Something has gone terribly wrong.

The flash never faded and Max's world was consumed in agony.

In the pale white-green infinity Max could feel nothing but pain as he felt his whole body simultaneously exploding and being crushed. He could taste pain, hear agony, and smell torment. As if things couldn't get any worse, it somehow managed to. What little sensation Max had that he had of himself that wasn't in pure agony suddenly twisted and warped, he could feel his whole existence begin to fracture and shatter under the tortuous forces that were tearing Max and all he is apart.

Just as Max began to feel himself start to fade, he felt something change. Like he wasn't alone in the pale void anymore. He couldn't see anything beyond the slightly pale green eternity around him, but what was left of his gut instincts told him someone was there. He felt something touch what was left of his forehead and the pain began to ebb.

A cold, refreshing wave of energy ran through his body, leaving behind a warm, soothing heat that suffused his broken body. Max felt another touch on his arm that had fallen off in his torment.

A few more touches and Max felt all of the pain recede as this new warm feeling suffused his body. He felt something then take the broken pieces of himself and start to gently push them back into himself. Max never thought he'd find out what it felt to be a puzzle, but that's the closest analogy he had as he felt himself be reassembled under loving touches. As he felt his legs begin to be carefully placed back to where they were, Max idly hoped he wasn't being put back together to be broken apart again. Also that he wasn't being saved by some sort of eldritch cousin of Cthulhu. He'd still be thankful if that's what was saving him, but he'd had enough insanity for now and didn't want to try and thank a mind-breaking Lovecraftian horror.

As he enjoyed the odd sensation of being put back together, part of Max's worries began to fade as he began to feel whatever was reassembling him felt like delicate hands instead of tentacles or anything else horrifying. His apparent relief was noticed, maybe, as Max could tell that whatever was there was laughing, even though he couldn't hear it.

Whatever was going on, Max was just glad that the **** was over, as he felt the last pieces of himself come back together, he felt unseen arms hug him. The hug somehow managed to feel maternal, like when he was much younger and smaller, hugged into his mom's overflowing chest.

As Max luxuriated in the invisible hug, he felt himself slip into a peaceful, restful oblivion.