The measured voice responded with sad certainty. Each word carried the weight of millennia passing. "Time erodes all things, Arthur. We are dying. Our essence fades with each passing year. We've held on only to see you return and receive what you're rightfully owed."
The admission hung in the mental space between them. There was no pride in the statement. Only acceptance of an inevitable truth that could not be changed or delayed.
The feminine voice added desperately, her words tumbling out quickly. The usual composure she maintained was completely gone. "But the situation is far worse than simple decay. Those beings the demons are recovering their power. As our strength diminishes, theirs grows in response. Two seals have already fallen. If all twelve break free before we can act, they will destroy this entire realm from within with their recovered strength."
