The Portal Opens
The force of Isla’s magic collided with Eira’s shadows, the impact sending shockwaves through the sanctum. The room was a chaotic blur of light and darkness, each force fighting to overpower the other. The twins’ cries grew louder, their fear fueling Isla’s resolve.
Eira’s rage boiled over, her form seeming to blur as she channeled more power. “You think you’re strong, Isla?” she spat, her voice echoing with unnatural reverberations. “You’re nothing but a naive little girl playing with powers you don’t understand!”
Isla pushed forward, each step a battle against the oppressive shadows. “I may not understand everything,” she admitted, her voice ringing out above the chaos. “But I understand one thing: love is stronger than hate. And you’ll never know that strength.”
Her words struck a nerve. Eira’s face twisted into a mask of fury, her hands trembling as she summoned a vortex of dark energy that spiraled toward Isla. The ground beneath Isla cracked, the vortex pulling at her with relentless force. She planted her feet, her silver light forming a protective dome around herself and the twins.
“You’ll regret ever crossing me, Isla,” Eira hissed, her voice rising to a shrill crescendo. “I’ll make sure of it.”
The vortex of shadows slammed against Isla’s barrier, splintering it but not breaking through. Isla gritted her teeth, her entire body trembling with the effort of holding it together. Draven’s voice echoed in her mind: You’re not alone. You’re never alone.
Summoning the last reserves of her strength, Isla let out a primal scream. Her light exploded outward, tearing through the vortex and forcing Eira to stumble back. The shadows wavered, their once-impenetrable mass now flickering and unstable.
Eira’s silver eyes widened in shock as Isla advanced, her steps steady despite the exhaustion weighing her down. “You’ve underestimated me, Eira,” Isla said, her voice steady and cold. “And now, you’ll pay the price.”
The room trembled as Eira’s hands moved in a precise, fluid motion, drawing dark energy from the air. A swirling portal of black and violet energy erupted behind her, its edges crackling like a live wire. The temperature in the room plummeted, and Isla felt a wave of nausea at the sheer malevolence radiating from it.
Across the room, hidden in a shadowy alcove, Isla’s silver eyes caught a glimpse of her twins. They were bound by shimmering threads of magic, their tiny forms floating helplessly above the stone floor. Their muffled cries pierced through the chaos, sending a dagger of terror straight into Isla’s heart.
“No!” Isla screamed, her voice echoing in the chamber as she lunged forward, her silver light surging in response to her desperation.
Eira turned to face her, her silver eyes gleaming with triumph. “You think you’ve won, Isla?” she spat, her voice venomous.
With a flick of her wrist, Eira lifted the twins higher into the air. The threads of magic tightened, glowing ominously as the portal expanded, filling the room with its pulsing, otherworldly light.
Isla’s power surged as she pushed against the magical forces holding her back. The ground beneath her cracked as her light collided with Eira’s shadows, but the portal’s pull grew stronger, threatening to engulf everything in its path.
“Let them go!” Isla roared, her silver hair whipping around her face as she poured all her strength into breaking through Eira’s defenses.
