Left on the top of the tall mound of crimson coral, Cassie stood alone in the darkness.
Now that the Quiet Dancer had left her side, she was back to her previous self.
Lost.
Weak.
Frightened.
Utterly helpless.
The oppressive nothingness surrounded her from all sides.
But that nothingness was full of sound.
It swelled with the deafening cacophony of the nightmare horde's onslaught. Cassie heard howls, growling, inhuman screams, shrieks, and the scraping of chitin.
She heard the clangor of steel and the sound of flesh being ripped apart.
She also heard countless human voices calling out to any kind of deity that could save them. Full of fury, agony, bravery, fear, resolve, sorrow, strength, helplessness, hope, faith, despair, disbelief.
She heard them dying.
Standing above it all, Cassie shivered. She wanted to press her hands against her ears, but didn't.
…Her terrible vision was coming true.
And she was back to being lost in the darkness.
