The moon hung high above Mount Hester, casting silver light over the valley below. The night was quiet, but there was a tension in the air, a kind of stillness that came only before something significant. Mira sat beside the fire, her fingers absentmindedly tracing circles over the smooth stone ground, but her mind was far away.
Fengrion lay stretched beside her, his golden fur glowing under the moonlight, but there was no playfulness in his posture tonight. His tail flicked against the dirt, his golden eyes staring at the sky as if waiting for something that would never come.
Lucian stood a few steps away, arms crossed over his broad chest, his emerald eyes half-lidded as he observed the ancient beast. His presence was commanding yet quiet, like a mountain unmoved by the passing of time.
The silence stretched between them before Fengrion finally spoke, his voice low, almost reverent.
"She led the charge, you know."
Mira turned, watching as the great beast exhaled deeply, his breath warm against the cool night air.
"The war was chaos. Demons, gods, mortals… but she—" He hesitated, his golden eyes dimming slightly. "She never hesitated. She was unrestrained, uncontrollable. The world called her the War Goddess, but to me…" His voice dropped, tinged with something indescribable. "She was more than that. She was fearless."
A heavy weight settled over Mira's chest. She didn't know why, but something about the way he spoke made her feel… small. Like she was standing in the shadow of something far greater than herself.
Lucian didn't respond immediately, his gaze locked on the flickering flames. Then, finally, he let out a quiet sigh. "That was a long time ago."
Fengrion turned his gaze toward him, his massive body shifting as he sat up. "Then tell me, is she finally coming back?"
Lucian's jaw tightened slightly, his fingers flexing at his sides. He turned his head, his gaze settling on Mira.
She felt a chill crawl up her spine.
"If she returns as Mira," Lucian said slowly, "then it is our responsibility to protect her. Not as a god. Not as Maya. But as who she is now."
Fengrion's tail swayed, his expression unreadable. Then, with a deep sigh, he curled up once more.
"Then we will see if she can handle what's coming."
Mira lowered her gaze, her hands tightening around her knees.
Why did this feel so heavy?
Mira's Nightmare
Sleep came in restless waves.
And then, the nightmare returned.
The corridor was long and endless, swallowed by darkness at both ends. The sound of her footsteps echoed against the cold stone floor, too loud in the suffocating silence.
Her hands were slick with sweat, her breath uneven. In her trembling fingers, she gripped a dagger.
Ahead of her stood a man.
His face was blurred, as if time itself refused to let her remember him. But his aura was overpowering, celestial, suffocating. He didn't move, didn't react—he simply stood there, waiting.
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears.
She knew what came next.
The blade sinking into flesh. The warmth of blood splattering onto her hands. The cold look in his eyes as he collapsed at her feet.
But this time—she hesitated.
Her fingers trembled around the hilt of the dagger. Her chest tightened.
Why?
Why was this happening?
Why did it feel so real?
And why, for the first time… did she feel like she was losing something?
Mira woke with a sharp inhale, her heart slamming against her ribs. Her body was drenched in sweat, her fingers gripping the sheets like a lifeline.
The mountain cave was silent, save for the occasional rustling of wind against the entrance. She lifted a shaky hand to her forehead, trying to steady her breathing.
That dream—**that nightmare—**hadn't appeared for days.
Why now?
Why, after everything?
Her mind spun with questions.
Who am I?
Why had the Grandmaster trained her personally?
Why had Lucian, an ancient immortal, suddenly appeared?
And why did Fengrion recognize her?
Mira clenched her fists, burying her face in her knees.
"I just wanted to be a normal girl," she whispered into the darkness.
But maybe… she never could be.
The sun had barely risen when Mira was summoned to the Grandmaster's private chamber.
The scent of ancient parchment and incense filled the room, the air thick with something unreadable. Mira stood stiffly before him, her exhaustion barely hidden beneath her steady gaze. Lucian stood beside the Grandmaster, arms crossed, his presence a silent force in the room.
The Grandmaster's eyes met hers, his gaze warm yet firm. "Your training under me ends here."
Mira's breath caught. "What?"
He folded his hands together, nodding toward Lucian. "From this point forward, he will oversee your training."
Mira turned to Lucian, her expression tightening. "Why?"
The Grandmaster exhaled. "Because I have already meddled too much in the affairs of gods and immortals." His voice was gentle but resolute. "This is no longer a path I can walk with you."
Her stomach twisted.
Something bigger was happening here—something she wasn't being told.
Lucian, ever unreadable, spoke at last. "You're coming with me."
Mira crossed her arms. "Where?"
Lucian smirked. "To the Windmoon Pavilion."
Mira blinked. "Where?"
Lucian tilted his head, amusement flickering in his emerald eyes. "In the Immortal Realm."
Mira froze.
"Excuse me, what?"
Lucian turned fully toward her, stepping closer. "Your current level is insufficient. You won't advance here." His voice was calm, but there was a finality to it. "You need to be somewhere stronger."
Mira opened her mouth, then closed it. Opened it again. "I—I'm not an immortal. I can't even control my flames properly. I'd probably explode if I stepped foot there."
Lucian hummed. "Then don't explode."
Mira stared at him, dumbfounded.
She turned to the Grandmaster, begging for some sense of normalcy, but he simply nodded. "Lucian is correct."
Mira's mind screamed.
She hadn't even figured out who she was yet—and now she was being thrown into an entirely different world?!
Fengrion, clearly enjoying her suffering, laughed. "Good luck surviving in the Immortal Realm, little one." His golden eyes sparkled with amusement. "I do wonder how long you'll last."
Mira scowled. "Wow. Thanks for the encouragement."
Lucian waved a hand, dismissing the conversation entirely. "Prepare yourself. We leave after the competition at artemis."
Mira gawked at him as the reality of her situation slammed into her like a brick wall.
She wasn't just training anymore.
She was about to step into a world beyond anything she had ever known.