Kalaen Cadin
Ava’s POV
Ezra’s strong hand gently shook me awake, and as I opened my eyes, everything looked hazy and strange. It looked like I’d blacked out again. The effects of the wolfsbane still messed with my senses, and inside me, Maya, my wolf, felt sick and uneasy, fighting the poison still clouding our minds. My body was taking longer than usual to heal, which meant I had been given a large portion of the wolfsbane poison.
“It’s your turn, Ava,” Ezra said, his voice calm but firm. “Your battle is waiting.” I wasn’t sure if I was scared when I heard that, but I was determined to win.
“Ava, are you sure you can fight?” Gwen asked, worry filling her voice. Even though my vision was still foggy, I could see the fear in her eyes.
“I have to try,” I said, giving her a small smile to reassure her. I didn’t know if I could win in this dazed state, but I knew I had to give it my best.
“I’m worried. You’re fighting that cruel wizard, you know all the things that have been said about him.” her voice shook as she said these. I didn't want to let fear cloud me as well.
“I promise, Gwen. I’ll be okay.”
“Go on, kick his ass. You can do it!” Her encouragement made me smile, even though I felt weak and wobbly.
I pushed myself up, my head spinning as I stood. Raphael’s face flashed through my mind, the worry in his eyes so real, it was like he was here. I knew he’d been watching, his usual confidence in me shaken by how weak I probably looked. But I couldn’t let him see me stumble, and I couldn’t fail Drakon after all the time he’d spent training me.
My bleary eyes searched the crowd, not sure what I was looking for. Finally, they rested on the cold stare of Gemma, standing in the pavilion next to Raphael at his left side while her husband Caleb stood at his right hand. She gave me a small nod. I wasn’t sure if it was approval, but it was all I needed to pull myself together and remember why I needed to win this fight.
I stepped into the arena, ready for whatever was coming my way.
Inside, the world spun around me. My vision split and fuzzy, and it felt like my legs were about to give out. My eyes saw three versions of my opponent as I tried to focus on him.
Kaelen Cadin, the sorcerer. Just whispering his name was enough to make me nervous because of all the horrible things I’d heard about him in training.
People called him a master of dark magic, with eyes that held a cruel look. Shadows seemed to ripple around him, as if he was ready to sink into the darkness he controlled. In training, they’d warned us he was a cruel wizard who enjoyed making others suffer. He raised a hand, and I saw dark tendrils forming at his fingertips, reaching out toward me.
The wolfsbane’s dizzying effects made it feel like three versions of him were casting spells from every direction. I struggled to stay steady, and my instincts screamed for Maya’s strength, but she was weak and flickering, her presence fading under the poison’s power. I felt her struggle and heard her low, painful growl inside me, making me even more frustrated. Still, I couldn’t let him see my weakness.
Kaelen’s first strike was fast and brutal, a wave of dark energy hit me, knocking me backward. The force threw me off my feet, and I slammed against the wall of the arena, pain exploding in my head. Stars filled my vision as I slumped against the stone, barely able to make out Raphael standing in the pavilion, his worry cutting through the fog in my mind. He half-stood fear on his face, but Caleb’s hand on his shoulder stopped him from jumping into the arena as his stance looked like he was about to.
The shock of hitting the wall snapped me back to reality, and suddenly, my mind was clearer. The dizziness faded just enough, and I could feel Maya waking up inside me, her strength coming back. Looks like the pain was what my body needed to heal.
“Are you with me, Maya?” I whispered, a fierce ascertainment building in my chest.
“Always,” she growled, her voice now stronger. I looked towards Kalaen, the bastard was smiling. I will wipe off that sardonic smile from his face.
I pushed off the wall, getting ready as Kaelen prepared his next spell, dark energy sparking between his fingers. But this time, I was ready. With Maya by my side, I could see through the Kalaen’s tricks and shadows.
He sent another bolt of dark energy at me, but I dodged it, guided by Maya’s sharp instincts. We moved together, my hands channeling our combined power, a force alive with heat and strength.
Kaelen’s expression changed, his smug grin fading as he realized I wasn’t the weak opponent he thought he’d been playing with. I struck back, sending my fists flying toward the shield he had created round him. The impact of my fist continuously pounding on the shield cracked through his shield of darkness. He staggered, his eyes wide, but quickly recovered, summoning a twisting wall of shadows to block me.
Maya surged forward, and I matched her fierce energy, letting her instincts guide my movements. We dodged Kaelen’s attacks, closing in until we were close enough to strike. With one final strike of my fist, I unleashed our power on him, breaking through his defenses. The force sent him sprawling, his spells vanishing into nothing.
The arena fell silent as Kaelen lay defeated, his face twisted in shock and disbelief.
I looked up at the stands, my gaze meeting Raphael’s. Relief washed over his face, and he broke into a proud smile, his shoulders relaxing. The worry in his eyes was gone, replaced by pride.
I took a deep breath, feeling the last bits of dizziness leave me as Maya and I shared the victory. We had fought through the darkness and won.
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