My whole body was burning inside.
Every vein, every nerve, every cell vibrated with such intense energy that it threatened to tear me apart. I felt my heart beating out of time, trying in vain to keep up with the dragon's heartbeat.
—Ngh… damn it…! —I growled through clenched teeth.
I clenched my teeth, trying to control my breathing. My chest rose and fell violently, and a metallic taste filled my mouth before I noticed the warmth of blood trickling down my lip.
The pain was so overwhelming I felt my consciousness slipping, dissolving, as if my mind was about to shatter along with my body.
Suddenly, a voice thundered, snapping me back to some clarity:
—Daven!
It was the marquis. His tone was as sharp as a blade, and it woke me instantly.
—Control the energy! he repeated. Don't let it dominate you! Guide it to your dantian… condense it… make it yours!
His words reached me immediately, shaking the fog in my mind like a lifeline thrown to a drowning man.
