Luna Aurora novel (Alpha Fenrir)

Chapter 319

Elyra had barely slept the night before. The vision of Dain, surrounded by shadows, had haunted her every moment. She had seen him, but not the Dain she knew. This version of him was lost, consumed by the darkness he had been toying with for so long. His eyes glowed with an eerie, unnatural light, and his very presence seemed to crackle with an energy that sent a shiver down her spine.

Now, standing in the grand chamber of the temple, she could feel that same unease stirring deep inside her. Althea had called for her, insisting that she come alone. Elyra had no choice but to comply, but she had a sinking feeling in her gut. Whatever Althea had planned, she didn't trust it.

When she entered the room, Althea was waiting for her, her expression unreadable as always. The older woman stood by the altar, hands clasped behind her back, her eyes fixed on Elyra as she approached.

"You wanted to speak with me?" Elyra's voice was cautious, her heart thumping in her chest. She couldn't shake the feeling that something important was about to happen, something that could change everything.

Althea didn't waste time with pleasantries. "Elyra, it's time to make a choice," she said, her voice steady and firm. "You have two paths before you now."

Elyra blinked, unsure of where this conversation was headed. "What do you mean?"

"The shard," Althea said, her gaze never leaving Elyra's. "It is not simply a tool. It is a test. A trial. You must decide: will you continue your training and learn to control the power it holds? Or will you stop Dain before he fully succumbs to the darkness?" Elyra's stomach churned. "Stop Dain?" she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. "What do you mean? He's not... he's not lost, Althea. I can still reach him."

Althea's eyes softened, but there was no pity in them. "You think so, but you're wrong. Dain is already slipping away. You can't save him if you continue to ignore the danger. The shard has chosen its path, and if you do not stop him now, everything will be lost. Including him."

The weight of Althea's words settled over Elyra like a heavy cloak. She knew Dain was struggling with the darkness, but the thought of losing him forever-it felt impossible. She had always believed that together, they could overcome anything. But now, Althea was giving her an impossible choice.

"Why can't I do both?" Elyra asked, her voice shaky. "Why can't I learn to control the shard and help Dain at the same time?"

Althea's gaze hardened. "Because the shard's power is too volatile. If you allow it to consume you, it will destroy everything in its path. Including Dain."

Elyra shook her head, her mind spinning. She couldn't believe what Althea was saying. She couldn't let go of Dain-not like this. But she could also feel the pull of the shard, its power beckoning her. It was as though the shard itself was testing her, pushing her to make a decision.

Althea stepped forward, her voice lowering to a whisper. "Elyra, you have no time left. Dain is on the brink. If you continue down this path of indecision, you will lose him. And everything else."

The silence between them was thick with the weight of Althea's words. Elyra could feel her heart pounding in her chest, the pull of the shard growing stronger, urging her to make a decision.

She didn't want to choose. She couldn't choose. How could she decide between saving Dain and embracing the power that could protect them both? She had spent her entire life trying to stay true to her heart, to follow the path that felt right. But now, the lines were blurring, and she didn't know where to turn.

"I don't know what to do," Elyra whispered, her voice cracking. She felt like she was drowning, trapped between two choices, each one leading to a future she wasn't sure she could survive.

Althea's gaze softened just slightly. "You do know, Elyra. You always have. But you're too afraid to face it."

Elyra's throat tightened, and she swallowed hard, trying to push back the tears threatening to spill. "What if I choose wrong?"

"You have no choice," Althea said, her voice cold and final. "Dain has already chosen his path. Now you must choose yours."

The words hit Elyra like a slap. She had always believed that their bond-her bond with Dain-was unbreakable. But now, with every passing moment, it was becoming clearer: their paths were diverging, and soon, they would be so far apart that nothing could ever bring them back together. Elyra took a deep breath, her mind racing. I can't lose him. I can't.

But as she thought of Dain, the vision of him surrounded by shadows, his eyes glowing with that dark light, filled her mind once more. She could see him now, standing alone in the darkness, the power of the shard consuming him. The shadows whispered to him, urging him to let go, to embrace the darkness fully. He was so close to losing himself, to becoming something she didn't recognize.

I can't let him go, Elyra thought desperately. But I can't control this power. Not on my own.

Her hand trembled as she reached out toward the shard, feeling its power thrumming beneath her fingertips. It was like a living thing, responding to her touch, urging her to take control. But every part of her rebelled against the idea of choosing between the shard and Dain. She couldn't lose either of them.

And yet, there was no other choice.

As Elyra stood there, torn between the two paths, a sudden vision filled her mind a vision of Dain, his face twisted in agony as the shadows fully enveloped him, the light in his eyes extinguished forever.

"Dain," she whispered, her voice trembling as tears threatened to fall.

The vision lingered in her mind, vivid and haunting. Elyra closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the choice pressing down on her. She had to act. But she didn't know how.

-: Elyra hesitates, seeing a vision of Dain consumed by darkness.