It was the middle of the night
Lyanna sat alone in her room, her mind swirling with thoughts of Vaelith.
She couldn't stop wondering would he abandon her if he ever discovered she wasn't an ordinary human? Or if he found out she possessed powers similar to his own… would anyone trust her then? She would be left alone once more.
A sudden surge of anxiety swept through her mind. But then, a strange calmness settled over her.
Being alone wasn't a curse it had always been this way.
Perhaps Vaelith only wished to help her because she was new here, perhaps weak… Yet, deep down, Lyanna realized this was better.
Relying on no one but herself was stronger than depending on others.
She thought to herself, slowly and quietly:
"Yes… since I don't even know my own capabilities yet, I won't reveal anything to anyone… not yet."
A faint, odd smile tugged at her lips.
"I will master my power on my own first, then I will show everyone. Whatever happens next…
even if no one stands by me, it won't matter. I will be strong enough on my own."
But… Vaelith.
A shadow of unknown worry crept into her mind. Frustrated, Lyanna scolded herself inwardly , This won't work. I can't fail.
She took a deep breath, sitting in meditation, placing her sword carefully before her.
Thoughts of Vaelith's words whirled in her mind:
if she channeled her mystic power into the sword, it would transform into something unprecedented potentially the most fearsome weapon in this place.
---
Lyanna closed her eyes and focused, hands gripping the sword. Time seemed to stretch. Half an hour passed, but still, she could see nothing. She struggled to sense the mystical power within herself.
Where was it? Why wasn't it coming?
Unable to understand, she muttered to herself, trying to calm her racing thoughts. Maybe she should ask Vaelith. But… what if he doubted her?
No. She reminded herself firmly:
"I've learned enough on my own. Many have discovered their powers without anyone's help. If they can, I can too."
Closing her eyes again, she cleared her mind. Slowly, faint light began to glimmer in the darkness, teasing her senses.
No matter how far she reached toward it, it felt just out of her grasp.
Astrange warmth surged through her body, an odd energy that made her smile involuntarily. She placed her hands fully on the sword.
Suddenly, something strange appeared before her. She couldn't see the light itself, nor did she fully sense the power yet it was there.
A deep, resonant voice echoed through the darkness:
"Lyanna… do you wish to let your pure power enter this sword? It will be terrifying… If you succeed, everything will belong to you. But now… it all depends on you. Can you do it?"
Then the darkness receded. Lyanna opened her eyes.
---
Her sword was gone. In its place, a peculiar object floated, resembling a bird feather, reminiscent of the pen she had seen before.
What is this… what am I supposed to do with it? The sword was better…
Lyanna froze, recalling the mysterious voice from the darkness. She calmed herself, thinking of Vaelith. If he asked her about the sword, what would she say?
Before she could think further, the object began to glow.
Lyanna's eyes widened as the faint light slowly brightened, revealing a transformation the feather-like object gradually morphed into the sword Vaelith had given her.
How…?
And then, as she observed, it transformed again, this time taking the form of the feather like object she had seen earlier. Lyanna's lips curled into a strange smile.
"So, if I want… I can control it as I wish."
---
Elsewhere
In the middle of the night, Varen was still immersed in a peculiar training. Within the training grounds, Rosielle appeared, accompanied by the sweet fragrance of Misty Rose's blossom.
At the sight of Rosielle, Varen froze, his gaze lingering on her before he hurriedly abandoned his training to approach her.
"Rosielle… you've come suddenly? It's been almost a month since I last saw you. You seem even more beautiful than before… or perhaps you've always been this beautiful. I'm sorry I couldn't meet you sooner, caught up in Lyanna's training."
Rosielle interjected, "How has Lyanna's training been? She must have learned something…"
Varen shook his head,
"No… at first, I thought she would be useless. But… I am astonished. In just one month, she has learned what ordinary humans, even with magical potential, could not. Someone like her normally powerless has progressed at an incredible rate. She can even dodge attacks in combat. Truly, Lyanna is remarkable."
Rosielle, hearing Varen's praise, felt a twinge of jealousy but smiled faintly. Varen placed a hand near her face, approaching gently.
"Have I praised her too much?"
Rosielle laughed lightly, shaking her head.
"Stop talking about that girl. Now… tell me, has Vaelith arrived? I haven't seen him in ages."
At Vaelith's mention, Varen's expression shifted slightly.
"Yes… he arrived today. He gave Lyanna his sword. I don't know why, but it seems he is taking special care of her."
Rosielle's eyes widened.
"He actually gave that sword… to that extraordinary girl? Are you joking?"
Just then, Rrisu appeared beside Rosielle. Seeing her, Varen nodded.
"I'm leaving then… prepare for tomorrow's journey."
Rrisu smiled mischievously and left, leaving Rosielle with a sense of amusement.
Elsewhere, in an unknown forest shrouded in greenery, a girl with green hair was called from behind.
"Miss Sylvara Eryndis… I apologize for intruding, but I urgently need your assistance ...
Or… perhaps it would be better if we worked together on this task. It would be more convenient for both of us."
Sylvara sensed the presence, feeling a warm pressure in her surroundings. She turned to see the woman a striking figure with short red hair, bangs framing her face, eyes a fiery red-orange mix radiating danger. Lips glimmered crimson, her attire was somewhat modern a short crimson coat adorned with tiny crystal patterns, paired with matching red pajamas.
She smiled faintly, approaching Sylvara.
"Do not be alarmed… I mean no harm. First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Ignara Thalrien."
Sylvara immediately interrupted her, her voice sharp,
"First of all… How do you know my name?!"
Pausing for a moment, Sylvara then shouted,
"And secondly… Ignara, whatever you are… how dare you step into my territory, into my space, without my permission!"
Ignara opened her mouth to reply but before a word could leave her lips, Sylvara unleashed her immense magical power. Countless tree roots shot up from the ground, wrapping around Ignara and trapping her in a tight, unyielding hold.
Yet, Ignara merely chuckled, a calm, almost teasing sound, and said,
"You see… you really are quite fiery. But listen…
does it truly matter that I know your name? Look closely your name was already here, inscribed along the greenery of the trees, on the very path of your territory… Isn't it beautiful?"
"And secondly… if I hadn't come here now, this could have turned into a future conflict. Now, we've met as friends, and as friends, we must work together. Otherwise… you'd end up in trouble, and so would I."
Hearing this, Sylvara's anger slowly ebbed, and she released Ignara from the grasp of the roots.
"What… does this mean?" Sylvara asked quietly, still wary.
Ignara approached, her mischievous smile widening.
"You see… it's simple if you understand. Alright then… now, listen carefully."
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