The darkness around us exploded into movement. Shadows writhing and twisting, forming shapes that weren't quite real but felt solid enough to crush me.
Andrea's trapped consciousness flickered beside me. "Kaiden, you need to leave. Now."
"I'm not leaving without you."
"You don't understand what it can do in here. This is its domain now. My mind belongs to it more than it belongs to me."
Before I could respond, the shadows coalesced into a figure. Tall and thin, made entirely of darkness but somehow taking on Andrea's shape. Her form twisted and corrupted, wearing her face like a mask.
The Whisperer spoke through the shadow version of Andrea, its voice layered with multiple tones that echoed through the mindscape.
"Welcome, Kaiden Cross. I've been waiting for you to try this."
I gath
