Chapter 62: A Trial

Selene's POV

Before I could attempt another movement, a familiar voice cut through the quiet air. "You're finally getting it!"

I turned to see Khael standing a short distance away, his arms crossed and a wide grin on his face.

His reddish-brown hair was slightly ruffled, and his golden eyes glowed with curiosity. Tyra stood beside him, her usual composed demeanor in place, but I could see the hint of approval in her gaze.

"How long have you two been watching?" I asked, exhaling as I let the energy fade from my hands.

"Long enough to see you nearly collapse from exhaustion," Tyra remarked, arching a brow.

"You're pushing yourself hard, Selene. You need to pace yourself."

Khael nodded in agreement. "Yeah, listen to her. I mean, I get it—power like yours is amazing, but what good is it if you burn yourself out before you can even use it properly?"

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I know, but... I don't have the luxury of taking things slow. There's too much at stake."

Axel shot me a pointed look. "And that's exactly why you need to control it properly, not just rush headfirst into the unknown."

Khael stepped forward, his grin turning playful. "Hey, if you're testing control, maybe a spar would help? I could use the practice too."

I hesitated. I was still recovering from the overwhelming energy surge , but maybe a controlled spar could reinforce what I'd just learned. I glanced at Axel, who sighed but nodded slightly, giving silent approval.

"Alright," I agreed. "Just a friendly match."

Khael beamed. "Friendly? Where's the fun in that?"

He raised a hand, and a flicker of flame sparked at his fingertips. "Let's see how much you've improved!"

Tyra stepped back, folding her arms as she took a spectator's stance. "I'll be the judge. No unnecessary risks."

I steadied myself, feeling the energy hum beneath my skin once more. This time, I wouldn't force it. I'd guide it.

Khael didn't waste any time. A burst of fire erupted from his palms, streaking toward me in a controlled arc. Instead of countering with brute force, I focused on redirecting it, shifting my energy to disperse the flames before they could reach me.

The fire flickered, then dissolved into harmless embers.

Khael's eyes widened. "Whoa, that was smooth!"

A small smile formed on my lips. "I'm learning."

He grinned, lunging forward with another wave of fire, and this time, I was ready.

The match continued, and with each exchange, I felt my control strengthening.

Tyra watched closely, occasionally giving sharp remarks when either of us got reckless.

Axel remained silent, but I could feel his gaze on me, measuring every move I made.

By the time we finished, my breaths were heavy, but my energy remained steady. For the first time, I didn't feel like I was drowning in it—I was guiding it, just as Axel had said.

Khael collapsed onto the ground with a groan. "Okay, okay, I give up! You win this one, Selene. But next time, I'm bringing my A-game!"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I'll be waiting."

Tyra gave me a satisfied nod. "You're improving. Keep this up, and you might actually be able to control that power of yours."

Axel finally spoke. "We'll continue tomorrow. You've done enough for today."

I exhaled, feeling the weight of exhaustion settling in. But beneath that tiredness was something else—an undeniable sense of progress.

As the exhaustion settled in, the four of us made our way back to the temporary house we had been using in Eldoria.

It wasn't much—just a modest stone structure with wooden beams, tucked away in a quiet part of the city. But for now, it was our home.

The door creaked softly as we stepped inside. The main room was simple, with a large wooden table in the center and a few chairs scattered around.

A small fireplace flickered with gentle warmth, casting faint shadows across the stone walls. A couple of worn blankets were draped over a couch near the corner—evidence of our late-night talks and planning sessions.

Khael groaned as he collapsed onto one of the chairs, rubbing his arms dramatically.

"Alright, I take it back. That wasn't a friendly spar. That was you trying to roast me in front of everyone."

I chuckled, shaking my head as I sat across from him. "You were the one who suggested it."

"Yeah, but I didn't expect you to actually start dodging and redirecting my flames like it was nothing!" He waved a hand toward Axel.

"What did you do to her? She wasn't this good yesterday!"

Axel leaned against the wall, arms crossed.

"She finally stopped trying to force it."

Tyra sat down beside me, her sharp gaze sweeping over me as if assessing my condition.

"You handled yourself well, but you're still overexerting. You need to rest."

I sighed but nodded. She wasn't wrong. My limbs ached, and while I had better control now, I still wasn't used to sustaining that level of precision.

"I'll be fine after some rest," I assured her.

Khael propped his chin on his hand.

"Speaking of rest… food would help, too."

I gave him a look.

"You're always thinking about food."

"And I'm not ashamed of it," he shot back, grinning.

"Besides, training works up an appetite. We should eat something before we all collapse."

Tyra stood. "I'll prepare something."

"I'll help," I offered, but she shot me a warning glance.

"You need to rest," she said firmly. "Sit."

I raised my hands in surrender and leaned back into my chair as she disappeared into the small kitchen area.

The sound of water being poured and the quiet rustling of supplies filled the room.

Axel finally pushed off the wall and sat across from me, studying me with that unreadable expression of his.

"You're improving," he said after a moment.

I tilted my head. "You almost sound surprised."

"I'm not," he replied.

"But I also know there's still more you need to grasp. Learning control isn't just about directing your power—it's about knowing your limits."

Khael stretched his arms over his head.

"Yeah, yeah, and that's why we're resting, right?"

Tyra returned, placing a bowl of warm stew in front of each of us. "Eat first, then talk."

The meal was simple, but after the intense training, it was exactly what we needed. As we ate, the tension in the room eased.

For a while, it almost felt normal—like we weren't warriors burdened with the fate of Eldoria but simply people sharing a quiet evening in a home we had carved out for ourselves.

But deep down, I knew this peace wouldn't last forever. And that was why I needed to get stronger.

I wasn't just training for myself—I was training for all of us, for the battles ahead, for the day we would no longer need to fight just to survive.

Later that night, long after the quiet murmur of conversation had faded and the others had retired to their respective spaces, I found myself unable to sleep.

The exhaustion was there, sitting heavy in my bones, but my mind refused to rest. My thoughts drifted back to the power thrumming beneath my skin, to the lessons Axel had been drilling into me, to the control I was only beginning to grasp.

It wasn't enough. Not yet.

The heart of Eldoria called to me once again.

I rose silently from my bed, careful not to wake the others as I slipped out into the cool night air.

The city stretched beyond the house, its ruins bathed in pale moonlight. Despite the destruction that had once claimed this land, there was a strange, quiet beauty to it now.

Life had begun to return, in small ways—the wind carrying the scent of new growth, the distant hum of water flowing through what remained of the ancient aqueducts.

But deep within, where the core of Eldoria pulsed with ancient power, something still stirred. I needed to see it again.

My footsteps barely made a sound as I made my way toward the hidden passage beneath the ruins.

The entrance remained as I had left it—a narrow crevice in the earth, concealed beneath overgrown vines and collapsed stone.

I slipped through, my breath catching as the air around me shifted. It was always the same feeling when I neared the heart of Eldoria—a strange weight pressing against my chest, as if the very air carried whispers of the past.

The deeper I descended, the more the darkness seemed to shift, not oppressive but alive, woven with traces of golden light that pulsed like a heartbeat.

I followed the familiar path, my fingers grazing the ancient walls, tracing the symbols etched into the stone. This place was old, far older than I could comprehend, yet it had never truly faded. The magic here was strong, enduring.

Then, as I reached the final threshold, the chamber unfolded before me.

A vast expanse stretched outward, the walls lined with crystalline formations that shimmered in hues of silver and gold.

The air hummed with energy, raw and unfiltered, drawn from the very core of Eldoria itself. And at the center, suspended in an endless pool of light, was the Luminescent One.

The being's form was not entirely solid, shifting between light and shadow, its presence both overwhelming and serene. Its voice, when it spoke, echoed through the chamber without sound, a resonance that vibrated through my very soul.

"You return, child of Eldoria."

I stepped forward, my heart steady despite the sheer magnitude of the presence before me.

"I need to understand more. I need to control this power before it consumes me."

A silence stretched, not empty but filled with the weight of unspoken truths. Then, the Luminescent One's light flickered, and a pulse of energy surrounded me.

"Control is not merely about restraint. It is about understanding. Step forward."

I obeyed, moving closer until the glow enveloped me completely. The moment I did, the world around me shifted. I was no longer standing in the chamber beneath Eldoria.

Instead, I was somewhere else—somewhere deeper.

A memory. A vision. A piece of something greater.

I saw Eldoria as it once was, before the war, before the corruption. Grand spires touched the sky, their foundations brimming with radiant energy.

People walked the streets, their faces filled with purpose, their steps guided by something beyond mere existence. And at the heart of it all, a woman stood—a presence both familiar and distant.

She turned, and I gasped.

Eltharia.

My sister.

Her golden hair cascaded down her back, her eyes filled with the same light that now surrounded me. But she was not looking at me. She was looking beyond, at something unseen, something waiting. Her lips moved, though I could not hear her words.

The vision flickered, the sky darkening as shadow crept into the edges of my sight. The beauty of Eldoria twisted, the grand spires cracking as the weight of fate pressed down upon it.

A force, vast and consuming, looming in the distance. The burdens of our bloodline, the cost of wielding such power.

The vision shattered, and I found myself on my knees in the chamber, breathless, shaking.

The Luminescent One's glow pulsed gently, its voice softer this time.

"You seek control, but control alone will not save you. You must seek knowledge. Understanding. Only then will you wield your power as it was meant to be wielded."

I clenched my fists. "Then show me."

A pause. Then, a ripple of energy spread through the chamber, and the Luminescent One's form dimmed slightly.

"Very well."

Light surrounded me again, and this time, I did not resist. I let it guide me deeper, past the surface of my own understanding, into the very heart of what it meant to be the key of Eldoria.

To be continued.