Once done, he returned to the bark.
With meticulous care, he shaped its outer and inner layers to conform perfectly to the puppet's frame. Its rough and dead appearance soon became defined and smooth to the touch. The fresh scent wafting from it tickled his nose, inviting yet hiding terrible power.
He inspected his work before giving it a satisfied nod.
Even if, for him, he had just started, he knew how warped his perception of time became while immersed. Therefore, he snapped his head back to see if the core ended its fusion.
And there he saw it: a round core glinting a metallic hue amidst the dimming symbols.
"It reached the later stages of the sixth tier."
Yngrid's exhausted voice echoed from behind.
She grabbed the core, feeling its weight pressing down on the sturdy desk.
