The heavens answered him. The instant the words left Vaelric's mouth, the entire secret realm trembled.
It began as a low vibration beneath his feet, subtle enough to be mistaken for the wind shifting through the mountains. Then the trembling deepened until the floating islands themselves began to quiver, a symphony of creaking stone and groaning earth.
The sky darkened not with ordinary storm clouds. These clouds seemed alive, churning like an endless ocean suspended above the world, layers folding into one another as streaks of silver lightning slithered between them like ancient hungry serpents.
The air became unbearably heavy, thick with ozone and the scent of impending storm. Even breathing demanded effort, each inhale a conscious act against the growing pressure.
Vaelric remained where he stood, his boots firmly planted against the stone despite the pressure pressing down upon him from every direction.
