The sanctuary's lower chambers were carved deep into the abyssal bed, far removed from the ambient glow of the thermal braziers that lit the main hall. Here, the water was thick with ancient shadow energy, cooling the dark basalt walls to a soothing chill that felt like a quiet balm against Kyle's overextended mana channels.
Kyle sat on the edge of the stone dais in his private quarters, his long dark coat draped over a high-backed seat nearby. His upper body was bare, showing the subtle, pale sheen of his skin where his invisible 'Demon Scales' were working double-time to repair the micro-tears in his muscle tissue.
'Hah... using Transmigration to phase-shift past a divine solar beam really takes a toll on my core stamina.' Kyle thought, his pupils slitting slightly as he closed his eyes to focus inward. 'If I didn't have the Demon Scales passive constantly regenerating damaged tissue, my mana channels would be completely shredded right now.'
