Lilith suggested, also not taking her eyes off the meat.
"There's that." Elias said. "Or maybe the reinforcements are at the prison and are still trying to figure out how it was destroyed."
Everyone turned to Valen in case he had his own theory, but he sat down with his usual quiet, eyes on the fire right below the chicken.
