The moment Claire descended into the whirlpool of that black, enchanted water in the bathtub, she felt as though her soul were being pulled in a thousand different directions. The chanting of Michael's incantations, which until then had echoed in her ears like a protective shield, slowly began to fade. A moment came when Michael's voice fell completely silent, and Claire sank entirely into the Void.
Her soul spun rapidly within that labyrinthine vortex. The silence inside the whirlpool shattered, replaced by a terrifying uproar that could drive anyone to madness. Claire could hear the anguished screams of thousands—millions—of souls. Some cried out for help, some begged for mercy, and others writhed as they pleaded for forgiveness for their sins. Claire felt their sorrow and their remorse piercing her body like countless thorns.
