Dormancy

Seth tried taking a step forward but staggered as the ritual concluded, his breath hitching in his throat.

A searing warmth bloomed in his chest, not painful, but alien, different from the feeling of mana he felt in his veins before; it pulsed faintly, like the first flutter of a bird's wings, drawing his focus inward.

"What… is this?" he muttered, clutching at his sternum.

Zera hovered nearby, her form flickering faintly threatening to go off.

Her expression was calm, but her voice carried a note of urgency.

"The integration is complete. What you're feeling is the first manifestation of the dual anchor. It's… your core, Seth. Or rather, our shared core."

Seth's vision blurred for a moment as he doubled over, a cascade of translucent blue veins rippling briefly beneath his skin before fading.

The warmth pulsed again, spreading an unnatural clarity through his thoughts.