Arden stood wracked with nerves, a small young insignificant figure before the grand ancient tree. His hands slightly trembled, knees felt weak and his earlier meal turned in his stomach. So many powerful mages had stood here where he was now and completed the ritual without fail. Would he be the first to let them all down? He wanted to look away, look down and hide his face, but it was too important that he watch closely the two opposite him, holding opposing corners of the pentagon shape they had created around the tree. 
While it was never said, he felt as though he was the top of the pentagon and held a crucial point. Right or wrong, for better or worse, it's just how he saw it. With that thought came an extra two tonnes of metaphorical weight on his shoulders. It wasn't until the third repetition of their entry movements did it drift away as he found a meditative trance. 
His eyes were open but he no longer used them to see, but instead feel. He felt the intentions and movements of those around him, he felt the patterns and paths of those who danced here long ago, he felt the unheard rhythm and silent song, he felt a unified synchronicity that was unparalleled...

And then it was all eventually over. Arden had completely lost all sense of himself as his empathic nature was on overdrive and his own emotions and thoughts gave way to an accumulation of all those around him. He was still in this hyper sensitive and open state when Tomo began to talk. Before Arden could regain himself something vile and unholy occurred. 
Every faint fear, haunting doubt, horrid nightmare and slither of negative emotion Arden had ever experienced or bared witness to suddenly erupted within him frantically gnawing to the surface of his skin from deep within. 
Hitting like a thunderous wave it sucked the warmth from his body leaving him feeling hollow and cold. This only shook him and sent him staggering for a moment before passing, it was a second later after looking around stunned, confused, wide eyed and in shock that the sudden happenings kicked in and took full effect. It sent Arden down hard and fast to the floor in a violent uncontrollable spasmodic fit.