Johan's heart raced as the overwhelming sensations pressed in from all sides. The chilling whispers grew louder, each one tearing at his resolve. 'Think, think! There must be a way out of this.'
In a moment of instinct or perhaps sheer desperation, Johan remembered the basic torch in his storage space. With shaky hands, he struck the flint, and the torch sputtered before bursting into a vibrant flame. Instantly, as if he'd activated a mute button, the whispers around him fell silent.
The flickering flame illuminated his immediate surroundings, and Johan could see the stunned expressions on Danny's and Ken's faces. "Did you...?" Ken began, but his voice trailed off, still reeling from the abrupt silence.