Ezra lay on his back for a brief moment, his head resting against the blanket covering the ground in his tent as his chest rose and fell unevenly, each breath heavier than the last, his arms feeling numb, his eyes aching, and his head throbbing from the strain he had forced himself through; his Cognis level had dropped almost low, and even keeping his focus steady now felt harder than before, but he didn't stay down for long.
With a slow breath, he forced himself up, his body resisting slightly as if it wanted to remain where it was, his legs unsteady for a moment before he regained balance. For the first time, sweat covered his face—not from heat, but from the effort, from the pressure, from everything his body had just endured.
He reached for the zip of his tent and pulled it open, the flap shifted aside.
Outside…
Five pairs of eyes were already on him, they were staring not blinking but just staring in shock.
"Wow…"
