The five black flames were already there.
As if they possessed a will of their own, the flames hovered in the air, forming a circle around her. Then, in one smooth motion, they merged—creating an invisible barrier that trapped her inside.
Boom!
Laras swung her sword at the barrier formed from the black flames. A metallic clang rang out, but there were no cracks, no sparks, as if her sword had struck an unshakable void.
At that moment, something even more terrifying occurred. The energy within her body was suddenly drained out, like water being sucked through a crack in dry soil. Her chest tightened, and her body weakened in an instant.
"What is this...? Impossible!"
Panicked, Laras examined herself, trying to find the source of the disturbance. But nothing seemed different—no wounds, no visible changes, except for the increasing weakness flooding her body. The black flames still raged around her, forming a perfect prison.
