Meanwhile in the room, Jazz's grip on Fanfar's hand tightened. "You're stronger than this," Jazz murmured, as if his words could reach Fanfar wherever he had gone.
For a moment, Fanfar's breathing hitched, his fingers twitching slightly. Jazz leaned in closer, his own heartbeat pounding in his ears. "Come back," he whispered. "Don't leave us now."
But Fanfar remained still, caught between two worlds—one of light and another of shadows—where the ocean of nightmares waited to claim him once more.
As Jazz watched Fanfar slip further away, a shadow passed over the room—a flicker of something unnatural. An energy surged through the air, causing the hair on Jazz's neck to stand erect. Kiti paused mid-motion, her hands hovering over Killian, her eyes darting toward the darkened corners of the lounge.
"Did you feel that?" she asked, her voice trembling.