As the first light of dawn appeared, Lyra hurried toward the training grounds and realized, upon reaching the broad clearing overlooking Eldrin's hut, that the training had already begun. Eldrin was giving Elara one-on-one instruction. A blue light shimmered in Elara's palm, dancing gracefully as Lyra quietly withdrew to a corner to watch the scene unfold. Eldrin's eyes sparkled with pride and admiration.
Noticing Lyra, Eldrin called out, "Lyra, come here," with a gentle but expectant tone. "It's your turn."
Lyra took a deep breath and approached. Eldrin first explained how to perform the spell, then demonstrated it himself. Lyra felt the nun energy within her and touched it, carefully repeating the hand movements and ancient words she had learned from Eldrin.
As the blue flame in her palm flickered momentarily, she feared she would lose control, but it remained steady. She had performed the spell correctly, though the control over the blue light was far from Elara's grace. Eldrin gave a slight nod of approval, but Lyra detected a hint of her own inadequacy in his gaze.
"You both have learned the spell," Eldrin said. "But I know you can do better. Spend the day perfecting this spell, adding your unique touch, and give it a name."
Lyra fixed her gaze on her sister, then turned to Eldrin and asked with a fragile voice, "Elara does everything perfectly, doesn't she?"
Eldrin, looking into her eyes, answered softly, "Yes, Elara has extraordinary talent. But remember, Lyra, you have great power within you as well. It will take time to develop it. Be patient."
Without responding, Lyra began walking deeper into the forest. Eldrin had initially only taken her in out of pity, and now he spoke of a great power within her. She could no longer tolerate this insincerity and found it hard to stay in her sister's shadow.
The silence of the forest somewhat eased the clamor in her mind. When she reached a clearing, she took a deep breath, planning to stay there for a while to clear her head. But just then, she heard a pained whimper. She moved through the thorns and bushes toward the source of the sound. Finally, she found a young wolf trapped in a trap. The pup was whimpering and groaning in desperation.
Lyra knelt beside the trap, her heart aching at the pup's suffering gaze. She tried to open the trap, but it was stuck. With all her strength, she managed to pry it open slightly, but it was not enough to free the wolf's paw. She exerted even more effort, ignoring the blood streaming from her injured hands. But when her strength gave out, the trap snapped shut with a painful noise, echoing with the pup's cries in the forest.
With bleeding hands, Lyra looked helplessly into the pup's hopeful eyes. Her eyes filled with tears as she whispered, "I'll get you out of here!" and resolved to perform a spell.
Focusing on the trap, Lyra took a deep breath and activated the nun energy within her. However, fear gnawed at her with every step she took. She could not afford to make a mistake. Her energy flared uncontrollably for a moment, but she managed to calm the nun power. She concentrated on both ends of the trap, thinking that if she correctly applied the telekinesis spell she had learned from Eldrin, she could open the trap and free the young wolf.
Sweat poured down her brow. Just as she was about to complete the spell, she lost control, and the trap began to snap shut again. Trembling with fear, Lyra closed her eyes.
At that moment, a dark voice echoed from the depths of the forest: "As long as you don't overcome your fear, you are doomed to remain weak."
When Lyra opened her eyes, she saw a cold, black energy manifesting over the trap. This mysterious force slowly opened the trap, and the young wolf was freed. Lyra cradled the trembling little body to her chest. As she stroked the pup, one question kept swirling in her mind: Who had performed this spell?
A young man emerged from the shadows of the forest. His black hair fell to his shoulders, and his eyes sparkled with a deep, dark allure. He was both powerful and graceful; the depth of his gaze seemed to mesmerize Lyra. His presence took her breath away.
"My name is Lorthar," he said, his voice resonating like a dark melody.
Lyra stared at him in awe, unable to tear her eyes away. "You're a mage too, aren't you? Thank you so much for helping me..." Her words trailed off as tears streamed down her face. She tore a piece of cloth from her own garment and began to wrap the pup's paw, ignoring her own wounds.
"I helped you because you have great power within you," Lorthar said, his voice deep and compelling. "But you still don't know how to use it."
As Lyra continued to bandage the pup's paw, she said, "My master is teaching me what to do, but..." Her voice faltered, "but I'm not like her."
Lorthar took another step closer, gently saying, "It's natural not to be as good as your master." His movements were deliberate and refined. "But is the person you're referring to really your master? Or is she another student?"
Lyra shook her head silently. She tore another piece from her skirt and began wrapping her own hands.
Lorthar took another step and sat beside Lyra. With a whispering voice that seemed to envelop her mind, he said, "Perhaps your master is restricting you. Or maybe you are restricting yourself."
Lyra thought about the fire she had accidentally started.
Lorthar, sensing her hesitation, continued, "There is a power within you that I've never encountered before. But you don't know how to control it. Such a great force cannot be confined to nun manipulation techniques."
Lyra's eyes widened. She focused intently on Lorthar, asking, "What do you mean? Is there another technique?"
Lorthar's eyes sparkled. "Yes, there is another technique: it's called zen. The technique I used to save the young wolf. Unlike nun energy, it radiates a black aura. This is what is called zen energy. If you restrain yourself, you will never unleash this energy," he said. "This technique can only emerge with courage. If you stick to your master's rules, you will never reach your true potential."
Lyra was lost in the depths of Lorthar's eyes. This man had awakened something inside her—something Eldrin had never managed to achieve. "So, how... how can I use this power?" she asked, her voice trembling with both fear and desire.
Lorthar smiled with an unsettling charm. "Trust me," he said, reaching to stroke the young wolf's head. But the pup unexpectedly bit Lorthar's hand. It bared its teeth and growled, glaring at Lorthar threateningly.
Lyra scolded the pup, "What are you doing, Shadow? He's our friend!" She added, "He saved you, don't you remember?" The pup, feeling ashamed, buried its head against Lyra's stomach.
Panicking, Lyra asked, "I'm so sorry, did I hurt your hand?" as she took Lorthar's hand in hers. She felt her heartbeat quicken.
"It's fine, I'm not hurt," Lorthar said, gazing intently into Lyra's eyes.
Lyra took a deep breath, noticing her trembling. Her heart raced, and she even feared that Lorthar might hear it. With a shy glance away, she tore another piece of cloth from her skirt and began wrapping Lorthar's hand.
Lorthar allowed Lyra to tend to the bite on his hand. Without breaking his gaze from her, he asked, "Shadow? Have you already named him?"
"Yes, his name is Shadow because I found him in the shadows," Lyra replied. "Just like you." When she looked up, her eyes met Lorthar's. Then, with a blush, she turned her eyes back to his hands and tied a knot in the bandage.
"There's one more thing," Lorthar said, grinning mischievously. "Whenever we're injured, if you tear a piece from your skirt..." His eyes lit up, "Your skirt will get quite short."
Lyra's face flushed.
Seeing Lyra's reaction, Lorthar added, "Of course, don't think I'm complaining," with a playful tone.
Laughter filled with joy echoed among the shadows of the forest.