REDEMPTION.

Chapter: 20

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TALON:

I drifted in and out of consciousness, the world around me hazy and indistinct. Flashes of light pierced the darkness, and I could hear muffled voices that felt far away like whispers carried on the wind. I wanted to reach out, to grasp the threads of reality, but my body felt heavy, as though I were submerged in a dream.

At some point, the darkness began to recede, and I found myself lying on a soft surface. The scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils—sharp and sterile. I blinked slowly, trying to focus as my surroundings came into view. The room was dimly lit, punctuated by the faint beeping of machines surrounding me, monitoring my every breath.

“—needs more nourishment. He can’t recover without it,” a voice came from nearby, clear and commanding. I turned my head slightly, my muscles protesting at the movement, and saw a woman in a white coat leaning over me. Her brow was furrowed in concentration; I recognized her as Dr. Larkin, the camp's chief p