Meanwhile, Erend lived quietly within the rhythm of a mundane life, allowing the days to pass without much thought beyond what lay directly in front of him.
He worked at the military base, staying there for days at a time, sometimes a full week because of the distance from his home.
Yes. It had been more than a week since he last contacted Eccar or Aesa, or anyone from that other world. The only exception was Aurdis. They still met often, always in private, away from curious eyes and unspoken questions.
The routine grounded and calmed him more than he expected.
The absence of looming catastrophes, ancient gods, and fractured space and time, and other world ending events made everything feel… normal.
He hated to admit it, but he liked it. He liked waking up without the weight of a world-ending threat pressing against his chest. He liked being just another officer among many, following schedules and orders instead of protecting the fate of many.
