Once the orb was inserted into the obelisk, an inky black spot appeared in the center and expanded to nearly engulf the entirety of the inside of the sphere. The black spot shrank, like a pupil adjusting to light. The orb shifted about in the socket, seeming to look over the group. A stone sheath came over the carving, like an eyelid. After the sheath retracted, the orb was completely milky white. The barrier sphere surrounding the city retracted and sank into the obelisk, turning it the same shade of milky white, while the words carved into it started glowing red.
Now that the barrier was gone, the group could see that there was a second, smaller barrier inside the city. The outer barrier seemed to have only been covering up the outer-most third of the city.