The night had fallen thick and heavy, and despite the urgency that hung in the air, Wei felt an overwhelming exhaustion settling over him. The moment they returned from the tavern, his body seemed to betray him, dragging him toward sleep as though some unseen force was pulling him under.
"Wei, are you okay?" Ming's voice barely reached him, muffled and distant as though he was submerged underwater. His vision blurred, and before he could respond, the world around him faded into darkness.
Wei opened his eyes to an endless expanse of mist and silence. He was no longer in the dimly lit room of the inn but standing in a place that felt at once foreign and familiar. The air was thick with energy—ancient, otherworldly energy—and the ground beneath his feet shimmered like the surface of a still lake. He took a step forward, and the mist parted in front of him, revealing a figure he hadn't seen in years.
His grandfather.
