The general's sneer sent a chill down my spine, his sword poised to strike. Mascot stood in front of me, wobbling on his feet, barely able to hold himself upright. Blood dripped from his side, staining the ground beneath him.

My body tensed, ready to fight even though I knew I had nothing left to give. I couldn't let him die. Not like this.

The general's grin widened as he raised his sword, the sharp metal gleaming ominously. "Time to end this," he declared, his voice low and menacing.

Then, just as the general lunged forward, a burst of brilliant light erupted from the forest. For a split second, I couldn't see anything. My ears rang as power flooded the clearing. The light was blinding, forcing me to shield my eyes.

The general froze mid-attack, startled, before he was slammed backward by an unseen force. His body flew through the air and collided with a tree, cracking it in half. I blinked through the daze, trying to make sense of what had just happened.

When the light finally dimmed, I saw her-Sarah Crane. Behind her, Clara and Seth Donovan emerged ready for battle. Clara's hands crackled with magic, and Seth's muscles bulged with barely contained strength. The air around them ignited with power.

"You're late," Mascot rasped, his voice barely audible, but I could hear the relief beneath it. Sarah's icy blue eyes flickered toward Mascot and then landed on me.

"Better late than never," she responded calmly, though her focus never wavered from the dark werewolves encircling us. She turned back toward the general's forces, her lips curling into a cold, determined smile. With a flick of her wrist, Clara sent a wave of magic whipping through the clearing, knocking several werewolves off their feet.

Seth, moving with clear purpose, launched himself into the fight, his fists connecting with skulls and ribs, each blow sending shockwaves through the air.

The dark werewolves hesitated for the first time, their earlier confidence wavering in the face of Sarah's overwhelming power. The shift in the battle was immediate, and deeply felt.

The general, slowly rising to his feet, snarled in frustration. His face twisted with anger as he watched his men fall one by one, helpless against the combined might of Sarah and her allies.

"This isn't over," he spat, locking eyes with me as he retreated. "Eden will see you soon." His words dripped with venom, and the threat hung heavy in the air as he and the remaining werewolves vanished into the shadows of the forest.

For a moment, silence fell over the clearing, broken only by the sound of our labored breathing. My legs trembled, barely able to hold me up. The adrenaline that had fueled me moments ago was gone, leaving only exhaustion in its wake.

I collapsed to my knees, my body screaming for rest. Mascot staggered beside me, falling to one knee. He looked worse than I did-his skin ashen, blood oozing from the wound in his side. I reached for him, but before I could do anything, Sarah was by my side, pulling me to my feet.

"We don't have much time," she said, her voice urgent but gentle. "Eden is getting stronger, and we need to act fast." I nodded, but the weight of her words pressed down on me. My mind was clouded with doubt and guilt.

How could I possibly face Eden when I could barely survive this? I hadn't been able to save my uncle and aunt. I hadn't been able to stop the destruction that followed me. What made Sarah think I could stop Eden? Sarah seemed to sense my hesitation.

"Come," she said softly, but firmly. "We need to regroup. There's much to discuss." With Clara's help, we managed to get Mascot on his feet. His face was pale, and each step he took was labored.

We moved through the forest, guided by Sarah's magic, until we reached a small clearing that was hidden from the world by a thick wall of trees and vines. From the outside, it looked like nothing but an overgrown patch of vegetation, but as we stepped closer, the air charged, revealing a hidden entrance.

Sarah led us inside, and I gasped as we entered a large underground chamber. The walls were lined with ancient symbols, glowing faintly with a strange light. At the center of the room was a large wooden table, strewn with maps and scrolls. The air was thick with the scent of herbs and magic.

"We'll be safe here for now," Sarah said, as she helped Mascot onto a nearby cot. He winced as he lay down, his hand still pressed to his wound. Clara knelt beside him, her hands glowing softly as she worked to heal his injuries. I stood there, feeling out of place, unsure of what to do next. My body was still shaking from the fight, and my mind raced with a thousand thoughts. But before I could say anything, Sarah turned to me, her expression serious.

"Tasha," she began, "we don't have time to waste. Eden is amassing power faster than we anticipated. If he gains full control of the werewolf packs, he will wage war on humans-and there will be nothing left to stop him."

I swallowed hard, the gravity of the situation weighing heavily on me. "But... what can I do?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "I'm not ready for this. I couldn't even save my family." Sarah's expression softened for a moment, and she stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder.

"You were chosen for a reason, Tasha," she said gently. "You have more strength than you know. We all have doubts, but we must push through them. You are more capable than you think." I wanted to believe her, but the doubt remained. My mind replayed the moments of failure over and over, each one a reminder of my inadequacy.

How could I be the one to stop Eden when I couldn't even protect the people around me? Before I could voice my doubts, Sarah pulled something from her cloak-a small, intricately carved talisman. The symbols on it glowed faintly, much like the walls of the lair.

"This," she said, handing it to me, "is a talisman that will protect you from dark magic. It's not foolproof, but it will give you an edge against Eden's forces." I stared at the talisman in my hand, feeling its weight both physically and emotionally. I wasn't ready for this. I wasn't strong enough.

"I... I don't know if I can do this," I admitted, my voice faltering. Sarah's eyes softened again, but there was a firmness in her voice when she spoke.

"You have to. We don't have a choice. Eden won't stop until everything is destroyed." I clenched my fists around the talisman, trying to summon the courage I so desperately needed.

But before I could respond, a deafening explosion rocked the lair, shaking the very ground beneath us. Debris rained down from above as the walls cracked and crumbled. I was thrown off my feet, hitting the ground hard. My ears rang as I struggled to get up, my vision blurred by the dust and smoke.

"Tasha!" I heard Sarah's voice calling out, but it was distant, muffled. I tried to push myself up, but pain shot through my body, and I collapsed back onto the ground. Panic set in as I realized that I couldn't see Mascot. I scanned the room frantically, my heart racing. And then I saw him. Mascot was pinned under a large piece of rubble, his body motionless. Blood pooled around him, and his breathing was shallow-too shallow.

"Mascot!" I screamed, my voice hoarse as I crawled toward him. My heart pounded in my chest as I reached his side, my hands shaking as I tried to pull the rubble off him. But it was too heavy. I couldn't move it. I couldn't help him. Tears blurred my vision as I frantically looked around for help.

"Sarah! Clara! Help!" I screamed, my voice breaking with desperation. Clara was already by my side, her hands glowing with magic as she tried to lift the debris. But it wasn't working.

The rubble wasn't budging. "We need more power," she muttered through gritted teeth. Her face was pale with concentration, sweat beading on her forehead as she poured everything she had into the spell. Sarah appeared beside us, her expression grim. She placed her hands on Clara's, adding her magic to the mix. The air around us crackled with energy, but still, the rubble didn't move. Mascot's breathing grew fainter with each passing second, and my heart clenched in fear.

"No, no, no," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "You can't die. Not now. Please." But deep down, I could feel the cold grip of reality closing in. Mascot was fading, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. The room around us trembled again, another explosion echoing through the lair. Sarah cursed under her breath, her focus still on trying to move the debris.

"Tasha," she said, her voice tight with urgency. "We need to leave. Now." I shook my head, refusing to accept it.

"I'm not leaving him!" "Tasha, we can't help him if we're all dead!" Sarah shouted over the noise, her voice desperate. I knew she was right. I knew we had to leave.

But I couldn't. I just couldn't leave.