Page 85 of Court of Aether and Shadows

The wolf whined — a surprisingly gentle sound from such a massive creature — and took another step forward. The floorboards cracked beneath its paw, but it paid no attention to anything except Sparrow's increasingly restless form.

We were running out of time.

The cottage wouldn't survive much longer under these conditions, and Sparrow's awakening power was only adding to the instability.

A decision had to be made, and quickly.

I met the wolf's golden gaze once more, centuries of political maneuvering and strategic thinking condensing into a single moment of clarity.

Sometimes, the best move in a game was the one your opponent least expected.

"Shal'ven thy'nor,"I spoke, dissolving my shadow bonds completely."Let us deal with this situation before we destroy this sanctuary entirely."

The wolf's surprise was evident, but so was its immediate understanding of the situation's gravity.

Together, we turned our attention to the more pressing matter at hand — protecting Sparrow.

It was time to face the new enemy heading our way while keeping safe the woman who held all our fates in her awakening hands.

Ancient Threads Of Fury

~AETHEREON~

Sparrow's consciousness flickered like a candle in the wind, her brief moment of awareness fading as quickly as it had come.

As she sank back into deeper sleep, her power surged once more before settling into a steady pulse beneath the shadowsilk garments.

"Vash'nor thy'lar shield'en,"Kaelon intoned, his hands weaving complex patterns in the air.

The protective dome around Sparrow contracted and solidified, becoming a cocoon of midnight blue energy shot through with silver threads."The barrier will hold and move with her now, my Lord."

I nodded, my attention already shifting to the more immediate threat I could feel approaching through the rift.

Beside me, the massive form of Fenris growled low yet fierce, his golden eyes transfixed on the shimmering tear in reality.

The rift that was inviting whatever terror wished to claim what was ours.

"Something ancient stirs,"I say in a special way, and I know his wolf specifically can grasp it. I’m not sure what Fenris’ consciousness is like with his wolf in this form, but if I had them both on board with understanding the warning signs brewing, we could get ahead of this battle. My shadows gathered around my hands."You feel it too, don't you, Wolf?"

Fenris's response was a rumble that made the cottage foundations tremble. His form seemed to expand slightly, the silver streaks in his fur glowing brighter as he gathered his power.

His aura was fascinating to witness, which could be a threat to whatever creature was descending into my lands, but if Fenris’ essence was enough to make this creature tremble, it wouldn’t be worth all this effort to eliminate its attemp to enter my court.

A decoy perhaps, but again, what true purpose will that accomplish unless another plan to claim what’s mine is taking place at the same moment?

I paused my deep thinking, for the enemy had arrived.

Through the rift emerged a horror from the earliest days of creation.

Void Weavers…

The Void Weaver was massive, its body larger than Fenris's wolf form. Eight eyes like pools of liquid darkness studded its head, each one containing galaxies of malevolent intent. Its carapace was the color of dried blood, marked with runes so ancient they predated the separation of the courts.

His black furry flesh decorated with various incantations of red, proved that its magic caliber and capabilities weren’t your average void creature level. This creature, despite its ancient history, had to be a new breed from the higher levels in the void realms, for it was indeed strong, but weak when laid within the hierarchy of power in the void weaver’s category.

"Val'nor sith'eth,"I snarled, recognizing the markings."One of the First Weavers offspring. It seems we've drawn the attention of powers even older than ourselves."

The creature's mandibles clicked together, creating a sound like shattering bones.

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