Bab 9: Chapter 9: The Old Magic Awakens
The path eastward grew narrower and more treacherous as Elara and the group ventured deeper into the Blackwood. The thick underbrush closed in around them, and the trees seemed to twist and bend in unnatural ways, as though the forest itself was alive and watching their every step.
Elara felt the weight of the magic pressing down on her, pulling her further into the heart of the forest. It was a strange sensation—both comforting and unsettling at the same time. The deeper they went, the stronger it became, thrumming beneath the surface like a heartbeat.
As they continued, the trees parted to reveal a narrow, winding trail that led down into a deep ravine. The air grew colder, and a faint mist hung in the air, swirling around them like ghostly tendrils. The atmosphere was thick with magic, but it was unlike anything Elara had ever felt before—ancient, raw, and wild.
"This place feels cursed," Marcus muttered, his eyes darting nervously from side to side. "We should turn back."
"We can't," Garrick replied, his voice steady but strained. "We need to reach the heart of the forest. The old magic is the only thing that can stop Tristan."
Elara said nothing, but she could feel the pull of the magic growing stronger with each step. The woman had warned them that the journey would be dangerous, but Elara couldn't shake the feeling that something far more significant awaited them ahead—something that would change everything.
As they descended deeper into the ravine, the mist thickened, and the trees grew taller and darker. Strange, flickering lights appeared in the distance—soft, glowing orbs that floated through the air like will-o'-the-wisps, beckoning them forward.
Garrick stopped suddenly, his hand raised in a silent command for the group to halt. Elara followed his gaze and saw what had caught his attention.
At the bottom of the ravine, nestled among the gnarled roots of an enormous, ancient tree, was a stone archway. The arch was covered in strange, glowing runes that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly light. It stood like a sentinel, guarding whatever lay beyond.
"This is it," Garrick said, his voice barely audible. "The heart of the forest."
Elara felt her heart race as she stared at the archway. The magic here was overwhelming, pressing down on her like a physical force. She could feel it thrumming through her veins, awakening something deep inside her that she had long kept hidden.
"This place..." Marcus said, his voice shaking. "It's... alive."
Elara took a step forward, her hand instinctively going to the pendant around her neck. The old magic called to her, pulling her toward the archway with an irresistible force. She knew, deep down, that this was the moment she had been dreading—the moment when she would have to confront the truth about who she really was.
Without waiting for Garrick's command, Elara stepped through the archway.
---
The world shifted around her as she crossed the threshold. The mist thickened, and the air grew colder, but there was something else—something more profound. The magic here was different from anything she had ever encountered. It was ancient, powerful, and alive, like a living entity that pulsed and breathed with the forest itself.
Elara found herself standing in a vast, circular clearing. The ground was covered in soft moss, and the air shimmered with an ethereal light. At the center of the clearing was a massive stone altar, covered in intricate carvings that glowed faintly in the dim light.
Her heart pounded as she approached the altar, her footsteps echoing in the stillness. The magic was almost unbearable now, pressing against her with such intensity that it was difficult to breathe. But she couldn't stop. She had come this far—there was no turning back.
As she reached the altar, she felt a sudden surge of power flow through her, like a bolt of lightning striking her core. She gasped, her knees buckling beneath her as the magic coursed through her veins. The pendant around her neck glowed with a brilliant light, resonating with the power of the forest.
"Elara," a voice whispered, soft and melodic, but filled with authority. It echoed through the clearing, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
She looked up, her vision swimming as the power continued to surge through her. A figure materialized before her, shimmering like a mirage in the mist. It was a woman, tall and regal, with long silver hair that flowed like water and eyes that glowed with an otherworldly light.
"Elara," the woman said again, her voice resonating with the magic of the forest. "You have come to the place where the old magic was born. You are the key to its awakening."
Elara struggled to stand, her body trembling under the weight of the magic. "Who are you?" she managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper.
"I am the guardian of the old magic," the woman replied, her gaze piercing and full of ancient wisdom. "I have watched over this place for centuries, waiting for the one who would come to awaken the power that lies within."
Elara's mind raced. The woman's words were both a revelation and a confirmation of what she had long suspected. Her family's connection to magic, the strange pull she had always felt toward it—it was all connected. She had been chosen for something far greater than herself.
"What do you want from me?" Elara asked, her voice trembling.
The woman stepped forward, her form becoming more solid as she approached. "You are the last of your line, Elara. The blood of kings and mages flows through you, and it is your destiny to awaken the old magic. Without it, your world will fall to darkness."
Elara's heart pounded in her chest. She had known there was something different about her, but this? The weight of the revelation was almost too much to bear.
"How?" she asked, her voice barely audible. "How do I awaken it?"
The woman smiled—a soft, sad smile that held centuries of wisdom and sorrow. "The magic is already within you, child. You have carried it with you all your life. But to truly awaken it, you must embrace who you are—accept the power that has been passed down through your bloodline."
Elara's breath caught in her throat. The woman's words struck a chord deep within her, resonating with the truth she had always known but had been too afraid to face. She had spent years hiding her magic, suppressing it out of fear. But now, there was no more hiding.
She looked down at the pendant around her neck, its light pulsing in time with her heartbeat. Slowly, she reached up and touched it, feeling the warmth of the magic beneath her fingertips.
"I don't know if I can do this," she whispered, her voice filled with doubt.
The woman placed a hand on Elara's shoulder, her touch gentle but firm. "You are stronger than you know, Elara. The power within you is ancient and vast, but it is yours to command. Trust in yourself, and you will find the strength to awaken the magic."
Elara closed her eyes, feeling the weight of the magic all around her. She took a deep breath, letting the power flow through her, filling every corner of her being. The fear that had once held her back began to melt away, replaced by a sense of purpose and clarity.
She was ready.
---
Outside the clearing, Garrick and the others waited in tense silence. They had followed Elara through the archway but had stopped just short of the clearing, sensing that something monumental was happening.
"What's going on?" Marcus whispered, his eyes wide with fear. "I don't like this."
Garrick said nothing, his gaze fixed on the clearing where Elara had disappeared. He could feel the magic pulsing through the air, stronger than anything he had ever encountered before. But there was something else—a sense of inevitability, as though everything had been leading up to this moment.
Suddenly, a blinding light filled the clearing, and a surge of magic swept through the air like a shockwave. The force of it knocked them off their feet, and for a moment, everything went still.
When the light faded, Elara stood at the center of the clearing, her eyes glowing with a fierce, otherworldly light. The pendant around her neck pulsed with a steady, powerful rhythm, and the air around her crackled with raw magic.
Garrick stared in awe, realizing in that moment that Elara was no ordinary girl. She was something far more powerful—something that had been hidden for far too long.
"Elara," he whispered, unable to tear his eyes away from her.
She turned to face him, her expression calm and resolute. The old magic had awakened within her, and there was no going back.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone