Daniel sat there in the red dust for a moment longer. The pain in his ribs was something else. It reminded him with every breath that he was just a human now.
He stood up slowly. He felt dizzy. He needed water. He also needed shelter. If he stayed out in the open, he would be dead before the sun went down.
He picked a direction that led away from the open desert and toward a cluster of cliffs in the distance.
The wasteland was not empty. As he moved, he saw signs of life. But it was not the kind of life he was used to.
He found a narrow opening in the side of a cliff. It was a narrow crack in the rock, just wide enough for him to squeeze into. It was dark and cool inside, but it was safe.
Daniel sat down in the shadows. He looked out at the landscape below him. From his high hiding spot, he could see the layout of the Purgatory Realm.
