บท 57: Breaking Through (2)

"Haaaaah...Haaaaaah..."

I opened my eyes, gasping for breath. The forest around me was still; the only sound was my own ragged breathing.

The surge of energy had passed, leaving a sense of calm and fulfillment in its wake.

"Haaaaah..."

But as my breathing slowly subsided, I started to sense something unusual. My hands were itching, a strange tingling sensation spreading through them. My heart pounded in my chest, and my vision turned slightly purplish.

The darkness of the evening sky was filled with faint lines of energy as if the cosmos were lying between them.

'What's happening to me?' I wondered, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. My hand reached for my sword, unsheathing the long estoc from where it was secured.