James's breath hitched as he staggered forward, his legs screaming in protest. The barrier they'd torn through was still shimmering faintly behind them, the heat of Elyndor's fire-and-spirit energy lingering in the air like a suffocating blanket.
Ahead, Elyndor stood in the center of his ritual circle, the high-grade control rune glowing with an otherworldly brilliance. The lines of its intricate design pulsated in sync with the monstrous cocoon behind him. The molten surface of the cocoon was alive with cracks, molten energy seeping from the gaps. Each pulse of light seemed to sap the world of its strength, making even the air feel heavy and oppressive.
"Stay back!" Elyndor's voice boomed, distorted as if layered with the whispers of his spirits. His once pristine robes were scorched and torn, his face gaunt and shadowed by the ritual's toll. Yet his eyes burned with manic determination.