***
{Outside The Projection}
{End Of Volume Seven: The Fall Is Here}
"..."
"..."
"..."
For a long, long moment…
Nobody said anything.
The air was suffocating, as if someone had thrown a blanket over the entire hall, wrapped it around their necks, and squeezed, squeezed, and damn squeezed.
Their eyes were wide as could be, their mouths hung open, jaws stiff, frozen halfway through gasps, screams, and curses that never made it out. Even the old trolls who never missed a chance to put their chips in stood utterly speechless.
"…Huh?"
Then it started, a small whisper.
"Wait... wait... that's... that's what a Sultan sees?"
It spread fast, a panicked realization.
"No... no, no, no, that can't be right..."
"That... that can't... that's not... that's not in any books..."
Men tugged at their own beards, as if yanking at them would help their brains understand; those without any just shook their heads, their hands trembling, faces pale.
