The air inside the node was thick with oppressive energy, a tangible weight that pressed against their chests and minds. Every breath felt labored, as though the very air was infused with the abyss's essence. The walls of the structure twisted and warped, their surfaces shifting like liquid, pulsating in a rhythm that seemed to echo the beating of some monstrous heart. It was both mesmerizing and nauseating, a sight that drew them in while simultaneously repelling them.
Elara's grip on her sword tightened, the relic pulsing faintly in her hand as though it could feel the depth of the darkness around them. Every step forward felt like they were walking deeper into the belly of the beast, but they could not afford to falter. This was the node, the heart of the abyss's influence in this realm, and they had to destroy it before the darkness consumed them all.
"Stay close," Elara ordered, her voice low but firm.