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Evelina

At least you’ll die brave.

Time slowed to a stop as Evelina’s scream rang in her ears. She’d heard soldiers talking about what it felt like to almost die. They told stories of seeing their favorite memories flashing across their minds, while some thought about a regret they wished they could change.

Evelina saw Carwyn telling her she would be better suited as a healer. She saw the two Nox from the attack on the grove whom she had been too late to save. She saw her mother dying before her with no solution to prevent it.

At least you’ll die brave.

The words clanged through her mind. Evelina wasn’t just brave.

At least you’ll die brave.

She was strong.

At least you’ll die brave.

She didn’t want to die.

And as the cry of terror left her throat, a burst of light exploded from her body. A deep, thrumming power came to life, and she grasped onto it desperately. She wouldn’t let them hurt those children— her people.

Evelina didn’t know what it was, this primal magic inside of her. But she latched onto it, pulled it from the depths of her soul where it was buried. Perhaps it was a gift given to her by Eurydice herself.

Evelina didn’t question it. She used it. And threw every ounce of her fury at the dark creature that stood before her.

She felt her body being hurled backward with the force of the power leaving her body. She slammed into the ground and her vision faded into darkness.