A raw, agonizing scream tore itself from Azriel's throat as he collapsed onto the cold wooden floor.
For a heartbeat, he didn't dare open his eye, breath caught sharply in his chest. Yet when he finally did, he found himself once more trapped in the accursed cabin.
This time, he was utterly alone.
Lady Mio was nowhere to be found—no comforting presence, no deceptive warmth. Azriel had long surpassed the fragile window between death and rebirth. Now, only dread remained, clawing ruthlessly at the edge of his sanity.
The nauseating urge to vomit surged violently, bitter bile rising from his stomach. Gritting his teeth, Azriel bit down hard, forcing it back down as his body shuddered uncontrollably.
'Not now.'
A merciless headache pounded his skull, relentless, until it gradually faded beneath the soothing chill of [Soul's Crucible].
His mana core—he could feel it clearly, vibrant and alive. It was no longer blocked. For now, at least, he could wield mana freely.
