[ it's unclear at first if the presence of the helpful shield explains why john makes no effort to move aside or not, but either way, the towering bone monstrosity can't manage to intimidate him into action with its presence alone. it also doesn't seem to be capable of reaching outside to kill him either, which at least offers one explanation as to why it hadn't attempted to burst out of this area already. a few steps over the threshold, and this probably would have ended a lot differently, however. ]

You're probably safe as long as you don't actually go inside. [ probably. ] I can't sense a magical boundary, but the fact that I also can't sense our large friend tells me there is one, among other things.

[ he sighs in a way that seems profoundly exhausted somehow and folds his arms. the habitual rubbing of his temple comes after that. he hates when he feels blind because it's one way he's not able to be in control of a situation. ]

Well, gentlemen, how badly do you want to find out what's inside?