The days blurred into a whirlwind of relentless training, with Alai pushing Aletha to her breaking point, challenging her endurance, and demanding flawlessness in every movement. Aletha felt determination mingling with exhaustion as she struggled to meet every expectation.
The crisp mountain air stung Aletha's cheeks, a bracing contrast to the anxious flutter twisting in her stomach. Every breath seemed to burn with anticipation and self-doubt.
"Remember what I told you." Alai's voice echoed across the valley, her crimson eyes drifting to Aletha's foot tracks, the food sizzling next to her. "Remember the prophecy."
"O… Okay," Aletha replied, wiping sweat from her brow. She eyed the sizzling food, thinking of all she had to prove through this training. "And then I can have breakfast?"
Aletha's arms flailed left and right as she caught the enticing scents drifting from the house, her eyes darting toward the window.
