While a grand banquet was being held in the capital to celebrate the victory, far away in the southern part of the empire, everything was quiet.
In a secluded villa where Soren had been staying, there was no music, cheering and no bright lights, only silence and the soft warmth of afternoon sunlight that's slipping through the curtains.
Inside one of the rooms, Soren suddenly stirred.
For a long time, he had not moved at all. His body were completely still, as if he had been trapped in a deep and endless sleep but now, something shifted.
His fingers twitched slightly and his eyelids trembled.
Then, slowly, very slowly, Soren opened his eyes.
His vision was blurry, unfocused, and heavy. The light felt too bright, and even breathing felt strange like his body had forgotten how to move properly. Everything around him felt distant and unfamiliar, as though he had been gone for a very long time.
As his senses slowly returned, he became aware of the body close to him.
