Mira jolted awake to a sharp knock at her door.
"Training starts now."
Celvia's voice was firm, and when the door swung open, her usual composure was replaced with the slightest glimmer of amusement. Mira groaned, dragging herself upright, her body aching from yesterday's chaos.
She dressed quickly, slipping into the Seven Devils' robes—black and deep indigo, the fabric embroidered with faint magical sigils that pulsed when she moved. The moment she stepped outside, the cold morning air hit her like a slap, clearing the remnants of sleep from her mind.
The training grounds stretched behind the White House, vast and empty except for the Seven Devils waiting. Their gazes were heavy with expectation. Kai stood at the center, his usual warmth replaced by something more unreadable.
"You're here because you think you belong with us," he said simply. "Prove it."
Before she could respond, Kai gestured to the track.
"Run."
Mira's stomach twisted. No end time, no explanation. Just… run.
She took off, the ground beneath her still damp with morning dew. Her robe clung to her back as sweat gathered quickly, her breath turning sharp. Every step throbbed in her muscles, exhaustion gnawing at her limbs.
One lap.
Two.
Three.
Her vision blurred at the edges. The sound of her own gasping breaths drowned everything else out. The track felt endless. Her body screamed at her to stop.
But she didn't.
Not with their eyes on her.
Five laps. Six.
Just when she thought she might collapse, Kai raised a hand.
"Enough."
Mira stumbled to a stop, hands on her knees, gulping in air. But the moment she steadied herself, Kai's voice rang out again.
"You're sparring next. Ren, you're up."
A sharp chill ran down her spine.
Ren stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. He looked effortlessly relaxed. "Try to last at least a minute," he said, smirking.
Then he moved.
Lightning ripped through the air—a blinding streak of violet-blue. The sheer force of it cracked the ground beneath them, and before Mira could react, the energy slammed into her.
The shock rattled her bones. Her vision burst white.
She barely had time to register the pain before Ren was already moving again.
She scrambled backward, barely dodging another strike. He was too fast. Too ruthless. The air around him crackled with residual energy, distorting space itself.
Mira threw up a wall of fire in desperation.
Ren tore through it like paper.
"You're hesitating," he taunted. **A flash of movement—**his palm collided with her stomach, sending her skidding across the dirt. Her limbs spasmed from the residual electricity.
Mira coughed, dirt and blood mixing in her mouth. Weak. Always weak.
A sharp, bitter rage bloomed inside her.
Then—a spark.
The heat inside her roared to life.
The air around her shimmered. Her fingertips burned with a flame unlike anything she had summoned before—a blue-violet blaze, flickering and alive. The energy curled through her veins, heavier, darker—dangerous.
For the first time, Ren hesitated.
But before she could unleash it, something inside her snapped.
A sharp pain tore through her chest, and suddenly the power was yanked back—sealed.
Her flames sputtered out.
Mira's breath hitched. A crushing emptiness filled her, as if something had caged her magic. Her body collapsed, but before she could hit the ground—
Ren caught her.
His grip was firm, his expression unreadable. For a moment, he just held her there.
Then, Kai's voice cut through the tension.
"Enough."
That Night – The Balcony
Mira sat outside, gripping the railing until her knuckles turned white.
Her hands still tingled from the fire. Not the usual warmth—something else. Something primal.
She had felt it. Felt something trying to claw its way out.
"You're too reckless."
Mira flinched at the voice. Ren stood nearby, leaning against the railing, his dark blue-black hair ruffled by the wind.
She scoffed, masking her unease. "I had it under control."
Ren gave her a look. "Yeah? That's why you nearly collapsed?" His eyes flickered toward her hands. "That fire of yours… it's not normal."
Mira swallowed. She knew it too.
But before she could respond, he turned away. "Next time," he said quietly, "don't hold back."
Then he disappeared into his room, leaving Mira alone with the weight of the night.
She clenched her fists.
She needed answers.
And she wouldn't stop until she got them.
Meanwhile – The Grand Master's Chamber
Kai stood before the Grand Master, his usual confidence replaced with unease. "Her flames aren't just fire," he said, his voice low. "They feel like… something else. Like they have a will of their own."
The Grand Master exhaled slowly. "Because they do."
Kai's hands curled into fists. "Then what exactly is she?"
The silence stretched. Then, finally, the Grand Master spoke.
"Not all flames are meant to be wielded, Kai. Some… are meant to be buried."
Kai's blood ran cold.
The Grand Master's gaze locked onto him, heavy with ancient knowledge and unspoken warning.
"If she loses control, not even the Seven Devils will be enough to stop what's inside her."
Kai stiffened.
The Grand Master's final words hung like a prophecy.
"She does not need to control the fire, Kai. She must become it."