The Alpha's Fated Outcast: Rise Of The Moonsinger. - Chapter 245

Chapter 245: Neriah – Lyla II
Lyla

The vision extended the weapon toward me. My fingers twitched as fear clawed at my throat. Was this real? Was I losing my mind?

My hand hovered inches away from the weapon. Everything I knew about supernatural powers told me to be cautious, but something deeper – something that felt like destiny, urged me forward.

I reached out.

When my fingers touched the blade, a brilliant blue light erupted, consuming my vision. It lifted me off the ground, suspending me in mid-air. I wanted to cry out but suddenly, power rushed through every part of my body, unlike anything I had ever known or seen sending life to every nerve in my body.

My senses sharpened beyond anything I had experienced before – I could hear everything. The trees whispering, the vines breathing. Even the earth beneath me sang with an ancient rhythm.

The forest was alive – truly, deeply alive – and for one breathtaking moment, I was one with it all.

Then as suddenly as it came, the light faded and I crumpled to the ground. The sensation dimmed and the vision of my past self vanished. I lay still for a moment, gasping, dazed with the sword in my hand.

But something else had changed. I could feel it in my bones, in the fabric of my being.

I opened my eyes, expecting to see the same dark forest. Instead, I found myself staring at a pair of military boots. My gaze travelled upward – combat fatigues, tactical vest and finally the face of a man who looked like he had stepped out of a different kind of history book.

My heart slammed against my ribs. I gripped the sword tighter trying to lift myself from the ground.

“Who are you?” I demanded, hoping I sounded brave.

The mad tilted his head slightly as if considering whether to answer or not. His face was shadowed by the darkness of the forest, but there was something about him – something familiar.

His presence radiated authority and something else. He came closer to me and offered a hand. What the hell, Lyla?

Since I couldn’t help myself, I took his hands daintily and he lifted me in a single pull. Then he stood at parade rest, watching me with eyes that held both warmth and warning.

“Who…” my voice failed me.

“Someone who’s been waiting a very long time to meet you,” he replied, his voice echoing. “We gave much to discuss, Guardian or should I say Moonsinger.”

The title sent a shiver down my spine. I knew, without understanding how that everything was about to change. The sword pulsed in my hand; I could still feel its power.

“Guardian?”

“Yes, here we’re called Guardian. I have no idea who gave us that cheesy name ‘Moonsinger” the man said with an air of amusement. “Anyways, I cannot tell you who I am else I’ll vanish and won’t be able to pass the information I have to tell you. Do you know who I am now?”

This was Aeron.

The Moonsinger before me. I remember him from the thousands of books I’ve poured through in the library. What was he doing here and why was his gaze locked onto me with an unreadable expression? He didn’t move, didn’t speak – just watched me.

My eyes widened with shock as my brain finally placed his face where I had seen him.

“You’re Aeron?” I asked baffled.

“Yes!” he nodded. “And I’ve been waiting for you. A Guardian must give final instructions to the new Guardian and since the sword chooses you, it means you’re one of us.”

“Is this like a tradition? You wait for the new Moonsinger. You must have been waiting for years.”

“Years?” he scoffed. “Ten centuries, Lyla. I’ve roamed this forest waiting for your birth and then waiting for you to work up the nerve and come claim what is rightly yours even though your powers are still as whole.”

“My powers are whole?” I frowned. “They’re not. I lost them to the Dark One.”

“You did not lose your power, Lyla. If you did, the sword would never have been handed to you. For those of us who lost our Moonsinging abilities, we only touch the sword and Neriah goes back with it. Seeing that it didn’t go back with her only means one thing.”

“But…”

“You have to choose between keeping your wolf or your powers. As long as your powers…”

“You don’t understand,” I interrupted him. I was getting pissed with the suggestion that I do away with Nymeris. “Xan – the Dark One had an orb that he used to siphon my powers. I’m so sure of it. I already lost my powers right before Nymeris began to manifest.”

“You already had your powers activated from the moment you mated with Ramsey Kincaid your fated mate. It’s the most unlikely way for your powers to come into play but it did. What you have to do now is to follow Ramsey’s lead. He’s patient, sensible and kind. The Moon Goddess favours him and he’ll lead you aright.”

“Didn’t know Moonsingers needed to be led?” I retorted.

“You’re wild, Lyla. It’s not in my position to talk to you about that but you’ve erred in so many ways, you must stop what you’re doing with the men, especially with Nathan. Your paths are different, completely and different…”

“I’m done with Nathan…”

“You’re not. You’re going to sway him more and give him a reason to start the war. It will not end well. Remember what Mother Liora said…”

“That is why I am trying to convince him to stop. Nathan is not in his right senses…”

“He is. He has been doomed for death and is just a variable in the grand scheme of things. You, Lyla – you must however guide your thoughts and your heart. With Ramsey, you’re stronger. He’s on the right path and who knows you might finally bring the Dark One to his knees completely.”

“How?”

“By making a choice. You can choose to embrace your powers as a Moonsinger or you can choose to embrace your strength as a two-tailed wolf. You cannot use both powers uniformly. It’s too much for one person.”

“By letting Nymeris go… what do you mean?” My voice faltered.

Aeron turned to me

“One of your powers needs to die for the other power to come into play. Your wolf is getting in the way of your powers. Believe me, once you make a choice, your powers will come into play.”

I stood there not knowing what to say. I wonder if Nymeris was hearing everything. The thought of letting her go made my heart twist with pain. Still, I didn’t say anything. Aeron suddenly turned and started moving in the direction where Neriah had vanished.

“Where are you going to?” I asked, following after him.

“My time is up, Lyla,” he turned to me with a quiet smile. It’s left for you now to figure out things on your own. Remember, the only way to defeat the Dark one…”

“…is to kill the source, and take up a status with the Dark one.”

Both of us said it uniformly. Aeron nodded. ‘You’ll figure it out, Lyla. You’re stronger than you know and I know with you and Ramsey together, you’re unformidable. I’m so proud of you and of your journey so far. You just need to put in more effort.”

I nodded, suddenly feeling tears spring up in my eyes. I watched as he continued walking and then suddenly, he vanished. The darkness returned. I stood there for a minute trying to make up my mind on what I wanted to do.

Nymeris’s voice filtered into my mind.

“We should go now!” she said.

I nodded and in the next second, she shifted. Now as Nymeris, she flew through the darkness, running through it smoothly as if she had a map in her eyes. Soon, we were at the edge of the forest. It was late…

I didn’t know how late it was and to think that it felt like I’d spent only a few minutes in there. Once we hit the light, I shifted back to my human form. My heart was heavy. I had come to get my powers back but had gotten the worst shock of my life.

“Lyla, it’s okay!” Nymeris’s voice came to me again. “I know it’s hard but you have to let me go. Aeron was right.”

“There must be a way, Nymeris!” I shook my head. I cannot accept it and…”

I paused as it suddenly flitted into my mind – the sword.

“The sword?” I shouted. “Where is it?”

“It has gone back to the source. You cannot leave the forest with the sword. If you want to get access to it, all you need to do is to go back in and you’ll see it in your hand. But now, you must make a choice…”

“Make a choice?”

“Yes… if you agree to let me go… you need to go back into the forest and use the sword on me. Only Neriah’s sword can end my life.”

“Wait!” I scoffed as the meaning came to me. “I was given the sword to use it on you? Hold on…” I scoffed again. “The whole purpose of coming here is to have you killed? All this time, the reason why you were pushing me to come here is for this?”

There was a long pause and for a second, I almost thought that she didn’t hear me. Then her voice came into my mind again.

“Yes! You need to begin your journey as a Moonsinger and I must go…”