Well, we have a lot of work to do, then.” Her tone was matter of fact, but there was no cruelty in it, only an expectation. “I’ll be speaking with Kael. You’ll need more than just a day with me.”
Riona stayed silent, listening intently. “Alright,” Zara continued, “we’ll start with the
basics of casting. When you joined the ranks, you were imbued with magic, though learning to wield it is another matter entirely. Magic is tied to the nature around us, to the balance of all things.” She turned to Riona, asking, “Are you still following along?”
Riona shook her head. “I’m still following…”
Zara turned back and started walking toward the center of the training room. “It will respond to you but onlyif you listen, focus, and channel your thoughts and emotions into it. Let nature guide you; don’t try to control it, but work with it.”
Zara moved with a practiced ease, her hands flowing in deliberate patterns as she spoke words that Riona couldn’t quite make out. The air around her started to shift, and suddenly, stones from the ground began to rise. One by one, they aligned, forming a walkway that stretched upward into the sky. Zara stepped onto the first stone, then the next, climbing higher and higher as if the very earth had bent to her will.
Riona stared, wide eyed, unable to look away as Zara reached the top. And then, without warning, Zara jumped.
“Zara!” Riona gasped, instinctively starting to run toward the pond below. But before she could take another step, the water surged upward, cradling Zara gently as if it had reached up to catch her. The water rippled, as it lowered Zara back to the ground with impossible grace.
Riona froze in place, her breath catching in her throat. She stared, awe struck, as Zara stepped forward, her composure unshaken.
For a moment, Riona could only watch, unable to speak or move, as Zara continued her lesson.
“You’ll notice this training room is unlike any other,” Zara said as she smoothed her tunic. “The reason is that, here, you’ll learn to use elemental magic in a controlled setting.”
Her hands moved quickly, fluid and precise, while she whispered. Suddenly, the sand began to rise, twisting into a swirling tornado that roared to life. In the blink of an eye, it shifted, transforming into the shape of a lion. The creature looked alive, its mane billowing, its powerful roar reverberating through the room as it charged straight toward Riona.
Riona held her ground, refusing to flinch or retreat. The lion dissolved mid stride, collapsing into a cascade of sand that fell in a soft pile at her feet. Before she could speak, Zara raised her head to the skylights. Thewind in the room began to howl, building with relentless force. It whipped and tore through the air, lashing at Riona’s face and pushing her backward. She struggled to stay on her feet, but the wind was too strong. It drove her across the room until she was pinned against the far wall. She fought against it, every muscle straining, but it was like pushing against an unstoppable tide. It wasn’t until Zara lowered her hands and the wind abruptly stilled that Riona collapsed to her knees, her hands catching her fall.
Her voice came hoarse but steady as she lifted her gaze to meet Zara’s. “Teach me.” The hours passed as Riona and Zara worked tirelessly, focusing on attuning Riona to the world around her. They meditated, trained, and worked through the obstacle course, with Zara pushing Riona to refine her footwork while attempting to conjure the elements. Riona fell, slipped, and collided with nearly everything in her path. She struggled to balance both tasks seamlessly, it was far harder than Zara made it look, and for that, Riona cursed her over and over again under her breath.
By the end of the day, Riona wanted nothing more than to set fire to the entire course out of frustration. The thought itself seemed to manifest, a flame suddenly appearing in her hand. Panicked, Riona flailed, trying to extinguish it, but all she managed to do was fling small bursts of fire in every direction. The flames licked at the logs, igniting them one by one. Her panic deepened as the fire in her hand grew larger, feeding off her rising emotions. Through it all, Zara remained calm, putting out each fire with precision as Riona unintentionally started them. Finally, Zara fixed Riona with a stern, unyielding gaze. “Anger burns fast, Riona. It consumes and then leaves you empty. Use it. Don’t let it use you.”
The words struck Riona like a cold wind, and to her amazement, the fire in her hand extinguished as if the flames themselves had heard Zara’s command. She stared at her hand, stunned to find it unburned. Around her, the chaos had been brought under control, Zara having effortlessly tamed the destruction as though it had never happened. Zara smiled softly as she approached Riona,placing a steady hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay,” she said gently. “Once you work with elemental magic more, it’ll become easier to summon. Remember, everything in nature is balanced. Fire can destroy, but it also brings life. It warms, it cleanses, it protects. What it does depends entirely on the one who wields “
The words sank into Riona, deep and unwavering. It was almost as if Zara could see straight through her, the meaning behind the words reaching far beyond today’s training. The realization left her feeling uneasy in Zara’s presence.
Riona nodded, and Zara turned and walked away from the training course, disappearing as she rounded a corner.
Riona stood there a moment longer before heading out of the Keep’s halls and back to Briar. She mounted her horse and rode toward her new home.
The house felt empty. She wasn’t sure if it was the lack of furniture or the absence of the one person she wished was there. Her heart tightened painfully at thethought of Emry. She shuddered, her gaze drifting to the hearth, which was filled with ash and dust. The place had been neglected for some time, she realized, noticing the cobwebs, the dirt, and the grime that covered every corner.
Riona opened the windows in the small kitchen and living area, letting in the cold air, and propped the front door open. She grabbed a broom and began sweeping the dirt out of the house. She cleaned the hearth first, making quick work of the remnants there, then moved to the floors, counters, and every dusty inch she could find. When she paused to catch her breath, she noticed the swirls of cold air kissing her warm exhales, creating little clouds. She knew she needed to gather firewood before the sun faded. Closing the doors and windows, she grabbed a large basket for wood, slipped a small axe into it, and headed for the forest of Coill Dorcha.
It was getting colder by the day, the ache in Riona’s hands a reminder of the biting wind. She searched for fallen trees. The ones that weren’t damp or rotting, hoping to make light work of gathering wood. But nothingseemed untouched by the elements. Her eyes caught something strange: patches of rot had taken over the woods, twisting the trees into grotesque shapes. The decay was expansive, right in the middle of the forest. Wilted grass, blackened roots, and frost intertwined in stark contrast, painting the landscape in a haunting mix of black and white. Riona pushed her way through the tangled limbs, the branches tugging at her clothing. She wanted to know how far the decay stretched and was determined to find its edge when a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.
“Riona?” The sound of her name dripped with honey. “Funny how I keep finding you in such precarious situations.”
She turned to see Vaelric casually standing against a tree, his elbow resting on the bark and his hand propped against his cheek. A smirk curved across his lips as he took in the scene before him.
Riona stiffened, realizing how ridiculous she must have looked, headfirst into tree limbs, her clothes snagged and her hair a disheveled mess. Her cheeks burned withembarrassment as she stumbled, trying to free herself. In her haste, she ripped her shirt sleeve. She finally stopped moving, attempting to compose herself and act like none of it had happened.
Standing upright, she locked eyes with him. “I’m just collecting firewood and doing a little exploring,” she said with a forced smile, quickly tucking stray hair behind her ear.
Vaelric chuckled softly. “I’m not trying to say anything here, but you look like you could use some help,” he teased, his ember-like eyes glowing in the fading sunlight. They locked onto hers, and for a moment, it was like she forgot how to breathe. She shook it off quickly.
“No, really, I’m fine,” she said, tugging at the small branches tangled in her clothes. “I’m just collecting kindling,” she added, breaking the twigs around her, though her voice lacked conviction.
Vaelric leaned back against the tree, clearly enjoying the view. “I’ll just hang around in case you change your mind.”
Riona’s frustration bubbled to the surface. She shot him a fake smile before turning back to free herself. Her mind cursed her for not carrying the axe, it would’ve made this mess avoidable.
