The first thing Elios felt,
was weight.
Not pain.
Not immediately.
Just…
weight.
His body didn't move when he tried.
Not because he couldn't,
but because it felt like something was holding him down.
His breathing came slowly.
In.
Out.
Uneven.
His eyes opened slightly.
Light.
Too bright.
He flinched instinctively, his vision blurring as it adjusted.
A ceiling.
Wooden.
Familiar.
"…Where…"
His voice didn't come out properly.
Dry.
Cracked.
He swallowed.
It didn't help much.
"…He's awake."
A voice.
Not loud.
But close.
Elios turned his head slightly.
That alone took effort.
A man stood near the door.
One of the villagers.
Relief flickered across his face,
but it didn't last long.
"…Don't move too much," he said, stepping closer. "You've been out for two days."
Two days.
The words didn't settle immediately.
They just…
passed through.
Elios blinked slowly.
"…The mine…"
The memory came back.
Not all at once.
In pieces.
Fragments.
His father.
Kael.
The cave.
The blood.
"…Where…"
His breath caught.
"…Where are they…"
The man didn't answer immediately.
That silence,
was enough.
Elios' chest tightened.
"…No…"
The word came out weaker than he expected.
"…No…"
His body tried to move.
Pain hit this time.
Sharp.
Immediate.
It spread through his side, his arm, his leg,
reminding him all at once what had happened.
"…Don't, "
The man stepped forward quickly, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't force it. You're barely stable."
Elios didn't listen.
"…I have to, "
"You don't."
The answer came firm.
Not harsh.
Just…
final.
Elios froze.
His breathing broke slightly.
"…They…"
The words didn't come out properly.
"…We found them," the man said quietly. "We brought them back."
Brought them back.
Not saved.
Not helped.
Brought back.
Elios' eyes lowered.
His grip tightened weakly against the cloth beneath him.
"…I was there…"
His voice dropped.
Barely above a whisper.
"…I was right there…"
No one interrupted.
No one corrected him.
Because there was nothing to correct.
"…It came from behind…"
The words slipped out slowly.
"…I didn't see it…"
His breathing became uneven again.
"…I couldn't…"
The sentence didn't finish.
It didn't need to.
Silence filled the room.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
Real.
After a moment, the man stepped back slightly.
"…Rest," he said quietly. "You need it."
Elios didn't respond.
His eyes stayed fixed on nothing.
Not the ceiling.
Not the walls.
Just…
somewhere else.
The door opened softly.
Another presence entered.
Light steps.
Careful.
"…Elios…"
A voice.
Familiar.
Elios' eyes shifted.
Slowly.
His mother stood near the door.
Elara.
Her hands trembled slightly,
though she tried to keep them steady.
"…You're awake…"
She stepped closer.
Slow.
Like she wasn't sure if she should.
Elios didn't move.
Didn't speak.
She stopped beside him.
Looked at him.
Really looked.
Her eyes moved across the bandages, the dried blood, the small movements he could barely control.
"…You're hurt…"
Her voice cracked slightly.
"…But you're here…"
She reached out,
Then stopped halfway.
Just for a second.
Then placed her hand gently on his head.
Careful.
"…That's enough…"
Elios' breathing slowed.
Not calm.
Not stable.
Just…
quieter.
"…Mother…"
The word came out faint.
Barely there.
She didn't respond immediately.
Because her expression changed.
Just slightly.
Not relief.
Not fully.
Something else mixed in.
Something she didn't say.
"…Rest," she said softly.
Elios' eyes lowered again.
"…Mira…"
The name came out before he could stop it.
Elara hesitated.
"…She's outside," she said. "She's been waiting."
A pause.
"…She was scared."
Elios didn't respond.
But his fingers tightened slightly.
"…I told her you'd wake up."
Her hand rested lightly against his head.
"…So don't make me a liar."
A weak attempt at something lighter.
It didn't land.
But she didn't take it back.
Elios closed his eyes.
Not to sleep.
Just,
to stop seeing.
But the cave didn't leave.
The blood didn't leave.
The moment didn't leave.
And somewhere beneath all of it,
that feeling remained.
Faint.
Unstable.
Waiting.
End.