Cassia had lain awake with her fingers twitching, imagining the power she could summon and the guidance she might finally receive.
Every shadow of her previous failures lingered in her mind, and she tightened her fists, silently promising herself she would not falter again.
Gerald had paced the halls of the palace well past midnight, boots echoing against stone floors. He had rehearsed footwork, mental drills, even his sword strikes—all in preparation.
The idea of a real instructor, someone who could push him beyond mere speed, made his heart beat faster than any training exercise ever had.
Lily and Lora had stayed awake together, the twins tossing theories and strategies back and forth, neither truly sleeping, both too restless with anticipation.
Lily imagined the fire in her hands growing wilder, hotter, under a master's guidance. Lora pictured her sword slicing with unmatched precision, the discipline of her movements sharpened by someone who could see past her instincts.
Melinda had crouched by her cooking table, absentmindedly mixing herbs and powders while her thoughts drifted elsewhere. Poison, traps, subtlety—she had been practicing every trick she knew, wondering what a true master would demand of her.
Ella had slipped silently through the corridors, knives in hand, moving like a shadow even in the quiet night. Her thoughts revolved around stealth, speed, and the invisible strikes she could finally perfect under guidance.
And Claire—small, quiet Claire—had been sitting, staring at the books Evelyn had given her, trying desperately to memorize their contents. The thought of an instructor who could teach her how to truly apply this knowledge, to put it into practice, made her clutch the books tighter than ever.
All seven shared the same unshakable feeling—a restless mix of fear and excitement that made the night stretch endlessly, turning seconds into hours.
Now, as dawn broke and sunlight spilled across the training ground, that tension crystallized into something sharp and electric.
They didn't know what awaited them—but every one of them could feel it. Today would not be like any day before.
The seven waited on the training ground, muscles taut and hearts drumming in nervous anticipation.
The morning sun cast long shadows across the worn earth, but even the warmth couldn't chase away the chill crawling up their spines.
While the silence stretched, the group began to shift uneasily, exchanging nervous glances.
Lora broke it first, her voice carrying a mix of restraint and excitement.
Lora: "I can't tell if I'm more nervous or thrilled. A real instructor… someone who can push me beyond what I already know. I've trained myself, but this…"
Lily twirled a lock of her hair, sparks flickering faintly between her fingertips.
Lily: "It's terrifying, isn't it? I've practiced every fire spell I know, yet the idea of a master watching me makes my hands shake."
Lora smirked, stretching her fingers over the hilt of her sword.
Lora: "Terrifying, yes—but thrilling too. Finally, someone who won't let me hide behind instinct. I want to see how far I can really go."
Melinda, crouched slightly to examine a patch of herbs that had caught her eye, didn't look up.
Melinda: "Far enough to survive their scrutiny," she murmured. "I've set traps, poisons, everything I can think of—but what will they want from me? Subtlety, patience… precision? I hope I'm ready."
Ella leaned back against the wall, knives lightly held in her fingers, voice low but sharp.
Ella: "If they want determination, speed or stealth, I'll give it to them. But I won't fail because I overthink. Reaction first, calculation second—that's my edge."
Claire, small and quiet, hugged her books tightly, voice almost a whisper.
Claire: "I… I just hope I can learn enough… to actually use this, to become someone who can make a difference."
Her wide eyes flicked nervously toward the horizon, fingers quivering slightly.
Gerald's glance swept over them all, trying to anchor their nerves with his steady presence.
Gerald: "We all feel it—the weight of this day. But we've trained. We've prepared. Whatever comes, we face it together."
A faint laugh escaped Lily, almost nervous.
Lily: "Together, huh? Somehow, that sounds like it'll be more fun than scary."
Cassia nodded, her smirk widening.
Cassia: "Fun… until someone sets fire to the ground under your feet."
Melinda finally straightened, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face.
Melinda: "Or poisons the air around you. Or vanishes before you can even strike. Fun, yes—but lethal."
Ella tilted her head, the corner of her mouth twitching into something close to amusement.
Ella: "Then we just have to be better than lethal."
Claire's fingers tightened around the books.
Claire: "I… I'll do... my best."
Her soft words carried weight, as if the knowledge within the books themselves gave her courage.
For a few moments, silence fell again, but it was no longer tense—it was anticipatory, charged with an electric energy that seemed to vibrate between them.
Gerald glanced at the others, nodding slightly.
Gerald: "Alright. Whatever happens next… we're ready."
And as if on cue, the world seemed to shift. The air thickened, the temperature rising, and the unmistakable roar of raw power tore through the training ground.
A massive fireball—larger than anything they had ever seen—tore through the sky with a scream of heat and fury, the sound rattling their teeth and setting the air ablaze. The heat hit first: scorching, blinding, suffocating.
Gerald, as a knight trained in vigilance, was the quickest to react.
Gerald: "Dodge."
A heartbeat later, the fireball slammed into the center of the training ground. The ground convulsed beneath their feet. Dust and heat burst outward in a blinding wave.
Gerald lunged and rolled to the side, barely avoiding the blast's center. Even so, the trailing heat scorched his shoulder, the sting making his muscles tense with instinctive pain.
Lily reacted instinctively, her hands flaring with crimson fire as she tried to repel the inferno. She hurled a blazing orb to counter it—but the sheer force overwhelmed her.
The shockwave slammed into her, throwing her backward. Her cloak singed, her hair frizzed and smoky as she hit the ground with a gasp.
Lora and Ella twisted aside in unison, their movements sharp and precise, yet residual sparks still grazed them. Heat streaked across Lora's forearms, while Ella winced as tingling burns spread across her skin.
But Melinda, Cassia, and young Claire were slower. Their reactions lagged, and the fire's edge caught them full on. The blast seared their skin, leaving burns and bruises that drew sharp cries from their throats.