Franz's consciousness returned slowly, like surfacing from deep water. His mind felt foggy, caught between dream and reality. When he finally opened his eyes, he found himself in what looked like a cave, with only a single ray of sunlight piercing through the darkness above.
He reached out and felt cold stone beneath his fingers. Pushing himself up, he realized he was lying on his cloak, cushioned by a bed of dried heather that smelled surprisingly pleasant. The vivid dreams he'd been having, of statues and underground palaces, had completely vanished, as if they'd never existed at all.
