Just as Steller's sword tip was about to pierce him.
Everything stopped!
Silence. The wind, the voices, the cries for help-all vanished!
An oppressive, terrifying silence.
Steller's sword stopped in midair, just an inch from Linley's brow. His body froze, as if someone had pressed pause. The grayish-white energy at his wound stopped moving. It no longer gnawed or roamed, but simply hung there as if solidified.
Linley could not move either. His fingers stiffened around his sword hilt. He wanted to tighten his grip, but his fingers would not obey. His legs wanted to stand, but they would not obey either. His eyes could still move, and his mind was still clear, but his body seemed nailed to the spot.
Bebe could not move either. He remained poised to charge back and rescue Linley, his forepaws on the ground and his hind legs suspended, like a statue. Haeru could not move either. It had just rushed out of the side door, its forefeet raised but not yet lowered, hanging in midair.
Sessler could not move either. He lay on Haeru's back with his mouth open, wanting to say something, but the sound caught in his throat and would not come out.
Barker and his four brothers could not move either. They remained poised to follow Haeru away, but none could move.
Unprecedented horror filled Steller's eyes. His pupils dilated, his lips trembled, and the fingers gripping his sword hilt shook faintly. He wanted to speak, but something seemed to have seized his throat, leaving him unable to make a sound.
"Master Linley, long time no see."
A flippant voice came from the mouth of the alley.
A man who looked to be in his thirties walked over from the alley entrance, his long black hair loose and his robes