Ivor stood where the skeleton had fallen, breathing heavily. Sweat covered his entire body and his arms still trembled from the strain of the fight. He tried to take a step forward, but the moment his foot moved his strength gave out. His knees buckled and he dropped to the ground, catching himself on one hand as his vision blurred for a moment.
For several breaths he remained there, forcing air back into his lungs while the world slowly steadied around him. His mana core felt nearly empty, the constant coating and compression during the fight having drained it far more than he realized in the moment. His muscles burned with exhaustion, and even holding the sword upright felt heavier than before.
Then the stone beneath him began to react.
A faint circular pattern slowly appeared on the floor around his knees. Lines of ancient carving lit up one after another, forming a complete ring beneath him. The glow deepened rapidly, shifting from dull blue to a brighter, almost liquid light.
