"You understand now," Malakai stated, his voice carrying neither triumph nor apology. The entity hadn't moved from its position or shown any sign of forcing Jack's cardiac muscle to spasm again.
It had been a casual demonstration, power deployed with less thought than most people gave to breathing. "This is the true power of a Soul Warden."
Jack pushed himself up slowly, each movement requiring conscious effort as his body continued recovering from the imposed synchronization.
His chest ached, cardiac muscle protesting the violent rhythm it had been forced to maintain, and his breathing was still ragged despite his lungs finally cooperating with attempts to oxygenate his blood.
"We're connected," Jack stated, the words coming between gasps as his lungs struggled to compensate for the oxygen debt his brain had accumulated.
"When you pulled me from the Sea of Deaths, you created some bond. That's why you could control my heartbeat... Because my existence is tethered to yours."
