Chapter 61: Unraveling The Unknown

Selene's POV

The sun had long passed its peak by the time I stepped back onto the training grounds. My limbs ached, my body exhausted, but I couldn't stop now. Not when I was finally beginning to grasp the delicate balance of my power.

Axel stood nearby, watching me carefully. His usual composed expression carried a glint of something else—concern, maybe, or curiosity.

"You're pushing yourself too hard. Take a break, Selene."

I shook my head. "No. I need to do this. I was barely able to keep it under control earlier. I have to go further."

Axel sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. "Mastery doesn't come from exhausting yourself. If you push too hard—"

"I'll be fine," I cut him off, closing my eyes. I could feel the energy within me again, stirring just beneath the surface.

It felt like a living thing—wild, untamed, and waiting. This time, I wouldn't just guide it. I wanted to see what else it could do.

I reached deeper, beyond the steady rhythm I had maintained earlier. There was something there, something new—dormant but powerful. I pulled at it, coaxing it forward, wanting to understand it.

For a moment, it felt like I had grasped something extraordinary.

And then the world around me shattered.

A surge of power exploded from within, an unfamiliar force rushing through me like wildfire.

The ground beneath me cracked, the air pulsed with energy, and the space around me twisted as if reality itself was bending under the pressure. It wasn't just raw strength—it was something else entirely, something beyond my understanding.

I gasped, but no sound escaped me. My body felt weightless, suspended in an endless void of light and shadow. I could hear distant echoes—whispers threading through my mind, voices I didn't recognize. My vision blurred, and for a terrifying moment, I wasn't sure if I was even standing on solid ground anymore.

"Selene!" Axel's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. I barely registered his presence before I felt his hands grip my shoulders, grounding me back to reality.

"Stop! Let go of it!"

"I…" My voice was barely a whisper. I wanted to, but I couldn't. The power was pulling me under, unraveling me piece by piece. It was overwhelming—too much, too fast. I couldn't contain it, couldn't control it. I could feel myself slipping away.

Axel didn't hesitate. He tightened his grip and pulled me into him, pressing his forehead against mine.

"Breathe. Focus on my voice. Don't let it take you."

His presence was like a steady anchor in the storm, and I clung to it. I forced myself to inhale, to feel the warmth of his hands, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Slowly, painfully, I started to regain control. The raging energy inside me dimmed, retracting like a receding tide.

The moment the pressure faded, my legs buckled. Axel caught me before I could collapse, steadying me with careful hands. I was trembling, my body weak from the aftermath.

"What… was that?" My voice was barely audible, laced with exhaustion and something else—fear.

Axel held my gaze, his expression unreadable. "Something you weren't ready to touch. You went too deep, too fast. You could've lost yourself."

I swallowed hard, my mind still reeling. The sensation of that unknown force lingered, just beyond reach, like a whisper in the back of my mind. "But what if it's part of me? What if I need to learn how to control it?"

Axel exhaled slowly, his grip on me unwavering. "Then we do it the right way. Step by step. But not like this. You can't rush power you don't understand."

I nodded weakly, leaning into his support for a moment longer. I had barely scratched the surface of what I was capable of—and it terrified me.

But it also made me more determined than ever.

The weight of exhaustion clung to me, but my mind raced with thoughts I couldn't ignore. I had barely scratched the surface of my abilities, and the power that had surged through me felt both alien and familiar.

Axel remained close, his steady presence grounding me in a way I hadn't realized I needed. I could still feel the ghost of that energy, lurking just beneath my skin, waiting for another moment of weakness to pull me under again.

"I need to try again." My voice was raw, but resolute.

Axel's grip on my shoulders tightened slightly. "No, Selene. Not now. You just lost control—you need time to recover."

I pulled away slightly, though I still swayed on my feet. "But what if this is something I need? What if controlling it is the key to everything?"

My gaze searched his face for understanding, for any reassurance that I wasn't alone in this. "You saw what happened. It wasn't just raw power. It was something… different."

Axel exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. "Yes, and that's exactly why you need to slow down."

His blue eyes met mine, serious and unwavering. "If you tap into something you don't understand, something you're not prepared for, you could destroy yourself before you ever learn to control it."

I swallowed the lump in my throat. He was right. I knew he was. But that didn't change the restless urgency gnawing at me. I had been given this power for a reason, and I couldn't afford to be afraid of it.

Still, I forced myself to take a deep breath.

"Then what do I do?"

Axel studied me for a moment, then let out a slow breath. "We start from the beginning. No shortcuts. No reckless leaps into the unknown."

He gestured toward the training space. "First, we focus on stabilizing what you already have before we even think about touching that again."

I hesitated, still yearning to reach for that untapped force, but I knew he wouldn't let me push myself recklessly. And maybe that was for the best.

"Fine," I murmured. "Where do we start?"

Axel gave a small nod, satisfied that I wasn't going to argue further. "We continue with control."

The next few hours were grueling. Axel had me focus entirely on refining my existing abilities—channeling energy in small, controlled bursts instead of letting it surge unchecked.

I practiced molding it into shapes, releasing it in measured amounts, and keeping it steady even under pressure.

"Again." Axel's voice was firm but patient as I lifted my hands, calling on the familiar energy that resided within me.

A soft glow flickered at my fingertips, brightening as I focused. It no longer lashed out unpredictably, but the strain of keeping it stable gnawed at my concentration.

I clenched my jaw, maintaining the delicate balance as beads of sweat formed on my brow.

"Good." Axel stepped closer, observing every movement. "Now, see if you can reshape it without losing control."

I inhaled slowly, willing the energy to shift. The glow in my hands stretched, thinning into delicate strands, then into a sphere. For a moment, it held perfectly, hovering between my palms.

But as soon as I tried to adjust it further, the energy wavered violently before bursting apart. The force sent me stumbling backward, but Axel was already there, steadying me before I could fall.

I let out a frustrated breath. "It's so unstable."

"That's because you're trying to force it into something unnatural." Axel's voice was calm.

"Power isn't meant to be caged. You don't control it by forcing it into a shape—you guide it, like directing the flow of a river."

I frowned, considering his words. "Then how do I shape it at all?"

Axel's expression softened slightly. "You listen to it. You let it move the way it wants to, and then you direct it, not restrain it."

I glanced at my hands, flexing my fingers as I tried to process his advice. Slowly, I called the energy back, feeling its pulse, its natural rhythm.

This time, instead of forcing it into a rigid sphere, I let it swirl like a gentle current, guiding its motion rather than commanding it.

The glow coiled and spun effortlessly, responding to my touch. I gasped softly, realizing how much easier it felt.

Axel gave a rare, approving nod. "That's it."

A small smile tugged at my lips. "I think I understand."

"Good." Axel stepped back, but his gaze remained sharp.

"Now, we keep practicing until it's second nature."

I nodded, determination igniting within me. For the first time, I felt like I was truly starting to grasp the depths of my power.

To be continued.