The walking time to the Tenebris Mountains would take at least five days.Besides Marcus, only five Shadow agents accompanied Shandra and the demons for the impending raid. According to Alpha himself, a significant number of men could attract the wrong kind of attention.Infiltration would be impossible, as everyone inside knew each other, and those who were not known were exhaustively interrogated. So the plan was simple: Marcus would go as the new Clan Leader to discuss situations, create new alliances, and gather valuable information about distant battles that could or could not interfere with their own affairs.Sam and Julian would assume different human forms instead of their usual ones. When Shandra asked if it would be useless since demons and other creatures were recognized by their smell, Marcus simply told her not to worry and that everything had already been taken care of.When they stopped to have lunch, Shandra was amazed to see Marcus and the other werewolves devouring a

Shandra was completely, utterly, undeniably tired.The past few days had been cold, confusing, exhausting, and far from peaceful.In the rare moments when she managed to eat or rest, it always felt like it would be her last. Apparently, even in small numbers, her auras, scents, and energies seemed to attract the attention of other creatures and fantastical beings.Nevertheless, Shandra was grateful. Grateful first and foremost for the training she had undergone when she was in Zirun, which had given her the opportunity not only to defend herself but also to help others in combat.And she was also grateful to the demons and to Marcus, who, despite all the difficulties encountered along the way, remained undeterred and cleared the path for her.They were less than three days away from their destination. The young woman was nervous to arrive soon, yet increasingly fearful.Now the members of the Shadow, the human, the Alpha, and the demons were near a lake that Marcus called "The Cauldro

Trembling from head to toe, Shandra slowly let the lightning in her mind and hands subside. She took a deep breath, containing her own fury and destructive potential, calming herself in the process.Then, as the sparks finally faded away completely, she sighed.And fell to her knees on the ground, gasping for breath and extremely tired.Immediately, everyone rushed to her, their faces filled with concern."Shandra," murmured Sam, sitting down and embracing her.The girl simply looked at him."I did it," she said, smiling.After being embraced by Sam, Shandra looked around, meeting the worried gazes of her companions. Julian, his voice choked, broke the tense silence."Shandra, you scared us," he said sincerely, his expression reflecting the concern he felt for her. "You faced such immense power, so dangerous... We were afraid of losing you."Julian's words hung in the air, lingering as a reminder of the danger they had all faced. The relief of seeing Shandra triumph mixed with the ten

Julian's words echo in Shandra's mind like an explosion, leaving her stunned and wounded. Eluna, Sam's former betrothed, also shared a Blood Fusion with him. A mix of shock, betrayal, and disappointment swirls within her, causing her to tremble with restrained emotions.She turns to Sam, her eyes shining with a mixture of pain and anger. What she sees in his eyes is a blend of guilt and remorse. Silence hangs in the air as she tries to process this devastating revelation.Around them, no one interferes, only watching the turn of events between the Vanguard and the Beacon of Light."Why didn't you tell me?" she whispers, her voice filled with despair. "I thought... we shared everything. How could you hide something so important from me?"Sam looks at her, his lips moving, but no words come out. The pain in his eyes is palpable, and Shandra can feel the internal struggle he's facing."I couldn't," he finally manages to say.The girl completely loses her composure. Blue flames surround h

The sweat dripping down Shandra's face is hot, almost like lava, and produces terribly unsettling sensations on her cold, shivering skin. Tremors and spasms take over her body, and her eyes blink without stopping as, in desperation, the young woman tries to regain control.She remembers Marcus' words in her magic training, when they were still testing the limits of Shandra's magic. She asked the Alpha when exhaustion began, and he explained to her that there were two stages.The first had already happened to her in Fairy Town, which was the most common form of burnout. The second was the most dangerous and lethal, as it could destroy the magic bearer's body from the inside out.With each violent jolt that took hold of the girl's arms, legs and torso, the greater was Shandra's desire to cry, but even this she could no longer do.The sounds of the world also oscillated. The tree on fire seemed to scream louder and louder, only to fall silent the next instant as if it had never started.