Almost the very instant Achill finished speaking, the world fell silent, as though someone had pressed pause. In that instant, everything seemed to go still...
A shadow, a shadow that chilled people to the core, swept slowly toward them from the distant sky, borne on a silent, eerie storm. Black clouds had already swallowed the entire horizon—
The terrifying wind pressure churned like a black tempest! It looked slow, yet it raced toward them at a shocking speed! Almost the instant everyone spotted it, it was already overhead, above Fiore's Royal Capital!!
Countless wings beat with a heavy rush of wind. Countless mouths and nostrils released ragged breaths. Enormous eyes brimmed with mockery and contempt for the insignificant humans below! Countless massive bodies blotted out the entire sky above Crocus...
The wind fell still.
Only now did the people in the shadow-covered city slowly widen their eyes, finally looking up from the joy of the festival...
The things in their hands fell soundlessly to the ground...
The bustling city abruptly fell silent...
It was like a recording whose sound had been cut off in an instant.
People raised their heads toward the sky. Beyond the endless nightmare hanging over them, all they could see was...
A bottomless abyss of despair...
A gloom that rose from their hearts and shrouded their eyes...
An eternal darkness in which no future could be seen—
"Th-this is a lie..."
"...It can't... it can't be..."
"How could something like this happen?!"
"This—"
"How is this possible?!!"
Disaster struck without warning!
Some collapsed to the ground, muttering blankly to themselves.
Some covered their mouths, gazing skyward in despair and disbelief!
Others lowered their heads and wept silently, helpless and powerless...
But far more broke the silence with despairing wails that spread throughout the city—
Humanity