Audible Sandman: Act 4 Novels & Stories

It created a narrow choke point where the wind shrieked through broken window frames. The sound was high-pitched and relentless. Auditory texture: sharp, whistling, cutting through the thin air. The vibration of the wind rattled the loose glass in the frames above my head, a rhythmic clatter that masked the sound of fifty Sand-Eaters breathing in the dark. "Hold," I whispered into the comms. My own voice felt like grit in my throat. My jaw was locked, the masseter muscles bunching until my molars ached. The Sand-Eater Alpha crouched beside me. He licked his chops, a wet, repetitive sound. His yellow eyes were dilated, fixated on the horizon where a cloud of red dust rose into the atmosphere.

“Good choice. Let’s head inside. I have so much I want to show you.” As he led her behind the waterfall, they walked through a maze of cave walls with low lighting that gave a spooky vibe of being taken into a modern-day dungeon. As they got deeper into the cave, echoes of music, moans, and light, seductive screams filled the space. Ava turned her head to Hunter, who once again looked like a vampire under the low light. Smiling down at her, he pulled her close, tucking her arm into the crook of his elbow. “Scared? You can still turn back.”

With nothing but a thought, the large doors closed behind him with a delicate boom. “Sand, you have returned,” a melodious and slightly effeminate voice greeted Elder Sand once he walked into the room. The hall was pitch black, making it difficult to see past the first tile. However Elder Sand’s enhanced eyesight meant that whether there was light or not, he could see just fine. And the same could be said for the Lord.

ADY “Where on earth is he?” I kept searching for Damon, but I always returned to the Ruins. I casually hopped over the fence and entered. The ruins are shrouded in an eerie silence, with darkness enveloping everything. I heard some unusual sounds coming from above. Out of nowhere, a hand landed on my shoulder, instantly sending a wave of warmth through my body. Damon casually stood in front of me and effortlessly switched places with me. I witnessed the boulder narrowly miss Damon’s back, causing a surge of shock to course through me. The boulder shattered upon impact, yet he remained utterly composed. How did Damon manage to surprise me and enter without my knowledge? How was he supposed to

I feel and hear footsteps moving but I don't follow them, I'm drowning inside a large aquarium that closed the alarm leaving me here. - Yellow alert and code red in effect (...) Attention, fire in chamber 4. Attention, fire in chamber 4. (...) Contain the experiments. As a sign of resistance, kill, preserve the body to the maximum. (...) Attention, fire in chamber 4. (...) The tenths must be brought in safely. (...) Attention, fire in chamber 4. - A distorted voice repeated in the speaker.

Link stared at the screen, the audio still playing: "Prepare. Satisfy the Flame. Or the Hollow will not just awaken—it will rise."

Four minutes. The LED timer blinked: **03:57**. The sterile hum of the HVAC unit became the drone of doom. Martin Shale’s vacant eyes stared past Leo, lips moving soundlessly: *"Purify… cleanse…"* The purple canister in Leo’s hand felt like a live grenade. Dominic’s synthesized voice still echoed in his comms earpiece, a serpent coiled around his thoughts: *"A fitting dilemma for the keeper of broken things."*

And for the first time in my life, I realized that I was… Whole. “Our mates are here,” a feminine voice, both young and ageless all at once, whispered in my mind. It reverberated through my skull like a bell, and yet it soothed me unlike anything before. “There are four total, but three are here tonight…” Before I could react, three familiar voices rang out all at once. “Mate!”

"You thought you were a partner. But you're just a bad debt. And today, I am balancing the ledger." I stood back up to my full height, not giving him another second of my time. I looked at Silas, whose eyes were burning with a volatile, dark worship as he waited for my command. "He's all yours, Silas," I said smoothly, turning my back on Sandro. "Clean up the mess." "No! No! Please—" Sandro’s scream was cut short by the heavy, sickening thud of the iron crowbar.

Aldus said, voice deep and sharp as ice. Amber’s laughter cut immediately. Her eyes snapped to Aldus—burning. Slowly, she began chanting under her breath, “Aldus. Aldus. Aldus…” Her grin widened with each repetition, “I’m surprised you’re still here,” she said. “And that you haven’t sensed anything.” Aldus’ brows furrowed. “What do you mean?” Amber gasped theatrically, covering her mouth. “Oh! Didn’t you know?”