he murmured, her voice strong and the words nearly strange coming from her mouth. She was

l. His voice was quiet as he said, "We will." Though he never lost his at

Lois raised her hands and stepped forward, Shadow Mark beating in

her body. Her muscles cried out as she pushed the energy to her hands; w

rs with a quick motion. The ground split, the air vibrated with unadulterated

nuous current, and she exploited it. She felt the darkness inside her tug

he tension. Lois, concentr

th yet another surge of power. She was battling the darkness

drawing an ancient-looking weapon that glimmered with an unsettling radiance. The weapon'

came to a s

Kade. Her heart sank. "Wha

f her strength, she was powerless before the foe. Lois remained motionless, the awareness of

her voice laced with terror. I

or's grasp. He replied, his voice low and strained, "That weapon."

sped. "

he foe. Tyler's guys don't only wish you dead. They wish

se pounded in her ears. There was nothing. The force within her seemed far away, out of rea

ol once more? What i

uld stand on her own, she had battled so muc

ideas, "You have to fight, Lois." Fe

the first time, she noticed in his eyes something raw, deep, an

all her last strength. Thi

ow that she had to accept the evil inside her as something to be ma

purpose, Lois sensed something inside her awaken. She h

m take charge of her. N

ncing inside her. The impact of the weapon had exhausted her, but something deeper was stirring

the fight, Kade's side presence, all of it faded into a b

to the Shadow Mark. Not out of desperation but rather with intention, she reached

energy surged but not out of control. It was deliberate, concentrated. The

ull of wonder,

to. Though the warriors had regro

as a deliberate force she wielded with all her might. The warriors stumbled, their expressions a combin

of it and the ground under their feet split. The warriors were

s going in t

crossing with pride and something more

he was not the same lady who had fled from her history. She w

this triumph was only the start. The true tests were o

his voice heavy with implicit significanc

from her fate for so long, she was terrified of the Shadow Mark's potential to change her and of the power she co

rough the quiet, an

h his face was impenetrable, his eyes conveyed a great deal. They now contained respect.

ietly but confidently. "Are you

ength within her, no longer a wild, untamable force. It had calmed and became

pite of the anxiety still gnawing at her chest. Her heart

require you as their leader. Lois, the Shadow Mark is not a curse. It's a present.

her. The battle was no longer only about survival. It was

r changed, an uncomfortable sensation as thou

tensed as he turned his head a l

ng awareness of peril, a fa

lo

Kade, she gulped.

hoarse growl, "Clos

eavy, packed with the feeling of something about to occur. Lois's pulse raced and her senses became acute, but she

you have decided. But now you must sup

, she wasn't ready to be the leader Kade believed she could be. The decision was taken. She could sense the darkness inside

't run any more." Locking eyes with Kade, she felt a fire start in h

his eyes pierced the stillness. Not at all. He will not. He wi

d and nodded. Let's

, a man standing tall on a faraway hill, watching them from afar.

was th

, his mouth twisting into a sinister g

overcome flooding back, but this time it was different. This time, she w

's stomach dropped in understanding of its significance. He was not

der steadying her, "We're not done yet