Damon pushed the masked man out of his mind and focused forward. He moved up as fast as he could, but the situation was not straightforward. As he went closer to one of the golden doors, the pressure around him suddenly spiked.
His vision shook, his steps faltered, and his body let out a sharp creak as if every bone was being squeezed at the same time. Damon staggered forward and almost dropped to one knee before barely catching himself.
"Seriously…?" he growled.
The air felt thicker. He could feel it pressing against his skin, sinking into his muscles, digging straight into his blood and bones. Moving even an inch now felt like lifting a mountain.
The door ahead loomed closer, its golden surface glowing warmly, almost gently. Damon could feel it clearly now. The closer he got, the more it rejected him. "So that's the trick…" he muttered, breathing hard.
