He held his ground, however, willing the magic to continue into the stone. Now aware of the world around him, aware of time passing, the process felt infinitely more slow and agonizing. The stone felt unreasonably warm in his hand, so hot he felt he should drop it, but he knew the feeling to be an illusion, a trick of his mind. He pushed on. This time he felt hungry, the strange feeling, the emptiness that needed to be filled lending strength to his will. He felt the magic begin to give, to enter the stone faster incrementally.