บท 49: Moments of Respite

"So I was hospitalized, huh?" I thought as my eyes focused on the world around me, different sorts of pigmentations coloring my world.

And there, by my bedside, was Lira. Tear-filled eyes met mine as she clutched onto me, her embrace a mixture of relief and emotion. "Nord… I thought I lost you," her voice quivered as she held onto me.

Shit, it hurts… but it's bearable.

I returned the embrace, the pain that rippled through my body a minor inconvenience compared to the overwhelming rush of emotions that surged within me. 

"I'm here," I managed to murmur, my voice hoarse from my parched throat.

Lira's grip tightened, as if she feared I might slip away again. "You've been unconscious for a week," she whispered, her voice a delicate tremor.