Similar to the void that Tharon awoke to Zarath’s eyes opened to the same darkness, unlike his friend Zarath was once again in the same place his nightmares had taken him the black tarlike substance up to his knees but strangely the shadow figure who appeared to him like normal was nowhere to be seen.

          “Do not fear the creature can not enter this place, though I suppose you knew about this did you not my Trakath (little brother).” The voice of the Grak Tharakar Vos cut through the silence but unlike with Tharon she took on no familiar form before Zarath, she was how she appeared in the mortal world.

          “I am not a member of Thar'Vrak so do not call me little brother.” Zarath crossed his arms as he spoke the cold of his tone leaving an evident sting to it.

          “I see you still, do not accept your role as a Grak’Shark but you are aware of what it means to be one of us, those that see both the living and magical worlds those that can see the very veil itself.” Waving her hand, a small chair appeared which Vos quickly took for herself a small smile on her lips.

          “Is this why you have chosen not to tell your fellow Krellar and friend that you have spoken with the very corruption that poisons both of you? Or is it simple that you wish to ignore all your gifts.” Vos looked at the dark void surrounding them as if she knew the creature was lurking nearby.

          “Tharon will be fine; you and I both know that. So don’t try to act like he won’t be.” Zarath finial looked at Vos his heterochromia eyes shining with a faint glow in them now as low growl escaped his chest.

          “You and I both know that yes Zarath Iron Claw son of Lura and Kaar I still remember the day your parents brought a young dying pup to my temple many moons ago, your fur was so pure white and you where so small and frail like a snowflake, and your parents said you where often coughing some times so hard that you would bleed from your mouth.” Vos look at Zarath as a mother looks at a child when they are hurt.

          “So, what I was a sick pup I got over it.” Zarath’s gaze drifted from Vos as he listened to her story of his past, Zarath knew he was weak and frail when he was little but never remembered it being that bad.

          “That night I told your parents that even if I performed the rite of the veil, you might not survive, but even I admit I was surprised when Fenraya, the Guardian Spirit herself was the one to breath life back into you that night, that night you became more than any of us connected to the ancestors in ways that even the most powerful and skilled Tharakar inspire to be.” Vos smile faded as she looked upon Zarath, it’s true that even though all Tharakar are connected to the role of shaman and even some of the Valkar (Spirit Weavers) have touched the veil, Zarath was connected to an actual being of the magical world the Guardian spirit that watches over the dead on that night Zarath was no longer just a son to his mortal parents but the adopted child of a being some would consider a god a secret his family has kept his entire fourteen years of life not even his siblings know about his deep connection to the veil.

          “It does not matter what happened that night, just allow me the rite of purification so I can get rid of this dark corrupted being.” Zarath sank a little deeper into the tarlike substance around his legs and the void of darkness surrounding them seemed to shake.

          “I am reminding you of what you are Zarath because even after your body is cleansed this being will not disappear, you have been touched by the blight an ancient and dark power and now even once you are cleansed it will seek you out again, and again it will try to corrupt you even once your body is no longer tainted with its magic Zarath.” Vos stood from her chair, it disappearing as she did her calm long gone after dealing with such a stubborn teenager.

          “When you enter the sacred waters call out to your mother, her power will be able to shield you for a time but once you leave our lands to seek the wardens her power will be limited.” Vos let out a deep sigh and raised her hand ready to snap her fingers and end the spell.

          “How did you know I was seeking the Wardens we never once said our purpose here other than to receive the rite.” Zarath was caught off guard by Vos’s statement because of how accurate it was.

          “Child I am the Grak Tharakar of the temple of Vrak’Thura, that and your thoughts scream loudly inside your head. As you are not skilled at hiding your emotions.” Vos snapped her fingers and both her and Zarath were back inside the temple just like with Tharon.

          “Your friend and has already gone to the lake to bath my niece Lyra will show you the way.” Vos waved her hand towards the entrance.

          “And remember Zarath, as a wolfkin and as a Grak’Shark you will play the role you were born for even if it is not the path you choose to follow.

          Zarath clenched a fist before standing to leave, his fur was standing on end and his ears twitched in annoyance. He always knew that even if he choose the path of a Krellar or even if her forsook his people and left the Heartlands he would always be connected to that one undeniable fact, that he was a true born death stalker, not in the scene that he was connected to the ancestors in some spiritual way, but that on that night ten years ago he actually died and crossed over into the land on the other side of the veil, where Fenraya the guardian spirit of his peoples dead carried him back to the land of the living. And that he unlike the other Grak’Shark, or the Tharakar he could speak with the spirits and see the flow of magic in the world but that also meant he could see the darkness and that the shadowy form that has been speaking to him in his nightmares was actual the very blight itself.

          “I will take your words under consideration, but nothing more than that.” Zarath said with a hushed voice as he left the room and followed Lyra.