Page 27 of Sundered By Fate

He couldn't hold on much longer; he needed help.

And with that thought, a dark voice slithered through his mind—Malekith pulling at him again.

You are strong enough, it whispered.Stronger than you know. But you must let go of your fear—embrace the power within you.

Aric felt weightless, untethered as he considered the offer. He'd spent so long fighting against the darkness inside him; so long denying his true nature.

But maybe that was the problem; maybe he'd been holding back for too long.

With a shout of defiance, Aric opened himself fully to the magic coursing through him—letting it pour out in a dazzling display of light and shadow.

Aric attempted to channel the forces of magic into a barrier spell, but the vortex resisted him, its energy pulsing with a life of its own. It lashed out at him with tendrils of emerald power, knocking him back and nearly sending him tumbling off his feet.

Aric struggled to maintain his balance, his mind racing. The vortex's power was immense, far beyond anything he'd ever encountered before. It was like trying to dam a river with his bare hands.

But as he fought to regain control, he felt a strange sensation building within him—a wellspring of power that he'd never known before. It was a heady rush, filling him with a sense of invincibility and euphoria.

But it was also terrifying. He had no idea where this new power had come from, or what it might do to him if he gave in to it.

Aric hesitated, unsure. Was this the result of the magic he'd learned from Malekith? A side effect of the bond that had formed between them? Or was it something else entirely—something darker and more dangerous?

He didn't know. All he knew was that he needed to do something, and quickly. The vortex's energy was growing stronger by the second, threatening to tear Thornhaven apart.

With a deep breath, Aric reached for the new power within him, hoping that it would be enough.

The demon horde advanced with terrifying speed, their infernal chants growing louder as they closed in on the town. Aric's heart pounded as he watched the massive demon lord leading them—a hulking behemoth of muscle and rage, wreathed in dark fire.

But the closer it came, the more it seemed to fixate on Aric, its eyes blazing with an unholy hunger.

The anomaly's power surged around them, the very air crackling with malevolent energy. The wards that had protected Thornhaven were buckling under the weight of the magical storm, and the earth churned, unsteady his feet.

They were running out of time.

Desperation clawed at him, but Aric refused to give in to it. He couldn't let these creatures claim this place—couldn't let them snuff out the lives that had flourished here in defiance of the darkness.

Not now. Not when he was so close to understanding what he'd glimpsed in those dreadful visions.

Aric reached within himself, seeking out the mysterious power that had been growing inside him. It pulsed like a living thing, waiting to be unleashed.

As the demon lord loomed closer, Aric surrendered to it.

Golden energy surged through him, filling every cell with a searing heat. It was almost too much to bear—a burning torrent hungry to devour him whole.

But as he embraced it, he felt something else within him shift—a darkness that writhed and struggled against the light.

No. Not now.

With an iron will, he forced it back down—suppressing the shadowy presence that had haunted him for so long.

With newfound strength, Aric faced the anomaly. He extended his hands, golden energy sizzling between his fingers. The air around him shimmered with power as he began an intricate series of magical gestures.

The anomaly resisted, its chaotic energies fighting against Aric's attempts to contain it. Aric gritted his teeth, pushing harder, feeling the strain of the massive magical undertaking. Sweat trickled down his brow, his reserves of magic dwindling.

But still he pressed on, drawing on every last drop of strength and knowledge he possessed.

As Aric continued his magical assault on the anomaly, he experienced flashes of insight—glimpses of ancient knowledge and forgotten spells. The golden energy flowing through him seemed to carry whispers of long-lost magical lore.

Aric instinctively incorporated these new techniques into his spellwork, his actions becoming more fluid and powerful with each passing moment. He wove the threads of magic together with a precision that felt almost instinctual—as if he were merely remembering how to do it, rather than learning for the first time.

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