The day began as usual. The faint hum of students stirring filled the halls, and the scent of breakfast wafted through the air. Elara pulled on her uniform and splashed cold water on her face, hoping to ground herself.
At the dining hall, Zara waved her over, her auburn braid swinging as she gestured excitedly about something Liam was saying. Elara plastered on a smile, but her mind remained distant.
"You okay?" Liam asked as she slid into the seat across from him.
"Yeah," she replied quickly, stabbing at her food. "Just a rough night."
Zara leaned closer, her hazel eyes narrowing with concern. "Rough how? More nightmares?"
Elara hesitated. The dreams weren't new—she'd had flashes of strange, unsettling visions ever since she received her Veilmark. But last night felt… different.
"I'll be fine," she said, brushing off their concern. "Let's just get through today."
The first class of the day was Professor Elian's, held in the academy's sprawling training grounds. The crisp morning air was alive with the faint hum of magical energy as students filed in, eager to begin.
"Today," Elian began, her voice commanding but calm, "We'll focus on refinement. Raw power is only as useful as the control behind it."
Elara's stomach tightened at her words. Her dream still lingered in the back of her mind, and the idea of losing control again filled her with unease.
Pairs of students took turns channeling their marks into precise displays of energy—attacks, defenses, and even complex maneuvers. When her turn came, Elara found herself paired with Kade, his cocky smirk already grating on her nerves.
"Ready to get embarrassed?" Kade teased, his amber eyes gleaming with mischief.
"Bring it," Elara shot back, though her confidence wavered.
Elian signaled for them to begin. Kade moved first, summoning a torrent of flames that roared toward her. Elara instinctively raised her hand, and her Veilmark flared to life. Silvery Energy starts pulsing out of her mark like electricity, colliding with her surroundings. Everyone watches in awe as the energy coming from her mark quickly forms a barrier blocking Kade's attack.
The flames crashed against the shimmering shield, sending a ripple through the air. Gasps echoed among the students as Elara's barrier held firm, gleaming like liquid light.
Kade's smirk faltered. He stepped back, his hands glowing as he prepared another attack. "Not bad," he muttered. "But can you keep up?"
Elara's heart pounded as her mark pulsed again, feeding the barrier. She felt the energy coursing through her, wild and untamed, threatening to spill over.
"Steady yourself!" Elians voice rang out, cutting through the tension. "Control your flow, Elara!"
Kade unleashed another fiery wave, larger and more intense than the first. Elara's mark responded on its own, the barrier morphing as tendrils of silvery energy lashed out from its edges, slamming into the fire and dissipating it before it reached her.
The training ground fell silent.
Elara stared at the writhing tendrils, their edges sharp and glinting like blades. She hadn't meant to summon them—they had acted on instinct. Slowly, they faded back into her mar, leaving her trembling.
"Well," Kade muttered, brushing soot off his sleeves. "Didn't see that coming."
Professor Elian stepped forward, her gaze fixed on Elara with an intensity that sent shivers down her spine. "Enough for today," She announced, though her eyes remained on Elara. "Everyone, take note: true control requires more than raw power as I mentioned before. Class dismissed."
After class, Professor Elian pulled Elara aside. Her sharp gaze was unreadable, but her tone carried a weight Elara couldn't ignore.
"You're tapping into something most students take years to achieve," she began, her eyes flickering to Elara's Veilmark. "But power without control is dangerous—for you and those around you."
Elara swallowed hard. "I didn't mean to… It just happened."
Elian nodded. "Dreams, fears, emotions—they all feed into your mark. Whatever you're facing, it's pushing you toward this breakthrough. But you must learn to harness it, or it will control you."
"How?" Elara asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"By understanding yourself," Elian replied. "Your mark isn't just a tool; it's a reflection of who you are. Accept that, and you'll find your way. Ignore it, and it may consume you."
Her words lingered as Elara made her way back to her dorm that evening. The shadows of her dream still haunted her, but so did the light she had summoned. And she wondered if she was choosing the right path. What if the shadows or the Veilmark's energy completely consumes me? What exactly is or was my meant for? Why is it so hard to control this power?
She retired to bed and passed out with her mind still full of questions that seemingly had no answers.