Egfor could only assume his mind had put him in Forochel, as they did talk about it earlier that day. He was bundled in furs and wool, trying to push through drifts of snow. His hair and beard that were exposed were frozen solid and ice clung to any exposed skin. The wind howled merciless and felt like its icy fingers tore through his clothes and clawed at his skin.
He couldn't feel his extremities anymore, causing him to stumble and stagger. He lifted his head, only for ice crystals to shred at his tender skin. It was of no avail, as all he could see around him was the white walls of the blizzard around him. He was alone. He heard Syllea's voice shriek with the wind, "Please! Father, no!" He heard a thousand glass bottles hit a cobbled stone ground. He stumbled, steadied himself, and pushed on.
He heard Em scream in utter terror and pain. Egfor's heart was wrenched, unable to save her, as a father should be doing. He was unable to save and protect her. He was unable to save and protect Syllea.
He looked up, swearing he saw Ella run away from him, screaming. He faltered and stopped.
He heard Helm's voice, "Look at yourself, you are becoming like our father's… Liath, let him be in his wretchedness." Egfor choked back a silent sob watching the young man, Liath, reel away with terror in his eyes and run from him as well.
He heard Dem's voice, broken and dead of emotion, "I'm leaving…"
An unseen force hit Egfor, as if he was getting assailed by a thousand fists. The air was knocked out of him and he buckled, collapsing to the snowy ground. His ice numbed arms gave out and he fell face first into the drift.
He felt that horrifying feeling, as if all love and joy he had ever felt was suddenly wrenched out of his body, leaving some gaping void where Dem once was.
He opens his mouth to sob and cry out, only to inhale snow. He coughs and sputters, trying to lift himself up out of the snow, only to find he was being pushed and pulled down by many hands. He thrashes and kicks out, trying to get free. Egfor only ends up inhaling more snow and slowly, painfully drowns as the cold creeps into his slowly stilling body.
Egfor wakes up with a start, clutching at his chest and gasping for air. He hears Dem struggling in a nightmare of his own beside him. He rolls the opposite way, feebly feeling for a bottle tucked between the bed and his nightstand, a hidden bottle of brandy. He sits up, intending to merely have just a sip to soothe his nerves, but he accidentally ends up emptying the bottle. He lays back down, the bottle falling from his fingers with a soft thud to the floor.
His chest heaves silently, fighting back tears of all the damage he had done.
A few more minutes passed and the numbness of the brandy took over, lulling his damaged mind to silence. He lets out a soft sigh. After drowning his emotions, he rolls over and pulls Dem into his arms to soothe him.
