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“咦？”见此情景，甲貅王有些纳闷，它开口问道：“关爷，为什么让狗子们回来？依我看，它们稳占上风，继续打下去的话，很可能就把大尾巴邪兽尽数消灭了。”“哼，这些邪兽一看就是被某种力量控制了，根本不在乎自己...
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.
ButasIlookedatAethera‘sreflection,Isawsomethingthatmademybloodruncold.Itwasasymboletchedintoherforehead,amarkthatseemedtopulsewithadarkenergy.
“Whatisthat?“Iwhispered,myvoicebarelyaudibleoverthepoundingofmyheart.
Aethera‘seyeslockedontomine,andforamoment,IthoughtIsawaglimmeroffearintheirdepths.Butthen,itwasgone,replacedbyalookofdetermination.
“It‘sthemarkoftheShadow,“shesaid,hervoicelowandsteady.“It‘swhatbindsustogether,whatmakesuswhoweare.“
IfeltashiverrundownmyspineasIrealizedthetruth.Wewerenotjustfightingagainstsomeancientevil-wewerefightingtounderstandourselves.
AndasIlookedatAethera‘sreflection,IknewthatIwouldneverbeabletolookatherinthesamewayagain.ThemarkoftheShadowwasmorethanjustasymbol-itwasareminderofourtruenature,andthepowerthatlaywithinus.
