Chapter 7: The Gathering Storm
The sharp crack echoed through the temple like a warning bell, jolting Elysia's heart into a furious rhythm. Alaric had already moved to the entrance, his sword drawn and eyes sharp as flint. Outside, the wind roared through the ruined arches, carrying with it a bone-chilling whisper that prickled along Elysia's skin.
Kael emerged from the shadows, his expression unreadable but his posture tense. "Something's coming," he said, his voice low and calm despite the growing unease in the air.
"What do you mean something?" Alaric shot back, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword.
Kael tilted his head slightly, listening, as though he could hear something beyond the mortal range. "Fae."
Elysia stiffened, her pulse pounding in her ears. "How many?"
Kael's crimson eyes flicked toward her, a faint glow sparking in their depths. "Too many to face alone."
The wind outside howled again, this time with more force, rattling the temple's broken stonework. Elysia felt it like a tremor in her very bones, an ominous pulse of magic that had no source she could see. A chill spread through her fingers, and the air seemed to grow heavier as a distant, ghostly light began to glow beyond the temple's entrance.
"They've found us," Alaric muttered, his voice tense but steady. "Elysia, stay close."
Kael stepped forward, his movements fluid as he joined Alaric at the threshold. "They're not here for you, Knight. They're here for her."
Elysia swallowed hard, her feet frozen to the stone floor as she watched the first shadows emerge beyond the temple ruins. They came like wraiths—figures cloaked in shimmering silver armor, their faces hidden behind ornate masks. Their forms moved like liquid shadows, their weapons glinting beneath the pale moonlight.
The Fae.
Their presence sent a ripple of dread through Elysia, her magic thrumming beneath her skin as though it recognized its kin—and feared them.
"Elysia Winterborn," a voice echoed through the night, its tone cold and otherworldly. The words scraped like ice across her senses, and Elysia winced, stumbling back a step. "You will come with us. You cannot run from your destiny."
"She's not going anywhere," Alaric said, his voice a low growl. He stepped forward, his sword gleaming as he raised it, ready for the fight.
Kael chuckled darkly, though there was no humor in it. "Destiny, is it? I think you'll find she's far more stubborn than you give her credit for."
The leader of the Fae warriors emerged, stepping into the full glow of the moon. His armor shimmered like liquid starlight, and his eyes—silver and endless—settled on Elysia with unsettling intent. "You will not fight us, child. You belong to us."
Elysia felt something deep inside her recoil at his words. Belong. That single word twisted her stomach, awakening a mixture of fury and fear. "I don't belong to anyone," she shot back, though her voice wavered.
The Fae leader extended his hand, his pale fingers curling as though reaching for her across the distance. "Come willingly, and we will not harm you. Resist, and your companions will pay the price."
Alaric stepped between them, his stance unyielding. "You'll have to kill me before you touch her."
"And me," Kael added smoothly, though his smile had vanished. His fangs glinted faintly as he pulled two curved daggers from the folds of his coat.
The Fae leader sighed, the sound soft and patient, as though dealing with children. "So be it."
The Fae moved as one, their shadows twisting unnaturally as they rushed toward the temple entrance. Alaric met the first with a clash of steel, his sword singing as it deflected the strike of a gleaming spear. Sparks flew, and Alaric shoved forward, knocking his opponent back.
Kael was a blur, his vampyric speed turning him into a living shadow. He slipped between two warriors, his daggers cutting through their armor as though it were silk. The Fae hissed in pain, their movements faltering for only a moment before they regrouped.
Elysia stood frozen, her magic surging and coiling beneath her skin, desperate to escape. But she couldn't let it out—not yet. She wasn't ready.
"Elysia!" Alaric's voice jolted her back to reality. He was fighting three Fae at once, his blade a whirl of silver and blood. "Run! Get out of here!"
"I'm not leaving you!" she shouted back, her voice cracking.
Kael appeared beside her in an instant, his crimson eyes glowing with barely contained rage. "They'll kill him if you don't act. You know you can stop this."
"I can't—"
"You can." His voice was soft but insistent, his hands coming to rest on her shoulders. "You don't need to control it. You just need to let it out."
The temple trembled as another blast of wind crashed through the arches, bringing with it a sound that made Elysia's blood turn cold—a low, echoing horn. More Fae were coming.
Alaric shouted as a spear grazed his shoulder, tearing through his armor. He staggered, his sword slipping for only a moment before he recovered and parried the next blow. But he was tiring.
"Elysia," Kael said, his voice low but urgent. "They'll die for you. Do you want that on your conscience?"
Elysia's chest constricted as she watched Alaric stumble, her knight—her friend—fighting desperately to keep her safe. She could hear Kael's words echoing in her mind, a mix of fear and truth.
They would die for her.
Her fists clenched at her sides, the magic inside her surging until it was unbearable. "Get back," she said, her voice trembling.
Kael didn't hesitate, slipping back into the shadows. Alaric glanced toward her, his face etched with pain and confusion as he fought off another blow.
"Elysia, don't!"
But it was too late.
She let go.
The temple erupted with light—searing, blinding light that shot outward like a tidal wave. The air crackled with energy, and the ground shuddered beneath her feet as tendrils of white-blue fire spiraled from her hands. The Fae shrieked as the magic struck them, their bodies flung backward like ragdolls. Stone cracked and crumbled, and the storm outside seemed to scream in answer.
Alaric shielded his face, his voice lost in the roar of magic. Kael stood at the edge of the chaos, his crimson eyes gleaming as he watched her unleash the full force of her power.
Elysia stood at the center of it all, her hair whipping around her face, her eyes glowing like twin stars. The magic poured from her like a dam broken, unstoppable and raw. For the first time, she didn't fight it.
When the light finally faded, silence fell. The temple was in ruins—half of the walls reduced to rubble. The Fae warriors lay scattered, some groaning in pain, others motionless.
Elysia collapsed to her knees, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Her hands trembled, the faint glow still flickering around her fingertips.
Alaric stumbled toward her, blood streaking his face. "Elysia…"
She looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I—I didn't mean to…"
Kael stepped forward, his gaze full of something she couldn't name—pride, wonder, and perhaps a hint of fear. "You've just begun to see what you're capable of."
Elysia shook her head, her voice breaking. "This isn't who I am…"
But even as she said it, she knew it was a lie. The magic was a part of her—a part she couldn't escape.
And now, the world would know it too.