we watched as one as our victory unfolded , watched as they were powerless to retaliate- and then came the sudden tearing in the air , the whoosh of something moving so fast it was sensed more than seen , a final , thudding flash that filled the mind and soul and voice of every member of the land , signalling that our apparent victory would come at a cost , that the clearing had bigger weapons than we thought , that now they would use them to destroy us all- but further explosions do not come .