The surrounding space seemed to suddenly solidify, a suffocating dead silence pressing down on all sides—that was the ghastly breath born from Life Force being mercilessly stripped away, from existence slowly withering and decaying.
David's body stiffened, and he reached out on instinct to support her, only to feel those hands were frighteningly cold, as if he had touched something fragile and transparent.
His pupils contracted sharply, a pain that almost tore his chest apart surging up from his heart.
He fell to his knees, taking Liliana into his arms. Her face was pale as paper, her breathing rapid yet feeble, every breath seeming to wrestle with death itself.
"Li… you…" His voice trembled, weak and full of sorrow. His eyes grew moist, yet the tears did not spill, only stayed heavily, oppressively at the rims—like the fury and self-reproach roiling in the depths of his heart with nowhere to pour out.
