Awaking with a gasp, Donovan found himself surrounded by an oppressive void. The darkness was so deep and unyielding that it swallowed any trace of light. It was colder, and much more suffocating than any darkness he had ever known.
To him, the space was unsettlingly familiar, tugging at the frayed edge of his memory with a sensation that sent a shiver down his spine. Something about this place whispered danger, and an urgent, instinctive alarm throbbed in his chest.
He wasn't meant to be here.
Bracing himself, he slowly pushed off the icy ground, his muscles quivering with an unexpected strain. His knees buckled, threatening to drag him back into the abyss, but he forced himself upright, his teeth clenching as he fought the tremor of weakness. Drawing in a sharp breath, Donovan strained his senses, reaching out into the empty blackness for the slightest hint of movement, but there was none.
