The sudden pain tore through Kaelen's entire body, as if every nerve was being set ablaze at once. His hand jerked back from the dragon's cold scales, but the pain remained, intensifying with every heartbeat. It was like a thousand jagged shards of glass were being driven deep into his flesh, piercing him from the inside out. Darkness crept into the edges of Kaelen's sight, and for a terrifying moment, he could see nothing but swirling void.
He tried to opened his mouth to scream, but no sound escaped. His throat was strained, muscles contracting as he fought to release a cry, but nothing came. It was as if his voice had been ripped away, stolen by the overwhelming force coursing through him. Desperation clawed at his mind—he couldn't hear his own voice, he couldn't even feel the vibration in his chest. All that existed was the relentless pain, pushing him to the brink of madness.
