"Tell him, Jaffar," Eijar demanded, her voice cutting sharply through the air the moment Isiah asked whether she harbored genuine worry for his survival.
Jaffar maintained a rigid posture, staring straight into the murky horizon ahead. He offered zero movement, refusing to turn back to meet the gaze of either the tiny serpent or the mortal riding his back.
Deep within his core, the massive beast understood the implicit weight behind her words, yet articulating that terrifying truth to Isiah presented an agonizing ordeal.
"Tell me what, precisely?" Isiah demanded, his tone hardening.
Jaffar hesitated, his powerful wings beating against the heavy air before he finally spoke. "Descending to the subsequent layer involves a process far more intricate and catastrophic than your mind can comprehend."
"Every step of this existence is complicated, Jaffar," Isiah countered firmly, leaning forward over the beast's neck. "Expose whatever secrets you are withholding."
