…It came unseen, without sound, and without warning.
Or maybe it had not come at all.
The warriors of the Sword Army were still aiming their swords into the grey void, fearing — hoping — to see vague silhouettes of abominable creatures rushing at them from the ash.
But just like before, there was no sign of the enemy.
Instead, a knight standing by Gilead's side had been there a moment before… but a moment later, he was gone.
Gilead had not even noticed when the man disappeared. He simply became aware of an empty space to his left, and saw that no one was standing there after turning his head.
…By the time he turned his head back, the knight who had been standing to his right was gone, too.
A stifled scream echoed in the grey void, being carried away by the wind. It was not the scream of one of the missing Masters — instead, it was the scream of one of their comrades who had noticed the missing people, and could not contain his terror.
Gilead could not blame him.
