Chapter 3: Power And Fear

In the morning, after finishing my breakfast, I got ready for my magic lesson and went to meet my teacher.

As I stepped outside, I saw her standing there. I found myself gazing at her—her long silver hair shimmered in the morning light, and her violet eyes held a quiet confidence. She was beautiful.

Then, she suddenly called out to me.

"Oh, there you are! Good morning! Are you ready for your first lesson?" she asked with a small smile.

"Yes," I answered.

We walked together toward the forest for my first magic training.

"This place should be enough," she said, stopping in a small clearing. She adjusted her grip on her staff before turning to me.

"Now, let's begin."

She raised a hand and began explaining.

"Mana exists within you and in the world around you," she said. "Close your eyes and focus on your heartbeat. Feel the energy flowing through your body."

I took a deep breath, doing as she instructed. At first, I felt nothing. But then… a faint pulse stirred in my chest, like a second heartbeat. It was warm, yet unstable.

"That's your mana," she continued. "It's always been there, but now you must learn to control it."

I concentrated, imagining the energy flowing through my body. It resisted at first, but with enough focus, the warmth surged downward, gathering at my fingertips. A dim glow flickered in my palm.

A rush of excitement filled me. I was actually doing it!

But then… something changed.

The energy didn't stop flowing. Instead, it kept building—wild, untamed, and overwhelming.

"Stop! You're taking in too much mana!" my teacher shouted, concern flashing in her eyes.

I tried to release it gently, but the power burst out uncontrollably.

A violent surge of magic exploded from my hands, sending a shockwave through the clearing. The ground cracked beneath me, and a powerful gust of wind roared outward, tearing through the trees. My entire body felt like it was on fire, the overwhelming force draining every ounce of strength I had.

I barely registered Sofia shouting my name. My vision swam, my knees buckled, and an unbearable dizziness overtook me. The mana inside me, once raging uncontrollably, suddenly vanished—completely drained.

My body collapsed to the ground. Darkness swallowed me whole.

---

But suddenly… I was somewhere else.

A cold, suffocating darkness surrounded me. My body felt weightless, yet an invisible pressure crushed my chest.

I blinked, and the scene shifted.

I was standing in my old home. The air was thick with tension, the walls cracked and worn. The smell of damp wood and something rotten filled my nostrils. Then, I heard it—angry voices, shouting.

"Useless child."

"You're nothing but a burden."

The words stabbed into me like knives, just as they had in my past life. My body tensed as shadowy figures loomed over me. Their faces were blurred, but I knew exactly who they were.

My past parents.

They stepped closer, their voices growing distorted and cruel. My chest tightened. I wanted to move, to run, but my legs wouldn't obey.

Then, the scene shifted again.

I was alone.

Abandoned in the cold.

Hungry. Weak. Forgotten.

Pain clawed at my heart as memories of my past loneliness resurfaced. No one had ever saved me back then. No one had ever held out a hand to help.

"I don't want to be alone again…"

A whisper escaped my lips, but my past parents only laughed, their figures dissolving into the darkness.

I was falling—falling into an abyss of despair.

And then—

---

I woke up.

My eyes shot open. My body jolted as I gasped for air, my chest rising and falling rapidly. A cold sweat clung to my skin. My heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my ears.

I blinked in confusion. The sky outside had already turned dark.

"It's… already evening?" I muttered, still trying to catch my breath.

I sat up slowly, my body aching from exhaustion. The dream—or rather, the nightmare—still lingered in my mind.

Even in this new life… the past refused to let me go.