Avin stood there, panting heavily, the sound of his breath rasping through the silence like sandpaper against metal. Every inhale burned, every exhale came out uneven — as though his lungs had forgotten how to work properly. His arms trembled as he tried to steady his sword, and his legs, gods, his legs felt as though they might crumble beneath him at any second.
His entire body screamed.His skin felt raw, as if it were peeling itself away from him; his bones ached deep within their marrow, the pain of the impact reverberating through his frame. His muscles twitched uncontrollably, spasming like he was caught in an unending current of pain — an eternal cramp that refused to release.
And yet, through all that… he smiled.
