A tense calm descended on the battlefield. The crushing pressure forced Rishi to his knees, and he struggled to stand beneath its weight.
His body begged him to surrender; every fiber told him there was no hope of escape, no chance of defeating so many foes on their home turf.
His companions released anxious growls, each sensing the gravity of their predicament.
They all dreaded this situation, knowing that even if they fought with everything they had, survival was far from guaranteed.
Rishi took a deep, steadying breath, attempting to regain control. A glint of golden light appeared in his eyes—a sign he had activated extreme focus. Combined with his unyielding will, it helped him find some inner calm.
What had seemed like a flickering flame amidst a storm steadied, now resembling a lantern, unaffected by the chaos around it.