Encroaching Shadows

Leo exhaled softly, the fight finally leaving his body. His shoulders eased, and for the first time that night, the stubborn tension in his face melted into something peaceful. “Alright,” he murmured, his voice faint but content. “Tomorrow then.”

The lanternlight caught in his tired eyes, glinting off the small smile that lingered there—fragile, but real.

For a long moment, no one spoke. The gar