Sword Of Judgement

Ava exhaled sharply, her fingers tightening around the worn edges of the parchment.

Another failed sigil.

Another wasted night.

It had been a week since she started practicing the talisman spell.

And yet—nothing.

No signs that it worked. No proof that she was getting better.

Just ashes on the floor and the bitter taste of failure.

"Maybe I'm doing something wrong," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Across from her, Master Ren barely spared her a glance.

"Or maybe," he said coolly, "you don't have the patience to see it through."

Ava clenched her fists, biting down a retort.

Patience.

That's what he always said.

She needed patience.

But how could she be patient when it felt like everyone else was leaving her behind?

Her magic wasn't progressing.

Her swordsmanship was nonexistent.

And at this rate, she was going to be stuck in the same place forever.