Chapter 3: The Price of Magic

The echo’s claws scraped across the earth as it paced back and forth, its glowing eyes fixed on Kaelen and Elara. The air around them pulsed with its energy, crackling like the static before a storm. Elara’s pulse quickened, but she steadied herself. She had faced death many times, but the creatures of the underworld, bound to a master’s will, were another thing entirely.

Kaelen moved in front of her, his body tense, his magic shimmering around him like an ethereal shield. The glow of the energy wrapped around his hands, lighting his features with an almost unnatural intensity. His eyes were sharp, calculating—he was preparing for something far more dangerous than a simple fight.

Elara’s heart skipped. The magic surrounding Kaelen was different now. It was no longer just the desperate, reactive power he had used earlier. This was controlled, deliberate. She had seen it before, but never like this. It was as if he had become a conduit for the very forces of the world, something darker and deeper than any of the light magic she’d learned in her training.

“You’re not going to let it kill us, are you?” she whispered, her voice betraying the tension she couldn’t quite suppress.

Kaelen didn’t look at her, his focus entirely on the echo. “This is no ordinary fight, Elara. This is about more than survival.”

“What do you mean?” she asked, her voice laced with confusion.

But before he could answer, the echo lunged. Its wings flapped with an ear-piercing screech, sending gusts of wind that threatened to knock them off their feet. Kaelen moved without hesitation, his dagger raised, and in one fluid motion, he sent a burst of magic toward the creature.

The force of the blast collided with the echo midair, and for a moment, it seemed to falter. But then, it roared in fury, a primal sound that echoed through the forest like a death knell. Its body writhed, and it turned its full attention to Kaelen, its glowing eyes burning with malice.

“Elara, stay behind me!” Kaelen barked, but Elara was already moving.

She wasn’t about to stand by while Kaelen did all the work. She’d survived for too long on her own, too long in a kingdom that saw her as nothing more than a pawn to be controlled. She wouldn’t let herself be protected; not this time.

With a cry, she lunged forward, her sword raised high, prepared to strike the echo’s exposed side. The creature twisted in the air with unnerving speed, its claws swiping down at her. Elara barely managed to parry the strike, her sword scraping against the creature’s claws, sending sparks flying.

The echo’s eyes narrowed. It had underestimated her.

Kaelen’s voice rang through her ear as he moved in sync with her. “Don’t fight alone!” He was now at her side, his magic swirling around him, a visible aura of power enveloping his figure. “This thing feeds off your fear, Elara. Don’t let it control you!”

Elara’s breath came in short bursts, her sword a blur as she parried and countered. She could feel the magic in the air growing stronger, but it wasn’t just Kaelen’s. It was a darker, more sinister presence, like something ancient stirring beneath the surface.

Kaelen had said it before: magic always demanded a price.

The echo screeched again, disorienting them both. Before she could react, it darted forward, its wings snapping the air as it lunged at Kaelen, aiming to knock him down. Elara instinctively moved to intercept, but Kaelen was quicker. He thrust his hand out, his magic sending a bolt of energy into the creature’s chest. The echo cried out, but it wasn’t enough to stop it.

Kaelen gritted his teeth as the echo took another swipe at him, its claws just grazing his shoulder. Blood welled from the cut, staining his tunic. Elara’s heart clenched at the sight. She couldn’t let him fall—not now, not when they were so close to uncovering the truth of their connection.

With a flash of inspiration, Elara reached for the power within herself—magic she had never dared to use. Her grandmother’s voice echoed in her mind: “Magic is never without a price, Elara. Use it wisely.”

Elara clenched her fist and raised her hand toward the creature. Her heart pounded as she focused, calling forth the latent magic inside her—the magic that had been dormant for so long. The air around her vibrated, the ground beneath her feet trembling as her power coalesced into a single, focused point.

The echo hesitated, sensing the shift in the air. But it was too late. Elara released the magic.

A burst of radiant energy shot from her hand, engulfing the creature in a flash of blinding light. The echo screeched in pain, its wings flailing wildly as the magic seared through its body. For a moment, it seemed as though the creature might be destroyed, but then it exploded into a cloud of smoke, dissipating into the wind with a haunting wail.

Elara fell to her knees, the energy of the spell leaving her drained. She gasped for air, her body trembling as she struggled to remain upright. She could feel the price of her magic—the intense burn of exhaustion deep within her bones.

Kaelen knelt beside her, his hand on her shoulder, his eyes searching her face with a mix of awe and concern. “You’re going to be all right?” he asked, his voice softer than she had ever heard it before.

Elara swallowed hard, trying to steady her breath. “I’m fine,” she replied, though her voice betrayed her. “But I need to understand. What is this magic? Why does it feel so—wrong?”

Kaelen hesitated before answering, his gaze drifting to the empty space where the echo had once stood. “That magic you just used… it’s part of the prophecy. The magic within you isn’t just any magic, Elara. It’s the essence of the ancient power that ties us together.”

She looked at him, confusion still clouding her mind. “You said before that the prophecy was about us, but I don’t understand. What does it mean that my magic is part of it?”

Kaelen’s gaze darkened, and he slowly stood, pulling her to her feet with him. “It means, Princess, that you’re not just tied to the prophecy. You’re bound by it. Your magic, your power, is the key. But it’s also what makes you a target.”

Elara’s heart sank as she absorbed his words. There was no escape from the prophecy, no running from the inevitable. She had known that for some time, but hearing it aloud, from Kaelen of all people, made it feel more real—more dangerous.

“Who’s after me?” she whispered, almost to herself.

Kaelen’s jaw tightened, his expression unreadable. “Whoever sent that echo… they know exactly who you are. And they’ll stop at nothing to control you.”

A cold chill ran down her spine as she realized the full weight of their situation. They weren’t just fighting for their lives. They were fighting for their very souls.

And the battle was only just beginning.