"This was made from you," I said then, realizing. "From your kind. They extracted your venom and encased it in stone. That's what keeps the Geist away, isn't it? That's what kills their magic when they get too close."
The animals obviously didn't answer but I could have sworn the one nearest me, an especially large male with an old scar running along his left flank, inclined his head slightly.
Beside me, Gryfon blew out a breath.
I turned back to the wall and gazed up at it once more. All of those visions, what were they? They'd felt so real and yet I'd never seen an obsidian sea so large, or even heard of one from the others in the camp. I didn't know of any king that sat upon a throne of bone. I was sure I'd never met any of those people before and yet I felt I had. I felt as though I'd known them all my life and they, perhaps, knew me as well.
"Phantom is anxious," another voice said suddenly and I turned to find Ksenia approaching us now, her captain and Dante in tow. "What did you do?"
I turned back to the wild Zver surrounding us. The big one, the one with the scar, stepped forward. Phantom prowled forward as well, striding to Ksenia's side and watching the wild Zver with a gaze that seemed to indicate suspicion. I could have sworn Phantom's red eyes narrowed as the scarred Zver approached us. It hesitated beside Gryfon, gazing up at the general with a snort. Then a low growl emanated from the back of its throat.
Gryfon's hand flinched beside his weapon and I began calculating a way to stop this massive beast if it suddenly decided to tear into the general's throat. But then Phantom prowled forward once more. He put himself between the scarred Zver and the general and growled right back.
Ksenia's lips fell open in shock and horror as she stared between the beasts, wide-eyed.
The enormous scarred beast looked from Phantom to Gryfon and back again before snorting and turning away. Then he approached me. I stood completely still, keeping my chin raised and faking a confidence I didn't feel as the beast circled me, sizing me up. I hardly dared to breathe as those red eyes bore into me, white cobbled skin glimmering in the twilight. I wasn't sure what was happening but I knew I shouldn't move a single muscle, not while the creature inspected me.
"Is he about to—" the Captain started, wonder in his voice.
"Shh," Ksenia hushed him harshly.
Kneel.
I blinked, my eyes shooting to Dante for the briefest second as the voice entered my mind. For a moment, I thought it was him. Conditioned to expect him there, lurking in the corners of my subconscious, the only one to have ever spoken to me there while I was awake. But it wasn't his voice. Deep, gruff, and ancient, it was rough in a way that only came from time and weathered from a life of battle.
I turned to the Zver.
Kneel,he repeated.
Shocked, I fell to one knee, letting my arms drop to my sides as I met his red eyes.
"Gods," someone else swore. Dante this time.
The beast sat back on its haunches and watched me with an expression I couldn't identify.
You wield the Dark,he said. It wasn't a question but I nodded in answer anyway.
I do,I replied. Speaking like this again, communicating within my own mind, was a memory more painful than I cared to admit but I forged on.
We are connected. I am Shadow, leader of the free Zver. You are of Sanctuary.
I am.
Why have you left your refuge?
I was—I am one of the Fallen. My partner betrayed me. I couldn't accept my place in the Underground so I shattered the wards and escaped.
The ones who call themselves gods are after you.
They are.
You have evaded them thus far. What do you seek, young one? Why have you come to the wall?
I didn't know about the wall before we arrived. We're here to request aid from the humans in this war against the Geist.
They have never helped the Fallen before. They have never helped the people of Archi.
Whose side are you on?
