Corvin sat cross-legged in the center of his warded lab, completely still. The humming crystals lining the circular chamber pulsed faintly, reacting to the recent injection of the MAG1.0 strain. Unlike the physical strain before it, this one brought no pain, no surges, and no visible transformation. Just a pervasive quiet, like the calm before a storm.
He closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath, and began to descend inward. His breathing slowed, heart rate dropped, and the walls of physical sensation melted away. What remained was a growing pressure, not uncomfortable, but undeniable.
Breath by breath his mind slipped deeper.
He was standing before a massive, glowing lake made of shimmering blue crystal light. The water like surface didn't ripple, didn't reflect anything. It simply existed, infinite and full of radiant energy. The light moved beneath the surface like swirling galaxies caught in glass.
