The dark did not let go gently.
It ripped itself away from him like a bandaid torn open. Kaelen's eyes snapped wide, he saw nothing, just black shapes swimming in grey. His heart hammered once, twice.
Then stopped.
Then hammered again so hard his ribs ached.
He could not breathe.
Somehow his body had forgotten how. The air sat in his chest, heavy and useless, and his lungs refused to move it. His hands clawed at the stone floor. Fingers scraped, nails broke, he felt none of it.
[System: Host conscious. Mana Poisoning at 62%. Decreasing. Physiological shock detected.]
The words floated across his vision. He could not read them, could not understand what they meant. They were just shapes. Glowing shapes that made his head hurt.
His heart went again, too fast like a hummingbird trapped in his chest. His skin was cold, then hot, then cold again. Sweat poured down his face, his back, his legs. His shirt clung to him like a second skin made of ice water.
