Shadows Entwined (Shadows Descent #3)

25. Violet

25

VIOLET

I instinctively take a step back as Magdeline approaches, my body tensing. “What do you know about the vessel? About me?”

Magdeline’s eyes twinkle with amusement. “Oh, child. I know everything about you. I’ve been watching you since before you were born.”

A chill runs down my spine at her words. “That’s not creepy at all,” I mutter.

Caine steps forward, placing himself slightly in front of me. “And why exactly have you been watching her?”

“Because she is the key,” Magdeline replies simply. “The one who will determine the fate of all realms when the Old Ones return. She is… me.”

“Huh?” I ask after a beat. “You?”

“You asked who banished them in the beginning. That was me.”

“Whoa,” Flint breathes, and I echo the sentiment.

I stare at her with renewed interest and more than a little respect and awe. “How long ago was that?” I ask quietly.

She smiles. “Around three thousand years ago.”

My mouth drops open. “What?”

She lets out a croaky laugh. “Indeed, child. I am old and barely hanging on by a thread. But you are here now. I can leave these realms knowing that my work will be continued.”

She coughs violently, and I lunge forward, taking her arm. “No! You can’t go! Not yet! I don’t know what I’m supposed to do! You have to tell me!”

Magdeline pats my hand gently. “Calm yourself, child. I’m not going anywhere just yet. But my time is limited, so we must make haste.”

She gestures for us to follow her down the passage. As we walk, she talks:

“The Old Ones are beings of immense power and chaos. They ruled over the realms for aeons, toying with mortal lives on a whim. I was born with the ability to channel and control their power. Using that, I was able to banish them to the void between worlds.”

“But now they’re coming back,” Thorne says grimly.

Magdeline nods. “The Convergence weakens the barriers between realms. They’ve been waiting for this moment, gathering their strength, and they have definitely been waiting for you, Violet.”

“Figured. So how do I banish them?”

“You draw on the time and place of your birth.”

For a moment, I think of my human parents, my human life, but then I sigh. “I don’t really know when or where that was.”

“Yes, you do, dear girl. It was right here in a few hours’ time.” She gives me a curious stare, which unnerves me.

“Are you saying that Violet was born at MistHallow during the last Convergence?” Thorne asks.

Magdeline ignores him and talks to me. “You were. Right next to the Nexus, as I was so long ago. That is where your power comes from.”

“From the Nexus? Not from Morgan?”

Magdeline smiles cryptically. “Both, in a way. The Nexus is the source of all magick in this realm. Morgan tapped into that power, as did I long before her. You, my dear, were born of both the Nexus’s raw energy and Morgan’s essence.”

I try to process this new information. “So, I’m not really Morgan’s daughter?”

“You are and you aren’t,” Magdeline says. “Your physical form was created from her, but your spirit, your power, that comes from the Nexus itself. You are a child of magick in its purest form, just like me.”

“That’s why the Old Ones want you so badly,” Caine murmurs. “You’re not just a vessel, you’re a direct link to the source of magick itself.”

Magdeline nods approvingly. “Precisely. Which is why you must not let them take control of you, Violet. If they do, they’ll have access to unlimited power.”

“How exactly am I supposed to stop them?”

“By embracing who and what you truly are,” Magdeline says. “Your power comes from a greater source than theirs. You can outmatch them, with your champions.”

“My champions?”

Magdeline gestures to the three men surrounding me.

“But there are seven of them,” Flint points out. “And only one Violet. Even with us three, we are outnumbered.”

Magdeline’s eyes twinkle. “Are you so sure about that?”

Before I can ask what she means, we emerge into the exact same circular chamber that we left behind. I know it’s the same because Caine’s ice bridge is still in place. “Your warriors,” Magdeline states, waving a hand at the skeletons in the alcoves.

My mouth goes dry. “Uhm.”

“Do not be afraid, child. They will rise when you call on them.”

“Rise?” I croak.

She nods. “Each one is a champion against the Old Regime. They will stand by you and are unable to be corrupted.”

“Because they are bones?” Flint mutters.

“Precisely. No flesh, no soul. Simply an army with one sole purpose.”

“To defeat the Old Ones.”

“To protect the daughter of all magick.”

“Fuck,” I mutter. “I miss the days when I was just Violet.”

“Fear not, sister,” Magdeline says. “I succeeded. You will too. It is our birthright.”

I give her a sour look. “Oh, fun. Are you going to tell me how?”

“I don’t need to. The Nexus will provide you with everything you need in the way of power. The knowledge of how to banish the gods will come to you. You!” she suddenly points a gnarled finger at Flint, making him jump. “You channel the power of Thraxus.”

“Do I?” he stammers.

Magdeline nods firmly at Flint. “Indeed you do, young dragon. Thraxus was the first of your kind. Your power is his power. It flows through your veins. It will be crucial in the coming battle.”

Flint looks stunned. “I... I had no idea.”

“Few do,” Magdeline says. “The knowledge of the true origins of the higher order of supernatural beings has been lost to time. But you, all of you, carry the essence of ancient powers within you.”

Higher order? Is this that fantasy versus paranormal thing again?

She turns to Caine before I can ask. “You, ice demon. Your lineage traces back to the primordial Frost giants who shaped the early worlds. That power of creation and destruction lies dormant in you, waiting to be awakened.”

Caine grips his cane tighter, frost spreading from his fingers. “How do I awaken it?”

“By accepting your true nature,” Magdeline replies. “Embracing the wild power.” She taps the cane.

Finally, she faces Thorne. “And you, child of shadow. Your Fae blood carries echoes of the void itself. The space between realms where even the Old Ones fear to tread. That is your domain, if you choose to claim it.”

Thorne nods once, almost nonchalantly, accepting his role, whatever that may be.

“So, we’re not just Violet’s champions,” Caine muses. “We’re embodiments of ancient powers ourselves.”

“Precisely,” Magdeline says with a pleased smile. “Together, you form a formidable force against the chaos the Old Ones would bring.”

I take a deep breath, trying to process everything. “Okay, so we have these dormant powers. How exactly do we use them to stop seven incredibly powerful beings from taking over reality?”

Magdeline’s expression turns serious. “When the Convergence reaches its peak, you must channel the power of the Nexus and Thraxus’s Crystal through yourself and your champions. Use it to reinforce the barriers between realms and push the Old Ones back into the void.”

“That’s it?” I ask sceptically. “Just channel some power and push?”

She chuckles. “It will not be easy, child. The strain on your body and mind will be immense. But you have something the Old Ones do not. You have a connection to this world, to each other. That bond will be your anchor when the chaos threatens to overwhelm you.”

I nod slowly, glancing at the guys. They each meet my gaze with determination and support.

“There is one more thing,” Magdeline says gravely. “To fully access the power of the Nexus, you must be willing to sacrifice everything.”

I feel my blood run cold at her words. “Sacrifice everything? What does that mean exactly?”

Magdeline’s eyes are filled with sorrow as she meets my gaze. “Your humanity, Violet. You are clinging to some sense of self because it is comforting. It is who you know yourself to be. But in order to fully embrace your destiny as the daughter of all magick, you have to loosen your grip on your human identity. You must be willing to let go of who you were to become who you truly are.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard this before. So, it’s non-negotiable?”

Magdeline’s expression softens. “I know it’s a heavy price, child. But consider this - you’ve already changed so much. You’re no longer fully human. Clinging to that identity is holding you back from reaching your full potential.”

I look to the guys, hoping for some support or alternative, but their expressions are grim. They know she’s right.

“It doesn’t mean forgetting,” Thorne says gently. “Merely evolving beyond it.”

I take a shaky breath. “And if I don’t? If I can’t let go?”

“Then the Old Ones will use that weakness against you,” Magdeline says bluntly. “They will exploit your human attachments and emotions. You must be willing to transcend them.”

I know deep down that Amara, Magdeline and whoever else has mentioned this to me is right. I’m not that girl anymore. I haven’t been for a long time.

I’m going to have to face the music and let go, hoping it will work out in the end because what other choice do I have?