>>5804299You narrowed your eyes. You weren’t sure you understood, and yet Nemenmo would not—or could not—elaborate. It sounded like superstition to you, and she eventually seemed content (or at least less frustrated) to let the matter drop. You did likewise, though for your part you were MORE frustrated, not less.
“You are yawning,” Nemenmo noted.
You blinked, shocked mid-stretch, and noticed you were. THAT wasn’t what surprised you, though—what surprised you was that you HADN’T been until now. Belatedly, you realized you’d stayed up almost all night—such that dawn’s first light was beginning to crest the horizon and illuminate the pillar—and you were only JUST NOW growing tired, in spite of your elven blood and your attunement to the natural cycles.
“It’s the <Daylight> spell,” you realized with a start. “Casting it… It produces something like ACTUAL sunlight! It tricked my brain—my spirit!”
Still, no sooner had you realized this than the effects of the long night of study and exercises began to catch up with you regardless. This was no method to skip sleep entirely—you still needed it. You could control your tiredness in this way, manipulate your mind for a time, but not obviate your obligation to rest your mind and muscles. You took a staggering step, and nearly fell, fainting for a moment.
Strong, smoothly-muscles arms caught you. Nemenmo, curiously warm and subtly fragrant with some subtle desert perfume, gently lowered you down to the sand. You expected teasing at your predicament—your feebleness—but it did not come. She was not the type, it seemed. Rather, she regarded you with a calm curiosity as you lay there, smoothing out your hair with fine, surprisingly-supple fingers.
“You are a strange creature, foreigner” she said as you began to drift to sleep. “I am glad you lived.”
You mumbled a response, one unintelligible even to you, and your eyes slid shut.
