(Opening Scene: Headmaster Theron watches as the obsidian shard makes contact with Eclipse. A visible surge of dark energy flows through the shadow serpent. The air in the infirmary hums with a renewed sense of power.)
As the obsidian shard touched Eclipse's shadowy form, the serpent seemed to… absorb it. The dark energy intensified, swirling around the shard before it was fully integrated into Eclipse's being. The serpent's form pulsed, its dark eyes burning with an ancient light.
With the shard now a part of it once more, Eclipse turned its gaze towards the still-unconscious Zane. A soft, almost ethereal ripple of shadow flowed from Eclipse towards the boy, a silent connection being re-established, strengthened.
Then, as swiftly and silently as it had materialized, Eclipse began to fade. Its shadowy form dissolved into wisps of darkness that curled and dissipated into the air, leaving no trace of its imposing presence. The room felt strangely empty in its absence, yet a subtle sense of restored balance lingered.
At the same moment Eclipse vanished, Zane stirred more significantly. His breathing deepened, his eyelids fluttered, and a faint groan escaped his lips. But more than just physical stirring, a flicker of recognition crossed his face, followed by a look of intense concentration, almost pain.
Memories, sharp and vivid, began to flood Zane's mind, fragments of a past he had never known:
* A swirling vortex of chaotic energy: He saw a place of raw, untamed power, a realm of pure void, both terrifying and exhilarating. He felt a sense of belonging to this place, a primal connection.
* A towering figure of shadow: A being of immense power and ancient presence, wreathed in darkness, yet possessing a strange sense of familiarity and… protectiveness?
* A gentle touch, a whispered word: A fleeting image of a hand, pale and slender, brushing against his cheek. A voice, soft and melodic, speaking words he couldn't quite grasp but felt deep within his soul – a lullaby of shadows?
* A blinding flash, a searing pain: A moment of intense light and agonizing pain, followed by a feeling of being torn apart, scattered. A sense of profound loss and separation.
* A small, fragile form: An image of himself as a child, lost and alone in a world that felt alien and hostile. The void within him, a small spark then, a source of both fear and comfort.
The memories crashed over Zane like a tidal wave, overwhelming his senses. He gasped, his eyes snapping open, filled with a confusion and a dawning understanding that went far beyond his experiences in the monster forest or at the academy. The void… Eclipse… his own origins… they were all pieces of a puzzle he was only just beginning to assemble.