Chapter 121 Stronger

Chapter 121 Stronger
Elara immediately felt the change.

The warmth flowing through her palms was no longer coming from her alone. Something else had joined it, moving through Viktor’s body at the same time as her magic, and when Elara glanced at Joyce, she realized Joyce was glowing too. Her eyes widened as the realization hit her.

“Joyce!” Elara shouted. “Whatever it is you’re doing, don’t stop!”

Joyce looked at her in confusion, but she did not pull her hands away. Her lips began moving again, this time forming words that seemed to come from somewhere deep inside her. “Astra velum… sera kai… lumina rae.”

Ellie stared at her. “What is she saying?”

“I don’t know!” Elara answered, still struggling to keep her hands against Viktor. “Just let her continue!”

Joyce’s voice grew steadier as she repeated the strange words. Elara felt something pulling at her own magic, almost like an invisible thread connecting her to Joyce, and before she could understand what was happening, the words began coming from her own mouth too.

“Astra velum… sera kai… lumina rae.”

Joyce stopped and looked at her.

Elara looked back.

Neither of them had planned to say the same thing, yet the words came again, perfectly together. “Astra velum… sera kai… lumina rae.”

Ellie slowly stepped away from them, his confusion turning into alarm. “Elara, what are you two doing?”

Neither girl answered him.

Their voices continued, rising with every repetition until they were almost impossible to distinguish from each other. The room seemed to vibrate around them, and Viktor's body suddenly jerked beneath their hands as the magic inside him reacted.

“Astra velum… sera kai… lumina rae!”

The moment the final words left their mouths, a powerful burst of light exploded from Elara and Joyce.

Ellie threw an arm over his eyes. “What the hell—?”

The light filled the entire room, forcing him to turn his face away. When he finally looked again, Viktor was standing in the middle of it, his entire body surrounded by a brilliant glow that was far stronger than anything Ellie had seen before.

“Viktor!” Ellie shouted.

Viktor gasped and grabbed his chest.

For several seconds, he could barely breathe. Then his knees steadied beneath him, his shoulders straightened, and he lifted his head as though he had suddenly been given strength he had forgotten he possessed.

But the girls did not get the chance to see it properly.

Elara's hands suddenly went cold.

Her strength disappeared so quickly that she barely had time to catch herself. Joyce swayed beside her, her eyes fluttering as she reached out for something to hold onto.

“Elara!”

Ellie rushed forward just as both girls collapsed.

Viktor moved at the same time, catching Elara before her head struck the floor. Ellie grabbed Joyce and lowered her carefully, his face filled with worry.

“Elara, wake up,” Viktor said, holding her against him. “Elara!”

Her eyelids slowly lifted.

She blinked several times before looking up at Viktor's face. “What… happened?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing,” Ellie said, helping Joyce sit up. “You both just collapsed.”

Joyce rubbed her forehead and looked around the room. “I don't remember falling.”

Elara slowly pushed herself upright, still leaning against Viktor for support. Her eyes moved from Joyce to Viktor, then back to Joyce again, and suddenly something clicked inside her.

“Joyce.”

Joyce looked at her.

“Our powers,” Elara said quietly.

Joyce frowned. “What about them?”

“I think they're becoming synchronized.”

Ellie stared at her. “Synchronized?”

Elara nodded slowly. “When you started using your magic, I felt it. It was connecting with mine, and when we started saying those words together, everything became stronger.”

Joyce's expression changed as she began putting the pieces together herself. “That's why the light became so powerful.”

“And maybe that's why Caven separated us,” Elara said.

The room fell silent.

Elara looked at Joyce, her eyes widening as the thought became clearer. “Think about it. If our powers become stronger when we're together, then keeping us apart would make sense. He didn't just want to control you, Joyce. He wanted to weaken you.”

Joyce swallowed hard.

“And he tried to take all your powers,” Elara continued. “Maybe he knew exactly what would happen if you and I were together.”

Ellie looked between them, his expression becoming serious. “That would explain why he went after Joyce so aggressively.”

“It explains everything,” Joyce whispered.

Viktor remained silent for a moment, staring at Elara as though he was still trying to understand what she had done. Then he pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

Elara stiffened in surprise before slowly wrapping her arms around him.

“Thank you,” Viktor whispered.

She felt his arms tighten around her. “Thank you for coming back for me, Elara. If you hadn't come when you did…”

His voice broke for a moment.

Elara pulled back enough to look at him. “You don't have to thank me.”

“I do.”

Viktor released her and took a few steps back. He stood still for a moment, breathing deeply, and then something strange happened.

His fangs suddenly grew longer.

Ellie's eyes widened.

Viktor's pupils changed, the color shifting until his eyes became a deep, frightening red. He looked down at his hands and flexed his fingers, as though he could feel every bit of strength returning to him.

He slowly looked up at the two girls.

“Thank you, Elara,” he said, his voice stronger now. “Thank you, Joyce. What would have become of me if you both had never come?”

Elara and Joyce exchanged a glance.

“It's fine,” they said together.

Viktor gave a small smile, but Elara could still see the emotion in his eyes. He had come dangerously close to losing everything, and he knew it.

Elara took a breath and pushed herself fully to her feet.

“But there's still work to do.”

Viktor's expression immediately became serious.

“I know,” he said. “I'm ready.”

He looked directly at Elara.

“What help do you need?”