I stirred slowly, my body sinking deeper into a faint sleep, still too tired to fully wake up. My limbs felt like they had been weighted down, but it was more than just physical exhaustion. The war, the battle, and everything that had happened in the last few days... it was all too much. I could feel the burn in my chest where the radiant energy had once flared to life, but now, it was as if my soul had been drained dry. I was exhausted, mentally more than physically.
As I lingered in that limbo between waking and sleeping, I heard faint voices. The first was a familiar one, soft and murmuring, like someone talking just out of reach. It seemed to be comforting, almost protective. My eyes fluttered open slightly, but I couldn’t make out the words.
"She’s exhausted, mentally more than phys
