As Ethan sat cross-legged at the center of the great hall, the wind that had been gentle suddenly shifted.
A gust swept through the room, ruffling cloaks and tossing up small trails of dust.
Alden and Hera exchanged glances but didn't speak. Something unseen had stirred, and it was only beginning.
Ethan's eyes were closed, but behind his lids was fire.
Not the ordinary kind.
It was ancient. Wild. Untamed. It danced through the space within him like a beast finally let loose.
At first, it felt like warmth in his chest. Then it grew. The warmth became heat. The heat became pressure.
His back arched slightly as if something inside was expanding far too quickly for his body to contain.
His breathing hitched.
The pulsing in his chest became erratic. He pressed his palms against the floor, teeth clenched.
Every breath felt like it was pulled through smoke. And then it happened.
'This is much painful compared to having attributes boost,' Ethan thought.
