“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.WhowasthiscreatureWhatdiditwantfromus

Thefiguretookanotherstepforward,itseyesneverleavingmine.Icouldfeelitsgazelikeaphysicalweight,pressingdownonme.

Suddenly,theairaroundusseemedtoshift,thetreestwistingandwrithinglikelivingserpents.Theskygrewdarker,asiftheveryfabricofrealitywasunraveling.

Aethera‘sgriponmyarmtightened.“It‘scoming,“shewhispered,hervoicebarelyaudibleoverthegrowingturmoil.

Inodded,myheartracingwithanticipation.WhatwasthiscreatureWhatdiditwantfromus

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.

ButwhatdiditmeanWhatsecretsdidwehold

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.