The air around them thickened as Lila focused, channeling the serpent's power. Her body hummed with its energy, like a live wire coursing beneath her skin. It was raw and untamed, but this time, Lila wasn't afraid of it. She had accepted it. The serpent's magic twisted and coiled through her, filling her with strength and purpose, and yet, she held it tightly in her control. She was no longer a mere vessel.
The druid woman's smile faltered for a fraction of a second as she sensed the shift in the air. Lila's eyes glowed briefly, the deep red hue a mirror of the serpent's influence, and the ground beneath her feet trembled.
"You've made a mistake," Lila said, her voice steady, but with an edge of danger she had never felt before. She wasn't just using the serpent's power. She was it. And she was going to make sure they knew it.
The druid woman's hands crackled with power, and the wind surged around her, pulling at the leaves and branches of the surrounding trees. The air felt alive with energy, as if the very earth was responding to her call. But Lila wasn't intimidated.
With a sharp breath, Lila thrust her hand forward, and the serpent's power surged outward. A jagged blast of energy, dark and fiery, shot from her fingertips, cutting through the air like a blade. The wind howled as it collided with the druid's barrier, the force of the impact shaking the trees.
The druid's smirk faltered, replaced by a flash of alarm as her protective shield buckled under the serpent's wrath. She raised her arms to block the attack, but the power was too strong. The energy rippled through her, sending her stumbling backward, her feet skimming across the ground.
"Impossible!" the druid gasped, struggling to regain her footing. "You... you're not supposed to have control over it."
Lila's lips twisted into a cold smile. "I've got it now. And I'm not letting go."
Before the druid could respond, Lila moved. Her body was a blur of motion, propelled by the serpent's raw magic. With a fluid strike, she shot forward, her fist glowing with energy. The serpent's power surged in her veins, turning her movements into a blur. She was faster, stronger, more alive than she had ever been.
The druid tried to raise a shield, but Lila's fist collided with her chest with a resounding thud, sending her flying backward into a tree. The force of the blow left the air humming, and the sound of cracking wood echoed through the clearing.
The other druids—three more figures hidden in the shadows—charged forward, their eyes burning with fury. But Lila barely noticed them. She was consumed by the power inside her, her senses heightened, her every instinct sharpened.
Lucian moved beside her, his blade flashing as he engaged one of the other druids. His expression was focused, but there was something else in his eyes—a flicker of admiration, perhaps. But Lila didn't have time to dwell on that. She had her own battle to fight.
One of the druids lunged at her, a dagger made of ice in his hand, aimed directly at her heart. But Lila was already moving. She sidestepped with a speed that seemed impossible, her body flowing like water. Her hand shot out, and with a flick of her wrist, she sent a wave of energy crashing into the druid. He was thrown back, his body slamming into the ground with a bone-jarring thud.
The remaining druids hesitated for just a moment, uncertainty creeping into their eyes as they watched their comrades fall. But they were relentless. They wouldn't back down.
Another druid—this one a tall man with dark hair and piercing eyes—raised his hand, summoning a barrage of fireballs. They rained down on Lila, each one glowing with an intense heat. The air shimmered with the force of their approach.
But Lila didn't flinch. She lifted her arms, and with a sharp exhale, the serpent's magic swirled around her. The fireballs collided with an invisible barrier, the serpent's energy absorbing the impact. The air around Lila crackled with power as the flames dissipated, leaving only the faint scent of burnt air behind.
"You're going to have to do better than that," Lila taunted, her voice laced with the serpent's venom.
The druid's eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, Lila was on him. She moved so fast that he barely had time to raise his hands in defense. Her fist landed in his stomach, and he gasped for breath as the impact left him breathless.
"Enough!" the druid leader—now back on her feet—roared. She slammed her hands down into the earth, her body surrounded by a swirling vortex of wind and energy. The ground cracked and split beneath her as she called upon the earth itself to rise against them.
Lila's heart raced. This wasn't just magic. This was a primal force, a power that sought to tear everything apart. But Lila wasn't afraid. She could feel the serpent's power rising in response, as though it were ready to consume everything in its path.
She closed her eyes, reaching for the serpent's strength within her. It was more than a weapon. It was her own heartbeat, her blood, her soul. The serpent's magic was intertwined with her being, and she was going to use it to stop this madness.
With a forceful shout, Lila unleashed the full extent of the serpent's power. A massive wave of energy burst from her, sending the druids flying in every direction. The ground split open as the serpent's magic flooded the clearing, overwhelming everything in its path. Trees snapped like twigs, and the wind howled in fury.
The druid leader screamed, but her voice was swallowed by the storm Lila had created. The vortex of wind and energy collapsed on itself, and the earth trembled beneath their feet as the power of the serpent surged forward. The leader barely managed to raise her hands in a last-ditch effort to shield herself, but the serpent's magic was too much. The blast hit her squarely, and she was thrown back, her body crashing to the ground with a sickening thud.
For a moment, everything was silent.
The wind died down, and the air was thick with the scent of charred earth. Lila stood amidst the wreckage, breathing heavily. Her body was sore, her muscles trembling with the exertion of the fight. But there was no time to rest.
Lucian was already moving toward her, his expression unreadable as he wiped the blood from his blade.
"You did well," he said, his voice low.
Lila didn't answer. She couldn't afford to relax. The fight had been brutal, but there was still something gnawing at her—something unfinished. The druids weren't the only threat. They were just the beginning.
"We're not safe yet," she said, her voice steady despite the exhaustion weighing on her limbs.
Lucian's eyes darkened. "No. And we won't be until we deal with the ones who sent them."
Lila nodded, the weight of their mission pressing down on her. She had claimed the serpent's power, but now she had to face the consequences.
And those consequences were far from over.