The soft chirping of distant birds drifted through the open window, mingling with the faint rustle of leaves swaying in the morning breeze.
Golden sunlight filtered through the canopy above, spilling across the wooden walls and tracing gentle patterns over the moss-woven floor.
Luca stirred.
The warmth of dawn touched his face, coaxing his eyes open. He blinked slowly, his vision adjusting to the soft glow that filled the elven dwelling. For a brief moment, he forgot where he was—the air was too calm, too pure to belong to any place he had known before.
He sat up, stretching lazily as the silken threads of the silver-leaf bed rustled beneath him. The faint hum of mana coursed through the room, subtle yet rejuvenating, like a melody played by the forest itself. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he rolled his shoulders, the stiffness in his muscles melting away.
