Page 36 of Elven Oath

I swoop down, unleashing a torrent of fire, scorching the ground beneath us. Falkor and Drago do the same, their roars shaking the earth. But the enemy was relentless, and more wizards appeared, their dark spells slamming into us, trying to force us down.

Then, out of nowhere, I heard her voice. Aodhan, to your left! Behind the trees!

I hesitate, confused. It wasn’t just any voice, it was Vevina’s voice. In my head. But how?

Before I can process it, I glance left, just in time to see an ambush of men and wizards hiding in the shadows, preparing to launch another volley of magic. I veer sharply, dodging the incoming spells and retaliating with a blast of fire.

Above you! Her voice came again, clear and strong.

I look up and see two wizards perched on the ridge, their hands glowing with magic aimed straight for Falkor. I roar a warning, and Falkor dodges just in time, sending a stream of fire in their direction.

My mind was spinning, caught between the battle and the impossible fact that Vevina was speaking to me. How are you doing this? I ask, though I wasn’t sure if she could even hear me in return.

I don’t know, she replies, her voice strained but focused. But I can sense them. I can feel where they are, and I can warn you. Just trust me!

I had no choice but to trust her. Every time she called out a direction or a warning, it saved us from a potential blow. And every time, I marveled at the strange connection between us.

Vevina

The air was thick with the scent of smoke and magic, crackling like a storm about to break. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing with fear, adrenaline, and something I couldn’t quite name.

As I called out warnings to Aodhan and the others, guiding them away from danger, I felt a strange, warm energy stirring inside me. It was like a pulse, an awareness beyond my senses, tethering me to Aodhan’s movements in the sky above.

This shouldn’t be happening, I thought. I shouldn’t be able to do this.

But there was no time to question it. I could feel the enemy everywhere, creeping in the shadows, hiding in the trees, waiting to strike again. My mind was racing, keeping track of every movement, every flicker of magic in the air. And then I saw it. A blast of dark magic aimed directly at Aodhan.

“No!” I screamed, my voice lost in the chaos.

Instinctively, my hands shot out toward him, though I knew it was useless. He was too far, and I had no way to stop the blast. But as my fingers stretched forward, I felt a surge of power unlike anything I had ever known, rushing up from deep within me. It built in my chest, spiraling through my arms, and before I even realized what was happening, a burst of light exploded from my palms.

It formed a shimmering, glowing barrier that erupted between Aodhan and the incoming spell. Blocking the dark magic from reaching him.

The spell slammed into the shield with a resounding crack, sending shockwaves through the air, but it held tight. I watched in disbelief as the energy dissipated, my hands still trembling, glowing with the remnants of power.

“What... what did I just do?” I whisper, half to myself.

Aodhan swoops down, his massive dragon form casting a shadow over me, and for a split second, our eyes meet. I could see the shock mirrored in his golden eyes, the same disbelief that gripped me.

But there wasn’t time to dwell on it. Another volley of attacks came, and I gritted my teeth, focusing on the strange new power coursing through me.

I could feel it now, pulsing beneath my skin like a river of light. I didn’t know where it came from, but I could direct it.

I raised my hands again, willing the shield to form once more, and it did, shimmering brighter than before. I blocked another incoming spell, then another, my hands moving with a grace I had never known.

With Aodhan and his friends fighting fiercely in their dragon forms, and me protecting them from the wizards' magic, we were finally turning the tide of the battle. Falkor roars, sending a blast of fire toward a cluster of enemies hiding behind the rocks. Drago follows him, his flame sweeping through the forest, cutting off the wizards' retreat.

I grab the dagger at my waist, the one that had turned into a sword during our last attack, and braced myself.

One of the wizards hurls another spell at me, dark tendrils of magic snaking through the air, and I instinctively summon the shield again, blocking the attack just before it reaches me.

It was then that I realize something terrifying: I was meant for this. This magic, this power. It had always been inside me, waiting for the right moment to emerge. And now, in the midst of battle, it had found its purpose.

Suddenly, the tide shifts. The men fighting alongside the wizards begin to falter, their movements sluggish as they realize they are losing.

Aodhan and his friends pressed their advantage, cutting down the remaining attackers with swift, brutal precision. With every blast of dragon fire, with every swing of a sword, the enemy lines broke.

The last of the wizards tried to retreat, but Aodhan wasn’t letting them escape easily. He dove from the sky, flames trailing behind him like a comet, and with a final roar, he sent a wall of fire across the river, chasing the rest into the trees.

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