******
The moment Xylen re-entered Fallen Realm, his eyes snapped open, sharp and alert. He found himself back in the dimly lit barony's bedchamber.
Unlike when he had logged out a few hours ago, however, the early morning sunlight now spilled through the window, painting streaks of gold across the cold stone floor.
Yet, the room's warmth did nothing to ease the weight on his chest.
Xylen exhaled slowly, his heart thudding against his ribs like a war drum, each beat echoing with the anxiety of what loomed ahead.
He finally shifted his gaze to the corner of his vision after a moment, locking onto the relentless countdown timer that hadn't left since it appeared.
In the following second—
04:10:50:029
Xylen's breathing hitched.
"I have less than five hours left from the initial 24…" he whispered, sweat gathering on his palms.