[Flashback – 14 days ago]
Riya stood in a desolate clearing, sweat dripping from her brow, her arms trembling. Before her, the remnants of a practice dummy smoldered, consumed by the final burst of Flame Dragon's Wrath—the powerful spell she had finally managed to cast.
But the cost was steep.
Her knees buckled, vision fading. Before her body hit the ground, a pair of strong arms caught her.
"You have potential," came a calm, firm voice. "And I will hone it."
[Later…]
Riya awoke to the softness of a silk pillow. A gentle warmth filled the room. As she slowly sat up, she noticed a woman seated near her bed. Long black hair cascaded down her back. As the woman rose, Riya blinked in surprise.
"Kaveri Mahadevan…" she whispered.
The renowned guild leader of Prakriti Sangh stood before her—regal, youthful, and graceful.
"Where am I?" Riya asked, still groggy.
"In my house," Kaveri replied with a soft smile.
"But… I was practicing a spell… that's the last thing I remember."
