Warmth.
That was the first thing he felt.
A dull, unfamiliar warmth pressed against his skin—soft, dry, almost comfortable. Not like the cold earth outside. Not like the aching wind.
Then came the faint scent of wood smoke. Cooked grain. Herbs, maybe.
Vaelis opened his eyes just a sliver, vision blurred by exhaustion. The dim interior of a hut surrounded him—stone walls, a low ceiling of tightly packed straw, and a fire pit flickering gently at the center. Shadows danced against the walls.
He blinked slowly.
"Where...?"
Then it hit him.
He wasn't outside anymore. He was lying on a bed—if it could be called that. A simple bundle of straw and hide, layered with something soft. And clothes—he was wearing clothes. Rough, simple, but they covered him. A coarse linen shirt, loose pants made of thick woven fabric. No shoes, but even that felt like a luxury.
His head throbbed. His limbs were heavy, as if he hadn't moved in days.
His stomach still ached with hunger, but not as sharply. Something in him had gone numb.
He tried to rise.
Pain bloomed behind his eyes. Muscles screamed in protest.
He let his body fall back with a quiet groan.
And then—footsteps.
Close. Getting closer.
Panic surged. He forced his eyes shut and willed his breathing to steady. The footsteps reached the doorway. A cloth flap rustled, and then someone stepped inside.
A voice followed. Soft. Feminine.
But unfamiliar.
It wasn't Chinese. Or English. Or any language he could name. The syllables flowed like water, low and rhythmical, almost like she was singing to herself—or speaking thoughts aloud.
Murmurs. Not directed at him. Not yet.
He kept still, pretending to sleep. His heart pounded, each beat thudding against the stillness like a drum.
The woman moved closer. He heard the swish of fabric as she crouched beside him. Her breath was close now—warm and slow.
Then something shifted near his side. He didn't dare move, but he felt it. A small object placed beside him.
Food?
A cloth?
A knife?
His mind raced with possibilities, but he didn't open his eyes.
She lingered only a moment longer.
Then rose.
Turned.
And left.
The soft rustle of the doorway flap returned.
Silence.
Vaelis waited several more breaths before finally opening his eyes again.
He turned his head slightly, just enough to see what lay beside him.
As the soft sound of footsteps faded into the distance, Vaelis finally let out the breath he'd been holding. Slowly, carefully, he opened his eyes again.
The fire in the center of the hut had dimmed. Shadows swayed along the stone walls, flickering faintly. His body still felt heavy, like he'd been tied down with invisible weights. But next to him—placed carefully on a folded cloth—was a shallow wooden bowl.
Steam rose from it.
He leaned closer, cautiously.
The scent hit him almost instantly—earthy herbs, cooked vegetables, and something rich underneath. Meat. His stomach twisted in protest, suddenly awakened.
He examined it for a few seconds longer, waiting for a trick, a trap, a sign it wasn't real.
Nothing.
The hunger took over.
He reached out with shaking hands and brought the bowl close, not even bothering to sit up. He drank from it directly, slurping the warm broth into his mouth. It wasn't seasoned like food from back home—no salt, no oil—but it was good. Warm. Real. Solid.
He tore into the vegetables next—soft roots, maybe something like carrots or turnips. The meat was thin and stringy but edible. Maybe rabbit. Or goat.
He didn't care.
In minutes, it was gone.
The bowl clattered softly onto the floor as he collapsed back onto the bedding.
Then, without warning—pain.
A sharp spike ran through his skull. Like hot metal being driven into his brainstem. He clenched his teeth, groaning aloud, clutching the sides of his head.
His vision blurred.
And then—
A voice.
But not from outside.
Not through his ears.
From within.
"Energy threshold reached. Sanctum interface unlocked."
Vaelis froze.
The voice was not human. Not mechanical either. It was too smooth. Too still.
His first instinct was denial.
"No. That didn't happen. I'm hallucinating. I'm losing it. The stress... the food..."
But the words still echoed in his mind, ringing with quiet certainty.
Sanctum interface unlocked.
The headache receded almost instantly, like it had never existed.
Breath trembling, Vaelis opened his eyes and stared at the low ceiling of the hut.
"Sanctum?"
He didn't say the word out loud. He just thought it.
And in that moment—
—his vision flickered.
Only for a heartbeat.
But something changed.