一秒记住【笔趣阁】xbiquge365，更新快，无弹窗！

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.