(Planet Ixtal, Soron's POV)
Soron lay submerged up to his chest in a wide basin carved from dark stone, the surface of the herbal bath rippling faintly as warm steam curled upward and clung to the vaulted ceiling, while crushed leaves, roots, and glowing petals drifted lazily through the water, their medicinal scent thick enough to sting his nose as his battered body slowly absorbed their restorative essence.
His eyes remained half-closed as he rested there, one arm draped over the edge of the basin, his breathing slow and uneven, as though even stillness demanded effort from him now.
'If there is one thing I will miss about life, it's these warm baths….'
He thought, as he submerged himself deeper into the water, the water surface now rising up to his nose, as he rested there to momentarily forget the pain of his scars.
*Ripple…*
The water stirred.
Soron's eyes opened.
