Amberine slouched over her desk, staring at the indecipherable exam paper as if it might explode at any moment. Her eyelids drooped, and her head felt like it was stuffed with wool. Hours had passed since she had begun her all-night study session, and sleep deprivation was taking its toll. The candles around her flickered softly, casting long, wavering shadows on the walls of her small room. Ifrit, the fiery salamander spirit hidden beneath her robe, shifted restlessly, sensing her growing frustration.
"Why does Draven have to make everything so impossible?" Amberine muttered, rubbing her temples. The exam paper before her wasn't just an ordinary test—it was a shifting, swirling mess of symbols and letters that seemed to mock her every time she tried to make sense of it.
