(Opening Scene: In the solitude of his dorm room, Zane focuses his intent, reaching out through their familiar bond to Eclipse. He pictures Astrid in his mind, a silent plea for his companion to check on her, to offer her some comfort in their forced separation.)
Zane felt the familiar flicker of Eclipse's presence in his mind, a cool, serpentine consciousness responding to his call. He projected his concern for Astrid, the longing to know she was alright. For a moment, he felt a connection, a sense of Eclipse understanding his unspoken request.
Then, the familiar presence wavered, as if shifting through an unseen veil. Eclipse's mental image faded from Zane's mind, replaced by a sensation of… movement, a slipping through shadows. It was a feeling akin to the void walk he himself sometimes employed, but originating from his familiar.
On the other side of the academy, in the tense confines of her chambers, Astrid felt a subtle ripple in the air, a familiar signature of magic that sent a jolt of recognition through her. It was Eclipse. Her head snapped towards the far corner of the room, and she watched in astonishment as the shadow serpent materialized from what seemed like thin air, its obsidian scales shimmering in the dim light – a perfect execution of void walk.
"Eclipse!" Astrid breathed, a wave of relief washing over her. She rushed to the familiar, gently scooping its lithe form into her hands. The cool touch of its scales was a comforting presence in the face of Lysander's unwanted intrusion.
Prince Lysander, who had been pressing his suit, recoiled in shock at the sudden appearance of the creature. "What in the blazes is that?!" he exclaimed, his hand instinctively moving towards his non-existent weapon within the confines of Astrid's chambers. He stared at the shadow serpent in her arms with a mixture of fear and disgust.
"Drop it, Astrid!" he commanded, his voice laced with royal authority. "That… thing… looks dangerous! It could be some sort of dark magic familiar, a threat to you!" His earlier arrogance returned, fueled by his unease at the unexpected magical manifestation.
In response to the prince's commanding tone and accusatory words, Eclipse lifted its triangular head, its ancient, golden eyes fixing on Lysander with an unnerving intensity. A low, guttural hiss, filled with primal warning, emanated from the shadow serpent, a clear indication of its displeasure at the prince's presence and his tone towards its tether's beloved.
Astrid tightened her hold on Eclipse, a defiant glint in her eyes as she glared at Lysander. "He is my friend, Lysander. And he would never harm me. Perhaps you should be more concerned with your own behavior."
The familiar's sudden appearance had thrown a wrench into Lysander's coercive attempts, creating a tense standoff within Astrid's chambers, with a hissing shadow serpent as an unexpected defender.