Val's body was whipped through the maelstrom of magic, colours exploding around him in a chaotic whirlwind. His arms flailed as the array tossed him about like a leaf caught in a storm, his stomach twisting painfully. Somewhere in the chaos, he heard Sky's sharp exhale of surprise and Yara's muffled cry. Val clenched his teeth, cursing under his breath. "Of course, it couldn't just work for once!"
A glimpse of Yara's dark hair caught his eye amidst the blinding kaleidoscope of magic. She was floating beside him, her face taut with alarm. Instinct took over, and he reached out, straining to close the gap between them. Their fingertips brushed—
And then the world wrenched violently.
A sickening sensation surged through his entire being like he was being squeezed through a narrow tube. The air was ripped from his lungs, his body compacted into an impossible form before it was unceremoniously spat out.
