Chapter 27: Changes In Adelie

Adelie

Kairos’ punch was coming straight at me, but I managed to catch it mid-air. It wasn’t a light punch, he was really trying to hit me. Did he think I would dodge it?

I was holding his fist so tightly that when I finally released it, my fingerprints were imprinted on his skin. I hadn’t realized how much strength I was using.

I looked up and saw a playful smirk on Kairos’ face. I couldn’t return his smile. I didn’t understand what was happening to me. I felt a strange, boiling sensation inside me. I was afraid to hit Kairos back, scared I might hurt him.

Kairos didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping the training. He took two steps towards me, but I stepped back. “Once the fight has started, you can’t back out,” he said. But I didn’t want this fight. I didn’t think Kairos understood how I was feeling. I needed to release this strange energy inside me. It felt toxic.

I wanted to tell him I didn’t want to fight, but the words wouldn’t come out. I felt an overwhelming urge to destroy something. I shook my head, hoping he would understand. I felt like my head was about to explode from the tension.

“It’s okay,” Kairos whispered. But it wasn’t okay. I wanted to tell him something was wrong, but I couldn’t find the words.

Kairos lunged at me, trying to tackle me to the ground. But as soon as he touched me, I pushed him away. He fell to the ground with a thud. I was shocked at my own strength. Kairos got up and looked at me.

Releasing my energy like this made me feel better, but it wasn’t enough. I could tell Kairos was in pain from my throw. He tried to hide it, but I could feel his pain.

He started walking towards me again, but I backed away. I didn’t want to hurt him. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. The crowd was watching us.

I shook my head at Kairos and started to back away faster. “Adelie. Stop!” he shouted. But I couldn’t stop. I needed to release this energy.

So I ran. I ran to the forest, the place where I usually went to recharge.

I didn’t know if Kairos was following me. I stopped in a dense part of the forest and fell to my knees. I tried to drain my energy, but it wasn’t working. I needed something more.

I felt like my heart was about to explode. I was desperate. I prayed to Mother Nature, not knowing what was happening or how to stop it.

I felt Kairos next to me. He tried to hug me, but I pushed him away. He stumbled back from the force. “Adelie,” he called out to me, but I didn’t respond.

I got up and ran to a sturdy-looking tree. Just thinking about what I was about to do eased my mind.

I stood in front of the tree and punched it with all my strength. I expected my hand to be crushed from the impact. Instead, a burst of light exploded from my fist and everything went dark.

My eyes fluttered open, struggling to adjust to the glaring brightness. It felt as though I’d been transported to another realm. Gone were my training clothes, replaced by a flowing white dress that danced in the breeze. My hair, now naturally curled, brushed against my back. I examined my hand, expecting to see signs of damage, but there was nothing. It was as if nothing had happened at all.

I took in my surroundings. It was the same location in the Night Walkers pack forest, by the lake next to the grand tree. The view was familiar, but everything seemed more enchanting, bathed in a golden glow with a mist swirling around my feet.

I glanced down at the crystal-clear water lapping at my feet and felt an inexplicable urge to touch it. As my fingers broke the surface, tiny electric sparks erupted. Something—or rather, someone—began to rise from the depths.

“Mother!” I cried out, disbelief coloring my voice. Could it really be her standing before me?

She was as stunning as ever in her full nymph form, her long hair cascading to her waist in beautiful curls. Her eyes were radiant, sparkling with light. She extended her hand to me and I took it without hesitation, stepping further into the water.

“My child,” she said, her voice sweet and gentle, echoing around us. “Your time has come,” she added, her smile warm.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. “My time?” I echoed. What did she mean? Was I about to die? “Time for what?”

“You are ready to fulfill the prophecy. You have risen from death and water. You are the one who will bring peace to nature and quench the thirst for blood,” she explained, though I still didn’t understand what it meant or how to accomplish it.

“Make me proud, do the right thing,” she urged, releasing my hands and beginning to retreat into the deeper water.

I tried to follow her, but the water felt heavier, more resistant. “When?” I called after her. When would this prophesied time come?

She glanced back at me over her shoulder. “You will know,” she assured me, a smirk playing on her lips.

“And what about father?” I asked. Her smile faltered for a moment, but she didn’t look sad. Her eyes remained warm and kind.

“You will figure it out. I have faith in you,” she said, her form disappearing beneath the water’s surface. It was like watching her fall off a cliff...she was gone.

She hadn’t answered my questions as I’d hoped, but my mother had taught me much about the mythical world. She once told me that not many creatures beyond the human world can see everything, as it could be dangerous if the wrong entity gained that knowledge. I knew my mother had information about my father and the prophecy, but there were things she couldn’t tell me.

I stood in the water as waves began to crash against me. A storm seemed to be brewing around me. I tried to reach the shore, but the water held me back. I couldn’t run, it was too difficult.

The wind picked up, whipping my hair into my face and obscuring my vision. My cheeks stung from the harsh wind, slicing against my skin like razor blades. I looked up just in time to see a bolt of lightning strike the grand tree, causing a massive branch to break off and fall directly towards me. I was rooted to the spot, unable to move.

Everything around me seemed to swirl and then the branch hit me, plunging me into the deep water. The water seemed bottomless as I sank further and further down. I was freezing, feeling like a block of ice. Just as I noticed a light below, my body shut down again.

I could feel myself lying on something soft. I was warm. Even with my eyes closed, I could sense someone standing next to me. I recognized the scent—it was Kairos. Only he could make my heart flutter with anticipation.

My eyes fluttered open, grateful for the dim lighting that didn’t assault my senses. I took in my surroundings, realizing I was in my own room with Kairos standing vigilantly by my bedside. A sense of renewal washed over me, as if I’d been reborn. There was no lingering discomfort or unease. I felt good, finally.

“How long have I been out?” I asked Kairos, pushing myself up into a sitting position.

“All day. Jasmin checked on you. She said it was just an energy outburst and you’d be fine,” Kairos filled me in.

“Is she still here?” I asked.

“She never left. And I’m glad she didn’t, even if she is…” Kairos trailed off, his gaze drifting to the window before returning to me. “The way she is, she’s the only one who can help with things like this. And help me when I push you too hard and cause this,” he admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor.

“It wasn’t your fault,” I reassured him.

“Adelie, I don’t know your limits, and I keep thinking I can help you grow stronger, but I can’t. You’re different in every way. I’m sorry. I guess I thought I could train you like everyone else in the pack,” he confessed.

He chuckled, then continued, “I can’t train someone stronger than me. I’ll do everything I can to find you a worthy teacher to help you become the best,” he promised, turning to leave. But I couldn’t let him go, not now.

I didn’t blame Kairos for what happened, but he blamed himself. His desire for me to become stronger resonated with my wolf. I sprang from the bed, rushing to Kairos.

As he turned to face me, I stood on my tiptoes, cradling his face in my hands as I kissed him. He responded instantly, and though I was the one to break the kiss, I stayed close. “I love you,” I whispered, looking into his eyes.

“I love you,” he echoed, taking my hands and kissing them. “Are you feeling better now?” he asked, and I nodded. “Good timing, then. Alpha Hans and his pack are leaving soon. Do you want to say goodbye?” he asked. I knew what he wanted me to say, but I needed closure with Hans. I wasn’t looking forward to seeing him again, but I needed to make peace.