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Glancing around, I spotted Ossian and Valeria, their eyes fixed on their airborne dragons. Curiosity overcame my hesitation, and I made my way over to them, my heart quickening slightly as I approached Ossian.
"Have you heard anything about Marcus?" I asked, trying to keep my voice neutral despite the memory of his attack still fresh in my mind.
Ossian shook his head, his dark eyes meeting mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "Nothing yet."
Before I could respond, Eirian joined our group. The dragon that had once belonged to Marcus was perched on his shoulder, looking oddly at home. Eirian had adapted to the weight, walking with ease despite the creature.
"The vampire is imprisoned for attacking another," Eirian stated, his voice firm but tinged with something I couldn't quite identify. "As for his dragon... well, if a dragon rejects someone, it can't be good."
Ossian's lips quirked into a small smile. "It looks like you've gained your own dragon, Eirian."
Eirian's brow furrowed, a mix of confusion and intrigue crossing his face. "So it seems," he murmured, reaching up to stroke the dragon's scales.
The peaceful moment was shattered in an instant. High above us, the sky seemed to tear open, darkness swirling out likespilled ink. My heart leapt into my throat, fear coursing through me like ice water in my veins. I stood frozen, my eyes locked on the impossible sight above me.
As the darkness poured through the rift, shapes began to form. Shadow dragons, their forms barely distinguishable against the inky blackness, emerged from the void. They were unlike anything I'd ever seen or imagined. Their bodies seemed to be made of living shadow, constantly shifting and roiling like storm clouds. Where our dragons were solid and vibrant, these creatures were ethereal and terrifying.
I watched, transfixed, as one of the shadow dragons unfurled its wings. They stretched impossibly wide, blocking out the sun and casting the courtyard into an unnatural twilight. Its eyes glowed with an unholy light, pinpricks of malevolent fire in its insubstantial face. As it opened its maw, I saw not the flames or elements our dragons produced, but a yawning abyss that seemed to devour light itself.
Terror gripped me, rooting me to the spot. My breath came in short, panicked gasps, and I could hear my heart thundering in my ears. This was the Void we'd been warned about, the darkness that threatened to consume everything. And it was more horrifying than I could have ever imagined.
The shadow dragons moved with a fluid grace that defied physics, twisting and coiling through the air like living smoke. Their very presence seemed to dim the air around them, leeching color and hope from everything they passed.
I wanted to run, to scream, to do something, but my body wouldn't respond. It was as if the mere sight of these creatures had severed the connection between my brain and my limbs. All I could do was stand and stare, my mind struggling to process the impossible horror unfolding before me.
Eirian's voice, sounding distant and muffled through my fear-induced haze, finally broke through my paralysis. "Everyone, back to the Keep!"
The command snapped me back to reality. I tore my gaze away from the nightmarish spectacle above, my eyes frantically searching for my dragon. Our baby dragons, sensing the danger, dropped from the sky, hurtling back to their bonded humans.
My gaze landed on the small white one spiraling down to me with frantic chirps, and I reached out, sweeping her up in my arms.
As I ran towards the Keep, my dragon clutched tightly to my chest, my heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The world around me seemed to blur, fear and adrenaline narrowing my focus to a single goal: reach safety. My legs burned with exertion, but terror pushed me forward.
I slammed to a halt, my heart skipping a beat as a shadow creature materialized before me, its form shifting and undulating like smoke given life. I stumbled back, a scream caught in my throat as fear paralyzed me once again. The creature's eyes, if you could call them that, were bottomless pits of darkness that seemed to pull at my very soul. Its body writhed and twisted in ways that defied natural law, making my stomach churn with a mixture of horror and revulsion.
I wanted to run, to fight, to do something, but my body refused to obey. It was as if the mere presence of this abomination had severed the connection between my brain and my limbs. All I could do was stand there, trembling, as the shadow creature loomed closer.
Just as I thought it was over, a blur of fur and muscle leapt in front of me. For a moment, I couldn't comprehend what I was seeing. A massive wolf, its fur a rich brown streaked with hintsof gold, stood between me and the shadow creature. It took me a heartbeat to realize – this was Chris.
I'd known, intellectually, that Chris was a werewolf. But seeing his wolf form in person was something else entirely. He was magnificent, power radiating from every line of his body. His muscles rippled beneath his thick fur as he snarled at the shadow creature, his teeth gleaming in the strange half-light.
As Chris attacked the creature, his dragon joined the fray with a burst of earthy power. The sight of them fighting together, wolf and dragon in perfect sync, was awe-inspiring. For a brief moment, I forgot my fear, lost in the raw beauty and power of the scene before me.
Relief and gratitude surged through me, but there was no time to dwell on it. The battle was far from over, and danger still lurked all around us.
Lydia appeared at my side, dragging me away from the battle. "Come on, we need to get inside!" Her voice was tight with fear and urgency.
But fate had other plans. A shadow dragon swooped down, its talons closing around my arms. I screamed as I was lifted into the air, my own dragon slipping from my grasp. Terror unlike anything I'd ever known gripped me as the ground fell away. I kicked and struggled, but the dragon's grip was like iron.
"Aria!" Lydia's cry was filled with fury and fear. Her eyes glowed golden, her form blurring as she began to shift.
Then, in a blur of movement, Ossian was there, his pale hand gripping the shadow dragon's leg. The creature shrieked, trying to shake him off, but Ossian held firm. I looked down at him, our eyes meeting for a brief, intense moment. Despite my terror, I felt a spark of hope.
In an erruption of golden fur, Lydia entered the fray. Her panther form was a sight to behold – sleek, powerful, and utterly deadly. Her coat gleamed like polished gold in the strange light,muscles rippling beneath her fur as she moved with a grace that seemed almost impossible for a creature her size.
For a moment, I was transfixed. I'd never seen Lydia's shifted form before, and the reality of it was far more impressive than anything I could have imagined. She was beautiful in a wild, primal way that took my breath away.
Lydia launched herself at the dragon's face, her claws raking across its shadowy form. The sight was both terrifying and awe-inspiring – this creature I called friend, now a powerful predator, fighting against a being of pure darkness.
