"Foolish!"
Spheris's head smashed into the ground. Blood spurted out, eyes leaked tears, brain pounded in his skull, pain and shame rippled through his being. The crowd all laughed at him.
"Ignorant, stupid, pompous, naive!"
—
His eyes tore open.
It was the night sky above, not the haunting walls and roof of the battle arena. The air was filled with fresh, cool air, not the musky, appalling stench of the Gallied people. He wasn't inside the Gallied Mountains, he was outside, lying on the grass.
Spheris let out a sigh and rose up to his feet. At that moment, he felt so incomplete. He was without his scarf, his raven, and his companions.
Taking in the cool night breeze, he remained gazing at the sky, continuously judging himself for what had happened back in the mountain city. He didn't hate the nightmares that he was having, he deemed it a fitting punishment for what he had done.
He accepted it.