Veda walked down the stairs slowly, one step at a time, his boots making a dull sound against each step as his body carried the weight of exhaustion that had not yet left him. When he reached the bottom, he paused for a brief moment, his eyes moving across the area as he looked around carefully.
People were scattered everywhere.
Some were stationed at the entrance, though even they looked tired, their posture no longer as firm as before. Others were seated or kneeling on the ground, their breathing uneven.
Most of them were down lying flat, resting or simply unable to move.
At some point during the battle, even those assigned to guard the entrance had to join the group assigned to perform the joint alchemy of creating ammunition, their roles blending together as survival became the only priority.
