Enchanter's Journey

Chapter 3: Awakening the Dark

As they saw the red eyes and the darkness approaching, Zachary and Eramos both felt a wave of fear wash over them. Their hearts raced, and their breathing became shallow. But as they stood frozen in fear, Ermos  took a deep breath and his eyes narrowed with determination, he knows what they need to do. 

Zachary stood between Ermos and Lyra, his hands raised in a defensive stance. "Eramos, we can't just kill her. There has to be another way."

Ermos glared at Lyra, his eyes filled with hatred. "She's too far gone, Zachary. The darkness has consumed her completely. The only way to stop her is to end her."

Lyra stood silent, her eyes fixed on Ermos. Zachary could see the struggle within her, the battle between the light and dark forces raging within her soul.

"Please, Ermos," Zachary pleaded. "We can't just give up on her."

Ermos lifted his staff and prepared to unleash a powerful blast of mystical energy towards Lyra. Zachary's heart sank as him take aim at the possessed girl.

"Stop, Ermos! We can find another way!" Zachary pleaded, but Ermos didn't listen.

"This is the only way, Zachary," he replied, his voice filled with determination.

Just as Ermos was about to release the energy, Zachary sprang into action. With lightning-fast reflexes, he darted in front of Lyra and pushed her out of harm's way. The energy blast hit the ground behind them, causing the earth to shake and the air to ripple with energy.

Lyra looked up at Zachary, tears streaming down her face. She was terrified and confused, but she could sense that Zachary was trying to protect her. Ermos was furious at Zachary for interfering, but his anger quickly turned to concern as Lyra raised her staff and prepared to strike.

The three of them stood in a tense standoff, each one ready to attack or defend at a moment's notice. Zachary could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to come up with a plan. He knew that they needed to find a way to cure Lyra, but he didn't know how.

Lyra's eyes glowed with an otherworldly light as she took a step forward. Ermos readied his staff, but Zachary put up his hands in a gesture of peace.

"Lyra do you remember me?" he said. "We don't want to fight you,we want to help you."

Lyra hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering and changing colors. Zachary saw an opportunity and stepped closer, his hand outstretched.

"Let us help you," he said softly. 

Ermos turned to Zachary and began to speak. " It seems that whatever control Lyra has over her powers is weaker in this realm, and she's more susceptible to losing control."

Zachary's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"Back on Earth, Lyra's were almost uncontrollable. She would lose herself to them, and it was almost impossible to bring her back. But here, it's different. I can sense that her hold on her powers is weaker, which means she's more vulnerable."

Ermos nodded. "Precisely, we have the advantage. We need to use it to our advantage and find a way to break control."

Lyra began to scream and thrash about, throwing herself to the ground as she battled whatever entity was attempting to subjugate her mind. She fought against the control that sought to dominate her will, determined to overcome it, but ultimately she failed. As she lunged towards Zachary, caught off guard, Ermos reacted with lightning-fast reflexes, conjuring a field of energy that materialized as a cage, blocking her from reaching him.

The energy field appeared as an impenetrable barrier, trapping Lyra within its confines. She snarled and clawed at the barrier, but it held strong, preventing her from getting to Zachary. Ermos watched on, his eyes fixed on Lyra, his expression a mixture of determination and concern.