ᴛʜᴇ ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀꜱ : ᴛʜᴇ ᴜᴘʀɪꜱɪɴɢ

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• ＲＡＩＤＥＮ •

The sky was fading into twilight, the sun dipping low on the horizon, casting a warm, golden light over the campsite. For the first time in what felt like ages, there was a sense of peace hanging in the air—fragile and fleeting, but real. The camp was still several days' travel away, and for tonight, at least, we could afford to let our guard down a little.

The fire crackled in the center of our small circle, casting flickering shadows across our faces. The warmth of the flames was a welcome comfort against the cool evening air, and I leaned back on my hands, letting the heat seep into my skin. Around me, the others were doing the same, their usual tension replaced by a rare sense of ease.

Ethan was poking at the fire with a stick, a thoughtful expression on his face as he watched the embers glow. Luke was rummaging through one of the supply crates, muttering something under his breath about finding snacks. Adrian sat nearby, his gaze fixed on the horizon, lost in his own thoughts. Aria, who had been distant lately, sat with her knees drawn up to her chest, staring into the flames with a quiet intensity. Ember was sat between Avani's legs, both of them laughing at whatever Ramiel and Maya were animatedly saying. Nara watched all of us, a serene look on her face. And Willow...

Willow was beside me, her dark hair catching the light of the fire, making it gleam like polished obsidian. She was smiling—really smiling—for the first time in days, and the sight of it made something in my chest unclench. She glanced at me, her eyes bright and mischievous. "You know what we need?" she said, her voice cutting through the comfortable silence.

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the spark of energy in her tone. "What's that?"

"A little fun," she declared, pushing herself to her feet. "We've been on edge for so long, it's about time we loosened up a bit."

"Fun?" Adrian echoed, turning to her with a skeptical look. "What did you have in mind?"

Willow grinned, her smile infectious. "Music. Dancing. Maybe even a little singing if anyone's brave enough."

Luke looked up from the supply crate, a bag of chips in hand, and smirked. "Dancing, huh? Didn't know you were the party type, Wills."

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Luke," Willow shot back, her grin widening. "But tonight, I think it's time we all stop thinking about what's out there and just... live a little. Even if it's just for a few hours."

Ethan chuckled, tossing his stick into the fire. "Well, I'm in. God knows we could all use a break."

"Oh, count me in too!" Ember exclaimed, standing up and offering Avani a hand.

Aria looked up, her expression softening slightly. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt," she said, almost reluctantly, as if she didn't quite trust the idea of letting go.

"Alright, then," Willow said, clapping her hands together, smiling at her. "Luke, find us some music."

Luke gave a mock salute and rummaged through his backpack until he pulled out an old portable speaker. "This thing's still got some juice left," he said, holding it up like a prize. "Let's see what we've got." He flicked through his playlist, settling on a classic rock tune that had just enough of a beat to make you want to move.

The first few chords filled the air, and I saw the change in everyone almost immediately. Shoulders relaxed, smiles grew wider, and the tension that had been gripping us all for so long seemed to dissolve into the night.

Willow didn't waste any time. She grabbed Ethan's hand and dragged him to his feet, laughing as she spun him around in a clumsy circle. Ethan stumbled at first, clearly out of his element, but then he started laughing too, his usual stoicism giving way to something lighter, more carefree.