Rem's eyes snapped open.
He was awake now.
The dim glow of a campfire flickered against the cave walls, shadows dancing across the rough stone surface.
The scent of burning wood mixed with the faint metallic tang of dried blood.
For a moment, he simply lay there, his body still, his breathing shallow. His senses felt... different.
Sharpened.
They were honed to the point,
He could hear the soft crackling of the fire, the faint rustling of fabric as someone shifted nearby. He could even pick up the distant wind howling outside the cave, its echoes weaving through the night.
And then —
A presence.
Several, actually.
His gaze focused — and he saw them.
Mia. Luke. Kiara. The adventurers.
All of them sitting nearby, staring at him with expressions ranging from concern to sheer exhaustion.
"You're awake."