Days passed in a blur, and Lena continued to push herself, to tap into the core with increasing frequency. The strain on her body and mind was taking its toll. There were moments when she felt detached from everything—like a puppet on strings, pulled in every direction by forces she couldn't control.
Elias noticed the changes, the cracks in her resolve. He could see the toll the core was taking on her, but he didn't know how to help her. She had pushed him away, retreating into herself more and more. The barrier she had built between them seemed insurmountable now.
And yet, he refused to give up on her.
He stayed by her side, even when she pulled away. He fought for her when she couldn't fight for herself. He had seen the strength in her before, and he knew that beneath the turmoil, beneath the shadows of the core, it still existed. She wasn't gone, not yet.
But the question lingered in his mind—How much longer could she hold on?