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“好！”听到了古荒吼?的话，甲貅王和疯毒蚁后答应一声，立刻率领土灵力士奔向不远处，将矿晶石全部收集起来，疯毒蚁后清点了一下收获，而后扭项回头扬声说道：“吼?，矿晶石就只有几十块……”“这个数量似乎有些...
Aswestoodthere,frozenincontemplation,thesilencebetweenusgrewthicker,likeaphysicalpresencethatpressedagainstmyskin.Aethera‘sgriponmyhandremainedsteady,alifelinethatkeptmegroundedinthemidstofthisunchartedterrain.
Itookadeepbreath,tryingtoclearmyheadandfocusonthetaskathand.Thefigure‘swordsechoedinmymind,itschallengehangingoveruslikeaguillotineblade.Whatdiditmeantobetested?Whatfearswouldwehavetoconfront?
Aetheraseemedtosensemyunease,hergazeflickingtowardsmewithahintofreassurance.Shemouthedasingleword:“Together.“
Inodded,feelingasurgeofdeterminationcoursethroughmyveins.Wewereinthistogether,andnothingwouldbreakthatbond.
Thesilencearoundusbegantogrowmoreoppressive,theairthickeninglikeafogthatrefusedtolift.IcouldfeeltheweightoftheShadow‘spresencebearingdownonus,itsdarknessseepingintoeveryporeofmybeing.
Andthen,withoutwarning,theforesteruptedintochaos.
Treesbegantowritheandtwist,theirbrancheslashingoutlikewhips.Theairwasfilledwithacacophonyofsounds:snappingtwigs,rustlingleaves,andthedistantrumbleofthunder.Aethera‘sgriponmyhandtightenedasshestumbledforward,hereyesfixedonsomeunseentarget.
Ifollowedclosebehind,mysensesreelingfromtheassaultonmysenses.Theworldaroundushadbecomeamadhouse,awhirlwindofcolorandsoundthatthreatenedtoconsumemewhole.
Aswestumbledthroughtheforest,IcaughtglimpsesofAethera‘sreflectioninthetreesthemselves.Hereyesseemedtobeburningwithaninnerfire,herfacetwistedinafiercedetermination.Iknewthatlook,hadseenitbefore-itwasthelookofsomeonewhowasreadytofacewhateverhorrorslayahead.
Weweregettingcloser,Icouldfeelit.TheShadow‘spresenceloomedoveruslikeaspecter,itsdarknessseepingintoeverycornerofmymind.
Andthen,withoutwarning,weemergedintoaclearing.
Theskyabovewasadeep,burningred,theairthickwithanunnaturalheatthatseemedtosucktheverybreathfrommylungs.Inthecenteroftheclearingstoodanancient,twistedtree,itsbranchesreachingtowardstheskylikeskeletalfingers.
Aethera‘sgriponmyhandtightenedasshegazeduponthetree.Hereyesseemedtobelockedontosomeunseentarget,herexpressionamixofaweandtrepidation.
“Whatisthisplace?“Iwhispered,tryingtokeepmyvoicesteadydespitethefearthatthreatenedtoconsumeme.
Thefigurereappeared,itspresencetoweringoveruslikeamonolithofshadowanddarkness.Itsgazeseemedtoboreintomysoul,itseyesburningwithaninnerfirethatmademyskincrawlwithdread.
“ThisistheHeartwood,“itboomedthroughtheclearing,echoingoffthetreeslikeachallenge.“HereliesthesourceoftheShadow‘spower.“
Aethera‘sgriponmyhandtightenedasshegazeduponthetree.Iknewthatlook,hadseenitbefore-itwasthelookofsomeonewhowasreadytofacewhateverhorrorslayahead.
Wewereinthistogether,nomatterwhatlayahead.Andwithadeepbreath,Isteeledmyselfforwhatwastocome.
Together,wewouldfacetheHeartwood,andwhateverterrorslaywithinitstwistedbranches.
