Chapter 6 The Power Within

POV: Lyla I strode back and forth in the eerily silent training fields, with my heart thumping in my ears. Lorenzo had been bedridden since collapsing during our most recent session, and even his pack's healers were baffled by his condition. I balled my fists, the image of his agonized face burning in my brain. I had no doubt that he had been holding back. But why had he fallen to his knees like that, and what secret was he keeping? I noticed the full moon looming large in the night sky as a gust of wind tousled my hair. I felt a familiar sense of strength and horror as its gleaming light filled the clearing. Since my rebirth, I have found it difficult to control the immense energy that now coursed through my veins, the legacy of the Moon Goddess herself. It appeared suddenly, slashing out in flashes of fire and light that made me wince. I tried to concentrate by closing my eyes and using my newfound strength. But like a wild animal that would not be tamed, it appeared to elude me more and more the more I tried to control it. I gasped and bent over as a sharp pain shot through my abdomen. My unborn child's death, torn from me in that last terrible instant, was a wound that would not go away. The effects of that experience still plagued me as I stood on the threshold of a new future. A future I knew nothing of. With tears running down my cheeks, I fell to my knees. Why had the Goddess assigned this responsibility to me, of all people? A continual reminder of everything I had lost, the power was a curse. I spun around, my senses alert, as a nearby twig snapped. I saw movement there, in the darkness, a figure dashing quickly back into the trees. My brows narrowed, and I chased after him without hesitation. Fueled by my rage and resolve, tendrils of energy sparked at my fingertips. When my safety was on the line, I wouldn't be turned away. The figure scuttled through the brush, but I persisted, moving with a basic instinct that I had never known before. I saw a familiar face as I drew closer: one of Lorenzo's reliable advisors, a man I had previously regarded as an ally. "Traitor!" The force in my voice seemed to ricochet through the air as I growled. The man winced and his eyes widened in terror. He stumbled, "I-I don't know what you're talking about," and held up his hands in a conciliatory manner. I moved forward, surrounded by throbbing, crackling electricity. "Don't tell me lies. I caught a glimpse of you lurking in the shadows, preparing to deceive Lorenzo." Panic twisted his face, and he turned to run. However, I was quicker, and my iron grip closed around his arm. “Why are you here in the dark?’ Who are you with?" I demanded, my fingers tightening as I looked around, hoping to find someone else but there was none. The man's confidence crumbled as he winced. "I promise, I have no idea! I don’t know what you’re talking about! Please let me go!” I had a wave of disgust, my inner strength raging like a storm. “You dare lie to me?” I smirked. “Let me show you what happens to people that lie to me,” then. I closed my eyes and reached inside, looking for the source of energy I had been fighting to contain. And I didn't hold back this time. We were both engulfed in a dazzling show of fire and light as the power burst outward. His flesh sizzled under the assault as the man shrieked. I gazed in awe as his features twisted in pain. And I realized then that I had the ability to ruin him—to- to end his treachery once and for all. However, I felt a sharp wave of nausea even as I was thinking about it. One so concentrated, the energy started to lose control and started swinging in all directions. I let out a cry, struggling to control the surging flood as my focus faltered. Sensing his opportunity, the man yanked himself free and ran away, vanishing into the night. My body shook as I fell to the floor. It was too overwhelming, too much force. I had experienced its euphoric power, but I had also let loose a force beyond my control. Desperate to regain some control, I curled in on myself, tears of dread and frustration streaming down my face. However, the energy kept rising and pulse, a living, breathing entity that threatened to consume me. A new feeling suddenly started to emerge in the middle of the chaos: a link, a thread that appeared to reach into the shadows. My thoughts reached out, trying to find its source, and I grabbed at it. All of a sudden, I was not in the clearing but rather somewhere dark and hostile. Jason was standing in the middle of everything, his eyes glistening with a perverted triumph. He had something in the works, something dark and extensive. I saw glimmers of it, pieces of a plan that threatened to swallow us all up. I realized then that I needed to alert Lorenzo in order to somehow avert this looming catastrophe. However, despite my efforts to distance myself, to sever the connection, Jason's gaze snapped towards me, a predatory smile spreading across his face. "Well, well, my dear Lyla," he purred, his voice laced with a chilling amusement. "It seems you've been learning some new tricks." His teasing caused me to flinch, my inner strength erupting. "Stay away from me, Jason," I snarled, sounding almost familiar. I could hear his icy, ruthless laughter echoing in my head, sending a chill down my spine. I'm only getting started, though. A very unpleasant revelation awaits you and your priceless luggage. As the link weakened, I felt like I was being drawn back to the clearing and the tremendous energy storm that was about to overwhelm me. However, Jason's last words remained, a terrifying assurance that made me shudder in fear, even as I was torn away. "Sweet dreams my dear Lydia, this is just the beginning.”