As the Hoar Shade glided closer, its spectral form emanating a chilling aura, Kairos felt something stir within him—a deep, primal power that same dark manifestation. Without warning, a dark aura began to emanate from his body, swirling around him like a living shadow. The aura coalesced behind him, taking the shape of a towering figure with indistinct features, a phantom-like presence that seemed to mirror the darkness of the Hoar Shade itself.
The spectral figure paused, its glowing eyes narrowing as it locked onto the dark aura. For a brief moment, the Hoar Shade hesitated, its whispers faltering as if recognizing something in Kairos. The cousins watched in astonishment as the oppressive atmosphere shifted, the air crackling with a new tension.
"What's happening?" Aella whispered, her wings twitching in readiness to move at a moment's notice.
"I don't know, but be ready," Caelum replied, his dragon arm flexing, the scales along its length glowing with a fiery heat as he prepared to unleash a powerful spell. But before he could act, the Hoar Shade vanished, its form dissolving into the shadows as it used its Phantom Step ability.
"Where did it go?" Aella asked, her voice tinged with concern as her eyes scanned the dark chamber.
Suddenly, the Hoar Shade reappeared right in front of Kairos, moving faster than he could react. Its spectral hand reached out, and for a terrifying second, it seemed as though the malevolent entity was about to strike him down.
"Kairos!" Aella screamed, her wings flaring as she launched herself forward, desperate to intercept the attack. Caelum, too, was already in motion, a fiery spell forming in his dragon arm, but they were both were too late.
The Hoar Shade's hand closed around Kairos, but instead of the deathly touch they feared, something unexpected happened. The malevolent glow in the Hoar Shade's eyes dimmed, replaced by a curious light. Its twisted expression softened, and the terrifying aura that had filled the chamber seemed to recede.
The cousins froze, their eyes wide in disbelief as the Hoar Shade gently lifted Kairos off the ground, cradling him with surprising tenderness. The spectral figure began to twirl him around as if he were a cherished child, its ghostly form spinning gracefully through the air. Kairos, too stunned to react, found himself swept up in the bizarre moment.
Aella's wings faltered, causing her to hover in place, her face turning bright red. "W-what is she doing? Put him down immediately!"
The Hoar Shade, however, paid no heed to Aella's protest. It sat down on the cold stone floor, placing Kairos on its ethereal lap. With a surprising display of affection, it began to kiss him repeatedly on the forehead, its touch cold yet strangely gentle. Each kiss sent a shiver down Kairos' spine, but it wasn't the fear he had anticipated—instead, it felt oddly comforting.
Caelum stood there, his dragon arm still glowing but now held aloft with uncertainty. "What in the world is going on?" he muttered, completely bewildered by the turn of events.
Aella, her face still flushed, tried again. "Stop it! Release him at once!" she demanded, her voice a mix of embarrassment and frustration.
In response, the Hoar Shade turned its gaze toward Aella, its expression darkening. The spectral figure's eyes glowed with an intense, chilling light, and the air around it grew colder. The affectionate demeanor vanished in an instant, replaced by a deadly seriousness that made the room feel even more suffocating.
Aella faltered under the Hoar Shade's gaze, her wings quivering as she realized the danger she had just put herself in. "I-I didn't mean to upset you," she stammered, her bravado faltering.
The Hoar Shade's grip on Kairos tightened protectively, and it let out a low, menacing screech, the sound reverberating through the chamber. The atmosphere grew thick with tension, as if the dungeon itself was holding its breath, waiting to see what would happen next.
As the Hoar Shade's ghostly form began to dissolve, it didn't vanish entirely. Instead, the swirling shadows coalesced around Kairos, spiraling downward and tightening like a coil. The oppressive aura that had filled the chamber condensed into a single point at the base of his neck, where the darkness solidified into an intricate, shadowy necklace.
The cousins watched in silent astonishment as the last traces of the Hoar Shade's form merged into the necklace, leaving behind a small, pulsating orb as its centerpiece. This orb radiated a faint, eerie glow, like a fragment of the Hoar Shade's essence now bound to Kairos.
Kairos instinctively reached up, his fingers brushing against the cold metal. The necklace felt both foreign and familiar, as if it had always been a part of him. The energy within it hummed with a life of its own, a connection that seemed to pulse in time with his heartbeat.
Aella, her wings still trembling from the encounter, took a cautious step forward. "Kairos... what just happened? That thing, it turned into a necklace."
Caelum, his dragon arm still glowing faintly from the magic he had summoned, furrowed his brow. "Is it dangerous? We don't know what kind of power it holds."
Before Kairos could respond, Eclipse's voice echoed in his mind, his tone measured but firm. "Kairos, this is no ordinary trinket. The Hoar Shade didn't disappear—it has bonded with you. The necklace is a conduit, a channel for its power, but also a potential threat. You've gained a new ability, but at a cost."
Kairos glanced down at the pendant, the orb at its center swirling with dark energy. "So, this necklace… it's part of the Hoar Shade?"
"In a way," Eclipse confirmed. "The Hoar Shade recognized something within you—a kinship, perhaps. It chose to bind itself to you rather than destroy you. But beware, this bond is not without risk. The power it offers could easily overwhelm you if you aren't careful."
Kairos felt a shiver run down his spine, the weight of the necklace growing heavier. "What kind of power are we talking about?"