ld sweat breaking out on his forehead. The Reaver was dead, but the air felt heavier, as if the world itself was preparing for something far wor

hat had almost taken her life. Despite her weakened state, there was a fire in her eyes,

eaver is down. We can

knew it. This victory, as hard-fought as it was, had only been one

ow but firm. "This is just the beginnin

ominous hum filling the air. Rowan's eyes snapped u

e like the Reaver. No, this was something far worse. A dark silhouette, clad in ar

e. He could feel the immense power radiati

instinctively reaching for her weapon, b

as though it were studying them with cruel amusement. Then, its

il's final weapo

on, but nothing had prepared her for this. It was as if the very essence

ation settled like a heavy stone on his chest. The

fiance. He stepped forward, his eyes burning with a fierce deter

. Instead, it raised its arm, and Rowan's blood ran cold as shado

im with the speed of a striking serpent. He grunted as they tightened, the dark

screamed, rush

er feet. She crashed to the ground, pain lancing through her body, but she refused to stay down.

haunting, as though it fo

. "You can't fight

break free. He could feel his strength draining, his magic weakening with every passing second

s breath ragged. "Get out

k, her voice sharp and full of resol

, concentrated blast. The shadows recoiled for a moment, but the figur

ic," it

s vision blurred with pain. His body was beginning to go numb, his

oice trembling with the weight

hing-some fragment of his magic-flickering deep within him. H

ice hoarse, barely more th

e shadows pulled tighter, and Rowan's body went limp. Darkness

*

Despe

ched Rowan's body go limp. She refused to bel

ing down her face. "You can't do

ckening in the air. But Aria was beyond fear now. She wasn't going to

uncontrolled force. She wasn't sure how

she growled, her voice fill

ht and power that tore through the shadows, shattering the dark figure's defenses. The

orm rippling with the magic of the Council. The weapon t

figure whispered. "You've o

*

life now hung in the balance, and she knew that the real battle was only beginning. But c

*

balance, Aria had no choice but to face her darkest fears. Will she save him