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"Several months," Zephyr muttered beside me. "To learn how to save two worlds. No pressure."
I nodded, a knot forming in my stomach. Months seemed like both an eternity and no time at all. How were we supposed to become powerful enough to face an otherworldly threat in such a short time?
As if reading my thoughts, Chris leaned in close. "Hey," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear. "We've got this. Together, remember?"
I managed a small smile, grateful for his reassurance. "Together," I echoed, trying to believe it.
Why we’d come together and gotten so close was beyond me, but I was grateful. It was like we’d just clicked in a way I hadn’t clicked with anyone since Dana.
Dana… how worried she must be. What was she thinking and doing right now? What about my dad?
Elowen's voice cut through my thoughts, announcing the start of breakfast.
Attendants filed in from a doorway to the side, and there’d already been food set out on the tables when we arrived. Theyadded some more meats and what looked like scrambled eggs, and we began eating in tense silence, soft murmurs all around.
Elowen’s words were enough to squash my hunger, but I forced myself to eat something.
After an uneasy breafkast, Elowen led us out of the dining hall and through a series of winding corridors. The deeper we went into the Keep, the more I felt like we were descending into the heart of a mountain. The air grew cooler, and the walls seemed to pulse with a faint, bluish light.
Finally, we emerged into a vast cavern. The ceiling arched high above us, disappearing into shadows. The floor was covered in some sort of soft, springy material that reminded me of moss but felt more substantial underfoot.
"Welcome to the Training Grounds," Elowen announced, her voice echoing slightly in the cavernous space. "This is where you will learn to harness your dormant abilities and prepare for the challenges ahead."
As we spread out across the cavern floor, I noticed several other Dracarians entering from different entrances. They moved with a fluid grace that made them seem far from human. Among them, I spotted Eirian, his red hair a stark contrast to the cool blues and grays of the cavern.
Just then, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. I turned to find Lydia, a small smile on her face.
"Aria," she said softly, "I wanted to apologize for leaving so abruptly last night. I just... I needed some time to process everything."
Without hesitation, I pulled her into a hug. "There's no need to apologize," I said, feeling her relax into the embrace. "Iunderstand. We all do. You're not alone here, Lydia. We've all been torn from the lives we know."
"Thank you," she said with a sigh before we pulled apart. “Guess it’s time to see what dormant power we have, huh?”
“It will be interesting,” Chris mused as he and Zephyr moved closer.
“Look at you, forming your own little misfit pack, guess I should feel special to be a part of it,” Zephyr mused, grinning at Chris as he rolled his eyes.
“People are finding their groups here, those they click with. Why not us?” Chris said with a shrug, and I smiled, grateful he’d reached out to me that first day.
Looking at him now, my stomach fluttered, especially with how he glanced at me, his mouth curving up.
Just what I needed, a schoolgirl crush amidst all of this.
"For our first exercise," Elowen's voice cut through our moment, "we will attempt to awaken your awareness of the Dracarian magic within you. Please, sit comfortably on the ground and close your eyes."
We lowered ourselves to the floor, our little group staying close together. The moss-like material was surprisingly comfortable. To my left, I could sense Chris settling in, his presence reassuring. To my right, Zephyr seemed to float down rather than sit, while Lydia sat directly across from me, our knees almost touching.
"Now," Elowen's voice took on a soothing, almost hypnotic quality, "I want you to focus on your breathing. In... and out. With each breath, imagine you're drawing energy not just into your lungs, but into every cell of your body."
I tried to follow her instructions, but my mind kept wandering. What if I couldn't do this? What if I was the only one who couldn't access this supposed magic?
"Don't force it," Elowen said, as if sensing the collective anxiety in the room. "The magic is a part of you, as natural as your heartbeat. You're not trying to create something new, but to remember something ancient, something that has always been a part of you. Being in Dracaria, you will now have a greater connection to it, and the Training Grounds are filled with magic to amplify it and help awaken it.”
I took a deep breath, trying to relax. As I exhaled, I imagined tendrils of energy spreading through my body. At first, it felt silly, like I was just playing pretend. But then...
A warmth began to build in my chest, spreading outward. It wasn't like anything I'd felt before - not quite heat, not quite electricity, but something in between. My eyes flew open in surprise.
"I felt something!" someone exclaimed from across the room. Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group.
