The shadow beast lunged, its jagged teeth glinting in the flickering light of the ember stone. Seraphina's heart pounded, but she didn't flinch. She had no time to hesitate.
"Now!" Cassian shouted, his sword raised, as the beast's claws swiped through the air with terrifying precision.
Seraphina thrust her hand forward, her fingers crackling with the energy of the Everflame. The fire inside her roared to life, responding to her urgency. The heat surged through her, a force she could barely control but refused to ignore.
With a guttural roar, the shadow beast advanced again, its smoky form a blur of darkness. Seraphina's mind screamed to control the fire, to wield it with precision, but panic surged within her. She was still learning. Still fighting against the wild magic inside her.
"Focus, Seraphina!" Cassian's voice cut through the chaos.
She gritted her teeth, taking a deep breath, forcing the fire to bend to her will. She opened her palm, and the Everflame responded. A brilliant column of fiery light shot from her hand, striking the beast square in the chest.
It howled in pain, its shadowy form writhing and twisting as if the flames were burning it from within. Cassian moved, quick as lightning, slashing his sword at the creature's neck.
The beast staggered back, screeching in agony, but it wasn't done. With a final, enraged roar, it lunged toward them with surprising speed, claws aiming for Cassian's throat.
"Look out!" Seraphina cried, her voice filled with fear.
Cassian turned just in time to block the creature's strike, but he wasn't fast enough. The claws raked across his shoulder, tearing through his armor and leaving deep, bleeding gashes.
"No!" Seraphina screamed.
The fire inside her surged uncontrollably, desperate to save him, desperate to end the beast's reign of terror. She raised her hands, not caring about the consequences. Flames burst from her, uncontrolled and wild, engulfing the cave in an inferno.
The shadow beast screeched, the fire searing through its form. In an explosion of black smoke, the creature disintegrated into nothingness, leaving only the scorched stone floor behind.
The cave fell silent.
Cassian stumbled back, his hand clutching his bleeding shoulder. "I'm fine," he said through gritted teeth, trying to stand tall. But his legs were unsteady, and his face was pale.
"Cassian," Seraphina whispered, rushing to his side, her heart racing. "You're hurt."
He tried to give her a reassuring smile, but it was weak. "It's nothing. Just a scratch."
"Nothing?" Her voice cracked. "You're bleeding."
Cassian winced as she touched his wound. "I'll survive," he muttered, his tone shifting. "The beast won't."
But Seraphina was hardly listening. Her gaze was fixed on the black scorch marks left behind by the fire. The flame had burned brighter than it ever had before. More powerful. More dangerous.
She took a deep breath, attempting to calm her racing heart. "I almost—lost control."
"You did what you had to," Cassian said, his voice low but steady, even as he winced from the pain in his shoulder. "The Everflame responds to your emotions, Seraphina. It's not about control, it's about understanding it."
She shook her head, a feeling of dread settling in her chest. "It doesn't feel like understanding. It feels like it's consuming me."
Cassian reached out, placing his good hand on her arm. "And yet, you're still here. You're still standing. That flame inside you—it can be tamed. It can be shaped. But you have to trust yourself."
Seraphina looked down at her hands. The fire was still there, still crackling beneath her skin, like an untamed beast of its own. "But I don't know if I trust myself, Cassian. What if I become the thing I'm supposed to fight against?"
Cassian's gaze softened, and for the first time in a long while, his walls seemed to crumble, just a little. "You're not alone in this. I'll be here. And I'll help you, every step of the way."
Seraphina swallowed the lump in her throat, her heart racing for reasons she didn't fully understand. "Thank you. But what if—"
A groan interrupted her, and she turned to find Cassian struggling to stay upright. The bleeding from his wound was heavier than he'd let on.
"Cassian!" she cried, rushing to him.
He grinned weakly, but it didn't reach his eyes. "I told you it was just a scratch."
"Don't joke with me," she snapped, helping him sit against the cave wall. "This isn't a scratch."
"I know," he muttered, wincing. "I'm fine. I just need rest."
Seraphina glanced at the entrance to the cave. The storm outside had worsened, but they couldn't stay here forever. Not with Malrec's forces closing in.
"We need to get you out of here," she said, her voice firm.
Cassian shook his head. "We can't. You need to move forward, Seraphina. The Everflame is closer now. You can feel it, can't you?"
She closed her eyes, trying to quiet the storm in her mind. And then, just as he said, she felt it—the pull of the Everflame, calling to her like a distant flame flickering in the dark.
It was time to move forward.
She opened her eyes and nodded. "I won't let you die here."
Cassian gave her a tired smile. "You never would."
With great care, Seraphina helped him onto his feet, supporting him as they moved deeper into the cave. The path ahead was unknown, fraught with danger and uncertainty. But one thing was certain: they would face it together.
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