Chapter 384: The Nest That Breathes
Cold came first.
It wasn't the usual bite of the cold air in Nirvana. No — this was heavier, damp, the kind of chill that clung to skin and bone and refused to leave. It pressed against Sophia's senses before her mind fully caught up, seeping into her awareness like fog rolling through a sleeping field.
Her eyelids fluttered open, and everything before her was blurry. Unfocused shapes bled into one another. Her head throbbed violently, a deep pulse that made her wince even before she consciously tried to move.
She groaned softly and lifted a hand to her temple, fingers pressing into the ache as if she could physically push the pain away.
The motion made the world tilt, and she sucked in a shaky breath and forced herself to slow down. One thing at a time.
She told herself and breathed first, taking it slowly.
Her vision began to sharpen in reluctant increments.
