Astra's pov

The ground trembled beneath our feet, each rumble stronger than the last. Cracks spread like spiderwebs across the stone courtyard, and a deep, guttural roar echoed through the air, shaking the walls of the Isle like a living earthquake.

“What is that?” Evie asked, her voice trembling as she clutched her mirror tightly.

I gripped the staff in both hands, its stormy glow pulsing with unease. “I think we’re about to find out.”

Before anyone could answer, the ground erupted. A massive stone hand clawed its way up through the courtyard, pulling the rest of its colossal body into view. The creature was monstrous, a Titan made of jagged rock and bound together by glowing veins of Maleficent’s signature green magic. Its eyes burned like emerald fire as it turned its head, focusing on us with a roar that sent chills down my spine.

“This can’t be happening,” Jay muttered, drawing his sword.

“Oh, it’s happening,” I said, stepping forward and tightening my grip on the staff. “And I think it’s my fault.”

The Titan took a step toward us, its massive foot crushing the remains of the fountain. Dust and debris rained down as the creature loomed over us, each step shaking the ground.

“What do you mean, your fault?” Carlos asked, his voice pitched higher than usual.

I didn’t answer right away, my gaze locked on the creature. The staff buzzed in my hands like it was alive, reacting to the Titan’s presence. Maleficent’s magic was in this thing, but so was something else—something that felt oddly familiar, like a reflection of the storm within me.

“I think… I think it’s drawn to the staff,” I said finally. “Maleficent’s magic is connected to it, and so is the Titan.”

“Great,” Jay said dryly. “So how do we stop it?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, the weight of the staff pressing heavier in my hands. “But I think I have to try.”

The Titan let out another earth-shaking roar, and then it lunged.

“Scatter!” Evie yelled, and we dove in different directions as the Titan’s massive fist slammed into the ground where we had been standing. The impact sent a shockwave through the courtyard, knocking me off my feet.

I rolled to my knees, the staff still clutched in my hands. “Okay, Astra,” I muttered to myself. “Think. You’ve faced worse than this. Probably.”

The Titan turned its attention to Jay, who was darting around its legs, slashing at its rocky ankles with his sword. Sparks flew with each strike, but the creature didn’t even flinch.

“This isn’t working!” Jay shouted, dodging another swing of the Titan’s arm.

“Distract it!” I called out, an idea forming in my mind. “Keep it busy while I figure something out!”

Jay gave me a look like I was crazy but nodded. “You heard her! Let’s give it something to focus on!”

Evie and Carlos joined him, working together to draw the Titan’s attention. Evie hurled potions that exploded in flashes of light, while Carlos used his gadgets to create noise and confusion.

Meanwhile, I focused on the staff. Its glow was brighter now, almost blinding, and I could feel the storm inside it surging, begging to be unleashed.

“Come on,” I whispered, closing my eyes and gripping the staff tightly. “Show me what to do.”

Images flashed through my mind—a swirling vortex of wind and lightning, a protective barrier of energy, and me at the center of it all, guiding the storm.

I opened my eyes, determination hardening in my chest. “I can do this.”

I stepped forward, planting the staff in the ground. The Titan turned toward me, its fiery eyes narrowing.

“Astra, what are you doing?” Evie yelled, her voice panicked.

“I’ve got this!” I shouted back, though my hands trembled.

The Titan roared and charged, its massive fists raised to crush me. But I stood my ground, closing my eyes and reaching deep inside myself, searching for the storm.

It came to me in a rush, a torrent of energy that surged through my veins and into the staff. Lightning crackled along its surface, and the air around me filled with the scent of ozone.

I opened my eyes just as the Titan’s fist came down. With a shout, I raised the staff, and a barrier of pure energy exploded outward, stopping the Titan’s strike inches from my head.

The force of the barrier sent the Titan stumbling back, and I took the opportunity to go on the offensive. I swung the staff, and a bolt of lightning shot out, striking the creature square in the chest.

The Titan roared in pain, cracks forming along its stony surface. But it wasn’t done yet. It swung its arm again, and I barely managed to dodge, the wind from the strike whipping past me.

“You’ve got this, Astra!” Jay called out, his voice filled with encouragement.

I nodded, focusing all my energy on the staff. The storm within me was wild and untamed, but I could feel it responding to my will, bending to my control.

I raised the staff high, and a vortex of wind and lightning erupted around me. The Titan hesitated, its fiery eyes flickering with something almost like fear.

“This ends now!” I shouted, slamming the staff into the ground.

The vortex expanded, engulfing the Titan in a whirlwind of energy. The creature let out a final, deafening roar as the magic tore it apart, its body crumbling into dust and stone.

When the storm finally subsided, I collapsed to my knees, breathing hard. The staff’s glow dimmed, the storm inside it quieting.

Jay was the first to reach me, pulling me to my feet. “That was insane,” he said, grinning. “You actually did it.”

“Barely,” I said, leaning on the staff for support.

Evie and Carlos joined us, both looking equally amazed.

“You were incredible,” Evie said, her eyes wide.

“Thanks,” I said, a small smile tugging at my lips. “But I couldn’t have done it without you guys keeping it distracted.”

Carlos nodded, his expression serious. “You’ve got serious power, Astra. But you need to learn how to control it.”

“I know,” I said, my gaze drifting to the staff. “And I will. I promise.”

As we left the courtyard, the weight of the staff felt a little lighter in my hands. I didn’t have all the answers yet, but I knew one thing for sure—I wouldn’t let the storm define me. I would define it.