Wracked with agony no human should survive, Northern tore himself from the compressive circle. The instant he emerged, he crumpled to the ground, paralyzed.
Having shattered his body to escape the law that made space reject his very structure, his entire bone system wasn't truly broken—if he remained in that space, it would feel right, because breaking his bones according to that realm's law was like restoring order.
But the defying process was excruciating.
Rughsbourgh sighed.
"How pitiful. I have an endless reservoir of essence. I can simply do this again."
The air around Northern compressed once more, and the torment returned.
But Northern... he was intimately acquainted with pain.
The second time would never mirror the first. He clenched his teeth, blood spraying from his mouth. He thrust his hand with vicious speed, plunging his entire body forward as crimson squeezed from his wounds.
Rughsbourgh clenched his hands again, but Northern had vanished from sight.
