The air was thick with tension as Velkor’s dark presence filled the clearing. His eyes gleamed from beneath the hood of his cloak, and the shadows around him seemed to deepen, warping in unnatural ways. The Alpha wolf, still snarling and pacing, was only a few feet away, its amber eyes fixed on Eryk as if waiting for the signal to strike. The forest had gone completely still—nothing moved except for the rustle of the wolves' fur and the shifting of Kael’s feet in the damp earth.

Kael stood in front of Eryk, his body rigid, sword raised in a defensive stance. “You won’t have him,” he said through clenched teeth, his voice steady but strained. “Not today, Velkor.”

The sorcerer’s lips curled into a wicked smile. "You think you can protect him?" His voice was cold and smooth, like a blade sliding across flesh. “You are so much weaker than you realize.”

Velkor stepped forward, his hands raised, fingers twitching as if weaving unseen threads of power in the air. The very ground seemed to tremble in response, and Eryk could feel a shift, like something ancient and malevolent was waking.

“Kael, get back,” Eryk whispered urgently, his voice trembling. The magic inside him was starting to stir again, hotter, more frantic this time. His pulse pounded in his temples as the power rose, pushing against his ribs, threatening to break free. He could feel it, that pull, like a hungry beast just beneath the surface of his skin.

Kael turned to him, eyes wide with concern, but his words were firm. “No, Eryk. You have to control it. Don’t let it take you again.”

“I can’t—” Eryk started, but his words were cut off by the howl of the Alpha wolf. The beast lunged, its fangs bared, its claws reaching for Kael. But Kael was fast, darting to the side just in time, his sword flashing as it made contact with the wolf’s side.

The Alpha growled, blood staining the earth beneath it, but the creature was undeterred, its eyes blazing with fury. Eryk’s body screamed at him to do something, to act. His fingers curled into fists at his sides as the magic roiled within him.

“You want him, Velkor?” Eryk’s voice was low, a growl almost. “Then come and take him.”

Kael’s eyes darted toward him, panic flickering behind the steely resolve. “Eryk, no! You can’t—”

But it was too late. The power inside him erupted like a tidal wave.

A surge of raw, unfiltered magic blasted from Eryk’s chest, and the forest around them seemed to recoil in horror. The earth cracked beneath his feet, branches twisted, and the air filled with the deafening sound of wind howling through the trees. Velkor staggered back, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the blinding light that had flooded the clearing.

Eryk’s body trembled violently as the magic poured out of him. His vision blurred, everything swirling in a chaotic mix of light and dark. He could feel it—the wolf, the bloodline, the untamed power—surging through him, merging with his very essence. It was as if the forest itself had come alive inside him, and he couldn’t stop it.

Kael’s voice was muffled, distant. “Eryk, you’re losing control! Please, fight it!”

But it was as if Eryk was no longer in control of his own body. His hands glowed with an eerie blue light, his fingers crackling with energy that pulsed with the rhythm of his heartbeat. The wolves snarled and circled, but they were wary now, sensing the power that Eryk wielded.

Velkor's face twisted in a sneer as he stepped forward again, unfazed by the blast of magic. “You think this power will save you, boy? You have no idea what you’re dealing with.”

Eryk’s lips parted as he tried to speak, but no words came. Instead, the magic surged within him, thrumming with anger and fear. It was too much to contain. It was like an entire storm had been unleashed, a violent force that couldn’t be controlled, not by someone so young, so unprepared.

"Shut up!" Eryk shouted, his voice shaking with the weight of the power inside him. "Leave me alone!" His words were followed by another burst of energy, this time in the form of a blinding pulse that sent the wolves scattering, their yelps echoing through the trees.

The ground trembled again, the trees bending and creaking under the force of Eryk’s magic. But even in the midst of the chaos, Eryk felt something shift. His heartbeat slowed, his vision clearing slightly. He realized then that he wasn’t alone in this storm.

Kael’s presence was still there, a solid anchor in the maelstrom of his thoughts. Through the haze of power, Eryk could see Kael, still standing firm, despite the dangers surrounding them. Kael’s eyes never left him, never wavered.

“Eryk,” Kael’s voice was firm, cutting through the roar of magic. “Listen to me. You are in control. You just have to trust yourself.”

Eryk’s head snapped up, his breath ragged, the power still pulsing in his veins. “I can’t... I don’t know how…”

“You do know. It’s inside you, just like this power is. You are the prince. You’re stronger than this,” Kael said, his voice full of conviction. “But you have to remember who you are. Not just the magic, but the person you’ve always been. You can fight this.”

A flood of memories hit Eryk—his father’s teachings, his mother’s warmth, Kael’s steady presence beside him. A slow, uncertain realization began to form. The power didn’t define him. It was a part of him, yes, but it wasn’t all that he was.

“I... I can control it,” Eryk whispered, more to himself than anyone else. His hands began to tremble again, but this time, he wasn’t afraid. The magic inside him was wild, but it didn’t have to consume him. He didn’t have to let it win.

With a sharp exhale, Eryk clenched his fists. The blue glow around his hands flickered, then began to settle. The violent storm inside him began to calm, and for the first time, he felt a sense of control. He could feel the power now—like a fire smoldering just beneath the surface, not raging out of control, but waiting to be called upon when needed.

Kael’s eyes softened as he watched Eryk. “That’s it, Eryk. You’ve got this.”

Eryk nodded, his heart still racing, but now with purpose. He turned to face Velkor, who was watching him with a mixture of amusement and something darker—perhaps fear, or something else altogether.

“You think you can control me?” Eryk said, his voice steady now. The magic still buzzed beneath his skin, but it was his to command. “You don’t know what I’m capable of.”

Velkor’s sneer faltered for a moment, and that moment of hesitation was all Eryk needed. The Alpha wolf lunged again, but this time, Eryk raised a hand, and the creature froze in midair, suspended by an invisible force. The wolf snarled in frustration, its body writhing, but it couldn’t move.

The magic thrummed in Eryk’s veins, but it wasn’t chaos now. It was clarity. It was focus.

“You’re not in control here,” Eryk said quietly, his gaze locked on Velkor. “I am.”

With a final push, he threw the Alpha wolf back into the trees, the creature crashing into the trunk with a deafening thud. It didn’t move again.

Velkor’s eyes widened, his hand tightening on the dark staff he carried. “You are strong,” he said, his voice darkening with a new edge of fear. “But strength alone will not save you, Prince.”

Eryk took a step forward, his eyes never leaving Velkor. “You’re wrong. I will save myself.”

The battle was far from over, but for the first time, Eryk understood one thing clearly: he was not just the prince. He was the storm. And he was ready to face whatever came next.