The next morning, golden sunlight slipped through the wooden window panes of Gorion's cottage. The smell of warm tea drifted softly through the air. Sylveras stirred awake and, with slow steps and heavy eyes, walked toward the kitchen.
There, standing at the table, was Elara. Her palm hovered over a steaming cup of tea, a faint shimmer of golden light flickering above the surface—unsteady and weak.
"What are you doing?" Sylveras asked as he rubbed his eyes.
Elara turned, slightly startled, then let out a tired sigh. "I'm trying to use yesterday's spell. Cold Radiance... but it's not working."
"You've been up this early just to practice that?" he asked, walking over to sit across from her. "Why won't it work? You succeeded yesterday."
"I don't know…" Elara said quietly, eyes lowered. "Maybe… it only worked because I panicked."
"You're thinking about the demon attack, aren't you?"
She gave a slow nod, still staring at the rising steam. "If only I had known how to use this back then… maybe I could've protected them. Maybe they wouldn't have died."
Sylveras was silent for a moment. Then gently, he reached out and lifted her chin so their eyes could meet.
"This wasn't your fault, Elara," he said softly. "Back then… you didn't understand your power. You weren't as strong as you are now. It's Rael and the demons who are to blame. I would never hold you responsible."
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"I'll always be by your side," he continued. "I've admired you for a long time. And now, being able to train together… it makes me genuinely happy. You're amazing, Elara. Your family... they would be proud of the way you've grown, watching from the heavens."
A single tear rolled down Elara's cheek. She smiled faintly, touched by his words. Their faces slowly drew closer, breath mingling in the soft morning light. Their lips were just inches away—
FWOOOSH!
A teleportation flash burst in the room. Gorion appeared in the middle of the kitchen with a surprised look on his face.
"Eh?? Oh, my apologies! Didn't mean to interrupt!"
Elara immediately pulled on Sylveras's hair, flustered, her cheeks a bright red. "W-we're sorry!"
Gorion chuckled warmly. "No need to apologize. I understand… I was young once, too."
Sylveras scratched the back of his head, grinning awkwardly. But inside, a quiet joy bloomed.
(She's so beautiful... That's the closest I've ever seen her up close.)
As Gorion walked into the living room, he set his staff down and said, "Oh, by the way, Yur'Gan is waiting for you two."
Before they left, Gorion turned toward Elara. "You've come a long way with light magic, Elara. I'm proud. And you too, Sylveras—keep pushing forward. You have what it takes to surpass even your limits."
With a tired breath, Gorion stretched. "The council meeting was draining… I'll be resting for the rest of the day."
Sylveras and Elara left the house together. Their hands brushed accidentally, but neither pulled away. They continued walking like that, hand in hand, until they reached the training grounds.
Yur'Gan stood waiting, arms crossed. "Oh? So you two are dating now?"
They froze, quickly letting go of each other's hands in unison.
Yur'Gan shrugged. "I don't care. Just stay focused on your training. Romance won't help you in a real battle."
Sylveras leaned in and whispered, "He's always like this."
Elara looked away, her face still red, and whispered back, "Just be quiet and pay attention."
Her heart was still pounding, memories of the moment in the kitchen fresh in her mind.
Yur'Gan cleared his throat and gestured dramatically. "Now then. For your third training session... you'll be facing my Lava Troops."
With a snap of his fingers, ten towering warriors of molten rock and fire rose from the ground, glowing red and crackling with heat.
"They're quite strong. The two of you will fight all ten at once. Prepare yourselves."