Chapter 5

The Bloodfang charged in full motion against the trio. The forest erupted in chaos.

Elric unsheathed his sword. Snarls broke through the air. The Bloodfang warriors charged like shadows unleashed.

Elara threw her cloak aside, her hands glowing with wind magic. She whispered something, and a gust of wind knocked two wolves off their feet.

But there were too many.

Elric pulled me behind him. "Stay close," he growled, unsheathing a sleek black sword from his back. Its edge shimmered under the moonlight.

I stared. "You… you fight?"

His jaw was clenched. "I was raised human, remember? We don't get claws. We get steel."

Without waiting, he surged forward. The blade danced in his hands with terrifying precision. One swing, and a Bloodfang dropped, clutching his bleeding side.

Another leapt at him—Elric turned, ducked, drove the sword through his stomach.

|Steel instead of fangs.|

Elara summoned vines from the earth, wrapping around another warrior's legs, but more poured in.

I stepped back, my heart thundering. I wasn't trained. I had no sword, no control over the fire still simmering inside me. I was the cause of this, and still—I felt useless.

Until a wolf lunged at Elric's back.

"No!" I screamed, And the fire came.

Bright and angry, it roared from my hands, not as a controlled flame but like a wave—slamming into the attacker, sending him flying into a tree.

I gasped, blinking.

Elric turned, eyes wide.

"You—"

"I didn't mean to—"

"You saved me," he said, looking stunned.

Before I could respond, another wolf tackled him from the side. The sword flew from his hand. He hit the ground hard, the wolf on top of him.

"Elric!"

I ran and grabbed a fallen dagger, then swiftly drove it into the wolf's side.

It yelped, and rolled off, and Elric jumped to his feet, grabbing his sword again. Blood trickled down his arm, but he nodded at me.

"We fight together," he said.

Something swelled in my chest.

We turned, back to back, as the last of the Bloodfang circled. Elara was battling two at once, blood dripping from her lip but her hands still glowing.

One lunged at me—I ducked, twisted, and sent a burst of flame right into his chest. He collapsed.

Another came at Elric. He blocked, parried, sliced the wolf's thigh, then slammed the hilt into his jaw.

Only one remained.

He was larger, older, with silver streaks in his hair. The leader.

He stared at me. "You are Mira, born of flame."

"I am."

He smiled cruelly. "Then you are death."

He launched himself forward—fast, faster than the others.

Elric moved to block, but he was too far. I raised my hands, fire ready—but the leader twisted mid-air, dodging it, and struck me hard across the face.

I fell to the dried leafy ground.

The world spun. Blood filled my mouth.

The leader raised his claws—but then Elric was there.

His Sword in hand, he clashed with the wolf, steel against claws. Sparks flew. The ground shook with each blow.

Elric grunted. The leader slashed his side. Elric cried out but didn't fall. He spun, slashed across the wolf's back. The leader howled.

I pushed myself up, my head pounding.

Elric was staggering now. He is Wounded.

"No." I felt it rising inside me again. Not fire—but fury.

I stood up and Screamed.

Flames burst from me in a column, not directed by thought, but by need. It engulfed the wolf leader.

He turned in shock—then screamed as the fire wrapped around him.

His body lit up like paper. He staggered, and fell to his knees—then turned to ash.

Silence fell.

Elric collapsed to one knee. Elara ran to him, healing magic already in her hands.

I stood in the clearing, heart pounding, staring at what I'd done.

"I killed him," I whispered.

"No," Elara said, looking at me. "You saved us."

I turned to Elric. "Are you okay?"

He looked up at me, bloodied but alive. "You're terrifying," he said.

I blinked.

Then he smiled. "But thank you."

I knelt beside him, suddenly too aware of how close we were.

"Let me see," I said, reaching for the wound on his side.

He hissed as I pulled the torn shirt aside.

The cut was deep. I pressed my hand to it, letting the warmth from my palm ease the pain. Not magic—just… comfort.

He looked at me, his eyes unreadable. "You didn't hesitate. You ran into the fight."

"I couldn't let you die."

Our faces were inches apart now. His breath mingled with mine. His hand, still holding his sword, dropped slowly to the grass.

"I don't trust easily," he said hoarsely. "But with you—"

I leaned closer, unsure if it was me or him closing the gap. My heart raced, and just before our lips touchedElara's voice shattered the moment.

"We need to go. Others will come."

I jerked back.

Elric cleared his throat, standing slowly. He didn't look at me again.

But Elara did.

She had seen everything.