Heart of Radiance | Eternal Bonds: Book 3

Chapter Eighteen

AN: Hello and welcome to Chapter Eighteen! We'll be starting in Gabriel's head again and staying there throughout the chapter. Hope you all enjoy! Be sure to drop some comments as you read! Now onward and forward to Chapter Eighteen!

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*Gabriel*

I was back out on the field the next morning with Melisande.

"Where's Queen Starlene?" Melisande asked.

"She won't be joining us today," I told Melisande. Starlene had decided to spend some time with Calder. And I didn't blame her. She and Calder had just completed a very intense journey and were most likely exhausted. They needed a day to themselves to rest and recuperate.

"So what's my task today?" Melisande asked.

"Your task today is to defeat me," I told her.

She sighed.

"If I couldn't defeat your sister, how am I supposed to defeat you?" she asked.

"You're here to learn and get stronger," I told her, "I stand before you as a challenge, face me."

Melisande nodded and her hands began to glow. The sky above us darkened and I smirked. She looked up and gasped. Lightning began to rain down on her and she quickly threw up a shield to protect herself. But her shield quickly began to fade.

"Concentrate, Melisande!" I told her, "Feel the shield around you! Remember, a strong shield gives you shelter and without one, you're as good as dead."

Melisande struggled to maintain her shield. I could see the beads of sweat on her forehead as she fought to keep her shield up.

"You're a powerful faerie, Melisande," I told her, "You're the daughter of Lysander, the most powerful among the faeries."

Melisande's shield collapsed and she fell to the ground. I stopped the lightning and turned to her.

Now some might question my methods, but I wasn't here to coddle Melisande or treat her like a Princess. I was here to train her to fight Nysa.

"Get up, Melisande," I told her, "You're so much stronger than this."

"How do you know that?" Melisande asked.

"Because I've seen you use your powers in the woods," I told her, "You can beat Nysa."

"No I can't!" she protested, "Don't you see?! I can't even keep a shield up! How am I supposed to stand up to Nysa?!"

I sighed.

"I know facing Nysa seems daunting right now," I told her.

Melisande sighed and stood up.

"I don't think I can do this," she admitted.

"Do you know what your problem is?" I asked. She raised an eyebrow at me, so I continued, "You don't have any faith in yourself. And until you do, you won't stand a chance against Nysa."

Melisande looked away. She knew I was right.

I sighed.