Page 5 of Her Immortal Love

I stare in awe as Nyx lowers her hands, sweat beading on her brow. "A wildspont," she gasps. "I've tapped into it. It won't hold forever, but it gives us time to regroup."

The dark elves fall back, clearly wary of the pulsing magical barrier. I survey our battered defenses, already formulating plans for fortification.

"Well done, Alexei," Nyx says, her voice carrying a note of respect I've never heard before. "Your quick thinking saved lives today."

I nod, allowing myself a moment of pride. But as I watch the dark elves regroup in the distance, I know this is far from over. We've survived our first battle on Protheka, but the war has only just begun.

I'm not sure where Akeldama has gone. But he has disappeared, and I try to swallow down the disappointment. The only thing keeping from overwhelming me is that the dark elves' gods didn't intervene either.

Like they'd rather watch their creations war.

Nyx quickly gathers a small group of us, ushering us away from the crowd. I follow quickly, my muscles aching from the recent battle. The air is thick with tension as our small group assembles. Brinda's fiery hair is singed at the edges, whileRaziel's usually immaculate appearance is marred by dirt and blood.

Nyx's voice cuts through the murmurs. "We need a plan, and we need it now."

All eyes turn to me as I clear my throat. "We're facing a two-front war," I begin, drawing on my diplomatic training. "The dark elves on one side, and our own survival on the other. We can't afford to lose a single vrakken in battle, but we also can't sustain ourselves without..." I hesitate, the words tasting bitter in my mouth. "Without the humans."

Brinda scoffs. "They're food, nothing more."

I shake my head. "They're a resource, yes, and as such, the dark elves will target them as a weak spot. They will keep us going, and more importantly, they're our only source of new vrakken."

Raziel nods slowly. "He's right. We need to protect them, not just as food, but as our future."

Nyx's eyes narrow as she considers this. "What do you propose, Alexei?"

I take a deep breath. "We fortify the human encampment. Make it our most defensible position. It serves two purposes – protecting our... food supply, and creating a buffer zone between us and any future attacks."

"And who's going to oversee this?" Brinda asks, her tone challenging.

Nyx's gaze locks onto mine. "Alexei will. You understand them better than any of us. You'll guard the encampment and... manage our resources."

I feel a knot form in my stomach. The thought of being so close to humans, of being responsible for their lives while also seeing them as food... It's almost too much. But I nod, accepting the assignment.

As the meeting concludes and we file out, I can't shake the conflicting emotions roiling within me. I'm a vrakken now, but the memory of my humanity lingers. How will I balance the need to protect these humans with the instinct to feed on them?

I make my way towards the human encampment, steeling myself for what's to come. The responsibility weighs heavily on my shoulders, but I know it's crucial for our survival. As I approach, their eyes flicker to me, fear and hope warring on their faces.

This isn't going to be easy.

4

ALINA

Ihuddle with the other humans, our fear palpable as the sounds of battle rage in the distance. The clash of weapons and otherworldly shrieks echo through the air, each new sound making me flinch. My mind races, trying to make sense of this alien world and the creatures that inhabit it. How did I end up here? One moment I was in Greece, the next... this nightmare.

Suddenly, a group of gray-skinned beings with pointed ears rushes towards our enclosure. Their eyes gleam with malice, weapons raised high, catching the eerie light. Panic surges through me, my heart pounding so hard I can barely breathe. Without thinking, I thrust my hands out in a desperate attempt to ward them off, a scream caught in my throat.

A rush of energy explodes from my palms. It's like nothing I've ever felt before - hot and cold at the same time, crackling with power that makes my skin tingle and my hair stand on end. The air around me shimmers and distorts, forming a translucent barrier between us and our attackers. I gasp, stunned by what I've done, but I don't dare lower my hands.

The gray-skinned creatures slam into the barrier, their expressions changing from bloodlust to shock. They bounce off,stumbling backward. Some fall to the ground with grunts and curses, while others regain their footing and retreat, casting fearful glances over their shoulders. I stand there, trembling, my hands still outstretched, wondering what the hell just happened and how long I can keep this up.

I stare at my hands in disbelief. They're tingling, small sparks of energy dancing across my fingertips. "What the hell?" I whisper, my voice shaking.

The other humans around me gape, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. I feel their stares boring into me, and it only intensifies the surreal nature of what just happened.

My mind struggles to process this new reality. I'm a scientist, trained to observe and analyze, but this defies all logic. Magic isn't real. It can't be. Yet the evidence is right here, literally at my fingertips.

I flex my fingers, watching as small arcs of energy jump between them. It's beautiful and terrifying all at once. Part of me wants to explore this newfound ability, to understand its limits and potential. The rational part of my brain screams that this is impossible, that I must be hallucinating or dreaming.

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