Deep in the forest, dawn was almost breaking. Elara and Lyra stood in the middle of the training ground, their eyes locked onto each other. Both were ready—nervous, yet determined. Eldrin stood a bit further back, fully within the sisters' view. His gaze never left them, meticulously observing every moment of the duel. His experienced eyes not only assessed their abilities but also remained ready to intervene at the slightest sign of danger. He bore the responsibility of testing their power while also protecting them. Any mistake could have severe consequences. Beside him, loyal Shadow stood silently, its fur ruffling slightly in the wind.
Elara was the first to strike, quickly gathering nun energy between her fingers. It rapidly concentrated and began spiraling in the air around her. Bright blue lights traced a luminous arc as they moved. The energy intensified, transforming into a fiery dance before exploding upwards. The mass of energy responded to Elara's will, taking form as fiery birds. These flame-bound creatures spread their wings and hurtled toward Lyra with dazzling speed, glowing like crimson stars as they neared her.
A faint smile appeared on Lyra's face as she released her own nun energy without restraint. A swirling gray vortex formed around her, delicate and graceful, but harboring a growing power. The vortex suddenly solidified, crystallizing with the force of the wind, and shimmered like a transparent shield around her. The fiery birds collided with this crystal barrier one by one, sending out blinding sparks before dissolving. Lyra had flawlessly countered the attack.
As the fiery birds disintegrated, Elara decided to make her next move. Stretching her fingers forward, she swiftly conjured a bright water sphere. This massive orb began circling around Lyra, tightening its grip. The sphere whirled with increasing force, slowly closing in to entrap her completely. Elara's attempt to corner her sister stirred only feelings of helplessness and entrapment in Lyra.
Dark memories resurfaced in Lyra's mind. She recalled a childhood moment when she was trapped amidst the flames; the fire burned not her body, but her soul. She then remembered the time Gölge had been cornered, the helpless howls of the young wolf deeply wounding her heart. As these painful memories stabbed her consciousness, Lorthar's teachings echoed once again: "If you fear unleashing your zen power, you will never realize your true strength."
Driven by the anguish of those memories, Lyra unleashed the zen energy inside her like a volcanic eruption. The aura around her grew darker and colder. This sudden shift did not go unnoticed by Eldrin. Normally calm and composed, he struggled to contain his rising concern, preparing to intervene.
In a booming voice, he called, "Girls, that's enough for today!" Elara heard him, but Lyra was in no state to listen.
Zen energy began radiating from Lyra's feet in waves. She then targeted the ground beneath Elara, turning the earth to mud. Elara, sinking to her knees, lost both her balance and her focus. The water sphere lost its form, unraveling into a shapeless mass of energy that began dissipating.
Trapped in the muck, Elara struggled to regain her composure, her breaths shallow and ragged. The dark gleam in Lyra's eyes was unsettling. As the water sphere dissipated, Lyra seized the opportunity. She gathered zen energy and struck the ground with great force. The dark power coalesced into shadowy bats that rose from the ground. These creatures, with black wings, moved with deadly speed, aiming directly for Elara.
Just as the dangerous assault was about to reach her, Eldrin surged forward. With a single motion, he conjured a magical barrier to cut off the zen energy.
Though Eldrin was not late, the collision of the destructive zen power against his magical barrier resulted in a massive, mystical explosion. The resulting shockwave flung Elara into the air, propelling her four men high before she crashed hard to the ground, lying still.
Eldrin grabbed Lyra's left arm firmly with his right hand, neutralizing the out-of-control zen energy. His face radiated unbridled fury, his eyes ablaze. His fingers dug tightly into Lyra's wrist as he growled, "What do you think you're doing?!" Grinding his teeth in anger, he demanded, "Where did you learn this technique?!"
Lyra froze in fear under Eldrin's wrath. She had not anticipated such a harsh intervention. His very presence had instantly suppressed her zen energy, yet the feelings of freedom and power she had just experienced were not so easily dismissed.
At that moment, Shadow intervened. Driven by an instinct to protect its master, the wolf lunged at Eldrin's arm, sinking its sharp teeth into his hand. For a brief moment, the old wizard's attention was diverted. His grip slackened, and Lyra seized the chance to break free and pull away.
Without hesitation, Lyra took advantage of this opportunity to escape. She darted into the dark forest, her heart pounding wildly, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. For a moment, she stopped and looked back at her sister. Seeing Elara's motionless body on the ground filled Lyra with a sharp pang of guilt. She realized she had nearly killed her.
As Lyra stood amidst the cool, damp air of the forest, her eyes swollen from crying, the voices in her mind refused to quiet. She felt an overwhelming guilt for the harm she had caused Elara. Gods help her—she had almost killed her! Yet alongside this guilt, another sensation haunted her: the immense power she had felt while using the zen energy. It was both terrifying and intoxicating, a feeling that consumed her body and mind like a passion to which she was hopelessly addicted.
Now, she understood what had happened. The power she had felt when she started the fire was not nun energy. As she unleashed her rage, she had unknowingly used the zen technique.
This technique didn't always have to be destructive, though. After all, Lorthar had used it to save Gölge. She trusted Lorthar. Ever since he had entered her life, under his guidance, she had grown far more quickly.
Now more than ever, she needed Lorthar's presence. As she waited for him in the place where they always met, her tears had dried. Finally, when Lorthar's familiar voice echoed through the darkness, she felt a wave of relief in her heart.
When Lyra raised her head, she locked eyes with a stranger standing beside Lorthar. A tall man with a hard stare and a black beard, his eyes bore into her with a gaze that sent a chill down her spine. She immediately understood who this man was. Lorthar had told her about him.
This was Zarathor, Lorthar's master.