Prepare

Acheron

I paced the room, my footsteps disturbing the girl sleeping in my bed. She stirred, rolling onto her side, oblivious. Sylvin's arrogance grated on me. He thought he could lecture me on how to train her? As if he understood the limits of magic better than I did. But… damn him, he wasn't wrong. Magic was an energy source, not infinite. I knew that better than anyone. I had seen the cost of pushing beyond its limits. And yet, she kept collapsing. No matter how far I pushed her, she faltered, her body failing before her spirit did. When we weren't training, she slept—anywhere she could. The floor, a bench, even the flower beds. I had found her there once, half-buried in petals, exhaustion rendering her defenseless. It irritated me. Not just her weakness, but the way it gnawed at something deeper. Something I refused to acknowledge. Whatever, in a few hours I'll wake her up. I did as Sylvin said. I gave her sleep. Now it was time to use the recharge. A few hours later, we stood outside. She pulled the waterbottle to her hand with ease. I hated to admit Sylvin was right. But the way the water coiled tightly around it was perfect. That had been a struggle for her ever since she fell in the lake and witnessed that black smoke. That bitch had been haunting me for years. Nyxthul (Niks -thool). The demon in the water. Now, when she sees my Audra she fucks with her. Distorting her mind. Calling upon the past to scare her. My body heated up, the flames slowly leaked around me. I will not let that thing control me anymore. What she did to Mallory is unforgivable. Stripping away everything she was. Leaving her to wither in a body that no longer fit her. That power hungry bitch. I hurled a massive flame towards the water. The flame made a loud hiss as it made contact. If only my flames could reach her. I'd make her pay for what she did—to Mallory, to me. To all of us. I'd make her pay for making Mallory suffer. "Acheron? Are you ok?" I hear her whisper. Mallory? No, Audra. My eyes flashed in anger. She wasn't ready. Every passing day was agony, knowing my goal was within reach—so close, yet still out of my grasp. My blood boiled. What if she was the one fucking with me? What if Nyxthul was using her to weaken me? I needed proof. I needed to push her. She looked small. Her body broken and battered. I grit my teeth. A wall of fire erupted from my hands. "Defend yourself." She gasped, stumbling back, hands rising on instinct. Water surged from her fingertips, but it was wild—erratic, it spun out of control. The flames tore through her feeble attempt with ease. She screamed. Tears flowing down her face from the pain. "Stop! Please—" she begged. I sent another blast. And another. My power crashed into her relentlessly, overwhelming her, forcing her to fight. She threw her hands up her face in full concentration, water rushed at me in heavy waves. Her control was better, but it was still not good enough. I could feel it though, her aggressive emotions. I could see it in the way her water looked. She flinched, her cries broken and desperate, but I didn't stop. One more.

Then—something changed.

A pulse of magic burst outward. Water surged—not in frantic, panicked streams, but in one massive force. A dome exploded around her, smooth and impenetrable. I stilled. Finally. Slowly, my lips curled into a smirk. Just as I had thought. She had been holding back. She was almost ready. Just a little longer.

And then… she would be mine.

Sylvin's POV

Acheron carried her back from training. Her body was burned, her once pale skin was red and charred. Acheron's face was different from before. There was a gleam in his eyes as he tossed her on the bed. She didn't wake up. She was to exaughsted. "Come Sylvin" he said motioning for me to follow him. Together we walked to his office. The silence was heavy, the weight of what he was doing already crashing down. Once I was seated he folded his hands in front of him. "She will be ready in a few months. I need you to gather everything for the ritual. And I need you to check in on our little prince. See if he has any plans or if he's still waiting for the council to step in." He leaned forward, raising a brow. "Understand?" He said. I nodded. "Good, now lets get moving, we are on a tight schedule." He said. He flicked his hand opening a gate for me. I stepped through the warm glow. The castle was in the distance and as I approached I became nervous. My stomach twisted in knots. This isn't like spying on a girl in her home. This was dangerous. Spying on the royal family. I peered through a window, nothing. I sigh and wander around the grounds. I find a garden. Audra would love this place. It was much bigger than our garden. There were many trees, shrubs, and flowers. Laid in ornate patterns. There was a pond with a small man made waterfall flowing from some rocks. I looked around taking in the quiet scenery. "Who are you?" I hear a deep voice. My stomach drops, shit. I turn slowly, my eyes met Malik's, I quickly fix my experession. "Luna sent me." I say coldy watching his face. "Why would she? Who are you to her?" He asked confusion setting in. I tap my fingers on my sides. "Acheron is watching her close. So she sent me to get the plan." I say as casually as I could. "He thought for a moment. "How do I know you're not just Acheron's spy?" My stomach did flips as I thought of an answer. I balled my hands into fists. I need the information. "Because, no one else knows. Acheron is planning the ritual next month. We need to act fast if we want to save her." I say. His face softens as he drops his guard. "I'm gathering forces, we will strike next week. I assume you will be coming with us to?" I nod. "I need to get back, before he gets suspicious." I say, Malik nods. "Yeah, next week then." I nod and I head back to Acheron's portal, my lips curled into a smirk. I got it. The one piece of intel that could tip the scales of this war in our favor. Though a part of me hesitated. I shook out my thoughts before stepping back through the portal.