Sleep, for the first time in a long while, had been a refuge. A dark, dreamless abyss, where the weight of the world and the exhaustion of my body had finally reached a ceasefire. But peace, as always since the beginning of that hell, was a fleeting visitor.
At first distant, a dry, rhythmic echo crept into the edges of my subconscious. I tried to ignore it, clinging to the last remnants of tranquility, but the sound persisted — growing in volume and drawing nearer.
CLOMP… CLOMP… CLOMP…
They were footsteps.
Not the aimless dragging of a forest creature, but deliberate, coordinated steps.Footsteps of people approaching.
My body reacted before my mind could fully process what was happening. After all, until that moment, every time I heard sounds like those approaching the hall… nothing good had ever followed. On the contrary — only terrible things had smiled upon me.
