Morning Of Reality

Elian awoke to the gentle glow of morning light filtering through the blinds of his hotel room. For a moment, he lay still, his mind foggy with sleep and residual pain from yesterday's extraction. His body ached in familiar places, a reminder of the heavy toll that had been exacted on him, but in his groggy state he paid little heed.

Rising slowly, he stretched and swung his legs over the side of the bed. As he padded toward the window, he absentmindedly reached out with his thoughts, trying to summon Meta—the ever-present digital companion that had once guided him in every match. But today, there was only silence. He paused for a moment, a brief flicker of concern passing through his eyes, then shook it off as just another quirk of waking up.