WHISPERS OF ETERNITY

tween Kael and the approaching hunter, her blade raised defensively, eyes narrowed in concentration.

f reacting to the presence of their adversary. The Dominion hunter was no ordinary soldier; his eyes gleamed with a

ice steady but tinged with irritation.

there was no humor in it. "I follow orders

ing quietly within him since he had claimed it, surged again, sending a twinge of heat through his chest. The temptation to use

ounding clash, sparks flying from the force of the impact. She was fast-faster than Kael had expected-but the hunter was n

of Lyssa's attacks and countering with a swift slash of his own. She barely

difficulty. Her movements were starting to slow. Kael felt a stab of panic. She w

ispers in his mind growing louder. It was a strange sensation, one that tugged at his very

e couldn't watch Lyssa fight al

pping forward, the shard s

filled with frustration and c

urge through him. A brilliant flash of light erupted from the crystal, and suddenly,

disoriented by the intensity of the l

e tinged with something resemb

The power it offered him felt almost too much to bear, but it was also exhilarating. He could feel his senses heightening, ever

ide, avoiding the strike and bringing his hand down in a fluid motion. The shard's power rippled outward, sending a pulse of force tha

nstinct alone. He grabbed the hunter by the wrist and twisted, forcing the man to his knees. The hunt

is voice a low growl. "But you d

e energy crackling inside him felt intoxicating, overwhelming. He could end it now-end the hunter's

ard's light dimmed, its intensity fading as he regained so

e took the hunter's sword and pointed it at him. "Get up,

would refuse, but then, as if weighed by an unseen force, he rose to his fee

venom. "The Dominion will not stop. We will find yo

into the shadows, his figure vanishin

ered within him, buzzing in his veins, but the dangerous exhilaration that had fil

what he had j

-

is spiraling thoughts. "Are you okay?" she aske

he was lying to her or to himself. "

e path ahead. "We need to move. The hunter's right. The Dominion

heavy cloak. They were far from safe, and now, with the shard's powe

w-a figure marked by the shard, caught between the d

"We need to find answers. We need to know what

ished into the night, unaware that