He was powerless once more. The feeling of helplessness crawled deep into his bones, a familiar, cold companion. His icy blue eyes, as empty as a frozen lake, reflected the resignation burning within him.

  The creature stared at him, its enormous, unnatural eyes like black voids, swallowing every spark of hope. Thick, viscous drool dripped from the corner of its maw, splattering on the ground and carving tiny cracks into the stone.

  "If only I could move..." The thought echoed faintly in his mind, but his body remained frozen, unable to muster even the smallest twitch.

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  Around him, chaos reigned. The sounds of tearing flesh and snapping bones filled the air. People stood like statues, unmoving and silent, their eyes wide with terror. The creatures moved through the rows, enacting a grotesque ritual of destruction where the victims couldn't even scream.

  He saw it. He felt it. The others struggled desperately against their unseen bonds, their faces contorted with effort. Yet all they managed were faint twitches of their cheeks or futile jerks of their limbs.

  "Pointless." The thought was cold, clinical—and entirely true.

  His gaze flicked back to the creature as it turned toward him. Its grotesque claws gleamed with fresh blood, and its teeth, jutting from torn gums, resembled rusted blades.

  "Fantastic." A bitter smile ghosted across his face before vanishing.