Leylin walked with Eren to the edge of the forest, where mist shrouded the trees and the ground was still damp from the previous rain. The air was chilly, but near her, Eren felt a slight warmth rising in his chest whenever she looked at him.
Leylin stood before him, and for a moment, he felt her golden eyes hold both tenderness and sadness.
"We will begin your training today."
He raised the hand that had previously been marked with a red inscription and said hesitantly, "How will I learn to control fire when I can't even light a fire for cooking without burning myself?"
Leylin smiled softly and slowly raised her right hand, a small ball of flame appearing in her palm, dancing like a living being.
"Fire isn't just a flame that burns; it's energy, responding to the soul and heart. If your soul is troubled, it will burn you. If it's calm, it will obey you."
She took a step toward him and raised her hand to his chest, where she felt a faint warmth emanating from within. He closed his eyes in confusion, but felt a gentle flame spread through his body, painless, like the warmth of the winter sun.
"Now, close your eyes."
He obeyed, closing his eyes, clearly hearing his own and hers breathing amidst the stillness of the forest.
"Imagine fire... not as an enemy, but as a friend. Imagine it dancing around you, waiting for you to guide it."
At that moment, he felt a tingling sensation in his palm, where the inscription had previously appeared. He felt a small warmth pool in his palm, and his breathing quickened.
"I... I feel something!"
"Don't be afraid, let it out."
He opened his eyes and saw a small red glow forming on his palm, similar to a small candle flame, but just enough to illuminate his hand on that cold morning.
Lilin smiled as she saw the flames, her eyes shining with pride.
"Great, Erin, you did it."
But the joy was short-lived. His hand suddenly shook, and the flames suddenly grew larger than his fist. He felt a painful heat sting his skin.
"I can't... control it!"
He cried out, trying to close his hand to extinguish them, but the fire wouldn't go out. Instead, it grew brighter, nearly scorching his arm.
At that moment, Lilin quickly grabbed his hand, placed her other hand over his heart, and said in a calm voice amidst the chaos:
"Breathe... Remember, the wind is a friend of fire, not its enemy."
He felt a sudden blast of cool air surround the flames, but it didn't extinguish them. Instead, it calmed them, until they gradually diminished, returning to a small flame before disappearing completely.
Eren fell to his knees, panting, as Leylin held his hand, staring at him with a steady gaze.
"You've succeeded, Heir of the Wind."
He raised his eyes to hers, catching his breath, and said in a trembling voice, "Will... will I ever be able to control it?"
Leylin smiled gently, wiping the sweat from his brow with her warm fingers.
"Yes, but remember, controlling fire begins with controlling your heart."
At that moment, Eren felt an invisible thread connecting him to this fiery girl, a thread he couldn't escape, even if he wanted to.
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