The Breaking Point
The clearing was alive with chaos, the clash of blades and the hum of the artifact’s energy filling the night air. Seraphine stood at the forefront, her magic surging as she repelled wave after wave of the King’s knights. Her silver eyes burned with an intensity that sent even the most seasoned warriors reeling.
“Stay focused!” she shouted, her voice sharp. “The artifact must remain stable!”
Lyra gripped the altar tightly, her knuckles white as the artifact’s energy coursed through her. The whispers were no longer cryptic—they were commands, relentless and demanding. Her wolf howled within her, pushing her to act, to release the power she struggled to contain.
Eryon knelt beside her, his body trembling. The energy building within him was unbearable, his wolf clawing for release. “Lyra,” he gasped, his voice strained. “I can’t hold it much longer.”
“You have to,” Lyra said, her voice breaking. “We can’t afford to lose control now.”
The artifact pulsed again, its light casting eerie shadows across the clearing. The runes on the altar glowed brighter, their energy syncing with the jagged crystal’s rhythm. Lyra’s vision blurred as she tried to maintain her connection, the artifact’s power pushing her to the brink.
Misery darted through the chaos, her blade flashing as she took down another knight. Blood splattered across her face, but her movements didn’t falter. She glanced toward Eryon, her sharp eyes narrowing as she saw his struggle.
“Keep it together, wolf,” she called out, her voice cutting through the noise. “If you lose it now, we’re all dead.”
Eryon’s breaths came in short, ragged bursts as he fought against the surge of power threatening to overwhelm him. His wolf growled louder, its primal instincts pushing him closer to the edge.
Lyra’s voice broke through the storm in his mind. “Eryon, listen to me,” she said, her silver eyes locking onto his. “You’re stronger than this. You’ve always been stronger than this.”
Another wave of knights charged forward, their blades glinting in the artifact’s glow. Seraphine raised her hands, her magic forming a barrier that shattered their advance. She turned back toward the twins, her voice commanding. “You need to finish this!”
Eryon’s body convulsed, his wolf’s energy surging uncontrollably. He clenched his fists, his claws extending as he fought to suppress the transformation. “I can’t,” he choked out, his voice breaking.
The artifact’s light flared, its whispers growing deafening. Lyra reached for Eryon, her grip on his arm firm. “Yes, you can,” she said, her voice steady despite the fear in her chest. “We don’t get to give up, not now.”
The ground beneath them shook, the artifact’s energy rippling outward in waves. Seraphine shouted something, but her words were lost in the cacophony.
Eryon let out a guttural roar as the power inside him surged, his body trembling violently.
