I forced myself to stand, my legs trembling under the weight of exhaustion. The remnants of Armandra's dark mana still crackled in the air, and I could feel the oppressive force of the dungeon pressing down on us like a vice. My pens hovered erratically, their once-fluid movements now sluggish as my mana reserves hit critical lows.
Elandris managed to rise next to me, her normally vibrant, wild energy dimmed but not extinguished. Her expression was serious, the usual playfulness replaced by a quiet intensity. Even though she was just as drained as I was, there was still fight left in her.
Across from us, Armandra stood at the far end of the corridor, her form barely recognizable. She had given in to the darkness completely. Her skin, once pale and glowing with power, was now cracked and broken, barely holding together under the strain of the dungeon's corrupting energy. Her eyes, glowing with an eerie greenish light, stared at us with a mixture of fury and desperation.
