等到身后狗子们站稳之后，犬王陡然挥爪打在旁边一块岩石上，“砰啪！嗤嗤嗤??”说时迟，那时快，石块碎片挟风疾飙，纷纷打在了洞口内侧和地面以及岩壁上，弄得啪啪响声此起彼伏，频频不绝。众尸犬都不明白来到这到...
AsIgazedatmyreflectionandAethera‘s,asenseofuneasesettledin.Whowasthiscreature?Whatdiditwantfromus?
Thefiguretookanotherstepforward,itseyesneverleavingmine.Icouldfeelitsgazelikeaphysicalweight,pressingdownonme.
Suddenly,theairaroundusseemedtoshift,thetreestwistingandwrithinglikelivingserpents.Theskygrewdarker,asiftheveryfabricofrealitywasunraveling.
Aethera‘sgriponmyarmtightened.“It‘scoming,“shewhispered,hervoicebarelyaudibleoverthegrowingturmoil.
Inodded,myheartracingwithanticipation.Whatwasthiscreature?Whatdiditwantfromus?
Thefiguretookanotherstepforward,itseyesburningwithanotherworldlyintensity.Icouldfeelitspowercoursingthroughme,likeadarkriverflowingthroughmyveins.
Andthen,inaninstant,everythingwentblackonceagain.
WhenIcameto,Iwaslyingontheforestfloor,myheadthrobbingwithpain.Aetherawaskneelingbesideme,herfaceetchedwithconcern.
“Whathappened?“Iasked,tryingtositup,butawaveofdizzinesswashedoverme,forcingmebackdown.
“Youwere...youwereinatranceagain,“shesaid,hervoicesoftandsoothing.“Thefigurespoketoyou,andyoujust...lostyourself.“
Ilookedaround,tryingtorememberwhathadhappenedbefore.Butmymemorieswerehazy,fragmented.AllIcouldrecallwasthefeelingofbeingconsumedbysomethingdarkandpowerful.
Aetherahandedmeacanteenofwater,whichIdrankgreedily,tryingtoclearthefogfrommymind.AsIlookedupather,Isawthatshewasstillpaleandshaken,hereyeshauntedbyfear.
“Whatdiditsay?“Iaskedagain,tryingtopiecetogetherwhathadhappenedbeforemytrance.
Aetherahesitated,asifunsureofhowmuchtoreveal.“Itsaid...itsaidthatwearethekey,“shewhisperedfinally.“ThatweholdthepowertounlockthesecretsoftheShadow.“
IfeltachillrundownmyspineasIrealizedthetrueextentofourconnection.Weweremorethanjustallies-ohalvesofawhole,boundtogetherbysomeunseenforce.
Butwhatdiditmean?Whatsecretsdidwehold?
Aethera‘seyesseemedtocloudoveronceagain,andshefellsilent.Iknewthatlook,theonethatsaidshewasthinkingsomethingdeeperthanherownmindcouldcomprehend.
“Ithink...Ithinkwe‘remeantforthis,“shewhisperedfinally,hervoicebarelyaudible.
Inodded,feelingasenseofpurposewashoverme.Wewereinthistogether,nomatterwhatlayahead.
AsIsatup,Aetherahelpedmetomyfeet,andwebegantomakeourwaybackthroughtheforest.Butthistime,Ifeltdifferent.IfeltlikeIwaswalkingintoanightmare,onefromwhichImightneverawaken.
Thetreesseemedtoloomoverus,theirbranchesreachingoutlikeskeletalfingers.Theairwasthickwithanunnaturalsilence,asiftheverycreaturesoftheforestwereholdingtheirbreathinanticipation.
Andthen,aswewalked,Isawit-afigurestandingattheedgeoftheforest,itseyesfixedonuswithanunblinkinggaze.
Itwasmyownreflection,staringbackatmewithanexpressionofdetermination.Andnexttoitstood...somethingelse.
AcreatureunlikeanyIhadeverseen,itsbodytwistingandwrithinglikelivingdarkness.Butasitturnedtofaceme,IsawthatitwasAethera‘sreflection-hereyeslockedonminewithafierceintensity.
Iknewthenthatwewerenotaloneinthisfight.Wewerepartofsomethinggreater,somethingancientandpowerful.
Andtogether,wewouldfacewhateverlayahead,nomatterwhathorrorsorwonderstheShadowhadinstoreforus.