Outer Madness

The heat of the Scorching Badlands had grown intolerable, but it was nothing compared to the oppressive weight pressing on their minds. James stumbled over loose volcanic rock, clutching his head as a psychic whisper slithered through his thoughts. It wasn't words, not exactly—just a sensation of hunger, anger, and overwhelming presence. His breaths came in ragged gasps as he tried to focus on the path ahead.

Kael growled low in his throat, his amber eyes flickering as he darted ahead, scanning the jagged terrain. "Something's watching us," he said, his claws twitching. "I can feel it."

Sylvia's wings flared slightly, casting a dim glow over the group. She wiped sweat from her brow, her ethereal composure cracking under the strain. "It's not something—it's him. The source. The beast." Her voice wavered, the psychic pressure weighing on her as heavily as the others.