I woke up face-down on the training hall floor with no memory of falling asleep.
The stone was cold against my cheek, hard and unforgiving, and every single part of my body hurt in ways I didn't think were possible. My head still throbbed from the technique transfer yesterday—or was it still today?
I had no idea what time it was, how long I'd been out, or whether anyone had come looking for me during the night.
I pushed myself up slowly, my whole body complaining with every movement. My back cracked. My neck hurt. My legs felt like they belonged to someone else—weak and shaky and not ready to hold me up yet.
Huff... huff... huff...
I sat there for a moment, just breathing, letting my body slowly remember what it felt like to be upright. The training hall was empty and quiet, the kind of silence that felt heavy rather than peaceful.
The mana-lamps glowed soft and steady along the walls, their light giving no indication whether it was morning or night or somewhere in between.
