Everything happened in nearly an instant. By the time Silvanus reacted, he was already plummeting toward the bottom of the tower.
Before his eyes stretched a pitch-black expanse, where faint specks of light drifted like floating fireflies.
Suddenly, a glow flared from below. It was dim, yet bright enough to seize the attention of anyone swallowed by darkness.
Silvanus looked down. Because he was in free fall, his cloak rippled without pause, and his hair fluttered wildly. He was clearly at the bottom of the sea, yet it felt as though wind were threading through every strand of his hair.
In the distance, he could make out a hazy silver-white radiance, as if an entire world lay beneath him, waiting for someone to explore it.
But it also seemed to be revealing just how deep the tower truly was. He was falling freely, yet minutes passed and Silvanus still could not see the end. It was terrifying.
The moment that thought crossed Silvanus's mind, everything abruptly changed.
