Dreamer awake

Niko finally woke up four more hours later, groaning and blinking bleary eyes. Cael hurried to put an antimagic veil around him, ignoring the strain on his willpower it caused.

Cael wished he could say that the mana maelstrom outside almost passed, but he still couldn't sense an end to it. But his protection immediately made Niko appear more awake and alert.

Niko sat up, looking around in confusion. He took in the shelter first, then the campfire, then noticed the second group resting in the shelter. His eyes widened, but he said nothing as he focused on the people nearest to him: Cael and Myrna.

By that point, most people in the shelter were asleep or about to—partially because of the passage of time, partially because of boredom. They had time to prepare lunch and eat it, but some leftovers stayed in a pot over the campfire.