Selene's POV
The wind howled around me, carrying the scent of the damp earth as I stood at the heart of the training grounds.
A vast stretch of land surrounded by ancient ruins, this place once bore witness to warriors far stronger than I was now.
The stones beneath my feet were etched with the scars of battles long past, and yet here I was, trembling at my own lack of control.
I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to focus. I had to do this. Not just because it was expected of me, but because I needed to understand what lay within me.
Ever since regaining a fragment of my power, I had felt its raw energy thrumming beneath my skin, waiting, wanting to be shaped, but every time I reached for it, it slipped away like water through my fingers.
I clenched my fists. "I can't keep relying on others to protect me. If I want to restore Eldoria, I have to master this power myself."
"You're thinking too much again." Axel's voice cut through the swirling storm of thoughts in my mind. His silver hair was slightly tousled by the wind, and those piercing blue eyes of his held both patience and amusement.
"You can't control something you don't understand, Selene. Power isn't just about forcing it into submission. It's about knowing it, feeling it."
I sighed. "And what if my power doesn't want to be controlled? What if it just wants to consume?"
Axel tilted his head, considering my words.
"Then you make it yours before it has the chance. Now, let's begin."
I took a deep breath and raised my hands, feeling the familiar hum of energy stir within me. It responded to my call, but it was erratic, unstable. It was like grasping a flame—one wrong move, and it would either extinguish or burn me entirely.
"Alright," Axel instructed.
"We'll start simple. Gather your energy into your palm, then try to hold it there. Don't let it spread beyond your control."
Simple? Nothing about this felt simple. Still, I nodded and did as he said. I closed my eyes and focused inward, drawing upon the power that lingered just beneath my skin.
At first, it was like pulling on threads of light, weaving them together into a single force. A small flicker of energy formed in my palm, glowing faintly.
But then, something shifted.
A sharp pulse ran through me, and before I could stop it, the energy exploded outward in an uncontrolled surge.
A gust of wind blasted from my body, sending dust and loose rocks flying. Axel stepped back just in time, shielding himself from the force of my mistake.
"Damn it!" I cursed, stumbling backward. My hands were shaking from the raw energy that had just escaped.
"Why does this keep happening?"
"Because you're holding back," Axel said, stepping forward again.
"You're afraid."
"Of course I'm afraid!" I snapped.
"You saw what happened back with the envoys. If I lose control completely, I could destroy everything around me."
Axel's gaze softened slightly. "Then let's work through that fear. You're not alone in this. I'm here."
I let out a slow breath, trying to steady my racing heart. "Alright. Again."
This time, I focused not on fighting my power, but on understanding it. Instead of forcefully pulling it out, I let it come to me, feeling how it flowed naturally within my veins. The light formed in my palm again, and I held it there, steadying my breath.
"Good," Axel said, his voice calm.
"Now try to shape it. Form it into something small—a sphere. Keep it compact."
I concentrated, trying to gather the energy into a tighter form. But as soon as I tried to control it, the power resisted. It flared, struggling against my will, and suddenly, a sharp crack split the air.
A bolt of raw energy shot from my hand, striking the ground with an explosive force.
The earth beneath us trembled, sending a small shockwave rippling outward. I stumbled back, horrified.
Axel let out a low whistle. "Well. That was unexpected."
"Axel, I—"
He raised a hand to stop me. "It's fine. You're getting closer. The fact that you could even hold it for that long means you're improving."
I bit my lip. "It doesn't feel like improvement. It feels like I'm playing with something I don't fully understand."
"And that's exactly why we keep training," he said simply.
"Come on, let's try something different."
He gestured for me to follow him toward the ruins. The crumbling stone pillars loomed over us, remnants of a time when Eldoria had once thrived.
"There's another way to learn control. Instead of holding the energy in your palm, let it flow through your body. Feel its movements and direct it without resistance."
I hesitated. "That sounds... dangerous."
"Only if you don't trust yourself."
I swallowed hard but nodded. Closing my eyes, I reached inward once more.
This time, instead of trying to trap the power, I let it move freely through me. The sensation was overwhelming at first—like standing in the center of a raging storm—but I didn't panic.
I breathed through it, feeling every pulse, every shift of energy running through my veins.
I lifted my hand and willed a small amount of raw power forward. This time, it didn't explode. It flickered, wavered, but it remained contained.
I opened my eyes, barely believing what I was seeing. A small orb of light floated above my palm, steady and controlled.
Axel grinned. "See? You're getting it."
For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt a flicker of hope. "I think I am."
But just as I was about to let my guard down, something within me shifted again—an uncontrollable surge of power that I hadn't been prepared for. The light in my palm darkened, twisting into something unstable, something wild.
The wind howled again, and before I could stop it, the energy lashed out.
Axel barely managed to dodge as a burst of force erupted from me, cracking the ground and sending debris flying. I gasped, trying to pull it back, but the power had already taken on a will of its own.
"Selene! Focus!" Axel's voice was distant, almost drowned out by the roar of energy surrounding me.
I clenched my teeth, forcing myself to regain control. "Come back to me," I whispered.
"You are mine. I am not yours."
Slowly, the raging energy settled. The wind died down, and the trembling earth stilled. I stood there, breathing heavily, sweat clinging to my skin.
Axel walked toward me, placing a hand on my shoulder. "That was close. But you pulled it back. That's progress."
I looked at my hands, still trembling. "I don't know if I can do this, Axel."
He gave me a small, reassuring smile. "You can. And you will. This is just the beginning."
I exhaled, determination settling in my chest. I would not be ruled by my power. I would master it. No matter how long it took.
The morning sun bathed the training grounds in golden light, but I hardly noticed. My breathing was unsteady, and sweat clung to my skin.
My muscles ached from the earlier attempts to harness my energy, but I refused to stop. If I had learned anything, it was that my power was limitless—but control over it was still slipping through my fingers like sand.
Axel stood a few steps away, his sharp blue eyes watching my every move. His silver hair shimmered faintly in the light, a stark contrast to my dark strands that clung to my face.
He had always carried an air of authority, but today, he was not just a leader—he was my mentor.
"You're still hesitating, Selene," he said, crossing his arms.
"You're holding back."
I clenched my fists. "Because every time I let go, something breaks. I don't want to lose control again."
Axel sighed, stepping closer. "Holding back isn't the answer either. Resisting your own strength will only make it unstable."
I exhaled slowly, trying to push down the memory of last night—the moment when my power surged beyond my intent, shattering the ground beneath me. It was supposed to be a simple exercise, yet the raw energy had responded like a storm, untamed and destructive.
"Fine," I said, shaking off my hesitation.
"What do you want me to do?"
Axel gestured to the clearing. "Start with channeling your power—not unleashing it, just guiding it. Close your eyes."
I followed his instruction, feeling the warmth of the sun fade as darkness took over my vision.
The energy within me stirred, like a pulse just beneath my skin. It was familiar yet foreign, as if something ancient inside me had only begun to awaken.
"Breathe," Axel instructed, his voice steady.
"Feel it. Don't force it, don't fear it. Just listen."
I inhaled deeply. At first, there was silence, but then I felt it—an ebb and flow, a current of raw power coursing through me.
I reached for it carefully, trying to coax it into focus, but the moment I did, it lashed out. A gust of force rippled from my body, sending a shockwave outward.
The nearby trees groaned, their leaves shaking violently as if caught in a storm.
Axel moved in an instant. Before I could react, he was in front of me, catching my wrist before I lost control again.
His grip was firm, grounding me. "Too much at once," he murmured.
"You're not meant to suppress it—but neither should you let it explode without direction."
Frustration boiled within me. "Then how? Every time I try to contain it, it pushes back."
Axel's expression softened. "Because you're treating it like an enemy."
I looked up at him, confused. "What?"
He stepped back, releasing me. "You fight against it, afraid of its consequences. But power isn't just something you control—it's something you understand. Right now, it's reacting to your fear, your doubt. That's why it surges uncontrollably. You need to trust it."
I stared at him, his words settling in my mind like a weight I hadn't realized I'd been carrying. Trust my power? The same force that had nearly destroyed everything in my path before? It felt impossible, yet… something about what he said made sense.
Axel extended his hand. "Try again. But this time, don't force it. Guide it like it's a part of you."
I hesitated before nodding. Closing my eyes once more, I focused inward. This time, instead of trying to contain the energy, I let it flow naturally. I didn't push it away or grasp it too tightly. I simply let it be.
Slowly, I felt it shift—not a violent surge, but a steady rhythm, like waves meeting the shore. Warmth spread through my fingertips, the air humming faintly around me.
The wind stirred but did not rage. The earth trembled, but did not crack. For the first time, it felt… balanced.
When I opened my eyes, Axel was watching with a small, approving nod. "That's more like it."
A small smile tugged at my lips, but I didn't celebrate just yet. I still had a long way to go.
"Again?"
He smirked. "Until you can do it without thinking."
And so, we trained, the hours blending into one another. The struggle was still there, but with each attempt, I could feel it—control wasn't about restriction. It was about harmony.
For the first time, I believed that maybe, just maybe, I could master this power after all.
To be continued