After a blinding flash of light, the sensation of being alive came rushing back—not in peace, but in pain. Every muscle in my body ached, every breath stung like a thousand blades in my chest. It wasn't a dream. The harsh reality of the wounds I had sustained hit me all at once.
My consciousness stirred slowly, like mist parting at dawn. I couldn't open my eyes fully yet, but the sounds and blurred outlines around me… they were real.
And then I heard it—crying. Soft, broken sobs echoed faintly through the silence.
Who would cry here, in this lifeless cave? That thought alone stirred my heart. I forced my eyes open just a sliver. Through my blurred vision, I caught sight of her—Lilith. Her form slightly hunched, her arms wrapped around me, my head resting on her lap as she trembled with each sob.
