*Chapter 47: Fire, Water, Wind, Stone*
The world felt different. At first, Li Wei thought it was just the pain from his wounds—but everywhere he walked, he could feel the heartbeat of the earth, hear the song of running water far away, sense wind turning long before it brushed his skin. Fire flickered beneath his fingertips even when he sat still.
Training became a nightmare. The headmistress and elders supervised, but it was Nightwatch's encouragement (and teasing) that really kept him going.
Even the most basic drills were hard. During one lesson, Bao Yu tried to guide Li Wei in controlling water. With a single thought, Li Wei summoned a wave the size of a horse, almost soaking half the academy. The next moment, Mei Fen ducked as vines erupted from the stone tiles—living, twisting, because Li Wei's focus slipped. Embarrassed, he muttered apologies, cheeks burning as his classmates burst into nervous laughter.
Alone, it was worse. The elements whispered for attention, always demanding. Sometimes, when he slept, Li Wei dreamed he was made of fire, wind, mist, and stone all at once—waking up gasping, afraid he'd lose himself if he let go even for a second.
*"You're not alone,"* Xiulan reminded him, catching his hand as he sat on the dorm roof one night. "You were chosen because you cared about us all, not just because you have power." When the stress got too much, she'd pull him outside until he could breathe again.
Jin Ming hatched the bravest plan: Nightwatch would train *with* Li Wei, pushing him until the wildness inside him started to take a shape that looked more like hope than chaos. Mei Fen helped run him through new martial forms, Yan led meditations, and Bao Yu crafted magical hurdles, all while making jokes until everyone was breathless with laughter.
Each day, Li Wei learned something new—a gust of wind to help Xiulan leap to a rooftop, a gentle shower to cool Jin Ming's fevered brow, a sturdy stone floor to help Yan's sprained ankle. Small victories, some accidents, and always a team determined to see him through.
But even with the team beside him, doubt lingered. One evening, as a thunderstorm raged, Li Wei stood in the rain, letting lightning crack around him.
*What if I lose control when it matters most?*
*What if the power inside me breaks the world instead of protecting it?*
In the storm, Xiulan found him and held him close. "You're allowed to be afraid. But you're still you. And as long as you are, the world's in good hands."
For the first time since the Gauntlet, Li Wei let the storm fade from his heart, hope rising brighter than fear.