The portal's light vanished as he passed through. Kael's body hit solid ground. The impact jarred through his legs. His knees buckled instantly. He landed in a crouch, absorbing the shock.
The pressure around him changed in a heartbeat. Gone was the thick primal mist from before, gone was the choking energy. Replaced by something else entirely. An eerie stillness.
That wasn't the right word. This stillness was contained, like a massive amount of power waiting just beneath the surface. Ready to burst free at any moment.
He didn't stand right away. His breath came ragged and harsh. His chest rose and fell in sharp, painful jolts. Every single muscle in his body screamed at him. The Eldritch Reversal had faded completely. Its borrowed strength was gone. And now the price of that surge was etched into every inch of his flesh. Deep aches, torn fibers, bones that felt like they might crack.
But it wasn't the pain that held him down. It was the space itself.
He lifted his head slowly.
