Hours had passed.
Nero leaned against a massive tree trunk, his chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The forest around him was quieter now, the sounds of the stampede faded to distant echoes.
He'd lost track of time.
His legs trembled beneath him, threatening to give out. The Divine Elixir had kept him going long past when he should have collapsed, but even its power had limits. Beyond that, he had burned through all of them.
He let out a deep sigh.
He was exhausted.
But more importantly, he was alone.
The Abominations that had been chasing him were gone. Most of them, anyway. He could still hear movement in the distance, the sounds of creatures fighting and feeding on each other.
Nero allowed himself a moment to rest, his back pressed against the rough bark of the tree. His hands shook as he reached for his waterskin, taking a long drink of the purified water.
It tasted like life itself.
