Haze clutched his arm tightly, letting out a ragged grunt as pain stabbed through him like burning iron. His vision wavered in and out, each second of blurred reality sinking him deeper into despair. It wasn't just his body that was broken; it was the heavy knowledge of his failure as an older brother.
"Shit," he muttered, clenching his jaw until he tasted blood. *First Aelorin… now Arianna.* His gaze drifted down to his arm, mangled and swollen, fresh blood oozing from a deep tear. The flesh was red and streaked with angry purple, infected and festering in the cold. Every throb of pain felt like a hammer blow, and he doubted he'd be able to take another step across the craggy path.
