Her Immortal Love (Brides of the Vrakken #2)

11. Alina

11

ALINA

T he ground trembles beneath my feet as the vrakken forces gather. I stand at the center, surrounded by other humans who've discovered their magical abilities. The air crackles with tension and raw power.

"Remember your training," a gruff vrakken commander barks. "Work together. Amplify each other's strengths."

I nod, trying to quell the nausea rising in my throat. This isn't some small skirmish - it's a full-scale assault that could determine the fate of this war. And I'm expected to be a key player.

The first wave of dark elves crashes against our lines like a tide of shadow and malice. Magic erupts all around me as my fellow humans unleash their powers. Bolts of lightning, walls of flame, gusts of wind - the elements themselves seem to bend to our will.

I focus, drawing on the wellspring of energy within me. It surges through my body, making my skin tingle and my hair stand on end. With a cry, I release a shockwave of pure force that sends a group of charging elves flying backward.

"Good!" shouts Elena, another human magic-user beside me. "Now, let's try combining our powers!"

We clasp hands, and I feel her energy intertwining with mine. Together, we create a swirling vortex of wind and force that tears through the enemy ranks. The devastation we cause is both exhilarating and terrifying.

The battle rages on, a chaotic storm of magic and violence. I lose track of time, moving from one crisis to the next. My powers respond more easily now, but each blast leaves me more drained. Sweat pours down my face, and my muscles scream with fatigue.

A piercing shriek cuts through the din. I look up to see a massive, winged creature descending from the sky, ridden by a dark elf in elaborate armor. Lightning crackles around them as they dive towards our position.

"Alina!" Elena yells. "We need to stop that thing!"

Gritting my teeth, I gather every ounce of power I have left. Elena grabs my hand, and I feel the other magic-users around us doing the same. Our energies merge, building to a crescendo that makes the very air vibrate.

With a collective shout, we unleash a beam of pure, concentrated magic towards the diving pair. It strikes them head-on, enveloping both rider and mount in searing light. When the glare fades, there's nothing left but ash drifting on the wind.

The sight of such destruction leaves me reeling. I stagger, nearly collapsing as the magnitude of what we've just done hits me. But there's no time to process it - the battle still rages, and our side is pressing the advantage.

The raw power surges through me, a torrent of energy that threatens to tear me apart. My body trembles, every nerve ending alight with sensation. I've never felt anything like this before - it's terrifying and intoxicating all at once.

I raise my hands, and the air around me shimmers with potential. With a thought, I conjure a swirling vortex of wind and lightning. It dances between my fingertips, eager to be unleashed. The sheer magnitude of what I'm capable of is staggering.

"Alina, on your left!" Elena shouts.

I turn, seeing a group of dark elves charging towards us. Without hesitation, I release the storm I've created. It roars across the battlefield, picking up speed and intensity. The elves are swept off their feet, their bodies crackling with electricity as they're tossed like ragdolls.

A laugh bubbles up from my chest, wild and unrestrained. Is this how gods feel? The rush is indescribable, a high beyond anything I've ever experienced. For a moment, I forget about the horror of war, lost in the pure ecstasy of wielding such incredible power.

But then I see the aftermath. The elves lie broken and smoldering on the ground, their limbs twisted at unnatural angles. The smell of burned flesh reaches my nostrils, and my stomach lurches. Did I do this? How easily I snuffed out their lives, as if they were nothing more than insects.

My hands shake as I lower them, bile rising in my throat. The exhilaration is still there, humming beneath my skin, but now it's tainted with revulsion. I'm horrified by how good it felt, how easily I slipped into the role of destroyer.

"Keep it together," I mutter to myself, trying to regain focus. But the image of those broken bodies is seared into my mind. I've become something I never thought possible - a weapon of mass destruction. The realization is as terrifying as it is thrilling.

The magic courses through me, a relentless torrent of power that both exhilarates and terrifies. I've lost count of how many spells I've cast, how many lives I've ended or saved. The battlefield blurs into a chaotic mess of blood, smoke, and crackling energy.

But something's wrong. My body screams in protest with each new surge of magic. My muscles spasm, and a dull ache spreads from my core to my extremities. I grit my teeth, pushing through the pain. There are still so many people to protect - vrakken and humans alike caught in this nightmare.

"Alina, we need cover!" Elena shouts, her voice hoarse from exertion.

I nod, raising my trembling hands. The air shimmers as I weave a protective barrier around our group. The effort sends shockwaves of agony through my body. I gasp, nearly losing my concentration.

"Are you okay?" Elena asks, concern etched on her dirt-streaked face.

"I'm fine," I lie, forcing a smile. "Just tired."

But I'm far from fine. Each spell feels like it's tearing me apart from the inside. My vision blurs, and I taste copper in my mouth. Is this the price of wielding such power? Am I burning myself up from within?

A group of dark elves breaks through our lines, heading straight for a cluster of injured vrakken. Without thinking, I unleash a blast of pure force. The elves go flying, but the backlash hits me like a physical blow. I double over, coughing violently. When I pull my hand away from my mouth, it's speckled with blood.

"Alina!" Elena cries, rushing to my side.

I wave her off, straightening up despite the protest of every nerve in my body. "We can't stop now," I rasp. "Too many people are counting on us."

The battle rages on, and I push myself beyond what I thought possible. Each spell is a struggle, my body rebelling against the constant abuse. But I can't give up. I won't. Not when I see the fear in the eyes of the humans we're protecting, or the grudging respect from the vrakken who fight alongside us.

My world narrows to a series of moments - casting, pain, brief respite, then casting again. I lose all sense of time, existing only in this cycle of agony and desperate action. But even as my body fails, my resolve strengthens. I will not let this war claim any more innocent lives, no matter the cost to myself.

I gasp for breath, my legs trembling beneath me. The magic that once flowed so easily now feels like molten lead in my veins. Sweat stings my eyes as I struggle to maintain the protective barrier around our group.

"They're coming!" Elena shouts, her voice tinged with panic.

I look up, my heart sinking. A wave of dark elves surges towards us, their eyes gleaming with malice. I try to summon another burst of power, but my body rebels. Pain lances through me, and I stagger, nearly falling to my knees.

"Alina, we need you!" someone cries.

I grit my teeth, forcing myself to stand straight. With a hoarse cry, I unleash what little magic I have left. A feeble shockwave ripples out, barely slowing the advancing elves.

"No," I whisper, horror dawning as I realize my power is spent.

The dark elves sense my weakness. Their assault intensifies, focusing on my position. Spells crackle through the air, slamming into my weakening barrier. Each impact sends jolts of agony through my body.

"Fall back!" I yell to the others, knowing I can't hold out much longer.

But it's too late. My shield shatters with a sound like breaking glass. The backlash sends me sprawling to the ground, my ears ringing. I try to push myself up, but my arms give out.

The dark elves are upon us now, their weapons raised for the killing blow. I look around desperately, searching for help, but our forces are scattered and overwhelmed.

This is it, I realize with terrifying clarity. I'm going to die here, on this alien world, so far from everything I've ever known.