Yanz's stomach growled incessantly, a painful reminder of his dire need for sustenance. The thought of returning to the village crossed his mind, but the memory of the beasts lurking outside made him hesitate. He knew he had to find food, but the risk was immense. After a long, agonizing deliberation, he decided to venture out, hoping to find something edible.
As he stepped outside, the cool morning air greeted him, carrying with it the scent of damp earth. His eyes scanned the barren landscape, searching for any sign of life. In the distance, he spotted a bird perched on a boulder. Driven by desperation, Yanz crept towards it, his movements slow and deliberate. His heart pounded in his chest as he neared the bird, ready to pounce. But just as he was about to catch it, the bird sensed his presence and flew away.
Frustration gnawed at him, but he refused to give up. Again and again, he attempted to catch the bird, each time failing as it eluded his grasp. His body, weakened by hunger and exhaustion, protested with every movement. Yet, he persisted, driven by the primal need to survive.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Yanz managed to catch the bird. It struggled fiercely, its wings flapping wildly in a desperate bid for freedom. Yanz's grip faltered, his strength waning, but he held on with all his might. In a final, desperate act, he grabbed the bird's neck and twisted, ending its life. The act left him breathless, his hands trembling with a mix of relief and horror.
He hurried back to the library, clutching his prize. Once inside, he shut the door behind him, the familiar scent of old books and dust providing a strange sense of comfort. To cook the bird, he broke apart a library shelf, using the wood to start a fire. He turned the pieces into sticks and began rubbing them together, hoping to produce a spark. But his body, drained from the hunt, struggled to generate enough friction.
Time passed, and despite his best efforts, he couldn't start a fire. His hunger grew unbearable, the gnawing pain in his stomach driving him to the brink of madness. In a moment of desperation, he decided to eat the bird raw. He tore into the flesh, ignoring the feathers and the taste, driven solely by the need to fill his stomach.
After consuming the bird, he collapsed onto the floor, his body finally succumbing to exhaustion. Sleep claimed him almost instantly, providing a brief respite from his suffering.
When he awoke, a sharp, unbearable pain tore through his stomach. Panic set in as he clutched his abdomen, the agony threatening to overwhelm him. He felt his consciousness slipping, the world around him growing dim. In a moment of desperation, he remembered the healing magic Ileu Damian had mentioned. Though he had dismissed it as nonsense, he had no other choice.
"HEAL!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty library. To his astonishment, the pain lessened slightly, enough to keep him from fainting. Encouraged, he chanted again, "Heal, heal, heal!" With each repetition, the pain diminished further, until it was almost bearable.
The effort left him utterly drained. His body, already weakened, could take no more. As the last remnants of pain faded, Yanz's vision blurred, and he slipped into unconsciousness, his mind and body finally finding a moment of peace.