…Sl…
..Sla….
"WAKE UP!!"
SLAP!!!
Aether flinched when the voice smashed through his skull. His cheek stung sharply, heat blooming across his skin. He groaned as his eyes slowly fluttered open… and a blurry purple butterfly swayed in his vision like something drifting out of a nightmare.
"W-what the…" he muttered, blinking through the haze as his vision steadied, the soft violet glow sharpening into the small winged figure he knew.
"Grace?"
"Hmph! How dare you lie here and sleep soundly!!" Grace's voice cracked in a childish, offended tone. She pouted as her tiny wings beat hard enough to scatter faint purple dust, her glare fixed on Aether with an anger that somehow looked too cute to be taken seriously.
Aether blinked slower this time, trying to force his mind to settle. "How did you get ou— Wait—!" The words died suddenly as his hand shot to his neck.
His fingers dragged across his neck in confusion. "My head…?"
