The projection screen flickered violently as Max continued advancing through the eleventh layer. The flames there were no longer merely oppressive but seemed almost sovereign in nature, each strand of law pressing down with crushing authority.
The deeper he stepped, the more suffocating the atmosphere became. Even the elders who had once walked the Path in their youth felt their chests tighten simply by watching.
Matthew Grimes broke the heavy silence.
"Zain reached halfway into the eleventh layer, correct?" he said calmly, his eyes still fixed on the screen. "The ten thousand five hundred mile mark."
Victor Veron nodded slowly.
"Yes. He reached ten thousand five hundred miles before the pressure overwhelmed him. It was an extraordinary performance."
Henry Lumin folded his arms, his expression solemn.
"At that depth, the flame laws are no longer chaotic in the ordinary sense. They begin to form structured domains. Even maintaining one's footing there is extremely difficult."
