Mira stretched her arms, staring at the cascading waterfall in front of her. The Grandmaster's personal residence, hidden beneath Mount Hester, was nothing like she had imagined. The area was secluded, surrounded by towering cliffs, ancient trees with golden leaves, and a lake so clear that she could see the fish swimming beneath the surface. The air buzzed with pure spiritual energy, thick yet refreshing, making her body feel lighter.
Yet, despite the beauty, a new kind of pressure weighed on her shoulders. She had tamed Fengrion, but her real training was just about to begin.
Sitting by the lake, Mira turned to the tiny white cub sprawled beside her. Fengrion, despite his small fluffy form, yawned like a beast that had seen the world's end. A 10,000-year-old immortal beast was currently napping like a spoiled cat.
Mira poked his soft fur. "You caused a whole mountain to shake, and now you're acting cute?"
Fengrion peeked at her with half-lidded golden eyes. "Hmph. You humans talk too much." He flicked his tail before rolling over, ignoring her.
Mira sighed. Even though she had won against him, she still didn't fully understand the connection between them. Something about him felt... familiar, almost like a bond that had existed long before they met.
Before she could dwell on the thought, the Grandmaster emerged from his wooden hut, holding a thick staff carved with strange symbols. His long silver hair swayed slightly in the wind, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced with something unreadable.
"Mira," he called, his voice carrying an unusual seriousness.
Mira straightened. Here it comes.
The First Trial: Control Over the Chains
The Grandmaster tapped his staff on the ground. The earth trembled slightly, and suddenly, Mira's body froze. A familiar, suffocating weight wrapped around her limbs—the golden chains.
Her heart pounded. These were the same chains that had emerged in the battle with Fengrion. The ones that had bound her power for who knew how long.
"Mira," the Grandmaster said, watching her struggle, "this is the seal placed on you. It's not a simple restriction—it's a part of your soul. The more you fight against it, the stronger it becomes."
Mira grit her teeth, trying to move her arms, but the chains only tightened. The pressure was unbearable, as if an invisible force was pushing her into the ground.
"How do I break it?" she gasped.
The Grandmaster gave a knowing smile. "You don't."
Mira's eyes widened. What?
"You don't break them. You command them."
Mira stilled.
"The chains were created to suppress you, but suppression is also a form of control. Instead of resisting, make them obey."
Mira closed her eyes, heart racing. Obey? How was she supposed to control something that had held her back her entire life?
She focused. The weight of the chains was unbearable, but she remembered something—the moment she subdued Fengrion. The power wasn't in the force, it was in the will.
Taking a deep breath, she stopped struggling. Instead, she imagined the chains not as restraints, but as extensions of herself. She reached for them—not to break, but to wield.
A strange heat surged in her chest, and the chains shifted.
A single golden link unlatched, and for a moment, she felt the power of true fire—but it was too much. The heat rushed through her veins like liquid gold, threatening to burn her from the inside.
Mira gasped, collapsing to one knee. Not yet. She still wasn't ready.
The Grandmaster nodded approvingly. "That's enough for today. You're starting to understand."
Mira clenched her fists. One link had opened. Just one.
She would open the rest. No matter how long it took.
The Second Trial: Spirit Projection
Later that evening, after her exhausting attempt to control the chains, the Grandmaster called her once more.
"This time, we'll work on something equally important—your spirit power," he said.
Fengrion, now fully awake and watching from a rock, scoffed. "She can barely control her fire. Now you want her soul to leave her body? Are you trying to kill her?"
Mira shivered. Wait, what?
"Relax," the Grandmaster chuckled. "Spirit projection won't harm you if done correctly. It allows your soul to leave your body for a short time, letting you communicate with spiritual beasts on a deeper level."
Mira blinked, glancing at Fengrion. She was supposed to connect with him using her soul?
"Close your eyes," the Grandmaster instructed. "Breathe. Feel the energy around you. And say this spell: Lirum Entasya."
Mira hesitated but did as he said.
"Lirum Entasya."
At first, nothing happened. But then—a sudden pull. Her body felt light, as if she were floating. When she opened her eyes, the world looked different. Colors were deeper, the energy around her more alive. And in front of her stood—herself.
Or rather, her physical body, still sitting cross-legged on the ground.
Her spirit had left her body.
Mira gasped, looking down at her hands. They were semi-transparent, glowing with a faint blue light. She had done it!
A chuckle echoed beside her. "Not bad," Fengrion said. But this time, she heard him directly in her mind—his voice clear, unfiltered.
Mira turned, staring at him. The little cub looked the same, but now she could see something else—a deep, ancient power swirling around him, as if his tiny form was just a shell hiding something far greater.
Her connection with him had deepened.
"Interesting," the Grandmaster mused, watching from the side. "This level of spirit projection should have taken you weeks to achieve. You've always been an odd one, Mira."
She ignored him, still staring at Fengrion. "You… knew me before, didn't you?" she asked softly.
Fengrion didn't answer immediately. Then, after a long pause, he said, "You are her reincarnation. But you are not yet her."
A cold shiver ran down Mira's spine.
Before she could ask what he meant, a sudden force pulled her back into her body. She gasped, opening her eyes as she returned to the real world, feeling as if she had just fallen from a great height.
She looked at the Grandmaster, who was watching her carefully. "You saw something, didn't you?" he asked.
Mira hesitated. "I… I don't know."
The Grandmaster didn't push. Instead, he simply said, "Then that will be your third trial. Understanding who you are."
Mira swallowed, her heart still pounding.
Her training had only just begun, yet she felt as if she were standing on the edge of something far greater than she had ever imagined.
And for the first time, she wasn't sure if she was ready to know the truth.