Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted - Chapter 388

Chapter 388: Ava: Is That Normal?
It feels like an eternity of struggle. Of push and pull, and evil over light. Eventually, Grimoire’s cool touch and its guiding force help restrain my magic and pull me back.

The sensation of temptation leaves me ill, but my focus returns to the small patch of ground in front of me.

My hands shake with relief over feeling like myself again, and I pull frigid air in short, panting breaths. “I don’t understand how you resist it so easily.”

Who said anything about easy? The taint affects everything it touches. The difference lies in how we respond to its call.

He never seems affected. If anything, it’s like he’s almost removed from the effects.

I refuse to bow to it, that’s all. The same way you refuse to bow to those who would control you.

The comparison kind of stings, knowing how easily he can shrug it off and how I was almost sucked in.

Your insecurities feed its power over you. Stop doubting yourself. You know how to purify. You’ve done it countless times. Focus on that certainty instead of what might go wrong.

I’ve cleansed corruption before. I know the feel of it, how to draw it in and transform it.

I breathe deep, letting the crisp winter air fill my lungs until they twinge in pain. The taint pulses against my senses, but this time I acknowledge its presence without letting it overwhelm me.

My magic rises, familiar and sure. I’ve done this before. I can do it again.

That’s it. Grimoire’s approval washes over me. You don’t need to fight it. Just be stronger than its allure.

The corruption tries to seduce me with whispers of power, but I let them slide past. I know who I am. I know what I can do.

My magic flows smoother now, guided by confidence instead of fear. The small patch of earth beneath my palms begins to warm as the taint retreats before my steady advance.

Power thrums beneath my skin, building with each patch of earth I purify. The sensation reminds me of static electricity, making my hair stand on end. My fingertips tingle, and my chest feels tight, like I’ve swallowed lightning.

“Something’s different.”

We need to address the magic you’re storing. Grimoire’s voice carries an edge of concern. But that can wait until we finish here.

The corruption retreats faster now, almost as if it’s eager to be transformed. Or maybe it’s just docile beneath my control. Each time I pull the taint in, more power builds inside me, at a rate much faster than normal.

Selene whines softly. Your scent has changed. The magic is affecting your body.

It doesn’t hurt, though. If anything, I feel stronger than ever. Energy courses through my veins, making me want to run or jump or do something to release this buzzing sensation.

Despite the slight discomfort, it feels… amazing.

Which is probably a bad thing, in hindsight.

It doesn’t seem right, my wolf agrees with worry.

It is normal for the amount of magic you’re converting. Your efficiency has increased, so there is less loss during the purification. A bigger concern would be how much magic you have stored within you.

Considering that an overabundance of magic can turn me into the living time bomb we never wanted me to become, yes, I can see how that would be concerning.

But right now I don’t feel as though I’m near my limit. In fact, it’s almost too easy to carry this extra energy within me, and purification is happening with very little strain on me.

The extra magic is being recycled, as it were. Because you have a great amount of clean magic within you, it’s easier to deal with the small amounts you’re pulling in. If you were to lose control and increase the rate of purification, it would not be this easy. I don’t recommend rushing this, though.

“Why not?” My words puff out easily, as if I wasn’t gasping just a while ago from the strain of fighting off the taint.

You are still at the edges of this spread of corruption, where it’s lighter. When you hit the denser taint, it will take more out of you to purify. If you’re doing it too quickly, you might not realize the danger until you are overwhelmed. Slow and steady is better than rushing regret.

Now that he’s spelled that out, it makes sense—some of the larger patches I’ve purified have felt harder at some points than others, but I hadn’t thought about why in depth. I guess it’s easier to overlook when they’re smaller and easy to handle in a single session.

Magic is a constant learning experience. You’re wobbling in your control; tighten it up.

My magic flutters at Grimoire’s warning, and I realize how loose my control has become. Corruption flows wild, like a dam was lifted. When had I let my guard down? The ease of purification lulled me into a false sense of security.

I pull back on the reins of my magic, forcing it to bend to my will once more. The buzzing sensation dulls to a manageable hum.

Grimoire, is it normal for her to glow like that? Selene’s question comes out of nowhere.

More accurate to say it’s abnormal that you can see it at all. Grimoire’s fox form circles me, his silver fur rippling with an otherworldly sheen. Most creatures cannot perceive magical auras unless specifically trained. Even then, it takes years of practice.

“I’m glowing?”

Like moonlight through water. It started when you were fighting the corruption’s influence, and it’s getting brighter. At first I thought it was sunglare.

The amount of magic you’re holding has reached a threshold where it’s becoming visible to those sensitive to such things, Grimoire explains. Selene shouldn’t be able to see it at all, but she has proven to be more sensitive to magic than the normal wolf.

“Is this dangerous?” Glowing feels like it would be an unnerving precursor to a big explosion. My magic wobbles again, and I curse softly as I force myself to control the stream of taint I’m drawing in.

It’s too easy to let go and be distracted because of how easy it feels.

Not inherently. But it does mean we need to address your magical storage soon. The stronger your magic grows, the more careful we must be with its containment.