Chapter 24: A FRACTURED BOND

Ava's limp form lay motionless on the floor, her chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. Her once-bright energy was now consumed by a dark force that lingered in the air like a poisonous fog, suffocating and oppressive. I knelt beside her, my fingers trembling as I brushed a lock of hair from her pale face.

"Ava...please," I whispered, my voice barely audible. But there was no response, only the distant sound of the wind howling through the trees outside. Panic clawed at my chest, tightening its grip with every passing second.

"We need to move her," Ethan said, his tone sharp but filled with concern. "She's vulnerable here."

I barely registered his words. All I could focus on was Ava’s stillness, the eerie calm that had settled over her. This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was supposed to use her powers to help, not fall victim to whatever dark magic Draven had unleashed.

Sophia knelt beside me, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Seraphina, we need to act. Ava’s