Kael awoke to the squeaking of wheels.
That was the first thing he heard. A relentless squeak, as if the world itself was groaning with every turn.
Then he felt the vibration. His body was shaking with every pebble the cart passed over. His back ached. His neck was stiff. And there was something in his chest... something burning.
He clutched his chest involuntarily. The familiar burning pain. It was always there, waiting for him.
He opened his eyes.
A wooden ceiling, cracked and damp. The smell of old hay and wet timber filled his lungs. The cart jolted again, and the wood scraped painfully against his back.
He was in a cart. Moving. Where to? He didn't know.
"Finally starting to process what happened?"
The voice echoed in his head as if from afar. He turned slowly. Saw a man across from him. Massive. A scar on his face.
"Five hours you've been asleep." The man rubbed his nose. "You okay?"
Okay? What did okay mean? Kael thought about the word. Couldn't find a meaning for it.
The man let out a short laugh. "Ah... right. Stupid question. Of course you're not okay."
Kael looked at his hands. They were covered in dried blood. Blood from... whom? He looked at his clothes. Same thing. Blood everywhere.
Suddenly, another voice returned. Not the man's voice. His mother's. "Ah... Kael..."
He pressed his chest hard. The burning pain flared up, spreading like fire through his ribs, leaving a metallic taste at the back of his throat.
"You're bleeding internally again." The man's voice cut through. "Calm down. Slow breaths. In... out..."
Kael followed the instructions without thinking. His body knew what to do better than his mind.
"Good." The man relaxed his massive frame against the seat. Pulled out a black scarf and placed it over his eyes. "The pain will fade... it's not the problem. Losing it... that's the problem."
Kael stared at him.
"Where are we going?" Kael's voice trembled.
"To the headquarters, of course. Don't worry, the leader's waiting for us there," the man said without looking at Kael.
Kael took a deep breath and stretched his back against the seat.
Silence returned to the cart, broken only by its sound as it carved its path toward its destination.