“叽叽？！”闻听此言，白眉老猴很是不屑的瞥了甲貅王一眼，晃爪比划几下，那意思是在说：“你自己动作慢差点躲不开，现在还想怪我？”“岂有此理，总之就是你不对……”甲貅王刚想发牢骚，但是关横却在后面说道：“...
WhenIcameto,Iwasstandingattheedgeofavast,darkchasm,mystomachlurchingwithasenseofdisorientation.Aethera‘shandgraspedminefirmly,hereyeswidewithalarmasshepulledmetowardsher.
“Areyouokay?“shewhispered,hervoicetremblingwithconcern.
Istumbledforward,tryingtoclearthehazefrommymind.Theairwasthickwithanacridscent,likeburnedsulfurandozone.Theskyabovewasadeep,forebodinggrey,andthegroundbeneathourfeetseemedtovibratewithanotherworldlyenergy.
“What...whatjusthappened?“Istammered,tryingtomakesenseofthechaosaroundme.
Aethera‘sgriponmyhandtightened.“WedestroyedtheHeartTree,“shesaid,hervoicebarelyaboveawhisper.“Butatwhatcost?“
Ilookeddownatmyhands,andsawthattheywerestainedwithadark,oilysubstance.MymindreeledasItriedtocomprehendthefullextentofouractions.
“Whatdidwedo?“Iasked,feelingagrowingsenseoftrepidation.
Aethera‘seyesseemedtocloudover,likeaveilhadbeendrawnacrossthem.“We...weunleashedtheShadow,“shesaid,hervoicebarelyaudible.
IfeltachillrundownmyspineasIrealizedthetruenatureofouractions.TheShadowwasamalevolentforce,onethatthreatenedtoconsumeeverythinginitspath.
“Whatisit?“Iasked,tryingtokeepmyvoicesteady.
Aethera‘sgriponmyhandtightenedagain.“It‘s...it‘sthedarknesswithinourselves,“shesaid,hereyeslockedonmine.“Thepartofusthat‘sbeenrepressedandhiddenaway.“
Ifeltasurgeoffear,asifIwasstaringintotheabyss.TheShadowseemedtobegrowingstrongerbytheminute,itspresencespreadinglikeastainacrossthelandscape.
“Weneedtogetoutofhere,“Isaid,tryingtosoundfirm.“Wecan‘tletitconsumeus.“
Aetheranodded,herjawsetindetermination.Together,weturnedandbegantomakeourwaybackthroughthetwistedforest,theonlysoundthesoftcrunchofleavesbeneathourfeet.
Butaswewalked,Icouldn‘tshakethefeelingthatwewerebeingwatched,thatunblinkingeyesweretrainedonusfromtheshadows.Theairseemedtovibratewithanotherworldlyenergy,andIcouldfeeltheShadowgrowingstrongerwitheverystep.
IglancedoveratAethera,herfacesetinafiercedetermination.Butasoureyesmet,Isawsomethingtherethatgavemepause-aglimmeroffear,asparkofuncertainty.
“What‘swrong?“Iasked,myvoicebarelyaboveawhisper.
Aethera‘sgriponmyhandtightened.“Idon‘tknowifwecandothis,“shesaid,hervoicetremblingwithdoubt.“Idon‘tknowifwe‘restrongenoughtofacewhat‘scoming.“
Ifeltasurgeoffear,asifIwasstaringintotheveryheartofdarknessitself.ButthenIlookeddownatmyhands,andsawthattheywerestainedwiththesamedarksubstanceasbefore.
“Wehavenochoice,“Isaidfinally,tryingtosoundfirm.“Wehavetofaceithead-on.“
Aetheranodded,hereyeslockedonmine.Together,wepressedon,ourfootstepsechoingthroughtheforestlikeadeathknell.
Andthen,suddenly,westumbledintoaclearing.Theskyabovewasablazewithafierce,crimsonlight,andtheairseemedtovibratewithanotherworldlyenergy.
Inthecenteroftheclearingstoodafigure,itsbacktousasitgazedoutatthehorizon.Ifeltasurgeoffear,asifIwasstaringintothefaceofmyowndemons.
“Whatisthis?“Aetherawhispered,hervoicebarelyaudibleoverthesoundofherownheartbeat.
Itookastepforward,myheartpoundingwithanticipation.“Idon‘tknow,“Isaidfinally.“ButIthinkwe‘reabouttofindout.“