Whoosh!
The setting completely changed.
If there was a benefit to the Eternal Darkness, it was that time didn't exist. Its perception depended entirely on the individual, which meant that prolonged periods in the realm could lead to the perception of eternity and shatter the victim's mind.
August wasn't trapped for nearly that long. He was still exploring the darkness and trying to brainstorm a way out of his current predicament when it was solved for him.
So, he didn't realize that even a week had passed. In his perception, it had been only a few hours.
Perhaps that was why he faced such confusion immediately upon his return.
Eris was gone, and the environment was in shambles. He could sense in the distance that both castles and all cities in this area were now in ruins, and though there weren't many people present, there were a few.
'Those auras…what are they?'
Dragons, definitely, but a species he didn't recognize.