The spell manifested with a sharp, crystaline crack.
In an instant, the cavern changed. Every surface, including the walls, ceiling, floor, and even the air itself, fractured into countless rectangular mirrors.
They hung at impossible angles, overlapping and intersecting, reflecting one another endlessly. The space felt multiplied, as if the cavern now existed in a thousand slightly misaligned versions at once.
At the same time, right after the spell came to life, the abomination ruthlessly struck Adam.
Dozens—no, hundreds—of tentacles and tendrils slammed down on him from every direction. They wrapped around his limbs, crushed against his ribs, and tore at his flesh.
Pain radiated through every inch of his body. It was overwhelming and immediate, instantly drowning out all of his thoughts. The pressure was immense and relentless, as if the cavern itself had turned hostile.
For a brief, brutal span of time, Adam was in a world of pain and could do nothing but endure.
And then…
