The Empire of Reimia (3)

"Ugh, phew..." Moriner struggled to open his eyes and sat up. "And how many times have I ended up here during my training..." he thought, looking at the familiar hospital room. Then, the student's gaze fell on the ill-fated statuette, and the realization of what had happened slowly began to dawn on him. "What have I done..." He clutched his head and stared at the floor of the hospital room. "And most importantly, why didn't this thing finish me off? Or at least maim me? Is it afraid of being left without an owner? Is it too early to finish what it started? Maybe it really is alive." This thought twisted his face into a painful smile. Reaching for the statuette, he thoughtfully turned it over in his hands. "Well, I'm sorry," he mumbled. "You're my burden, and I alone should bear responsibility for my actions. Although, come to think of it, so far, I've only gotten away with a mild concussion, while others have been much less fortunate." Then, Moriner suddenly realized that he had started an imaginary dialogue with an inanimate object and quickly brought his mind and thoughts back in order. "Hey, how are you? Are you okay?" Noticing Xenomia, he asked worriedly. "I'm sorry, you could have died because of me. Thank you for your help, but I think I can handle it from here."