Everyone had fully recovered. In fact, this was the longest time they had spent resting since entering the maze. Their bodies felt lighter. Their breathing steadier. Even the dull tension that had been sitting at the back of their minds had eased slightly.
Now, they stood before the tunnel once again.
"Finally!" Lime tightened his fist and grinned. "My Cognis is full. It even rose a tiny bit."
"Same here," Bobby said with a bright smile. The two slapped hands together in excitement, their palms echoing softly in the stone corridor.
"It's to be expected," Ezra said as he adjusted the straps on his space bag. "After life-and-death situations, constant usage, and circulation, growth is natural. Even if it's small."
He started walking forward into the dim tunnel. The others followed.
"Yeah," Aliya added, stepping closer to Ezra. "I also feel like my Cognis percentage rose a bit."
Ezra said nothing. His steps were steady. His eyes remained forward.
