I watched silently as thousands knelt before me, a sea of familiar and unfamiliar faces stretching out in every direction beneath a sky now painted in chaotic cosmic brilliance. The air trembled gently, carrying echoes of distant thunder, remnants of shattered stars still cascading softly like glittering snow. Many faces had stayed familiar, comforting in a distant way, yet countless others had transformed dramatically—no longer human, each reborn as a powerful demon. Expressions of gratitude and devotion flickered across their features, emotions I could recognize but no longer feel myself.
I should say something…but what exactly?'Welcome back?'No, that's too simple, too distant.Perhaps I should say I missed them?But with my current state, that might sound even colder. I stood frozen, emotionless, caught in a quiet dilemma. My silence lingered in the air, stretching out endlessly. Yet somehow, without me needing to utter a single word, gentle smiles blossomed on their faces.
