“Daciana! Get a hold of yourself!”
I was vaguely aware of a hand shaking my shoulder, as if someone was trying to force me awake. I couldn't tell if my body and mind were truly awake or not; it felt like I was suspended somewhere between consciousness and dreamland. It wasn't an altogether unpleasant feeling, but something still seemed off. This sensation would come and go in waves, leaving me alternating between deep sleep and strange alertness. My thoughts would wander in and out of reality until eventually, the hand shaking my shoulder become more vivid.
“Daciana!”
I slowly crane my neck towards the direction of someone calling for me. Peering through the crowd, my eyes eventually meet with Blode's. His face is stained with tears, but I still see the strength and resoluteness held within them. He beckons to me again, putting all his energy into conveying his urgency. He doesn't have to tell me much; somehow, I already know what has gone wrong and why he needs help.
“Your father, he
