The training arena was nothing like I had imagined. It was vast, circular, suspended above the swirling clouds of the floating city, and the ground beneath shimmered with a faint golden glow. Every step I took echoed like a heartbeat, resonating through the stone platform. My stomach churned with a mix of excitement and dread.
"Your first trial is not just a test of power," Eiran said, his voice calm but firm. "It's a test of courage, focus, and heart. Fail, and you may not walk away unscathed."
I swallowed hard, gripping the book tightly. Its warmth pulsed against my palms, almost like it was alive. "I… I don't know if I can do this," I admitted, my voice trembling.
"You can," Eiran said simply. "Trust yourself. Trust the book. Focus. Let it guide you."
The moment he finished, the arena shifted. Shadows erupted from the ground like living creatures, twisting into humanoid shapes. Some wore masks, some had no faces at all, and all of them moved with a strange, unnatural fluidity. The whispers came next—a chorus of voices that turned into faces: my failures, my fears, the things I had tried to forget.
"Focus on what is real," Eiran instructed. "Your mind will try to trick you. Don't let it."
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply, trying to quiet the storm inside me. Slowly, the golden warmth of the book spread through my body, crawling along my arms and filling my chest. I imagined the shadows dissolving, imagined my fear fading. When I opened my eyes, I raised my hands instinctively. Golden light streamed from my fingertips, hitting the illusions like sunlight piercing darkness.
The shadows shrieked and recoiled, twisting into impossible forms before vanishing one by one. I took a deep breath, chest heaving, feeling an unfamiliar surge of pride. I had done it. Or at least part of it.
But then the ground beneath me trembled. A chill ran down my spine.
From the corner of the arena, a figure emerged—masked, silent, and terrifyingly calm. My heart froze. I had seen this mask before, in fleeting visions and in my dreams, but now it stood fully formed, observing me.
"The book belongs to me," the voice said, low and chilling. "And you will pay for taking it."
The shadows around the figure shifted, moving toward me in eerie synchronization. I stumbled backward, almost losing my balance, and the arena seemed to respond, the glowing floor flickering under the pressure of fear and magic.
"Eiran!" I shouted, panic rising. "Do something!"
He stepped forward, staff glowing faintly, eyes narrowing. "Focus, Aria! Control your fear. You cannot fight blindly!"
I gritted my teeth, forcing my trembling hands to steady. The golden aura from the book pulsed stronger, as if urging me on. I took a step forward, then another, channeling my energy, letting the book react to my heartbeat, to my fear, to my courage. The shadows hissed and lunged, but I met them with glowing tendrils of light, pushing them back again.
Each movement felt like a battle not just against the shadows, but against myself. I imagined every failure I had ever known—every mistake, every moment I thought I couldn't succeed—and I fed it into the book, transforming doubt into power. The arena trembled under the intensity, yet I felt… alive.
The masked figure tilted its head, and a shiver ran down my spine. Something about its presence was wrong, unnatural. It didn't move like a person—it seemed to glide, twisting reality around it. I realized with growing horror that the shadows had stopped moving; they were waiting. Watching. Responding to the masked figure, not to me.
"You're stronger than I expected," the voice whispered. "But strength alone won't save you."
I clenched the book harder. My fingers ached from the pulse of energy radiating from it, but I refused to let go. I focused on the arena—the glowing ground, the swirling clouds, the floating city below. I could feel the connection between the book and this world, the way energy pulsed in response to my emotions. Every heartbeat became a rhythm of control, every breath a thread of light.
And then, in a sudden blur, the masked figure lunged forward. Shadows surged, twisting into jagged spikes aimed directly at me. I flung my hands outward, golden energy exploding in all directions, shattering the spikes and forcing the shadows back. The ground shook violently beneath me, but I held my stance. My heart raced so hard I thought it would break, but I didn't falter.
The figure stopped just a few feet away, tilting its head as if amused. "Interesting," it whispered. "You have potential… but it's wasted on someone like you."
I took a step closer, anger replacing some of the fear. "I won't let you—"
Before I could finish, the figure vanished. Not slowly, but instantly, leaving only a whisper that echoed in my mind:
"This is only the beginning."
Eiran exhaled, placing a hand lightly on my shoulder. "Good. You survived the trial. But remember, Aria, survival alone isn't enough. There are greater dangers ahead. You must continue learning, continue growing, or you will not last."
I dropped to my knees, exhausted but exhilarated. My chest heaved, my hands tingled with residual energy, and my mind was buzzing with the intensity of the battle. Yet even as relief washed over me, the masked figure's presence lingered in my thoughts. They were coming back. I just knew it.
The arena quieted, shadows dissolving into nothingness. Golden light from the book pulsed gently in my hands, like a heartbeat echoing reassurance. And yet, the whisper remained:
"You will pay… and soon."
I swallowed hard, staring at the empty space where the figure had vanished. My first trial had ended, but the sense of danger had never been stronger.
For the first time, I realized this wasn't just about learning magic, or controlling the book—it was about survival. And if I couldn't master both, I wouldn't make it to tomorrow.