I'm Casey.

Her body was severely damaged. Her clothes were torn and bloody, and her skin was covered in bruises and cuts. But what caught their attention the most was the golden glow in her eyes.

As Casey turned to face them, they could see her in a new form. Her hair was dishevelled and her face was twisted in a fierce expression. Her body seemed to be vibrating with otherworldly energy, and her muscles were taut and ready for battle.

Her hands were raised, her fingers twitching with raw power that seemed to be bursting out of her. She looked like a being possessed, but not by any entity they had ever encountered.

"Casey? I'm Casey," she licked her lips as her head twitched, "Pretty Elves."

Rowan and Aricen exchanged a worried glance as they cautiously approached Casey.

"Casey, what's going on?" Rowan asked cautiously, taking a step forward.

Casey's head jerked towards him, her eyes locking onto his. "Pretty Elves," she repeated, her voice distorted and unnatural. "Pretty Elves."

Aricen moved closer to Rowan, his hand hovering over his sword. He didn't know what had happened to Casey, but he could sense that something was very wrong.

"Casey, can you hear me?" Rowan asked, taking another step closer.

Casey's head snapped towards him again, and this time she let out a low growl. Her body tensed, and Rowan could see that she was getting ready to attack.

"Stay back," Aricen warned, drawing his sword. His bruise was still burning, but he couldn't see Casey in this state. Just what was wrong with her? "Rowan, go and check on Serenya."

Rowan hesitated for a moment, torn between his concern for Casey and his duty to check on Serenya. But Aricen's words shook him out of his indecision.

He quickly made his way toward the other side of the clearing, where he had seen Serenya lying earlier. As he got closer, he could see that she was still breathing, but barely. He looked around. Other girls were in as bad a condition as her, or maybe worse.

He kneeled down beside her, gently brushing her hair away from her face. She was pale, and her breathing was shallow and ragged.

"Come on, Serenya," he whispered, reaching out to touch her forehead. "Wake up. We need to get out of here."

As he spoke, he could hear the sounds of the fight behind him. Casey was still growling and snarling, and Aricen's sword was clanging against something hard.

Rowan tried to ignore it, focusing on Serenya instead. He needed to get her out of there before anything else happened.

He gently scooped her up into his arms, careful not to jostle her too much. As he stood up, he could feel the weight of her body against his chest, and he knew that he needed to move quickly. He used his telekinesis to gather all the other girls and lift them gently off the ground. Their bodies were limp and bruised, and Rowan could feel their pain and fear as he carried them away from the clearing.

He turned around, ready to head back towards the entrance of the clearing, when he saw Casey and Aricen again.

She was still snarling, but this time she was facing Aricen. He could see that her eyes were still glowing with an eerie golden light, and he could feel a sense of unease creeping up on him.

"Casey, Aricen," he called out, taking a step towards them. "We need to go. We need to get out of here."

But Casey didn't respond. Instead, she launched herself at Aricen, her body moving with speed and ferocity that he had never seen before.

Aricen tried to dodge Casey's attacks, but her movements were too quick and erratic. He could feel her dark energy pulsing through her body, and each time she struck him, it felt like a sledgehammer to his chest.

"Casey, listen to me!" Aricen shouted, trying to make himself heard over the sound of their clashing bodies. "You need to remember who you are! You need to save Lane and all the people of Rothania! I'm your friend, Casey!"

But Casey didn't seem to hear him. Her eyes were wild and unfocused, and her attacks were becoming even more vicious. Aricen was bleeding from several wounds, and he could feel his strength beginning to fade.

He tried one more time. "Casey, please! Remember who you are! You have the power to save everyone! You're not a monster!"

He took a deep breath and summoned all his remaining strength. Then, with a roar, he charged at Casey, his sword raised high.

His blade clashed with her lightning, and for a moment, it seemed like Aricen might actually have the upper hand. But then Casey's dark energy surged again, and she shoved him backwards with a force that sent him flying.

Aricen hit the ground hard and felt his consciousness slip away. Without wasting any second, Casey jumped on him. As she licked her lips again with a big grin on her face which almost creeped out Aricen.

As Casey raised her hand, ready to snap her fingers and end Aricen's life, he reached up and grabbed her by the face, holding her in place. He could feel her hot breath against his skin. He looked deep into her eyes, hoping to reach the part of her that was still human. Gently rubbing his thumb over her cheeks.

"Casey, please," he whispered. "You have to remember who you are."

Casey's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, Aricen thought she was going to attack him. But then he felt her body relax slightly, and he knew that he had her attention.

Aricen held Casey's face between his hands, gently rubbing his thumbs over her cheeks. He looked deep into her golden eyes, searching for any sign of recognition.

"Casey, please," he whispered, his voice filled with desperation. "You have to remember who you are. You're not this...this monster. You're Casey. You're my friend."

Casey's eyes flickered, and for a moment, Aricen thought he saw a spark of recognition. He tightened his grip on her face, willing her to remember.

"Think, Casey," he urged. "Think about Lane. About the kingdom. About...about us."

Casey's body trembled, and she let out a low growl. Aricen felt a surge of fear, but he didn't let go. He kept holding onto her, his fingers digging into her skin.

"Remember, Casey," he repeated. "Remember who you are."

He didn't stop. "Casey, remember the first time you met me?" he asked, his voice soft but unwavering. "You tripped over a cart full of squawking chickens, sending it crashing to the ground, and were covered in feathers?" he held her tightly, not letting her look away. Not letting her run away.

He was getting confident that he could bring her back to him. He could finally bring Casey back, the cheerful princess, the one he wanted to protect. It wasn't long since he met her, but they went through circumstances that he couldn't help but think of her as someone so dear to him.

Rowan watched in horror as the two of them fought, each one trying to gain the upper hand. He wanted to help, but he didn't know how.

Then, suddenly, Casey's body went rigid. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and she let out a bloodcurdling scream. Aricen still held onto her, as his eyes were almost closed.

Rowan could see dark energy crackling around her as if she was about to explode.

He didn't know what was happening, but he knew that they needed to get out of there. He turned, his heart clutching, and ran, holding Serenya's body tightly to his chest. He had to save others. He couldn't overlook that fact.

Rowan's heart was pounding in his chest as he stumbled backwards, trying to keep his footing as shockwaves rocked the forest. He could feel the power of the dark magic pulsing through the air, threatening to overwhelm him.

But he couldn't focus on that now. His eyes were fixed on Aricen, who was still lying there in the path of the energy, trying desperately to reach Casey and make her snap out of whatever trance she is in.

Rowan could see the fear in Aricen's eyes, and he knew that he was feeling the same way. They were both completely helpless, watching as Casey was consumed by the dark magic that had taken hold of her.

As the shockwaves subsided, Rowan struggled to his feet, his mind racing with fear and confusion. He knew that they had to do something, anything, to help Casey.

But what could they do? They were up against a force that they couldn't even begin to comprehend. And with Casey lost to them, they were running out of time.

"After all, I am not that perfect it seems," Rowan whimpered as his vision got blurry, "Not again, please." He held onto Serenya tightly. As he closed his eyes and tears streamed down his cheeks. He feels a gentle touch on his cheek. He opens his eyes in shock. A few drops spilt on her face.

She didn't have the strength to say anything, she just smiled.

Suddenly, the air crackled with a fierce, dark energy that seemed to emanate from every inch of Casey's body. Aricen could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand on end, as he braced himself for the inevitable. Rowan's eyes widened in terror as he watched the dark energy pulse and surge around them, like a living thing that was hungry for destruction.

With a sudden, explosive force, the dark energy burst forth from Casey's body, tearing through the forest like a tornado. Aricen felt himself being lifted off his feet. The wind knocked out his lungs as he was thrown back into the air. He couldn't hear anything. Everything turned so peaceful all of a sudden.

Rowan lay there, dazed and confused. He couldn't hear Aricen calling his name anymore, nor he could see Serenya's smile, nor could he see Casey.

But he couldn't move. He couldn't do anything except lie there, feeling the weight of Serenya's body against his chest and wondering what the hell had just happened.