Eloise**
My head is throbbing as I slowly regain consciousness.
I blink a few times, my vision swimming in and out of focus. The world feels distant, muted, like I'm trapped behind a thick glass wall. My body is heavy, as though every part of me is made of stone.
But then, I hear voices—loud, panicked, commanding voices—and a strange sense of unease floods over me.
*What happened?*
I open my eyes wider, trying to make sense of my surroundings.
The first thing I see is Caius.
His back is turned toward me, his posture stiff, sword still in hand. Surrounding us are several of his knights, their faces drawn tight in concentration and worry. Their hands are raised, weapons pointed at something in the distance.
But as my gaze shifts, my breath catches in my chest.
The Dreadfang.
The massive, terrifying beast is crouched low to the ground, its glowing eyes focused solely on me. Its sharp claws dig into the dirt, its massive body tensed like a spring ready to snap.
For a moment, the air between us feels charged, heavy. The Dreadfang's presence is *overpowering*.
I feel it then—the surge of power within me.
My heart races. I've felt this before, but never so strongly. It's like a river of energy flowing through my veins, begging to be released. But I know better now. I *cannot* lose control. Not again.
I push myself to sit up, the dizziness still swirling around me. I press a hand to my forehead, focusing on steadying my breathing. I can't let this power control me. I have to be the one to control it.
"Caius," I manage, my voice hoarse but strong enough to carry.
He turns, his eyes wide with concern.
"Eloise..." His voice cracks as he takes a step toward me, his sword lowered. The knights hesitate, looking between us and the beast.
I raise my hand, and the knights freeze in place. I feel their confusion, their hesitation. They don't understand.
But I do.
"This beast," I say, my voice stronger now, "it's not a threat."
The knights glance at one another, unsure. Caius's brow furrows, but he listens.
"Stand down," I command.
The moment my words reach the air, the Dreadfang's entire body relaxes, its claws uncurling from the earth. It lowers its head, its eyes softening. It's still large, still imposing, but it no longer feels dangerous. It feels... subdued.
*Under my control.*
I don't fully understand why, but I know I can hold its attention. I feel the connection between us, something deeper than just fear or dominance. The beast is recognizing *me*.
"Stand down," I repeat, more firmly this time.
The beast shifts, stepping back and sitting down on its haunches, its massive form no longer threatening. Its eyes never leave me, its body oddly still in the presence of my power.
I turn to the knights, who are still staring at the beast in shock.
"Hold its leg," I instruct, my words sharp and clear.
At first, the knights hesitate, unsure of what I mean. But when the Dreadfang doesn't make a move to stop them, they cautiously approach and bind its legs.
My chest tightens with the exertion of controlling such power. The flow of energy through my body feels like it could burst out of me at any moment, and I push it back down, forcing it to settle. I'm not sure how much longer I can keep it in check.
I glance up at Caius, meeting his gaze. His expression is unreadable.
"Eloise," he says, voice rough, "what did you do?"
I close my eyes, trying to regain my composure. "I..." I hesitate, unsure of how to explain. "I called it."
His brow furrows, and he steps closer, his concern evident.
"But why? Why didn't you—"
"I wasn't aware of how much power I was using," I interrupt. "I didn't mean to, but my energy spilled over, and..." I trail off, uncertain of the right words.
"The beast... it recognized me." I say it more to myself than to anyone else. "It saw me. Not just as a creator, but as... something more."
Caius's gaze softens, but there's still an edge of fear in his eyes.
"Eloise," he says quietly, "you have to be careful. You're the creator of this world, but you can't control everything."
I nod, biting my lip. I know. I've learned that lesson the hard way.
But in the back of my mind, a part of me is unsettled.
*What if I can?*
The thought lingers, darker and deeper than I'd like to admit.
————————
The tension in the air begins to settle, though I can still feel the remnants of the power I had unleashed, swirling in the quiet corners of my mind. The Dreadfang sits calmly now, its enormous frame restrained by the knights, yet I sense that it is no longer a threat—it is simply... waiting.
I take a deep breath and slowly rise to my feet, trying to steady myself as my legs shake from the sudden rush of energy. I glance at the beast, my heart beating a little faster. This creature—it's more than just a magical beast in my world. It represents something I've left behind, something I thought I could never bring back.
I turn to Caius, my hands trembling slightly as I lower them, my gaze softening.
"This beast..." I begin, my voice quiet but firm, "It's not just a random creature. It's here for a reason."
Caius steps closer, his eyes still cautious as he studies both me and the Dreadfang. His gaze flickers between the beast's enormous form and mine. He's trying to make sense of it, and I know this is something he hasn't encountered before. I've never told him what the Dreadfang truly represents—why it exists, why it's here.
"It's not here to harm us," I continue, my voice a little steadier now. "It's not just any magical beast. It's..." I hesitate, the words catching in my throat.
A rush of memories floods my mind. A time before I came to this world, a time when I was younger, innocent, and still had a place to call home. A time when there was warmth.
"It's a symbol of something I lost," I finally whisper.
Caius watches me carefully, sensing the weight of my words.
"Back in my real life," I say slowly, "I had a pet, a large wolf that was like family to me. His name was *Zephyr*." The name lingers in the air for a moment, its sound oddly comforting.
I swallow hard. The memory of Zephyr—the way he would curl up next to me on cold nights, his protective presence, his endless loyalty—stirs something deep within me. It's painful but beautiful, the way I remember him. He was my constant companion during some of the darkest times in my life.
"He was more than a pet. He was my protector. The one creature in the world that loved me unconditionally." I pause, trying to steady my breath, trying to not let the sorrow of that loss drown me.
Caius's expression softens as he listens, his gaze steady and intense, though there's an edge of confusion in his eyes.
"This Dreadfang," I continue, "it's not just a beast of power. It's my way of remembering Zephyr. I gave it the strength of the wolves I knew, the power to protect, but also the heart of a companion. A friend."
Caius doesn't speak right away. His eyes flicker toward the Dreadfang, still sitting with its head lowered, eyes watching me with a strange, almost wistful look. The beast doesn't seem like the monster I once feared it to be. It looks... lost.
"You see," I say, my voice softer now, "the Dreadfang is a reflection of something I wish I could have back. And I know it's strange—it's just a creature in my world—but it's *important*. It represents loyalty, love, and protection. That's why I don't want it harmed. Not now, not ever."
I glance up at Caius, his face unreadable, but the tension around him seems to loosen. He looks at the beast once more, then back to me.
"So you don't want me to kill it? Even after it attacked you?" he asks, his voice steady but full of curiosity.
I shake my head, slowly. "No. I don't. It's not here to hurt anyone. It just... *responded* to me. My power. The connection between us—it must have sensed something in me that made it react this way."
Caius looks uncertain for a moment. His gaze flickers toward the knights, who are still holding the Dreadfang in place.
"You're sure it's safe?" he asks.
"I'm sure," I reply, more confidently now. "It's in *my* world. My creation. It won't hurt us unless... unless I do something to cause it."
I swallow hard, feeling the weight of those words sink in. I've never fully understood the depth of my control over this world—or what would happen if I lost control. It's terrifying, but also exhilarating.
Caius's gaze softens again, a quiet understanding settling over his features. "Then we'll respect it. And you. But Eloise..." He steps closer to me, his voice becoming more serious. "You need to be more careful. You're playing with forces you don't fully understand yet."
I nod. I know he's right. There's still so much I don't know about the extent of my power, about what I've created. It's all too easy to get lost in it.
But as I stand there, looking at the Dreadfang—this beast, this piece of my past—I can't help but feel like this is the one thing in this world that might truly understand me.
The beast lowers its head one more time, acknowledging me. I feel that same connection pulse between us, stronger than before, and for a moment, I allow myself to believe it. Believe that everything I've created, everything I've imagined, is not just a reflection of my loneliness.
It's a chance to heal. To grow.
And to find what's been missing for so long.