As the dream gradually fades and Vilhelm returns to the realm of consciousness, his eyelids open to reveal an unfamiliar place, one notably warmer and more welcoming than the riverbank where he had succumbed to exhaustion. He awakens amidst an eclectic assembly of wounded adventurers, representing a diverse array of fantasy races, each accompanied by their loyal party members. A female orc nurse, holding a notepad in her hands, warmly greets him, "Hey you! You are finally awake! after resting for three days straight, much like a sloth!"

"Where am I?" Vilhelm inquires in a subdued, feeble voice, to which the orc nurse responds, "Easy there, young lad. You're not quite ready to leap out of bed just yet, and I understand your curiosity about this place. This, my dear, is the Adventurer's Infirmary, an annex of the esteemed Adventurer Guild's domain. Typically, we don't extend our services to those who aren't part of the adventurers' fold, but thanks to Thalion and his stalwart party, who encountered you at the scene of their commissioned quest, we've nursed you back to health. You, my friend, are nothing short of a miracle, for the number of leeching parasites that had infested your body was nothing short of staggering."

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Vilhelm gradually shifts his gaze toward his own form, discovering that he's shrouded in bandages across his abdomen, biceps, thighs, and notably over the scar that stretches from his forehead to his eyebrow. While he surveys the infirmary, the door swings open, and three adventurers make their entrance. The middle-aged male elf, flanked by a youthful female catgirl and a female human nearly the same age as Vilhelm, strides forward. They evidently constitute his party.

Positioning himself at the bedside, the elf remarks, "You're a resilient lad, I must say. We were on the brink of concluding that you'd met your end when we discovered you sprawled by the riverbank, during our return from a commission. It's almost as if fate operates in enigmatic ways." With a nod toward Vilhelm, he extends his hand, introducing himself, "I am Thalion, an Archer by trade. These two, my dear apprentices, or more precisely, my adopted daughters, are Sapphire," he motions to the catgirl, "a thief by vocation, and Valeria," pointing to the human, "a Crusader in her calling. It is truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Mr...?"

"Vilhelm, simply Vilhelm," the protagonist responds, his grip firm and his smile, though weakened, resonating with a glimmer of hope.