The forest had grown eerily still by dawn, as if holding its breath. Tevlon followed Kane and Riven through a narrow path lined with twisted trees and creeping vines. Every sound—the rustle of leaves, the distant caw of a raven—felt amplified in her chest.
"You're tense," Kane said softly, eyes scanning the treeline. "Fear will block your power. You need to focus… feel it, don't fight it."
Tevlon swallowed hard. She had no idea what he meant. Magic? Power? She had always felt different, but never like this. Not like she could light the shadows with a touch or make the wind obey her.
"You'll see soon enough," Kane continued, crouching low. "Posidus won't wait for us to understand."
Before she could respond, a deafening roar ripped through the forest. Shadowy figures emerged—creatures unlike any Tevlon had ever seen. Sleek, serpentine bodies with eyes like burning coals. They moved as one, circling, closing in.
"Get behind me!" Kane barked, his form blurring as he shifted to wolf mid-run. He lunged at the closest creature, teeth and claws flashing. Tevlon froze, panic tightening her chest—but then something inside her snapped.
A spark of light flared from her hands. It grew, swirling, spinning, forming into blades of shimmering energy that cut through the shadows. The creatures hissed, recoiling from the unexpected attack.
Tevlon gasped, staring at her own hands. "I… I did that?"
"Yes," Kane said, his voice tense but calm. "You've always had it. But you didn't know how to release it. That was fear… anger… survival. Channel it, Princess, or Posidus will devour everything you love."
She clenched her fists, concentrating, letting the fear morph into raw determination. The shadows recoiled again, then surged forward, testing her control. Light flared like a heartbeat in the forest, slicing through darkness, illuminating Kane's wolf form as he fought alongside her.
"You're ready for more," Kane said, landing in front of her after taking down the last shadow. "But not everything can be controlled yet. Your power is strong—but unstable. And if Posidus senses it fully…"
He didn't need to finish. Tevlon felt it in her bones—the inevitability of the hunt, the looming danger.
Riven stepped forward, eyes narrowed. "Your awakening is too loud. Posidus can track that energy. You must learn to hide it as much as you show it."
Tevlon's chest heaved, her adrenaline surging. "Then teach me. I won't hide forever. I'll fight… and I'll win."
Kane's eyes softened, a rare flicker of warmth breaking through his usual intensity. "That's the spirit. But remember—magic is a weapon, a shield… and a test of who you truly are. Lose control, and it can consume you instead of your enemies."
As the dawn broke over the forest, light spilling in golden shafts, Tevlon realized something profound: She wasn't just running from danger anymore. She was stepping into her destiny.
And with Kane at her side, she was ready to face whatever came next.