Loaded Gun
What was there left to do after witnessing such an incomprehensible, otherworldly scene?
Nothing.
Nothing but feel shock, awe, horror, and fear.
No one was mad enough to venture near the ink-black waters—that much was certain. The charred, ancient woods behind them, crawling with void worms, seemed almost inviting by comparison.
The solemnity among the soldiers was palpable. No one spoke. No one dared. They had learned a single, chilling truth: the waters of the sunken islands were not meant for human touch.
And so, on the final day granted to them by Azriel's mother, they returned to Earth.
Surprisingly, most of the soldiers were given a few days off—a rare reprieve directly sanctioned by Joaquin himself. Yet Azriel had no such luxury. As soon as they arrived, he was summoned to the lounge of the Crimson Estate, along with his sister and father.