He didn't wake up in the Lingyun Realm this time. There was no mist-shrouded mountains nor drifting ethereal lights.
Instead, Victor found himself standing in the familiar surroundings of his old home. The sunlight felt warm on his skin. The air carried the smell of roasted sweet buns from the market street nearby.
He blinked with a stunned expression.
"…Home?" he whispered.
His heart clenched when he saw the front door slide open. His mother stepped out, smiling with the same soft brown eyes he remembered. The eyes that always felt like safety. She was wearing the same pyjamas she always wore when tending the small garden out back.
"Victor," she said warmly, as if she'd been expecting him.
He tried to speak, but the lump in his throat made it impossible.
She chuckled and walked over, brushing some imaginary dust off his sleeves. "You look like you've been off playing rough again. What did I tell you about getting into trouble?"
