Kai walked beside Yena through the ruined courtyard, letting the quiet desert breeze carry the silence between them.
Yena looked at him differently now.
She no longer saw just an arrogant young traveler, as their shared pain bridged the wide gap between their ages.
"My husband was a good man, but he was too trusting," Yena said quietly, keeping her eyes fixed on the white sand ahead.
"I came back from foraging and found our camp destroyed. His body was mutilated, and my little girl was just gone. Slavers took her to sell in the underground markets. I have been hunting those bastards ever since that day, but I am just so tired of being alone in this wasteland. The anger burns you out eventually."
[System Event: Emotional Resonance Detected]
[Hidden Stat Updated: Empathy +5]
They found a spot of cool shade beneath a leaning temple wall and decided to rest.
Yena sat down on a smooth stone and unlaced her worn leather boots with a quiet sigh.
