Darkness did not yield to light. Light did not retreat from darkness. They pressed against one another without sound. The dandelions continued circling above Kiaria and his companions, their rotation remained steady and patient.
Hours passed.
Many fiends eroded beneath the slow grind of existence, their forms thinning into fragments of shadow. Yet the fog did not lessen. It thickened. It gathered closer to the luminous boundary, no longer testing it blindly but leaning against it with intent.
Inside the barrier, Kiaria listened.
Azure Dragon Emperor noticed hopelessness in Kiaria's face. His voice surfaced. "This is why I hesitated to say."
Golden Dragon Emperor rose from the inner sea and stood beside him. "If none fear, perhaps you survive the night," he said evenly.
