Page 74 of The Fractured Veil

I stood there, my hands trembling, the energy of the storm above buzzing in my ears, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. I could see the brothers fighting with everything they had, their movements fluid and powerful, each of them a force to be reckoned with.

One of the creatures made it past them—coming straight for me. I froze, fear momentarily paralyzing me, but I forced myself to move, stumbling backward, my heart racing in my chest.

"Thalia!" Zarek shouted, his voice filled with panic.

The creature was just a few feet away now. My body reacted before my mind could catch up, a burst of shadows exploding from within me, striking the creature and sending it sprawling backward with a surprised screech.

The sudden release of power left me breathless, my entire body trembling from the effort. The energy I had unleashed felt like it had ripped through every cell of my being—leaving me hollow and in agony. I gasped for breath, each inhale burning my lungs. The creature let out another screech, struggling to its feet—its multiple eyes now narrowed with rage.

"Stay back," Zarek shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos as he moved toward me.

I nodded, still catching my breath, trying to regain some semblance of control. I looked at the creatures, at the chaos that surrounded us, the sheer brutality of the fight. This was my fight, too. I wasn’t going to stand by and watch them protect me. I was going to fight—withthem.

A dozen more creatures were running towards us, their grotesque forms moving with a terrifying speed. Nox was already in motion, his massive paws swiping with lethal precision, while Zarek was now attacking the creatures with his own shadows, which lashed out like whips. Damon's shadows, coiled around the enemy, ripping them apart, pieces of limbs flying through the air.

I pushed my own shadows outwards, creating a protective shield around the brothers, trying to shield them from any blindsided attacks. My heart was pounding in my ears, my focus entirely on protecting them, on keeping them safe.

A searing pain shot through my shoulder, a claw tearing into my flesh. The screech of a creature behind me made my ears ring, the world around me becoming a blur as I was pushed forward, my knees hitting the ground.

A heavy force pinned me down, the weight stealing my breath. Agonizing pain—sharp and searing—radiated through my other shoulder, mirroring the first. It felt as if razors were ripping through skin and muscle, tearing me apart. A guttural growl vibrated above me, hot breath ghosting against my neck. A scream tore from my throat—raw and ragged. My vision blurred with tears as my body began to tremble.

The taste of fear and metal started to fill my mouth. I struggled beneath them, trying to push them off, trying to fight, but they were too strong. Their claws dug into my back, their fangs tearing deeper. I could feel myself slipping, the edges of my vision darkening.

Through the haze of pain, I saw a flash of black—a blur of movement. Nox's deafening roar filled my ears. I felt the weight lift, my body trembling as I tried to push myself up.

Zarek rushed to my side, kneeling beside me, his eyes wide with fear and anger. "Thalia, stay with me," he said urgently, his voice laced with concern. I nodded, though my vision was still blurry, the pain making it hard to focus.

Nox stood protectively in front of us, his body curved and tense, a low, threatening growl rumbling in his chest as he faced the remaining creature. His eyes met mine for a brief moment, filled with a raw fear and desperation that mirrored my own.

Damon's shadows wrapped around the last creature, pulling it away from us with a force that made the ground shake. The creature let out a final, ear-splitting screech before Damon’s shadows tore it apart, the pieces disintegrating into nothingness as he approached us.

Everything fell silent for a moment. The only sound was my ragged breathing and the distant rumble of thunder above. Zarek's arm was still around me, holding me up as I swayed on my feet. Blood was already pooling beneath me, staining the ground a dark, crimson red.

Another screech rang out, this one different—deeper, filled with an agonizing pain that seemed to resonate in my very bones. Taller than the previous creatures, with elongated limbs and hollow, sunken eyes that glowed a dull, eerie red. Their bodies were gaunt, their skin a sickly pale color, and they moved with jerky motions. My heart pounded as they advanced towards us, their movements purposeful and menacing. They carried knives—crude, jagged blades that glinted ominously in the dim light.

Nox's fur bristled as he lowered himself into a defensive stance, his eyes locked on the approaching creatures. Damon and Zarek moved into position beside him, their faces grim, their shadows writhing around them in readiness.

"These are different," Damon muttered, his voice tense. "Stronger."

The creatures let out another low, guttural screech as they lunged, their movements swift and erratic, difficult to predict. Nox sprang forward, his massive form colliding with three of the creatures, his claws raking across, leaving deep gashes in their sickly pale flesh. Damon’s shadows surged forward, wrapping around five, but they fought against the shadows, pushing forward slowly with surprising strength.

I pushed my shadows out again, willing them to solidify—to form a barrier between us and the relentless onslaught of creatures—but they remained wispy, like vapor, too weak to offer any real defense. A wave of dizziness washed over me, the world tilting dangerously as the last of my strength ebbed away. I stumbled, my vision blurring, and just as one of the creatures lunged, a powerful arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me back. Its blade slicing across my chest, sending a fresh wave of agony through me.

We were outnumbered, and they would just keep coming—wave after wave of grotesque, terrifying forms. I felt the fear building inside me, a cold, suffocating dread. I couldn't lose them. They couldn't get hurt because of me.

I screamed—a primal sound born of pure terror and desperation—as my body began to shake uncontrollably, a burst of power burning through me, hotter and more intense than anything I had ever felt before. Pain ripped through every nerve, the force of it making it feel as if I was being torn apart from the inside out. My vision blurred, the grotesque figures in front of me twisting into monstrous, distorted shapes. The ground beneath my feet seemed to tremble, the very air vibrating with the raw power surging through me. I didn't understand what was happening, but I knew—with a terrifying certainty—that something inside me had irrevocably changed.

Everything blurred, the world spinning, as I felt the cold, unforgiving ground beneath me. The ringing in my ears muffled the chaos around me—Damon's enraged roar, Zarek's frantic shouts, Nox's pained growl—all fading into a dull hum. I tried to fight it, to cling to consciousness, but the darkness was a relentless tide, pulling me under, swallowing me whole. The last thing I registered was a chilling wave of cold seeping into my very being, before unconsciousness claimed me in its embrace.

Chapter29

Damon’s POV

The chaos around me was overwhelming—creatures shrieked, shadows twisted, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and decay. Every nerve ending screamed, every muscle coiled tight, ready to spring. And then, cutting through chaos, I heard it—Thalia's scream. The sound ripped through me, turning my blood to ice.

My head snapped up, frantically scanning the carnage.Where is she?The question was a frantic echo in the roaring chaos.What the hell is happening?Panic, raw and unfamiliar, clawed at my throat, choking me. A blinding flash erupted from where Thalia stood, momentarily obliterating the gruesome scene in a searing white light.

The force of it slammed into me, knocking me off my feet. The power was so intense, it vibrated through my bones, resonating deep within my core. A wave of pure energy surged outwards—and yet, inexplicably, it parted around us—around me, Zarek, and Nox. An invisible shield, a pocket of calm in the raging storm, protected us from the blast. I shielded my face, squinting against the brightness. It felt like the entire world was being consumed by this incandescent power.

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