The sand tendrils, or rather the fragment, were clearly unwilling to let him go. Ashrik stared at the restless sand quietly, feeling the black grains clinging to his skin.
Fine. Whether the fragment demanded more sincerity, he would try giving it that. He couldn't possibly give up and let others seize it by force.
As Ashrik inhaled deeply, steeling himself. He allowed the ground to claim him. Though worried about the lack of air underground, he forced himself not to resist.
As if waiting for his submission, the black sand seized the chance in the next moment. The sand glided around him, pulling him downward. Though languid, its strength was merciless.
Ashrik had been buried up to his neck. The sand coiled over his head like a pit swallowing its prey. The last thing he saw before closing his eyes was the sky.
Its pale and cold blue shrank into a thin sliver. Then, darkness took over once he sank fully.
