The Awakening

 Saoirse's POV 

"No!" I screamed. I was fighting harder than ever. My hands clawed at Garrick, but it was like trying to break free from iron chains. I could feel his hot breath on my ear, and his laughter sent shivers through my bones. 

"You thought you could steal from me?" he growled. His voice was thick with anger and a twisted sense of humor. "I should just kill you right here."

Rhydian lay on the ground, completely still. I could see the pool of blood spreading out from him. 

In that moment, something inside me broke. 

A heat shot through my skin. It was a power I had never felt before, roaring to life deep within me. My body shook, and I could feel the air crackle around me. 

Garrick's grip loosened. "What the—" 

Without thinking, I unleashed a blast of energy that slammed into him and sent him crashing into the wall.

I froze, looking at my hands. They were glowing with a soft golden light. My heart raced as realization hit me like a ton of bricks. 

This wasn't just about saving Rhydian. 

This was something bigger. 

The golden light around my fingers pulsed like a heartbeat, filling me with a rush of confidence. I had never experienced anything like it, this force pushing me, begging to be used. 

Garrick groaned as he dragged himself up from the rubble. Rage sparkled in his dark eyes. "You—" He staggered forward, blood and dust marking his face. "You shouldn't be able to do that." 

Technically, I shouldn't have. But I didn't have time to think. 

I quickly turned to Rhydian. He was breathing but barely. That sight of him, hurt and weak, sparked something primal inside me. He had fought hard to stay alive. I refused to let that be in vain. 

"Stay down," Garrick snarled, finding his balance. He reached for his blade, but I was quicker. I raised my hand, and suddenly, that power shot out in a golden arc of energy. 

It slammed into him, sending him hurtling back through another wall. The castle shook, and dust rained down like confetti. The walls seemed to complain about what had just happened. 

I knelt beside Rhydian, panic rising in my chest. "Rhydian, wake up," I murmured, placing my hand on his clammy face. 

His eyelids flickered, and a weak groan escaped him. I felt hope surge in my heart, but we weren't safe yet… Not this moment.

Footsteps. They echoed around us loudly this time, dozens of them. 

The guards were coming. 

I forced myself to shake off my exhaustion. That energy inside me was still alive, buzzing with restlessness. I had no clue how to control it, but I had no time to worry now. 

I slid Rhydian's arm over my shoulder, struggling but determined to lift him. He swore under his breath, trying to push himself up, but his body shook with effort. 

"We need to move," I said urgently. 

He nodded weakly, breathing heavily. "I'll do my best to keep up." 

With a firm grip on him, I looked down the corridor. The guards were almost here. Shadows danced in the torchlight, and their armored figures were pouring into the ruined hallway. 

With swords drawn and cold expressions, they approached us. 

I finally took a deep breath, lifting my other hand. The golden energy sparked back to life, curling around my fingers like a small flame. The guards hesitated for a moment. 

"Kill her!" Garrick shouted, breaking the tension. 

They lunged at us. 

My instincts kicked in. I thrust my hand forward, and a wave of force blasted from me, crashing into the first row of guards. They flew backward, smashing into the ones behind them in a chaotic mess of clinking armor and shouts. 

I couldn't stop. I needed to keep going. 

Another surge of energy shot through me, cracking stone beneath their feet. They stumbled but kept coming. My control slipped, but I had to hold on. 

Rhydian leaned against me, grounding me. "Saoirse," he gasped. "We have to go. Right now." 

I nodded, tightening my grip on him, and we sprinted. 

The corridor twisted around us like a blur. My heart raced in my ears, drowning out the distant calls behind us. Rhydian was in pain with every step, but he didn't stop. 

Finally, we burst outside into the night air. It felt like freedom was waiting for us under the vast sky above. Crisp air filled my lungs, sweet with the promise of escape. 

But then, I felt it was more than enough. 

A shift in the air. A dark presence loomed nearby. 

I turned, and my breath hitched. 

There was a figure standing at the edge of the courtyard. It was cloaked in shadows darker than the night itself. The light seemed to vanish around him, as if the stars were dimming in his presence. 

Garrick's master. 

Panic flooded my veins. 

Rhydian froze beside me. "No…" he breathed. "It can't be." 

But it was. 

The figure raised a hand, and the world around us shuddered. 

Shadows writhed as if they were alive, swirling and pulsing at his command. The temperature dropped, and the air felt thick and heavy. I wanted to run, but my feet were rooted to the ground. 

His voice was smooth but sharp, like silk on steel. "You awoke to something you do not fully understand, child." 

Suddenly, the shadows surged toward us like a wave. 

I lifted my hands, ready to fight. The power surged again, but it felt different now, wild and frantic. The golden light flashed against the oncoming darkness, sparks flying as they collided. It was a fight neither of us was ready for. 

Rhydian grabbed my arm. "Saoirse, we need to—" 

The darkness crashed into us like a tidal wave. 

Pain, Cold, Silence. 

My vision blurred, and I felt weightless, as if I were being pulled from the ground. The world shattered around me. I reached for Rhydian, but he was fading away, his form dissolving into the shadows. 

No! 

A scream built in my chest, but it never made it out. 

The void consumed me. 

Darkness surrounded me, thick and heavy. It was unlike anything Saoirse had ever experienced. This wasn't just the absence of light, it felt alive, breathing and reaching for her. 

She tried to move, but her body refused to listen. Panic clawed at her insides, yet she forced herself to focus. Where was Rhydian? 

A soft sound reached her ears. A groan. 

"Rhydian?" she called out, though her voice felt weak. 

"I'm here," he replied, his voice faint and strained. 

A flicker of relief washed over her, but it didn't last long. A whisper slithered through the darkness, something ancient and wrong. 

"You should not have come." 

The voice was everywhere yet nowhere, seeping into her very being. This wasn't Garrick. This was something much worse. 

Saoirse struggled to summon her power again, to ignite that golden light, but nothing happened. The place felt like a prison, smothering her strength. 

Fear gripped her hard. "Where are we?" 

Rhydian coughed, shifting his weight. "A prison," he murmured. "But not made of stone." 

She swallowed hard. A prison made of shadows. 

The chilling realization crept down her spine. 

Then, something shifted in the darkness. 

Not a whisper…. Not a voice. 

A presence… watching and waiting. 

Her fingers clenched into fists. No. She wasn't done fighting. 

They weren't finished yet… They are hidden, watching and waiting.

Not by a long shot. 

The first guard was on me in a flash. 

I barely had a second to think. My instincts kicked in. I felt this golden energy rush through me, faster than I could blink. I shot my hand out, and a bright wave of light blasted from my palm, slamming right into him.

He got knocked off his feet. He flew back and crashed into two other guards behind him. They all tumbled to the ground with a loud thud. Their weapons clanked against the stone floor.

But more guards were coming.

"Keep moving," I said to Rhydian, gripping his arm tightly.

I had no clue how much strength he had left, but I needed him to hang on. 

Suddenly, another guard charged at me. His sword aimed straight for my neck.

I ducked just in time. I could feel the rush of air as the blade swiped over my head. I spun around quickly and raised my hand again. This time, the energy wrapped around my arm and glowed even brighter. I didn't need to think about it. It just flowed with me. I pushed my palm out, and a strong force shot from it, sending the guard crashing against the wall with a horrible smack.

But they kept coming, oozing out.

More guards found their way around us. 

I clenched my teeth; my energy was solid, yet I could feel my body getting tired. This power wasn't endless. If I pushed too hard, who knew what would happen?

Then I heard Garrick's voice cut through the noise.

"Don't kill her. Just take her down."

I turned to see him striding toward us, wiping blood from his chin. His eyes, dark and intense, held a mix of anger and something else, maybe curiosity?

"You don't even know what you are, do you?" he asked, his voice calm now.

I had no response, I was silent because he was spot on. 

I had no clue what this power was or where it had come from. The only thing I knew was that it was keeping us alive right now.

Garrick let out a sigh, almost like I had let him down. Then, before I could react, he shot forward.

He was so fast. Faster than I can ever imagine 

In a blink, he grabbed my wrist and twisted it painfully. A yell of pain raced up my arm, and the golden light flickered. I was broken and gasp for air.

"Power without control," he said, squeezing harder. "What a waste." 

Then he jerked me toward him, and I lost my balance and collided with him. For a second, I felt the sharpness of his jaw and the dangerous look in his eyes.

But then I sprang into action.

I gathered every bit of energy that was left within me and let it burst out.

The force sent Garrick sliding back, but he didn't fall. He stood there, looking unfazed.

Rhydian groaned beside me. I could see his legs were shaking. He wouldn't last long.

We had to get out of here. Fast. 

We need to move without delay

I turned around, my heart racing, looking for any way to escape.