As Alex, Hati, and Lyra moved through the narrow corridor bathed in dim yellow light, a sudden pressure invaded Alex's mind.
He dropped to his knees, clutching his head. A sharp pain tore through him, as if something was trying to rip his skull apart from the inside. He glanced toward Lyra, who had slumped against the wall, her face pale with exhaustion. Hati snarled at the empty air, pacing in restless circles.
"Ha—Hati…" Alex grit his teeth. "I'm… entering the Mind Space."
Before Hati could react, Alex sat down and closed his eyes, assuming a meditative posture.
Inside the Mind Space, Alex's consciousness—still in wisp form—floated above a sea of memory and thought. Small, ethereal yellow eagles darted through the sky, casting thunder down onto the waters below.
RUMBLE.
A bolt of lightning struck the sea. Waves thrashed. The once-clear water grew murky, storming violently. Alex realized—they were trying to corrupt his Mind Space.
