I sank into darkness, lost in a void without beginning or end. I had no idea how long I lay there unmoving, unknowing. The first sound to tear through the silence was the screech of metal grinding against stone, harsh and jarring. My body jerked at least I thought it did. I wasn't certain I could move of my own will. Then came the sensation of strong arms sliding beneath me, lifting me with care. I inhaled the scent of a summer storm, heavy and wild, tinged with the metallic sting of blood.

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