By dawn, that face was looming directly overhead-not with the insubstantial weight of something in the clouds, but with a solid, crushing presence. A vast expanse of white blotted out the entire sky, letting not even sunlight through.
The face had little expression, just a pair of enormous pale purple eyes gazing down, as though looking at a swarm of insignificant ants, without a trace of warmth.
Shuo stood at the entrance to the shelter with a piece of candy in his mouth. He did not chew it, simply holding it there as sweetness slowly seeped into his tongue and steadied him a little.
At his feet, Hand Princess Big, Hand Princess Small, Hand Princess Three, and Hand Princess Four huddled together, all trembling-Hand Princess Big's fingers were taut and shaking, Hand Princess Small's eyes blinked nonstop, Hand Princess Three's toes tapped against the ground with loud thuds, and even Hand Princess Four's little eye was quivering.
"That scared?" Shuo turned his head to look at them, his voice level but holding a little reassurance.
Hand Princess Big nodded hard, its voice shaking uncontrollably. "She... she's really here. It's the whole of Mom..."
Shuo looked up, staring straight at the enormous face overhead. The face was staring back at him, its gaze heavy.
"Where is your light?"
A deep, weighty voice bore down from the sky, making the ground tremble and his eardrums buzz.
Shuo crunched up the candy in his mouth and swallowed. Its sweetness suppressed the gloom in his heart as he said leisurely, "Gone. Not a bit left."
The face blinked, a touch of disdain in her voice. "Without your light, how will you stop me?"
Shuo thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Wasn't planning to. What exactly do you want? Don't stand there blocking the light."