Ren woke up slowly, a dull throbbing pain pounding at the base of his skull. He groaned as he sat up, rubbing his temples. He sat on his bed and removed his blanket. He squinted his eyes and then thought. "Damn… felt like my head was about to crack," he muttered under his breath.
His vision slowly cleared as he blinked a few times. Shapes formed around him...faces. Dozens of them. Warriors and Mages alike, all of his underlings gathered around, their expressions filled with concern. They were all worried at his condition.
"Master! We are glad that you're awake!" Kuro said, stepping forward.
"Master, you collapsed so suddenly," Ren added, worry thick in his voice. Anna's father bowed slightly, his hands clenched in worry.
"Anna was worried too," said Mary, her voice soft.
"Big brother… are you okay now?" Anna asked timidly, her large eyes shimmering with tears.
Ren forced a small smile and gently patted her head. "Yeah, I'm fine now. Thanks for worrying."
