91书院(91shuyuan.com)更新快，无弹窗！
eunseenforce.
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.