Aria stood before the ancient altar, the book open in front of her, the pages glowing faintly. The words seemed to hum in the air, calling to something deep inside her.
Lucien's voice echoed through the chamber, commanding and cold. "Focus, Aria. The flame inside you is wild — untamed. You must control it."
She clenched her fists, the heat rising in her chest once more. The fire was there, swirling beneath the surface, eager to burst free. But she couldn't let it. Not yet.
Lucien's eyes gleamed with approval. "Good. Now, channel it into the earth. Draw it through the stone."
Aria did as he instructed, breathing deeply. The air around her shifted, heavy with magic. The fire inside her flared again, but this time, she guided it — pushing it down, not up.
Slowly, the stone beneath her feet cracked, glowing with red veins, but it didn't crumble. The power throbbed through her, controlled.
"Enough," Lucien said, stepping forward. "Not bad, considering."
She let out a shaky breath, her body still trembling with the raw energy coursing through her.
"You've got potential, Aria," Lucien continued, a rare hint of something softer in his voice. "But don't get cocky. Fire can burn just as easily as it can build."
Aria met his gaze. "I'm not afraid of it."
"You should be," he muttered, though his lips quirked with something like amusement. "Now. We'll move on."
Before she could react, Lucien gestured, and the air thickened. A dark shape materialized before her: a wolf, large and shadowy, its eyes glowing with a menacing light. A construct — an illusion, but one that felt real.
"Fight it."
Without waiting for her response, the wolf lunged, its claws slashing through the air with deadly precision.
Aria's instincts kicked in. She rolled, narrowly avoiding its swipe, but the wolf was relentless. It kept coming, each strike faster, sharper than the last. She retaliated with her fists, using the power inside her to push the wolf back, but it wasn't enough. She was losing ground.
Lucien's voice rang out, sharp and commanding. "Focus! Use the flame! Burn it!"
The words cut through the haze of battle in her mind. She had the power. She just had to tap into it.
With a scream, Aria reached deep within herself, unleashing the fire in a burst. Flames erupted from her hands, engulfing the illusion in a blaze of crimson light.
The wolf howled in agony, disintegrating into ash.
Breathing heavily, Aria stood tall, staring at the smoldering remains.
Lucien's gaze softened just for a moment before he masked it with his usual coldness. "Well done."
Aria's heart raced, her power thrumming beneath her skin. "I'm not done yet."
Lucien's smile was dark, full of promise. "No,
you're not. But you're closer than you think."