Aura felt surprisingly somber.
Perhaps it was foreboding the death to come.
Regardless, it was difficult to shake off the feeling, something about the way the shadows leaked into the crevices of the walls unsettled her. She'd been through this corridor a countless number of times and knew base like the back of her hand, there wasn't a stretch of land she was unfamiliar with.
Nevertheless, something felt different.
Darker.
Her senses were screaming run.
She felt her heart descend into a frantic beat, and forced herself to breathe through it. To remember who she was and what she could do.
It was impossible to think through trepidation, especially considering how illogical her reasons were for feeling alarmed.
Despite the enemies lurking beyond the wall this was the safest place.
She was alone. What was there to be afraid of?
'You cannot see this foul creature. You cannot hear this foul creature. You cannot taste this foul creature. But you can scent it." Markus mused, powerful legs ceasing to move so hastily. "Now tell me, little angel... what can you feel?"
The memory of Markus teaching Aura how to find something that couldn't be seen rang through her mind on repeat, as though a higher power was trying to tell her something important.
Her senses wouldn't be so alert if she was truly alone.
Aura feigned ignorance as she continued her steady walking pace, carefully tuning into herself.
It was silent. Deathly silent.
A casual glance behind her showed nothing out of the ordinary. An empty corridor.
She halted... closed her eyes and peered with her soul.
"Clever girl."
Aura fought the urge to jump.
The air around her was polluted.
Something dark and minacious invaded her personal space, the stench of its corruption burned her nose and set her hairs on end.
"What do you want." Though it was a question, she bit the words out like a statement. Her voice came out steady, strong— despite her unease. She gathered that fear in the palm of her hands and crushed it with the courage of clenching fists.
"What the master wants." It's voice was like an aged snake, leaving a haunting echo with each word, gradually cutting through each syllable as though to taunt her. "It's only a matter of time."
Suddenly, there was a jolt in the air.
Something had startled the creature. It disappeared into the darkest cracks of the walls and then.... "It's gone." Aura exhaled, as Amos appeared beside her.
He approached the wall it had disappeared to, scraping his fingertips against the flaxen coloured paint.
His wings were out, curling around his enormous frame, flexing subtly with poorly concealed rage.
Aura took a timid step towards him, her fingers reaching out towards the dark feathers. He flinched against her touch at first, then slowly turned to face her.
The mesmerising slate grey Aura had become attached to had darkened to coal, overwhelming the whites in his eyes and leaving him looking something like something of a monster. Anyone else would have been afraid.
He lifted a hand, his palm the size of her face, and hesitated. Suspended in the air it was as though he wanted to touch her, but held back. "Are you alright?"
"What was that?" She asked, her own hand itching to clench around his dependently. She kept it to herself.
"I don't know." Amos growled with conviction. Those dark eyes flashing diabolically, fingers choosing instead to rake through the tresses of his hair.
"How did it get through the barriers?"