章 57: Haunting dreams and indecision

Gray awoke with a gasp, his chest heaving as if a great weight had been lifted, only to settle back onto him like a persistent shadow. The cave offered a cool embrace, the walls damp with condensation, and the distant echo of water droplets resonating in the darkness.

It took a moment for the disorientation to fade, for him to realize that the harsh reality of the dream still clung to his consciousness.

His breath formed small clouds in the chilled air as he sat up, eyes adjusting to the dimness. The remnants of the nightmare played like a haunting melody in his mind.

The port, the corrupted souls attacking innocent people. The air was thick with the stench of fear and despair as life after life succumbed to the malevolent forces.

And then the scene changed again. 

The regalia of armor, and the oath to protect humanity as he bowed before a human-shaped beam of light—each detail etched vividly in his memory.