第16030章 毒针偷袭（第五更爆发）

“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.“