Mira woke up feeling... different.
The air felt heavier, charged with an energy that made her skin tingle. When she sat up, a wave of heat rushed through her veins, as if her body was adjusting to something new.
She frowned, flexing her fingers. The memory of last night's strange flame was still fresh. Had she imagined it? Or was something truly changing inside her?
A sharp knock pulled her from her thoughts.
"Mira, hurry up!" Rhyshe's muffled voice came through the door. "We've got morning drills, and I don't want to get scolded if you're late!"
Mira sighed, shaking off the unease. Focus on the present. Don't overthink.
She quickly changed and stepped outside, forcing a smile as she followed Rhyshe toward the training grounds.
Today's training was intense. Mira had been practicing "Nexira Tha Vanorelle (invisibility) with Celvia, but now she had to cast it under pressure.
Kai stood at the center of the training field, arms crossed. "Today, you'll be dodging attacks while invisible. If you get hit, the spell will break. Understand?"
Mira nodded, her pulse quickening.
She took a deep breath and muttered, "Nexira Tha Vanorelle"
The magic pulsed around her, bending the light, and suddenly—she was gone.
The others launched attacks—blades of wind, fireballs, water strikes—forcing Mira to move. She barely dodged Akira's gust of wind, sidestepped Celvia's water blast, and ducked under Rhyshe's light beams.
For a moment, she felt invincible.
Then, Ren moved.
A bolt of lightning ripped through the air.
Mira dodged—but the sudden shock of it sent a violent tremor through her magic.
Her body froze, a surge of blue-white fire erupting from her hands.
The invisibility shattered. The air warped around her, flames licking at the ground in untamed bursts. For a brief moment, the entire field was engulfed in heat.
"Mira, stop!" Celvia's voice broke through the haze.
Mira gasped, stumbling backward. The flames vanished as suddenly as they had appeared.
Silence fell.
Everyone was staring at her.
Kai's golden eyes narrowed slightly, calculating. Celvia looked stunned, Rhyshe excited. Akira, concerned.
And Ren's expression was unreadable.
Mira clenched her fists. She hadn't meant to lose control. But for that moment, it felt as if something inside her had torn free.
"I'm fine," she muttered, turning away.
She didn't feel fine.
That evening, Ren went to see the Grandmaster.
He was done ignoring the signs.
The white-haired elder sat in his study, a book floating before him, but the moment Ren entered, he closed it with a soft thud.
"You're concerned," the Grandmaster said simply.
Ren crossed his arms. "Mira's magic is getting unstable."
The old man's gaze lingered on him. "You sound worried."
Ren scowled. "She doesn't even understand what's happening to her. If she loses control in the middle of a real battle—"
"She won't."
Ren tensed at the certainty in the Grandmaster's tone. "You keep saying that. But what if you're wrong?"
The Grandmaster sighed, standing. His robes flowed like mist, a stark contrast to the weight of his words. "Mira's power is awakening. We cannot stop it, only guide it."
Ren's jaw tightened. He wasn't sure if that reassured him or made it worse.
"And if we can't guide it?" he pressed.
The Grandmaster's gaze darkened. "Then no one will be able to stop her."
A New Challenge Approaches
The next day, the Seven Devils were summoned to the main hall.
Mira, still shaken from yesterday's incident, sat near the back, but Kai's voice forced her to focus.
"There's an Inner Court Competition in one month," he announced. "And we are expected to participate."
Mira's head snapped up.
"The competition will test strength, strategy, and teamwork," Kai continued. "Winning it will solidify our standing within the academy."
Akira smirked. "Not that we need validation."
"But it's a good excuse to test ourselves," Celvia added.
Mira barely heard the rest. A competition? A battle?
She wasn't ready.
Not with her magic out of control.
Not with the Grandmaster's words hanging over her like a curse.
And yet—deep down, she wanted to prove herself.
The embers of destiny were stirring.
And there was no turning back.