Over my own ragged screams, a deep rumble reached my ears. The floor vibrated, dust showering from the ceiling. The entire labyrinth was starting to collapse!
I stumbled blindly, arms outstretched. The ground quaked beneath me, nearly throwing me off my feet. Chunks of stone began pelting down. One struck my shoulder, another glanced off my skull with a dull thud.
"Grab the staff and run!" Elfriede commanded somewhere nearby.
Through the cacophony, I felt a strong hand seize the back of my tunic. "Come on!" It was one of the mercenaries—Finley? He dragged me roughly.
I couldn't see a thing—my eyes felt as if daggers were twisting in them—so I just ran where I was pulled. The roar of crumbling walls and falling rocks filled my ears. All I remember is sprinting, half-supported by someone, as the world around us came crashing down.
Then something massive struck the back of my head. A burst of pain—and everything went black.
I awoke to warmth and softness.
For a confused moment, I thought I was in my childhood bed back at Father's cottage, wrapped in thick blankets and furs. The pillow beneath my head felt far too comfortable to be real.
Reality rushed back with the throbbing ache behind my eyes. I groaned and tried to sit up, only to find my body heavy and sluggish. A firm hand pressed my shoulder, gently guiding me to lie back.
"Easy there. Don't strain yourself," came a cool female voice.
Blinking, I looked up—or tried to. My vision was blurry and tinted with hazy light. A slender shape hovered above me, backlit by a warm glow.
"How are you feeling?" the voice asked. It was clear and professional, with a no-nonsense tone. "Can you see at all? How many fingers am I holding up?"
I squinted. The figure resolved into a young woman with short, bright blue hair, dressed in a flowing white healer's robe. She held up a hand in front of my face. I could just make out two fingers extended.
"Um… two?" I rasped. My throat felt raw, no doubt from inhaling venom and smoke.
The woman nodded and shifted her hand. "And now?"
I focused. Her form was sharpening a bit. "Four fingers."
A small smile. "Good. And now?" She pointed her index finger toward my face and moved it slowly.
I tracked it as best I could. "You're… indicating your nose. No, my nose. Now my forehead… Now my leg."