Then, my eyes widened as Magnus raised his hand and there was ominous energy crackling around him. I steeled my nerves and though I may have doubted myself in that moment of surprises, I was prepared to give everything I had to protect those I held dear.
The battle was about to begin, and I knew that my very survival might hang in the balance. But I was determined to fight, to prove that even in the face of overwhelming darkness, the light within me would never be extinguished.
I moved as fast as I could to catch him off guard and I targeted the fiery orb because it was my mission, but then I noticed the petals of the flowers slowly withering. Time was the essence and I had to leave immediately, or I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore.

Blowing gently upon the flower, its petals danced through the air, creating a swirling spectacle around me. Gradually, I began to fade away, transported back into reality. Gasping for air, I awoke on the stone table. Xavier and Alexandra, their eyes filled with tears, immediately embraced me as soon as they saw my eyes open.
"We thought we had lost you! You weren't breathing for an hour!" Alexandra exclaimed through her tears.
"I survived! Stop crying, for I am still alive and kicking," I reassured them.
Xavier clung to me tightly, his embrace almost suffocating. "Please, don't leave us again," he pleaded.
If I had to endure death repeatedly for the sake of those I cared about, I would do so willingly, time and time again. Then, I remembered the days I was imprisoned in the dungeon, where no matter how loudly I cried for help, no one came to my rescue.
But that old self was long gone, buried in the past. I had grown stronger and more capable. Although I remained far from being able to defeat HIM, I was making progress with each step forward.

"We must return to the city and aid those who are fighting on our side. We know that Magnus is taking action, amassing an army of rogues by kidnapping innocent mortals. Let us stand with them and offer our help," I proposed.
Thoughts of Luke consumed my mind, leaving me with a sense of unease and causing a cold sweat to trickle down my spine. Suddenly, a feeling of dread gripped me, as if something was terribly wrong.
Could it be related to Luke? What could possibly be happening?
In that moment, the tranquility of the room shattered as a glass window shattered, causing a dead raven to fall lifelessly to the ground. To my astonishment, the raven transformed into a piece of paper, bearing mysterious writings.

"I have your mate. Come and surrender the orb," the chilling message on the paper read, sending a shiver down my spine.
I was overwhelmed by a jumble of emotions, unsure of what to feel at this moment. Anger towards myself or my enemy? Fear for Luke's safety? Anxiety about the consequences of my decisions? My mind was consumed by irrational thoughts, overshadowed by fear and uncertainty. But how did he even know about Luke?
“He got Luke!” I panicked but since I was wounded, and Magnus had managed to inflict severe damage on me, I had a hard time healing myself, so Alexandra attended to my wounds, especially with the wound I already incurred due to the silver knife.
"You should rest now and try not to overthink," Alexandra advised.
"How can I? I'm restless and filled with self-doubt. I never anticipated that he would target Luke, using him as bait against me. Now, my mate is being used against me," I lamented.
"And you won't fall into his trap, right? If he gains possession of the orbs from the pillars, he won't spare your life or your mate's. None of us would be spared. This is an incredibly challenging situation for you, but trust me when I say there is a lesser evil choice. You need to think critically, but for now, rest," Alexandra convinced me.
I nodded, lying down on the bed that was available. Although sleep beckoned, I found myself trembling with fear, my mind conjuring the worst possible scenarios.
My desire to save Luke, my cherished gem, was undeniable, but I also had to consider the greater sacrifice at stake. Countless lives depended on my ability to put an end to HIS madness.
Fortunately, I didn’t believe the message because when I checked on Luke, he was doing fine in Lancaster. When I told him about it, he just laughed and assured me that I had nothing to worry about.
And he was right! It was Luke who trained me to fight so no one would get to him that easily. He wouldn’t go down without a fight! Then, I informed him that we were heading to Jim’s place where hunters were training to fight against rogues. Luke promised he would try to be there.
Despite my need for rest, we arrived at Jim’s base—an undisclosed warehouse, hidden away from prying eyes. The sight that greeted us was disheartening. The people here were all wounded, unable to fight in their current state. I knew they had faced unimaginable numbers of enemies. Was it Magnus? When I saw Jimuel, I immediately went to him, but then I felt bad for my friend. He had no idea that his father was a minion to the evil Magnus.
“What’s wrong, Jim?”
"The attack was meticulously planned, catching us off guard. They came in overwhelming numbers. We fought valiantly and managed to survive, but the toll has been immense. We have sustained significant damage, Isabella. Just who are these people? Why are they so strong? They weren’t the same as the rogues we fought before!" he complained.
“They are monsters,” I said, and then I surveyed their injuries—bandages wrapped around limbs, deep cuts, and severe wounds that seemed impossible to heal without resorting to extraordinary measures.
"Come together, gather in one area," I commanded.
Utilizing my healing abilities, I began to mend their wounds. Like water spouting forth from their damaged arms and injuries, their bodies rejuvenated, appearing brand new without a single scratch. However, the process exerted a significant drain on me.
After resting, I decided that we couldn’t just wait until Magnus would decide to attack us. We had to do it first. We should be the one to catch him off guard. So, I gathered all of them to discuss my plan.
"Then, is everyone in agreement about infiltrating the enemy's base tonight? We couldn’t just wait for him, Xavier. We need to attack him first! So, shall we do it tonight?”