บท 106: Path in the forest

  My process of regaining consciousness was a painful one. It was filled with nightmares and pains of a purely physical nature; it could only be compared to a road through thorns. 

It made poetic sense. After failing hard at the sect, I had to go on a side-quest in order to wake up. Only by taking the events through this warped perspective could I somehow come to terms with what happened. 

I opened my eyes. 

My attempt at rapidly standing up to assess my situation failed before it could even begin. Not a single one of my limbs, not even a single muscle, responded to my call to arms. 

I was exhausted beyond any measure. It felt as if every breath was a challenge, a recurring quest that I couldn't fail. 

Breathe in, breathe out. It was that simple. Yet, at the same time, it wasn't.