He could feel the pervasive Qi Surgawi burning his skin, making his throat constrict. He felt like a fish out of water, suffocating in an environment that was meant to sustain others.
He ran for nearly an hour, deeper into the untouched parts of the forest, away from the epicentre of the Heaven's Eye Strike. He found a small, hidden cave, almost completely concealed by a curtain of thick, intertwining vines. It was small, barely a crawl space, but the air within was cool, damp, and tasted of raw earth and mineral, free from the cloying sweetness of Qi Surgawi.
He squeezed inside, pushing the heavy vines closed behind him. He collapsed onto the damp earth, his body screaming in protest. He leaned against the rough rock, his white hair falling across his pale face. He closed his eyes, focu
