Aeliana glanced at Leona, her face montarily falling as she recalled the events leading up to their capture. She had been so focused on rescuing Leona from the orcs and getting out alive, she hadn't spared a thought for Lucian. A pang of guilt hit her stomach as she realized how much danger he was still in, especially considering what had transpired before.
"Where is Lucian?" Leona asked again, this ti her voice more urgent, a worried frown creasing her brow.
Aeliana hesitated for a mont before she spoke. "We… We were separated when we encountered the orcs. I was focused on getting to you and making sure you were safe." Her eyes fell to the ground. "Lucian was worried, but when the orcs attacked, I—I had to make sure you were safe."
Leona's gaze sharpened, and she stood straighter, her concern for Lucian more pronounced now. "Then we must find him, Aeliana. We can't afford to leave him behind. If he's still out there—"
"I know," Aeliana interrupted, her voice firm as she straightened her posture. "I've already sent a few scouts looking for him. I should've thought ahead, but we were too focused on getting you out. I promise we'll find him."
Father Seraphiel, who had been following closely behind, added his thoughts. "We cannot be too careful. If Lucian is still in the area, then we must move quickly. The orcs may have more patrols around here."
Aeliana nodded, grateful for the priest's words of wisdom. She knew they couldn't waste any more ti. Every passing minute increased the risk of them losing Lucian for good.
Suddenly, a voice interrupted the tension in the air. "Aeliana." It was Skye, who had been trailing behind them, a serious expression on his face. "I think I know where Lucian might be."
Aeliana turned toward him, her eyes searching his face, hoping for a glimr of good news. "You do?"
Skye nodded, glancing briefly at Leona, then back at Aeliana. "There's an old ruin a few miles west of here. It's isolated, hard to reach, and from what I can tell, it's been used by so less-than-friendly people in the past. If Lucian's been captured or left behind, that's probably where they would've taken him."
Aeliana's heart skipped a beat. The idea that Lucian could be locked away sowhere in a ruined fortress—or worse—made her insides twist with dread. But she knew they couldn't waste ti. She turned to Leona and Father Seraphiel.
"We're going," Aeliana said decisively. "Stay close. I'll lead the way. Skye, you co with us."
Father Seraphiel nodded, adjusting his robe. "We'll need to be cautious. The ruins may be filled with danger beyond just the orcs. We must not rush into anything without thinking."
Leona clenched her fists, her face set in determination. "If Lucian is there, we will get him back, no matter the cost."
As they set off in the direction Skye had indicated, the dense forest around them grew quieter. It wasn't long before the path beca harder to follow, overgrown with vines and thick trees. The journey, which started as a race against ti, quickly turned into a dangerous trek through unknown terrain.
Skye stayed at the front, leading the group with surprising ease, despite the difficult landscape. Aeliana, following closely behind, couldn't help but notice how natural he seed in the wild. His movents were purposeful and silent, like soone accustod to navigating dense forests and evading dangers. But there was sothing else there—a darker, more calculating edge to him that she couldn't quite place.
Father Seraphiel was a few paces behind her, and she could hear him murmuring sothing to himself in low, constant prayer. Leona was close as well, her gaze sweeping the area warily, clearly on edge after their close call with the orcs. Aeliana wanted to reassure her, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything that might make things feel worse.
It wasn't long before the ruins ca into view, a crumbling stone structure half-hidden by the thick trees. The remnants of what had once been an imposing fortress stood eerily still, vines crawling up its broken walls. From this distance, it almost looked like the place was abandoned.
But Aeliana knew better.
"This is it," Skye said quietly, turning back to the group. "Stay alert. I'll go first. The orcs might not be the only ones guarding this place."
Aeliana watched as Skye moved forward, his steps sure and confident. She had mixed feelings about his involvent in this, but for now, he was the best guide they had. Still, there was a nagging feeling in her gut, a sense that sothing was off.
"Stay close," she whispered to Leona and Father Seraphiel, gripping her staff tightly. The stakes were higher now. They weren't just looking for Lucian anymore—they were stepping into a dangerous unknown where everything was uncertain.
They moved closer to the ruined walls, the once-mighty fortress now a crumbling shadow of its forr self. As they approached the entrance, Aeliana's heart pounded harder in her chest, knowing that whatever awaited them inside, it was sure to be dangerous.
With a silent nod, Skye led them inside.
As the group carefully approached the ruins, Aeliana's mind was swirling with worry for Lucian. Though she trusted her comrades, she couldn't shake the fear that sothing terrible had happened to him. Despite all the plans and actions they'd taken, he was still out there, and the uncertainty gnawed at her.
Suddenly, in the middle of their stealthy movent, Aeliana was jostled from behind by a passing figure. A sudden push from the crowded path knocked her off balance, and she fell harshly to the ground, her hands scraping against the rough dirt beneath her.
"Aeliana!" Leona exclaid, rushing over to help her up, but before either woman could react further, a shadow lood over them. It was Skye, moving fast toward the fallen Aeliana. In a flash, he extended his hand to help her up. But as Aeliana rose, their faces were re inches apart.
Skye didn't hesitate. He leaned forward, catching her lips in a sudden, unexpected kiss. The shock of the mont sent Aeliana's heart racing, and for a brief second, her thoughts went blank. She couldn't comprehend why Skye would do such a thing in the middle of this life-or-death mission.
But the second that Skye's lips left hers, a surge of energy seed to radiate through the air. Nearby, hidden in the shadows, a pair of familiar eyes glowed with anger—Lucian.
The mont he saw Skye and Aeliana, his anger exploded. His eyes turned a violent shade of gold, the beastly aura he often kept controlled rushing to the surface. Kael, who had been walking just behind Lucian, quickly noticed the change in his friend's deanor.
"Lucian—wait! Not here!" Kael shouted, trying to grab hold of him, but it was too late. Lucian had already leaped forward with incredible speed, charging toward the ruins where Aeliana and Skye had just been.
His body seed to twist and contort with power. The air around him vibrated with energy, and the ground seed to tremble underfoot. His once calm and collected deanor now replaced with feral rage.
"Aeliana!" he roared, his voice distorted by the beast growing within him. "Where is she?!" His beastly form was erging, and Kael had no choice but to jump into action.
"Lucian, calm down!" Kael grabbed his arm, attempting to hold him back, but Lucian swiped him aside with a single movent, sending Kael tumbling to the ground. His strength and speed were unmatched when in this state.
Lucian could barely comprehend what had just happened. He had felt the brief, flickering sensation of Skye's lips on Aeliana's, and it ignited a fire within him. Every inch of him burned with jealousy and rage. He couldn't focus on the words being spoken around him. All he could see was the image of Aeliana, and all he could feel was the overwhelming need to protect her.
"Kael, I need to find her," Lucian growled, his voice strained and distorted, as the beast inside him clawed at his consciousness. "She's in danger. I won't let anyone hurt her."
Kael struggled to get to his feet, wiping the dirt from his face. "Lucian, you're not thinking straight. This isn't you. You need to calm down before you tear this entire place apart!"
But it was no use. Lucian was consud by the fury. His form had shifted fully into his beast state, and his movents were quick and erratic, lashing out at anyone who dared stand in his way.
"Skye," Lucian snarled, his voice full of venom as he glared at the dragonkin. "You think you can touch what's mine and get away with it?"
Skye, standing calmly a few paces back, didn't flinch. Instead, he t Lucian's fiery gaze with a smirk. "I'm just here to protect what interests , Lucian. You, of all people, should understand that."
Kael, seeing that Lucian was beyond reasoning, sighed. "I'll try to help him, but you have to get out of his way. He's too far gone right now."
Lucian wasn't listening. He charged forward again, his beastly instincts taking over as he stord into the ruins.
"Aeliana!" he called out, his voice now raw and guttural. His eyes scanned the area frantically, the air around him crackling with volatile energy. Kael followed closely behind, but there was little hope of controlling Lucian now.
anwhile, back with Skye and the others, Aeliana slowly gathered herself from the shock of what had just happened. The kiss had left her confused, her heart still racing from the unexpected gesture. She felt a mix of emotions swirl within her, but she quickly shook it off.
She turned to look at Skye, her voice trembling. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
Skye simply gave her a lopsided grin. "What? I was just doing what any gentleman would do. Offering you a little help."
But Aeliana wasn't having it. "That wasn't help, that was… a ploy, Skye. You can't just kiss soone like that. We're in the middle of a mission!"
Before Skye could respond, the air around them seed to thicken with tension. Lucian's beastly presence had reached them, and they all could feel it.
Aeliana, with a mixture of panic and worry, turned quickly to Father Seraphiel. "Lucian's in trouble. We need to stop him before he destroys everything in his path."
Without another word, Aeliana rushed in the direction Lucian had gone, hoping against hope that she could reach him before things got even worse.
As the team ventured deeper into the ruins, the sounds of Lucian's rampage could be heard in the distance. Aeliana's heart pounded in her chest. She had to get to him, she had to stop him before he hurt anyone… especially Skye.
"Lucian!" she shouted as she neared the source of the chaos. "You need to stop!"
Lucian's eyes locked onto her, his expression raw and wild. But when he saw her, there was a flicker of recognition in his eyes, and the beast within him seed to hesitate.
"Aeliana… I—" Lucian's voice softened slightly, but it was clear he was still fighting the beast inside.
"Lucian, listen to !" Aeliana shouted, moving closer to him. "This isn't you! You have to control it. You can't let it take over. You have to fight it!"
But whether Lucian could resist was still uncertain, and the mont of calm between them was fleeting.
Kael, still recovering from being thrown to the ground, joined Aeliana, his voice firm. "Lucian, you're stronger than this. We believe in you. You just have to fight it."
Lucian's eyes flickered with the remnants of his human consciousness. He clenched his fists, shaking.
"Aeliana… Kael," he growled, the beast raging beneath his skin. "I… I will control it. I won't hurt anyone… but I need you to help . Please."
Aeliana stepped forward, placing a hand on his arm, her touch soft and steady. "You're not alone, Lucian. We're here with you."
And for the first ti since his transformation, Lucian's eyes cleared, even if just for a mont.
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