Chapter 2 Awakening Strength

• When I woke up, the stillness was the first thing I noticed. No sarcastic laughs, Just a strange silence. My body felt... strange as I sat up. It was lighter yet charged, coiling under my skin like lightning.
• Faint shadow trails coiled and twirled around them when I flexed my fingers. My chest pounded with my heart. "What the devil is this?"
• "It's you," a recognizable voice said, forceful yet kind. Lysandra stood idly against a tree at the edge of the clearing. "The true you."
• I stood to my feet, experiencing a certain elegance in the motion. "How did you transform me?"
• With a gleam of pride in her eyes, she grinned. "What was already there, I roused." Elara, this power has always been yours. To locate it, you only needed a little encouragement.
• I looked at my hands once again and said, "This... this isn't normal." My heartbeat matched the pace of the shadows. "I feel... weird."
• Lysandra stepped forward and corrected, "You feel alive." "More powerful. quicker. You're at last evolving into the person you were destined to be.
• With the weight of her words bearing down on me, I shook my head. "This is not what I asked for. None of it was anything I wanted.
• "Perhaps not," she answered in a soft but firm voice. However, destiny doesn't give a damn about your desires. It is concerned about your destiny.
• I drew a nervous breath, my thoughts racing. "And for what precisely am I destined?"
• Lysandra's violet eyes shone brightly. "You have to find it out for yourself. But for now, believe your instincts. Have faith in your yourself.
• I didn't answer, instead letting my eyes wander to the shadows that seemed to move on their own. I was afraid of the power, but it was also exhilarating. Now, who was I? What had I become into?
• Every sound and aroma became more distinct as I strolled through the forest, which seemed to be alive all around me. It was thrilling and overpowering at the same time as my senses were heightened.
• As she kept up with me, Lysandra said, "You're overanalyzing it." "Give up your fear. Allow the power to lead you.
• I looked at her and mumbled, "Easy for you to say." "You are not the one who felt like a freak when you woke up."
• She laughed. "A freak? Do you believe this to be that? Elara, you’ve been given a gift. Give up battling it.
• I turned to her and stopped moving. "What if I'm not interested in it? What if all I want is for things to return to as they were?
• Lysandra's face became serious. "Back to being made fun of? Turned down?Are you aware that you are superior now?
• Her statements were painful because they were accurate. The shadows swirled more fiercely as I balled my fists. "All right. What should I do?
• Her lips curled in a cunning grin once again. "Come with me."
• She guided me to a little clearing where a silvery glimmer was produced by the moonlight filtering through the trees. She said, "Close your eyes."
• After some hesitation, I consented.
• She replied, "Smell the moonlight on your skin." "React to it with your inner strength."
• There was nothing at first. Only the rustling of leaves in the distance and the chilly night air. Then, however, I felt a warmth that was like liquid fire coursing through my veins. Around me, the shadows became darker and blended with the light in an odd, mesmerizing dance.
• "Good," Lysandra said. "Now pay attention. Make use of that energy. Form it.
• "What do i shape it into?" My voice was tight with focus as I asked.
• "Anything you like," she answered.
• I lifted my hand and opened my eyes. The shadows complied, creating a whirling sphere of light and gloom. I gazed at it, feeling a mixture of terror and amazement. "What the devil is this?"
• Lysandra answered simply, "Power." "Your strength."
• As my focus faltered, the ball flickered and then vanished. I shook my head and murmured, "This is crazy." "This is not what I'm ready for."
• With a strong tone, Lysandra said, "You'll never feel ready." "However, that does not imply that you are not."
• I was startled out of my reverie by the sound of heavy footsteps and shattering trees. Lysandra listened with her head inclined and her eyes squinted.
• "They have located you," she said coolly.
• My stomach turned over. "Who?"
• "Your old pack," she murmured. "They are here to complete the task that Aldric began."
• Panic raced through me. "I'm not prepared to deal with them. I'm not even sure how to control this power.
• Lysandra maintained a steady look. "Control is not necessary for you. You must have instinct. Elara, have faith in yourself. Have faith in the power.
• The first of them rushed into the clearing before I could reply. It was one of Aldric's enforcers, Garrick. With his claws already outstretched, he snarled and bared his fangs. "Traitor, there you are."
• "Traitor?" With a flare of rage in my chest, I repeated. It was me who was discarded. Or did Aldric overlook that detail?
• Garrick sprang at me, growling. I held out my hand without thinking, and the shadows reacted, creating a wall that sent him back. With a terrible thud, he struck a tree and sank to the ground, moaning.
• With a mixture of amazement and excitement, I gazed at my hand. "Have I just...?"
• "Yes," Lysandra said, her voice tinged with pride. "Don't stop now."
• Then came the others, three more members of the pack, their features contorted with anger. Even though they were all around me, I didn't experience the terror I had anticipated. Rather, a certain serenity descended over me.
• "Go," I urged in a firm voice. "This is the only warning you have."
• They paid no attention. Naturally, they didn't. Together, they launched a vicious and well-coordinated onslaught. However, I was quicker. more powerful. The shadows followed me about, deflecting their blows and thwarting their assaults. It was like a dance, and I was leading.
• They were on the ground in a matter of seconds, moaning in despair. My chest heaved as I stood over them, feeling the rush of excitement.
• I responded icily, "Tell Aldric that I'm not his to throw away." No more.
• Garrick gave me a scowl, hate shining in his eyes. "Elara, you'll regret this. The Bloodfang Pack has no tolerance.
• With the shadows whirling menacingly, I took a step closer. "I don't either."
• Then they staggered to their feet and backed away, vanishing into the woods. As I watched them go, the consequences of my actions began to weigh heavily.
• The hush was broken by Lysandra's comment, "Impressive." "You're a natural."
• My thoughts were racing as I turned to her. "This power... is it risky?."
• She said, "Only if you let it be." "It will be your best ally if you use it properly."
• With the shadows still around me like a comforting blanket, I turned to face the trees. I murmured, more to myself than to her, "I can't stay here." "No longer."
• "So don't," Lysandra advised. "Elara, the world is greater than the Bloodfang Pack. Go figure out where you fit in.
• I nodded as an uncanny resolve descended over me. I had no idea where I was heading, but I was convinced that I was no longer running.
• One idea kept coming to me as I left the area, the shadows trailing me like faithful friends.
• "This is just the start."