Auren's eyes slowly opened, his consciousness finally returning like a sluggish tide.
'Ugh...'
Every fiber of his body screamed in protest. The strain from entering 'Avatar Mode' and the overwhelming backlash from tapping too deeply into his unlimited mana pool had finally caught up to him.
"W-Where... am I?"
A low groan slipped from his lips as he clutched his pounding head. A brutal migraine throbbed behind his eyes, sharp and relentless. It felt like invisible chains were tightening around his limbs, pulling him down into the cold.
Though there was no mirror in sight, he could feel it- how his body had withered. His arms, once toned from training, now felt like sticks. His clothes hung looser. He was weak. Frail. Hollowed out
His body- once alive with energy- now dangled like a broken puppet. He felt limp and helpless.
