Luna Aurora novel (Alpha Fenrir)

Chapter 317

Elyra stood in the center of the training room, the shard humming softly in her hands as she focused on its energy. Every time she tried to channel it, a sharp jolt of power surged through her veins, sending her thoughts spiraling. Althea had taught her to control the shard's energy, to balance its light and dark, but with every passing day, it was getting harder. The shard pulsed with its own rhythm, wild and unpredictable, as if it had a mind of its own.

And then there was Dain.

Elyra's heart ached every time she saw him, as if an invisible thread between them was fraying little by little. She could sense the darkness creeping in, pulling him further away from her, from everything they had shared. It was like watching someone you loved drowning, unable to reach them no matter how hard you tried.

She knew Dain was struggling with the same questions that had haunted her. Althea's cryptic words, the promise of power in the shadows-they were all so tempting, so difficult to ignore. Elyra had felt the same pull, but unlike Dain, she had found a way to resist. She had to. But Dain was different. The pull of the darkness was growing stronger for him, and she could do nothing but watch as he teetered on the edge of losing himself.

As much as she tried to focus on her training, the thought of Dain slipping further away consumed her. She couldn't lose him. Not like this. Not to the darkness. Not to the very thing that had nearly destroyed him before.

"Focus, Elyra," Althea's voice interrupted her thoughts, sharp and commanding. Elyra blinked, shaking herself out of her spiraling thoughts, and met Althea's eyes. The older woman was standing across the room, arms crossed, her gaze as steady as ever.

"You're distracted," Althea said, her tone softer now, but still firm. "You cannot afford distractions. The shard's power will consume you if you are not careful."

Elyra nodded, swallowing the rising lump in her throat. "I know. I just... I can feel him slipping away, Althea. I can't focus on this when I know he's out there, fighting against everything he's been taught."

Althea's expression softened, just slightly. "You cannot save him if you lose control of yourself. Focus, Elyra. You cannot help Dain if you allow the shard to control you."

Elyra took a deep breath, closing her eyes, trying to push the panic away. She reached for the shard, willing herself to ignore the desperate ache in her chest, the fear that was growing with every passing moment. The shard responded to her call, its energy swirling, the light flickering like a flame in the wind. Elyra held it steady, trying to master the energy within her, but the task was growing more difficult with each attempt. The shard's power felt like it was slipping through her fingers, out of her control.

"Althea, I..." Elyra began, but her voice faltered. She could barely keep her thoughts focused long enough to speak.

Althea watched her for a moment, then sighed softly. "You're not ready. You still have so much to learn. The shard's power is not meant to be controlled by someone like you-not yet."

Elyra's eyes snapped open. The words stung, more than they should have. "Then why am I even here? Why do you keep training me if I'm not ready?"

Althea stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. "Because you are the only one who can hold the balance. But you must learn to control the shard before it controls you. And you must stop focusing on Dain. If you don't, you will lose him. And yourself." Elyra clenched her fists, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill. She couldn't lose him. Not like this. Not after everything they had been through.

"Why does it have to be this way?" Elyra whispered, her voice trembling. "Why does one of us have to fall? Why can't we both survive this?"

Althea's eyes softened, but there was a sadness in her gaze that made Elyra's heart ache. "Because that is the way of the prophecy. One will rise, and one will fall. The darkness is a force that cannot be tamed. It will consume everything unless there is balance." Elyra shook her head, feeling the weight of her words pressing down on her chest. "I can't just let him go, Althea. I can't."

Althea's expression hardened. "You do not have a choice, Elyra. The bond between you and Dain is the key to unlocking the power of the shard, but it is also what will destroy you both if you cannot control it."

A silence fell between them, thick with the weight of Althea's words. Elyra's mind raced, spinning with confusion and fear. She didn't know what to do anymore. Every path felt like it led to darkness.

Suddenly, Althea's voice broke the silence again, her tone heavy with warning.

"Elyra," she said, her voice soft but unyielding. "I need you to see something."

Before Elyra could respond, the world around her shifted. The room blurred and twisted, and for a moment, she felt as though she was being pulled into another realm. The shard in her hand pulsed with energy, lighting up the space with a cold, eerie glow. Elyra stumbled, reaching out for something to steady herself, but the vision around her grew clearer. She saw Dain-only it wasn't the Dain she knew. This Dain was different. Darker. His eyes were glowing with an unnatural light, his expression cold and distant. He stood at the head of an army, shadows swirling around him like a cloak. A horde of shadow wolves followed him, their eyes burning with the same dark power that radiated from Dain. He was leading them, commanding them with an iron will, and Elyra could feel the weight of his presence, his power, pulling at the edges of her soul.

"No," she whispered, horror rising in her chest. "Dain... No!"

The vision shifted, and the scene darkened, the shadows growing thicker around Dain. The power of the shard surged within her, and she gasped, feeling the energy of the vision flood her senses.

Althea's voice echoed in her ears. "You cannot save him if you do not stop this, Elyra. The darkness is already consuming him. And you are running out of time."

Elyra's heart stopped.

-:Althea shows her a vision of Dain leading an army of shadows.