A month after, Elara paced the narrow space of her room, the late evening shadows flickering against the walls. Her heart still pulsed with frustration, lingering from the day's encounter at the temple.
Despite her efforts, despite the progress she had made, the Divine Order still stood untouched, unaffected. Even the faithful that she had manipulated seems to become devoted once again, which frustrated her even more.
Fortunately, The Order can't read minds, if not... she definitely can't bear the consequences. She felt a gnawing urgency, an almost desperate drive to learn more, to do more.
She summoned Lucian, the air around her charged with her impatience. When he materialized, his form shrouded in dark mist, she didn't waste a moment.
"Lucian," she demanded, her voice taut, "I need to learn a new technique. Something stronger, something that'll actually make a difference."
Lucian's crimson eyes narrowed. He crossed his arms, regarding her with a cool detachment that immediately tempered her excitement.
"You've barely scratched the surface of what I've already taught you," he said. His tone was unyielding, a stark contrast to her own anxiousness. "And yet you demand more?"
Elara clenched her fists, her frustration bubbling up. "But I've been practicing nonstop! I can control shadows, I can manipulate thoughts—"
"Barely," he interrupted, his voice sharp and cutting. "Your 'Mind Manipulation' is fledgling at best. As for 'Shadow Manipulation?,' you're a novice. You can't even maintain a decent cloaking for more than a few minutes without slipping."
His words stung, each one feeling like a slap to her pride. She wanted to argue, to protest that she was ready, that she had worked hard enough to move forward. But his gaze held her in place, a chilling reminder of how far she still had to go.
"Little one," he continued, his voice hard as steel, "do you truly understand what you're asking for? The Order isn't something you can simply scratch at and hope to see results. They have endured far greater threats than you.
If you went up against them now, with your current level of skill, you wouldn't last a second. They'd crush you before you even knew what hit you."
The gravity of his words sank in, and Elara felt a flicker of doubt, something she had been stubbornly pushing aside. Her resolve wavered, but the frustration still lingered. She couldn't shake the sense that she was being held back.
"I'm not weak," she insisted, her voice wavering but defiant. "I just… I need to make a difference. I need to do more."
Lucian's gaze didn't soften. "Strength isn't born from impatience," he replied coldly. "It's born from discipline, from the relentless pursuit of mastery. Results will come when you're actually ready, not because you wish it so."
The words struck her hard, cutting through her frustration like a cold blade. She looked away, swallowing her pride as her anger deflated. He was right.
She had barely scratched the surface, and the Order was an ancient, deeply rooted force. She couldn't afford to let her impatience cloud her judgment.
After a long silence, she managed to whisper, "I… I'm sorry. I just thought..."
"If you're truly serious," Lucian interrupted, his tone softening slightly but still firm, "then prove it. Master these arts, fully.
Once you've shown me you can wield 'Shadow Manipulation' and 'Mind Manipulation' with true control, then—only then—will I consider teaching you anything else."
His words left no room for argument. She felt the weight of his condition settle on her shoulders, a daunting challenge but one that sparked a renewed determination within her.
Swallowing her frustration, she nodded solemnly. "I understand. I'll prove it."
From that moment, Elara resolved to pour every ounce of her focus into mastering the techniques. She would train relentlessly, no matter how grueling it became.