Instead of answering immediately, Max reached into his storage ring and pulled out a small glass bottle no bigger than his palm. The bottle itself looked ordinary, but as he slowly twisted off the cap, the air around them shifted.
In the next instant, black flames roared forth from his hands like living shadows, curling and twisting with an eerie, devouring heat. The flames weren't normal—they pulsed faintly, as though they carried a will of their own.
Max guided the sinister fire toward the bottle, letting it pour in until it was completely filled. Once the last wisp of black flame had been drawn inside, he sealed the cap tight, and the oppressive aura vanished as if it had never been there.
