The blinding ocean of light receded to a mere trickle, revealing an enormous crater where the initial impact had struck. Secondary explosions and shockwaves continued to erupt, sending dazzling waves of light outwards and vaporizing demons left and right, but my eyes remained fixed on the crater's center. Luke was… gone.
The Apostle of Curses had vanished without a trace. Tears welled up, blurring my vision, and my shoulders shook with the force of my sobs.
"No way," R'lissea breathed, her voice filled with disbelief.
"How is that even possible?" Elise echoed.
I turned, about to bury my face in R'lissea's shoulder, when the nuances of their voices registered. It wasn't fear or sorrow but disbelief. Slowly, barely daring to hope, I raised my head and blinked away the tears, peering anew through the lingering ribbons of light at the scene before us.
