Making A Choice Has Never Been So Difficult

Jake's memory of the bone-chilling cold that had initially seized him when he first touched one of the Steles had become a distant memory. Though he still felt the cold, he no longer feared it. After absorbing Digestor Ruby, he could even draw energy from it, as absurd as that might seem.

The next moment, his consciousness was sucked into the Stele before he could even process what was happening to him. Having experienced this twice before, Jake didn't panic and allowed himself to be taken.

The irresistible force pulling at his soul disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared, and he knew his mind had arrived at its destination. Here, in this place where the very fabric of reality seemed to be in flux, Jake's consciousness was but a single ember in an ocean of darkness.

He felt like a woodlouse in a microwave. If the owner of the device decided to press the button, his soul would have no chance of escaping.