Alina: Light & Shadows

Chapter 9

I had never felt such exhaustion. My legs trembled, my arms felt like lead, and my breath came out in gasps from my lips.

I had won; I had repelled that dark creature. But at what cost?

I looked at my trembling hands, still stained by an invisible shadow. I could feel the power of the darkness still vibrating beneath my skin, a force that I had not fully abandoned, even after the confrontation ended.

It was like a constant presence, hidden, whispering to me from some dark corner of my mind.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kael’s voice was distant, as if he wasn’t really concerned about my condition but rather about what I had just shown.

“Yes,” I replied, even though I knew I was lying. Every muscle in my body screamed in pain, as if an invisible force was tearing me from the inside.

But I couldn’t show weakness in front of him, not after what had happened.

Kael nodded, but his eyes betrayed his hesitation. “You used the power of the shadows in a way I’ve never seen before,” he said. “You controlled that creature with a strength I wouldn’t have believed possible for someone at your level.”

I looked up at him. “Does this mean I’m improving?”

“No,” he replied quickly. “It means you’re becoming more dangerous. To yourself.”

Those words hit me like a punch. I turned away, trying to hide my discomfort. “I thought controlling the shadows was what you wanted.”

“It’s not just about control,” Kael said, moving closer. “It’s about balance. If you use that power too much, if you rely on it excessively, the shadows will consume you. Every time you summon them, you’re giving away a part of yourself. And that part will never come back.”

I felt a shiver run down my spine. It wasn’t just a matter of physical energy. The shadows took something else. Something deeper.

“What are you trying to tell me?” I asked, trying to remain calm.

Kael sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m telling you that the power you possess is like poison. It can give you strength, but it will slowly destroy you from within. You have to learn to control it, or you risk losing yourself forever.”

Those words made me want to scream. I was tired of feeling like a ticking time bomb, constantly on the verge of exploding.

“And how do you manage?” I asked brusquely. “How do you handle your power without it consuming you?”

Kael hesitated, and in that moment, I realized there was so much more behind his story. I had always suspected it, but I had never dared to ask him about his past. But now I could no longer ignore it.

“I don’t manage it,” he said finally, in a low, somber tone. “The shadows have already consumed me once. Now I live trying to keep them at bay, but I know it won’t be forever.”

I looked at him, incredulous.

“Then why do you keep using them? Why do you keep doing what you do, knowing they’re destroying you?”

Kael turned away, staring into the void between the trees. “Because I have no other choice. I’m bound to this power, just as you are. The only difference is that you still have the chance to choose. I lost mine a long time ago.”

Those words struck me hard. I was confused, angry, and scared.

But there was something deeper in what he said. Something I couldn’t fully understand yet.

“What happened to you, Kael?” I asked, my voice calmer now, almost a whisper.

For a moment, I thought he would ignore me. But then he turned to me, his eyes filled with a sadness I had never seen before.

“Not now,” he said simply. “One day I’ll tell you. But not today.”

---

The rest of the day passed in tense silence. I didn’t have the strength to ask more questions, and Kael didn’t seem inclined to give me any answers.

But something inside me had changed.

I felt the shadows stirring, stronger than ever, as if they knew I was starting to question their power.

And with each passing minute, the physical pain I felt became more intense.

When we finally camped for the night, I curled up under the blanket, seeking comfort in the warmth of the fire.

But even the warmth felt distant, as if not even the fire could chase away the cold I felt inside.

I closed my eyes, trying to fall asleep, but the shadows wouldn’t leave me alone. I felt their whispers, indistinct words tangled in my thoughts.

Voices promising me power, freedom, revenge. I was too tired to fight them off, too exhausted to try to banish them.

Then, all of a sudden, one of the voices emerged more clearly. A voice I recognized.

“Alina…”

My heart skipped a beat. I opened my eyes wide, searching for the source of that call. But there was no one, just the dim light of the fire and Kael sleeping a little way off.

“Alina…” The voice returned, more insistent this time. It was sweet, familiar. And it came from within my mind.

“Who are you?” I whispered, my heart racing. But deep down, I already knew the answer.

“I am the one who set all this in motion.”

A shiver ran down my spine. I had never heard that voice before, but at the same time, it felt so… mine.

“What do you want from me?” I asked, feeling my voice crack.

“I want you to understand. The power you possess is not a gift. It’s a curse. And only I can help you break it.”

I felt the shadows moving around me, as if they were reacting to those words. And then, before I could respond, everything went dark.

---

When I woke up the next morning, the world seemed normal. But inside me, I knew something had changed.

The voice I had heard the night before wasn’t a dream.

It was real, and it was tied to me in a way I couldn’t yet comprehend.

Kael watched me as I got up, his gaze as vigilant as always.

“Are you ready?” he asked, showing no trace of what had happened the night before.

But I wasn’t ready. I would never be.