The next day, early in the morning, Rowen woke up at exactly 6:00 a.m.
He lay there for a moment, staring at the wooden ceiling of his small upstairs room. The faint Had the energy dropped even more?
Without hesitation, he turned from the shop door and climbed back up to his room again.
Back upstairs, Rowen stood in the center of his room.
"Fern," he called softly.
With a swirl of green light, the tiny sprite appeared mid-air, arms crossed, eyes half-lidded from sleep. His hair was messy, and he looked like he'd just been dragged out of bed.
Fern yawned loudly. "So early?"
Rowen gave him a look. "Open the portal. I need to check the land."
Fern floated lower, muttering something under his breath. "No respect for my sleep…"
His eyes flicked toward Rowen with a tired glare. "And I'm starving too, by the way."
But despite the complaints, he waved his hand lazily.
With a familiar shimmer, the glowing doorway formed once more, pulsing softly with green light.
