The training grounds were already buzzing with activity by the time I arrived. Instructors were spread across the field, setting up for today's session, and students were already pairing up, stretching, or practicing their stances.
Toric, our Combat & Defense instructor, stood at the center, his piercing eyes scanning the crowd like a hawk. He was broad-shouldered, his presence alone enough to command attention. Beside him stood two other instructors, one with auburn hair and a sharp, calculating gaze, the other a tall, dark-skinned woman with a scar tracing down her cheek. They looked equally no-nonsense.
I dragged my feet toward Ezzy and Jade, who were already warming up.
"You look thrilled to be here," Jade teased, side-eyeing me as she bent to stretch her leg.
"I already know today is going to suck," I muttered, rolling my shoulders.
Ezzy gave me a look. "You doing okay?"
I exhaled, forcing a small smile. "Yeah. Just tired."
I didn't tell them about my conversation with Rhydan or the way his words still lingered in my mind.
Instead, I turned my attention to the other side of the training grounds, where Jax, Zion, and Riven were going through warm-ups. Their movements were precise, smooth, completely in control. Zion easily flipped himself backward, landing with perfect balance, while Jax and Riven exchanged quick, fluid strikes, testing reflexes before the lesson even began.
I quickly averted my eyes before I could meet Riven's gaze.
Not today.
"Alright," Toric's voice cut through the air like a whip. "Everyone, line up!"
We all scrambled into formation. Toric clasped his hands behind his back, eyes scanning the rows of students like a predator assessing its prey.
"Today, we focus on incorporating elemental manipulation into combat and defense," he announced. "Each of you has some degree of control over the elements. It is a skill you were born with, and a skill you must refine."
A sinking feeling twisted my stomach.
The instructors stepped forward, and Toric introduced them. The auburn-haired one was Instructor Varis, a specialist in Fire and Air manipulation, and the woman with the scar was Instructor Sienna, an expert in Earth and Water.
Toric continued, "I will be selecting eight of you for today's demonstrations: one student for combat, one for defense, per element."
I barely heard the rest of his words because my brain was already screaming for an excuse to get out of this class.
Elemental manipulation. Everyone in Elarion had an affinity for at least one of the four elements.
Everyone except me.
I clenched my fists, my heart pounding. The last thing I needed was to make a fool of myself in front of the entire class. Maybe Toric would overlook me. Maybe I could--
"Athena."
Shit.
Toric's sharp gaze locked onto me, and my stomach dropped.
"You'll be demonstrating Water Defense."
I almost groaned out loud.
As if things couldn't get worse, my opponent was Lysen, one of the most gifted Elementals in Brightforge.
Lysen was a girl of few words, but her magic spoke volumes. She wasn't just talented, she was terrifying.
With my luck, I was going to drown in front of everyone.
We all followed Toric and the instructors outside to the open-air sparring grounds.
The Fire demonstration was first. Both students executed their moves perfectly, flames swirling around them in controlled, elegant patterns. They even received a rare praise from Toric.
Air was next. Darius, who was in defense, was more interested in showing off than actually following instructions. His arrogance led to his opponent knocking him flat on his ass with a single powerful gust. As if that was not enough to get his ego destroyed, Toric sent him to do a brutal set of drills as punishment for not complying to instructions.
The Earth demonstration was steady but lacked finesse. Kieran's stone pillars clashed against Livia's vine shield, both managing to hold their ground. It wasn't flawless, but Toric deemed it acceptable before moving on.
Last up: Water. Fantastic.
I swallowed hard, stepping into position across from Lysen.
Instructor Sienna turned to me. "For defense, you will manipulate water from the stream to block your opponent's attack. Find your center, reach for the element, and let it flow through you."
Right.
Easy for them to say.
Lysen stood poised, her eyes calm but focused.
I, on the other hand, felt like a complete fraud.
Toric gave the command. "Begin."
Lysen moved first.
The water from the nearby stream rose at her command, spiraling upward before taking the form of several sharp tendrils.
Oh, hell.
My breath hitched.
I tried to do something, anything, but there was no connection, no magic answering my call.
Panic flared in my chest.
"Anytime now, Athena," Toric's voice rang out, laced with irritation.
Lysen's water tendrils shot forward.
I threw up my arms instinctively, bracing for impact.
The water slammed into me.
A cold shock crashed over my body, knocking me off balance. I stumbled, my boots skidding across the dirt as I fought to stay upright.
Laughter rippled through the students.
"Are you even trying?" Toric barked.
I clenched my jaw, humiliated beyond belief.
"I--"
"Again."
Lysen didn't hesitate.
Another surge of water blasted toward me, and I had nothing: no shield, no connection to the element.
The impact sent me sprawling to the ground, soaked and gasping for breath.
More laughter.
I heard snickers, whispers, someone muttering something under their breath.
"Pathetic," Toric snapped, shaking his head. "If you want to survive in a fight, you have to at least attempt to defend yourself."
I pressed my palms into the dirt, humiliated.
I could feel their stares, their judgments pressing down on me like a crushing weight.
Lysen, to her credit, looked apologetic, as if she knew this wasn't fair.
But Toric didn't care.
"You are completely useless if you can't connect with your element," he continued coldly.
Useless.
That word cut deeper than anything else.
The whispers grew louder.
I wanted to disappear.
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to my feet, dripping wet and furious; not just at them, but at myself.
I wasn't supposed to be here.
I didn't belong.
Toric turned away, already dismissing me, but I caught one pair of eyes that hadn't looked away.
Riven.
He wasn't smirking like the others, wasn't laughing.
He just watched.
Expression unreadable, as always.
I tore my gaze away and clenched my fists.
I had never hated myself more than in that moment.
Useless. Pathetic.
Toric's words were just an echo of what I had already heard this morning; confirmation of everything Riven had thrown at me like a blade meant to cut deep. And it had.
I needed to get out of here.
I tried to hold back the tears, but as soon as I turned to leave, they fell freely. I ran out of the training court as fast as my legs would carry me, ignoring the shocked murmurs, the hushed whispers of students who had just witnessed my humiliation.
I didn't stop until I reached the school entrance, my chest heaving, my vision blurry.
I heard footsteps behind me. Fast, determined.
"Athena."
I ignored the voice behind me.
"Athena."
Riven.
I kept walking.
But he was faster. He reached me in a few strides, his fingers wrapping around my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.
I yanked my arm back, tearing free of his grip. My breath came out in a harsh, ragged exhale as I turned on him, my voice shaking with emotion.
"What do you want, Riven?" My throat was raw, but I didn't care. "You win. Congratulations." I let out a broken, bitter laugh. "I am pathetic. You were right all along."
Something flickered in his expression, but I didn't give him a chance to speak.
"I've spent my whole life trying to fit into two different worlds, but guess what?" My voice cracked. "Neither one of them wants me. None of them want a useless, pathetic thing like me."
Silence.
The kind that stretches, thick and suffocating.
The ache in my chest was unbearable, but I forced myself to meet his gaze, my final words barely above a whisper.
"Is that what you wanted to hear?" My lips trembled. "You were right, Riven Caellum. My friends don't deserve to hang around a lost cause like me."
I didn't wait for his response.
I turned, walking straight toward the school exit.
I couldn't stay here.
I couldn't face my friends.
And I sure as hell couldn't bear the whispers and snickers that were no doubt already spreading through the halls.
I didn't head straight home.
Instead, I took the familiar shortcut leading to the forest behind our house in Lysoria, my feet moving on instinct. The cool, damp earth softened my steps as I dodged low-hanging branches and followed the narrow, winding path. The deeper I ventured, the heavier the air felt: charged, almost humming with life.
At last, I reached my secret haven.
A breathtaking clearing stretched out before me, bathed in the warm golden hues of the late afternoon sun. The cascading waterfall tumbled over smooth stone, its mist catching the light in a soft, prismatic glow. The water shimmered unnaturally, faint tendrils of magic pulsing beneath its surface. Delicate vines curled around the nearby rocks, their tiny flowers shifting colors in response to my presence: deep indigo, soft silver, then back to their natural luminescent blue.
Small, translucent-winged creatures fluttered lazily above the water, their delicate bodies pulsing with soft, bioluminescent light. The everbloom trees lining the riverbank rustled gently, their leaves imbued with an almost sentient awareness, shifting colors as if whispering among themselves.
No one knew about this place.
I had stumbled upon it by accident a few years ago, on a day much like this one. I had lost track of time in the school library, working on a Runic Language assignment, and by the time I had started home, the sun had dipped below the horizon. Disoriented, I had wandered too far, my sense of direction failing me, until I found this place.
I never told anyone except Lara. That night, when I finally called her, she had used her abilities to create a guiding light that helped me find my way back home.
I made my way to the river's edge, settling against a large, smooth rock worn down by time and water. The rhythmic sound of the waterfall filled the space, its steady roar drowning out the chaos in my mind.
In my haste to leave school, I had left my bag and my comm crystal behind.
Sighing, I closed my eyes, letting the raw ache in my chest spill over. The tears fell silently, warm streaks against my skin.
I knew this day would come.
It was impossible to live in a world of magic and have none of it.
I was turning eighteen this year. By now, I should have already been fluent in manipulating the elements. I should have been stronger, capable.
But I wasn't.
Toric's words rang in my head like a cruel reminder.
What no one knew, except Lara, Myrren, and maybe Rhydan, was that I had no magic to connect to.
I was nothing.
And I was so, so tired of it all.
At some point, exhaustion overtook me, and I drifted into an uneasy sleep.
By the time I opened my eyes, the sky had darkened.
Crap.
The clearing had transformed under the night sky, glowing softly with its mystical elements. The supernatural little insects that inhabited this space pulsed faintly like tiny stars, their glow shifting in color. The everbloom trees hummed softly, their petals releasing a faint, golden mist. The flowers around the river's edge emitted a silvery light, their vines curling toward the water as if whispering secrets to the depths below.
I dusted off my workout shorts, shaking off the remnants of my self-pity. Lara and Myrren would be worried. Especially after last night's unforeseen events.
The walk home felt longer than usual, the weight in my chest making every step heavier.
When I entered the house, I stopped short.
Myrren was pacing. Lara sat curled on the couch, wiping at her red-rimmed eyes.
"What's going on?" I asked, my voice hoarse.
Both their heads snapped toward me in unison.
Myrren' eyes darkened. "What's going on?" she echoed. "Where were you?"
Lara shot up from the couch, relief washing over her features. "Ezzy came to drop your bag, she was looking for you. She said something happened at school."
I sighed, rubbing my temples. "I'm fine, guys. I just went for a walk to clear my head. I lost track of time."
Myrren exhaled, some of the tension draining from her shoulders. When she looked at me again, her expression softened. "What happened at school, Athena?"
The way they were both looking at me: Lara, with so much love and worry, and Myrren, with something I rarely saw- understanding, broke whatever was left of my composure.
Tears welled in my eyes again, this time falling freely.
Lara immediately pulled me into her arms, her embrace warm and reassuring. "Shh… it's okay," she whispered against my hair, rubbing soothing circles on my back. "You don't have to say anything yet."
But I needed to.
I needed them to know.
I pulled away, wiped at my damp cheeks, and told them everything.
About Toric. About the humiliating training session. About how it only confirmed what I already knew: that I didn't belong in this world.
Lara's lips parted, anger flashing in her turquoise eyes. But before she could say anything, Myrren moved and did something I had never seen her do before.
She sat me down and knelt in front of me. She took my face in her hands, and made me look at her.
"Athena," she said, her voice firm, "you are not useless. Nor pathetic. This situation you're in? It's temporary."
Her words stunned me into silence.
"You were born in this world," she continued, "you are not a fraud or an outsider. You belong here."
I sucked in a shaky breath, my chest tight with emotion.
Her gaze burned into mine. "You do have power inside of you, Athena. Incredible power. You are only this way now for your own protection."
Protection?
My heart pounded.
Myrren never said things like this.
"One day, you will be able to connect and wield your magic. You just need to trust the process."
She cupped my cheek.
"You are so special." Her voice softened. "Don't give up on yourself."
I stared at her, my mind racing. Myrren had revealed more in those few sentences than she probably intended.
I had so many questions.
But for once, I didn't want to ruin the moment.
Instead, I swallowed past the lump in my throat and let her words settle into the cracks of my heart.
"Come here, both of you."
Myrren pulled both Lara and me into her arms, holding us close.
"Whatever may come, you must remain strong. You must look out for each other."
Lara met my gaze over Myrren' shoulder, her eyes still glassy, but determined. She squeezed my hand, a silent promise.
I smiled weakly and mouthed, I love you.
Lara smiled back.
Myrren sighed, finally pulling away. "Yesterday was a whirlwind of events." Her gaze flickered to me knowingly. "But in the face of adversity, we stand tall. You are Veyne girls. You are not like everyone else."
The weight of her words settled over me like a warm cloak, a fragile comfort.
Lara inhaled deeply, straightening her spine like the words had renewed her strength.
Myrren exhaled, then clapped her hands.
"Now, both of you, go freshen up before dinner."
And just like that, the moment ended.
But I knew, something had changed.
And I wasn't sure I could ever go back to the way things were.