[b]Palace of the Blachrenae, Renovation[/b]

The explanation was met with some amount of questioning. This was no surprise. These facts were difficult to believe, even Cain himself would have questioned their validity if not for his having been there to witness some of the events happening firsthand. The briefing had largely left his role in all this out, but he'd played a role in this story nonetheless. He was at Shining Field, he'd helped Leo convince Hakim to go forward with the research. And the two of them paid dearly for it in the end.

But that wasn't what gave Cain pause for thought. It was the evidence Tocsax presented in response - or rather, the lack of it. What Tocsax presented wasn't proof at all, just anecdotal evidence that wouldn't mean much of anything on its own. He was lucky his conversation wasn't with Cain or the Nobody would find himself being questioned further, and having to present something better than a mere anecdote in response. But Stefan's satisfaction with the "proof" was about to be proven irrelevant.

With a heavy thud, the sound of Cain's book slamming shut almost echoed through the throne room. He had of course been present all this time, but until now his presence was kept decidedly low key so that he may play the part of observer. He decided to end that role in favor of something more... "practical". Cain cleared his throat, making sure everyone would hear him.

"Perhaps you are standing in the presence of the multiverse's creator, and perhaps you are not." said Cain, his tone cold and blunt, "Frankly, it doesn't matter. But if you're going to believe in something, then believe in [i]this[/i]." Darkness erupted from both his hands as he reached them out, as if grabbing some invisible object in front of him. Cain made a motion as if opening an entrance, causing what could only be described as a "window" of sorts to appear. Circular and large enough for everyone present to peer through it. What awaited on the other side was something else altogether.

It was like something out of someone's nightmare. A world where light appeared to simply not exist, consumed or devoured entirely by the Darkness. Worse yet, keen eyed lookers would spot the crumbling remains of a city or township, utterly devoid of survivors or any signs of life whatsoever. And then ground rapidly became blanketed by pitch black creatures, that covered the land like a swarm of black insects, made even more chilling by their yellow beady eyes. In this small glimpse alone there had to be hundreds, if not thousands of them, numbers that Cain was certain none of them had ever seen before. But even that paled in comparison to what could be seen in the distance: black, lumbering shapes that towered over all the rest. Tall and with muscular arms the size of tree trunks, they looked like they could tear buildings apart with their bare hands. Their heads were barely visible, sporting what could be described as black, tendril-like hair and the same glowing yellow eyes as the smaller ones. Those without Hearts, the Heartless, in their purest and most uninterrupted form. But even above all this, and perhaps worst of all, was the accompanying cold feeling that came with gazing into this hellish abyss. A feeling of terror, of dread... of [i]hopelessness[/i].

"Gaze long and hard," Cain finally said, "and beware. [i]This[/i] is the terrible fate that awaits every world and those who inhabit them, should we fail." and only then did he finally close the window. What he'd done was cold, calculated, and ruthless. Some would go as far as to say it was outright cruel, even. But Cain was not valued for his capacity to be kind or his ability to sugar coat the truth, he was valued for the results he brought, regardless of where those results actually came from.

[@Gisk][@Shiyonichi][@Nerevarine][@Gentlemanvaultboy][@ShadowVentus][@Letter Bee]