Page 185 of The Last Remaining Light

It stood before her in flesh and blood.

The only real question left was why.

A pulse of silver light flared again, and the reaction among the Starless was immediate.

Thousands inhaled together.

The sound rolled through the chamber like wind passing through dead leaves. Several of the nearest figures slowly rose from their knees.

The entire group backed up from the scene before them. Some of the survivors had even fled back the way they had come, running as far away as possible. No one dared to stop them.

One standing Starless became ten.

Ten became fifty.

Then hundreds.

The movement spread outward through their gathering as more Starless rose to their feet. None of them rushed forward. None of them attacked. They simply… turned. The distant structure no longer held their attention.

More and more clouded eyes fixed upon Caelyn.

On the only other thing in the chamber connected to whatever lay below.

Alyra stepped forward, her sword remained in her hand at the ready. Lora moved beside her, but neither woman said a word as they placed themselves between Caelyn and the nearest Starless.

The gesture hit Elowynn in the heart so hard, tears burned behind her eyes.

Even now. Even here. They had not abandoned him.

"If whatever is down there wakes, how do we know he won't answer it too?" Korvel asked, his words quiet though they carried through the chamber.

Nobody rebuked him for that question, because it had likely crossed the mind of everyone else. Elowynn understood that the question was fair. Reasonable. Terrifying.

She looked toward Caelyn, and his eyes had lowered. He didn't know the answer; it was clear from his expression.

The sight broke something inside her. For so long she had watched him carry other people's fears. Their suspicion. Their certainty that one sun he would become the very thing they already believed him to be.

Now, standing beneath the world with black eyes, dark veins beneath his skin, and thousands of Starless watching him, she realized he carried those fears too.

He was afraid of himself. Part of Elowynn believed he might have always been.

Before she consciously decided to move, Elowynn stepped forward. When she stopped, she stood between Caelyn and the others.

The gesture was small. Instinctive. Everyone understood without question.

"Elowynn," Vaelor said in a firm voice.

She shook her head at him.

Her gaze remained fixed on Korvel, on Vaelor, on every frightened face surrounding her. She understood their fear completely.

She was afraid too.

And still...

"I don't know what he is," she began.

The admission rippled through the chamber.