My knees should have shaken, and my stomach should have clenched, but I felt nothing. I looked at him defiantly. “I’m not afraid.” “Then it has already begun,” said Bandur. “Demons do not feel fear.” The cold surging in my chest rioted, and I let out a suffocated gasp. “No. No.” “Yes, with every second, you become more like me. Soon the drums will only remind you of the heart you once had. Every beat you miss, every chill that touches you is a sign of the darkness folding over you. One day, it will take you away from all that you know and cherish: your memories, your face, your name. Not even
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