Above her, the sky was painted black, the only source of light being the pale glow of the moon. The tree's stretching towards the sky as if they were reaching forward in prayer to the gods themselves. The towering structures encircling the lake which lies at the center of the clearing, five massive chunks of jagged crystal hovering above the water. Seemingly in a way that made them appear as if they were shards of a much bigger crystal. 

Garbed in a long blue cloak, a teen stands at the edge of the pool. Bright green eyes watching the floating objects pulsate as if it were a heart beating. A very dim, almost unnoticeable light glimmering from among the slate-colored wispy mist which roiled within them.

Stepping forward, the glow of the crystals seemed to intensify; the crystals slowly beginning to move in a clockwise order, separating fully from their close proximity to form a large circle around the perimeter of the pool, rising nearly halfway up the height of the trees, before falling still. 

The mist spills from the crystals, shaping itself into the forms of three ginormous beasts: a large black wolf, with teeth bared, snarling at the teen: a bear with its eyes aglow with something almost akin to curiosity: the final addition of the trio being  a tiger, it's eyes blazing like an eternal flame on an endless night. 

"Why is it you have summoned us?" The bear murmured. A small chuckle resonating through the clearing, as the wolf snapped at him. 

"For three generations, my family has come forth to these fountains of great power; the crystals. Many for protection, but I seek you and your kin for another reason..." The teen claimed, "War is upon us. Slowly it has begun to claim our home, the forest is dieing, the animals are running in fear, my people - our people, have been pushed from our home."

"How foolish, this human thinks we owe her something!" The wolf howled in disgust.

"Enough," The tiger's voice rose above the bear and wolf. Effectively silencing them both as they watched the tiger's figure with batted breath, awaiting her next words. "I have seen that which you spoke..." she mused, circling around the teen, narrowly blind eyes almost seeming to gaze into the soul of the young female. "I am sure you understand that our power comes at a price, what will you pay child?"

The teen's teeth clenched, she could feel her conscious being tugged back into the mortal world. She didn't have time to waste anymore. "I..." she muttered out, "I give up my kin's humanity, they shall become one of Acacia's light's forever bound to the night's shadow."

"To turn your own descendants into Astrals, forever tied to the Umbra, humph. This is not something to take lightly. Even if not all are true Astrals, they will be cursed forever to that legacy." 

She took a moment, thinking about the idea, before finally nodding her head to the Bears words. "I except that repercussion, I except the anger of my kin, but we will prevail... we will endure this curse and use it to our advantage."

The tiger hummed in thought, then swiftly turned to the girl. "We shall fight by your side, not as your slaves; as your comrades, for the rest of eternity. And for this great promise, your line will forever rest betwixt the light and darkness; human and beast." 

The ground began to shake, the three animal's disappearing back into the mist. However, it did not return to the crystals but headed for the teen. Striking her, like an arrow through the heart. Her body falling into the seemingly shallow pool, which swallowed her body whole. An intense pain spreading from her heart to the rest of her body, her vision slowly blurring as she fell deeper and deeper.

"Sleep well, friend."

For the first time since she had come to that plane, a smile spread across her features and this war that loomed over her people, she could tell it would not last long with the aid of the Umbra. At least she hoped so.

From that day forth, this girl had become the creator of all things which are known to us as Shadow-Kin. And, yet she is rarely seen or remembered in the histories of her people.