Heat rolled over Adrian in slow, suffocating waves.
Up close, the True Flame Essence was no longer just a blazing sphere. It was a sun compressed to the size of a carriage, every breath of its existence a silent roar that pressed against his skin and spirit.
His eyes watered. The air itself felt thick, as if every mote was half on fire.
"Stop," Adrian said.
Wyatt halted at his side, boots grinding against the engraved stone. Even with protective armor and blazing Qi, sweat had already soaked through the man's collar. Golden flames licked along his forearms, straining toward the Essence like starving beasts smelling meat.
"Any closer and the passive heat alone will start cooking your organs," Adrian murmured. "Hold your Qi tight. If it flares out on its own, the array might decide you're trying to compete with it."
Wyatt gave a short, derisive snort, but the flames around his arms drew inward, clinging closer to his skin.
Adrian let his spirit sense expand again.
