Page 24 of Favored By the Stars

"Thorn!" Her voice cut through my panic like a blade through silk. "You need to let her find her own strength! You know this journey is about more than just you or me; it's about her finding who she is."

Her words rang true and settled like stones in my heart, grounding me amidst turmoil. Still, doubt clawed at my insides. I had watched Senara struggle too often, watched her wrestle with shadows that mirrored my own insecurities.

"Trust," I muttered under my breath, half-convinced myself. Trust felt like a luxury we couldn't afford right now.

Kaelyn stepped closer and placed a hand on my shoulder, squeezing gently. "We both know what she can do, what she's capable of when she embraces herself."

I clenched my jaw but nodded slowly, taking a deep breath to steady myself. She deserved this chance; we both did.

With renewed determination, I turned toward the portal that had appeared, watching it as it pulsed with magic. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and I knew that the portal, whatever it was, wasn't our exit. It was just a distraction.

Spinning on my heel, I turned to face the oncoming threat, blade raised into a defensive stance, which was lucky since a new shadow had come to fight. My chest tightened as I locked gazes with myself. Only this version of me was completely feral, corruption lining my, it's, skin. As our blades clashed and the sound of metal on metal reverberated through the air, I felt a seed of doubt sprout in my heart. Was this a fight I could actually win?

The feral version of myself lunged at me, teeth bared and eyes ablaze with a twisted hunger. I barely dodged the first strike, my heart racing as I barely brought my blade up in time to deflect the second. The clang of steel echoed through the grove, each blow sending vibrations through my arm.

"You're weak!" it snarled, voice dripping with venom. "Look at you! You're afraid of what you might become."

I gritted my teeth, pushing back against the tide of despair threatening to overwhelm me. "You're not me! You're just a reflection of my fears!"

The shadow twisted its lips into a grotesque smile. "Am I? Or am I everything you've tried to bury? The part of you that knows you're not enough?"

With a roar, I charged forward, determined to prove it wrong. Our blades clashed again and again, sparks flying like fireflies in the night. My instincts kicked in, drawing from years of training, of every lesson my father had imparted surged within me.

"You think your strength can save them?" it taunted between strikes. "You'll fail them all!"

"Shut up!" I yelled, swinging my sword with all my might. It caught the shadow's shoulder but felt like cutting through mist. It merely laughed, a sound filled with mockery.

"See? You can't even hurt me." The shadow flickered for a moment, a fleeting hint of uncertainty washing over its features.

In that instant, something shifted within me. I understood now, this wasn't about defeating an enemy; it was about confronting the truth lurking in my heart, the doubts I carried like stones in my soul.

"No," I said firmly, lowering my sword for just a moment as clarity struck like lightning. "You don't get to control me."

I squared my shoulders and took a step closer. "I embrace every part of myself. My fears. My weaknesses. My selfishness and I'll use them as fuel."

The shadow hesitated again, confusion crossing its distorted face.

"It's time to integrate," I declared with newfound conviction. "Time to stop running from what makes me whole."

With every ounce of strength left in me, I raised my sword once more and charged forward, not out of fear or anger, but from acceptance and resolve. This was more than just a fight; this was the beginning of understanding who I truly was, and embracing every aspect of myself.

Of course, this was the moment that Senara erupted from the portal I had been fighting next to and I saw the hunger in the gaze of the feral version of myself, hunger that wasn't related to food at all, it was for her magic, her power, her body, her heart, everything that made Senara who she was, my shadow wanted it.

ChapterTen

Senara

I stepped towards the swirling vortex, my heart pounding. As I approached, the merged portal pulsed with energy, sending waves of heat and cold washing over me. The Moon Blades hummed in my hands, their runes glowing brighter as if in anticipation.

Taking a deep breath, I plunged into the vortex. Instantly, a cacophony of sights and sounds assaulted me. Fragments of ancient texts flashed before my eyes, their words burning into my mind faster than I could comprehend.

Through the chaos, I caught glimpses of Thorn and Kaelyn. They still battled their shadow selves, their faces etched with determination and fear. I reached out, trying to grasp them, to pull them to safety, but they remained just beyond my reach.

The vortex spun faster, the knowledge and visions blurring together until I felt myself beginning to lose my grip on reality. Just when I thought I couldn't take anymore, when I feared the conflicting forces might tear apart me, the Moon Blades blazed to life with silver fire, becoming anchors in the storm of information and emotion. Through them, I guided myself towards Thorn and Kaelyn.

The vortex spun faster, the pressure building to an almost unbearable level. Just when I thought I couldn't hold on any longer, there was a blinding flash of light and a deafening crack.

Suddenly, everything went still.

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