The next morning arrived quietly, with a pale sunrise stretching over Asterfall like soft gold on water. Lulu woke earlier than usual—not because she was rested, but because her mind refused to let her sleep.
Her failure from yesterday still pressed on her chest like a weight.
But so did her determination.
She dressed quickly, tied her hair back, and slipped outside into the cool morning air. Dew coated the grass in silver beads. Birds stirred in the forest canopy. It was calm—too calm for the storm inside her.
Aria and Seris were already waiting at the training ground.
Aria sat cross-legged atop a boulder, sunlight warming her pale hair, eyes closed in meditation. Seris stood with a spear planted in the earth, posture sharp, focused.
When Lulu approached, both looked up.
"You're early," Aria said with a gentle smile.
Lulu swallowed. "I want to start. Properly this time."
Seris nodded once. "Then today, we establish the foundation you never had."
She gestured to the cleared earth circle that served as their training space. Lulu stepped inside, feeling her palms grow sweaty from nerves.
Seris started first.
"Yesterday wasn't failure," she said bluntly. "It was measurement. Now we know where to begin."
Lulu lowered her head. "I still… I still feel embarrassed."
"Good," Seris replied. "Embarrassment means you care. And when you care, you improve faster."
Aria hopped off the boulder and joined them with a light step.
"Let's begin, then."
---
1. Physical Training — Strength Before Magic
Seris tossed Lulu a wooden sword. Lulu nearly dropped it.
"Weapons training first," Seris said. "You rely too much on magic that isn't stable yet."
Lulu nodded nervously and gripped the sword with both hands.
"Swing at me."
"W-what? At you?"
Seris didn't move. "Yes. Otherwise, you'll never learn distance or timing."
Lulu hesitated. Then, trembling, she swung.
Seris sidestepped without effort. "Again."
Lulu swung harder.
Seris blocked the wooden blade with two fingers.
Lulu's jaw dropped. "H-How—?!"
"By understanding how your body moves," Seris said. "And how it should move."
The training continued for nearly two hours. Lulu missed. She tripped. She slipped on dew. She nearly hit herself in the knee. It was humiliating… but every mistake taught her something.
And Seris corrected her every single time—precise, patient, relentless.
By midday, Lulu collapsed onto the ground, wheezing.
"Are—my—arms—supposed—to—feel—like—lava?"
"Yes," Seris answered. "If they didn't, you'd be doing it wrong."
---
After a short break, Aria stepped in. She lifted Lulu's staff with ease.
"Magic is about harmony," she said. "Not force. Your starlight reacts to your emotions. Yesterday, you panicked. And panic weakens your flow."
Lulu nodded, guilt twisting her stomach.
Aria touched Lulu's forehead gently.
"Close your eyes."
Lulu obeyed.
"Now imagine yesterday's mistake," Aria whispered. "Not to punish yourself… but to understand it."
Lulu inhaled shakily. The image of the distortion creature filled her mind. The fear. The failure. The helplessness.
"It's okay," Aria murmured. "Now breathe in."
Lulu did.
"And breathe out everything that isn't yours."
A faint warmth grew in Lulu's chest. A soft light gathered at the tip of her staff—gentle, steady, glowing like a floating star.
Lulu gasped softly. "I… I did it?"
Aria smiled. "Yes. Because you stopped thinking about attacking, and started thinking about connecting."
The light flickered, then stabilized. Small—but stronger than what she managed yesterday.
---
By evening, the sky glowed orange and purple. Lulu sat on the grass with Aria and Seris, exhausted but smiling.
"I still have a long way to go…" Lulu murmured.
"You do," Seris agreed.
"But you also took your first step today," Aria added.
Lulu hugged her staff closer. "I don't want to fail again."
"Then don't stop," Seris said simply.
Aria placed a hand on Lulu's hair and ruffled it gently.
"And remember… you're not alone."
For the first time since yesterday, Lulu felt her heart lighten.
She wasn't strong yet.
But she was learning.
Growing.
Becoming someone who could stand beside Aria and Seris—not be protected by them.
She looked at the darkening sky.
Tomorrow, she vowed silently,
I will train even harder.