Chapter 2: Azure Decree.
Ren's consciousness returned sluggishly, like a computer rebooting after a forced shutdown.
His body felt strangely heavy, as if it had been submerged in molasses, and a dull, insistent pain throbbed behind his forehead.
He groaned softly, taking deep, steady breaths to regulate the discomfort. Panicking wouldn't solve anything. His mind was foggy, but his instincts told him to assess before reacting.
The last thing he remembered was being thrown into that pit, the cold touch of the stone floor beneath him, and then a sudden burst of light.
And now, here he was, somewhere else.
Slowly, he opened his eyes, immediately taking in his surroundings with methodical precision.
The room was simple, almost eerily so. The walls were a soft, muted blue, utterly featureless, giving the space a sterile, artificial feel.
There was a single bed, plain and unremarkable, with neatly arranged white sheets. No decorations, no furniture beyond the essentials.
No windows.
His sharp mind immediately flagged that as significant.
This wasn't a hospital. If he had been rescued after the ritual, there would be medical equipment, at least some indication of treatment.