The room still pulsed with energy from Solene's awakening. Faint traces of frost on the floor near her feet, while embers floated in the air. She was catching her breath, heart pounding in her chest. But Theron wasn't done yet.
He muttered to himself, searching through an old shelf.
"There's more… there's always more," he said, pulling out a large, battered book bound in cracked black leather. Dust flew into the air as he dropped it on the table with a heavy thud.
"What is that?" Solene asked, stepping forward.
Theron didn't answer right away. He opened the book slowly, turning pages written in thick, jagged script. Symbols that looked like they had been burned into the parchment glowed faintly.
"This book…" he said, eyes narrowing, "was not meant to be read by ordinary men. It belonged to the High Seers, long before the throne became a tool of tyranny."
He flipped one last page and stopped.
"There it is."
The page looked ancient, edges torn, ink faded, but the words still pulsed with quiet power. Solene leaned closer. As Theron traced a trembling finger across the symbols, they began to glow softly, revealing a hidden message beneath.
He read aloud, his voice deep and measured:
"Power erupts with anger.
It manifests through will and determination.
Weakness feeds fear, and fear, diminishes it."
As the final word left his lips, a faint wind rushed through the room, though all the windows were shut.
Solene blinked. "What does that mean?"
Theron looked at her, serious now, the madness in his gaze replaced by something far older, wiser.
"It means your power responds to what you feel. Anger can awaken it, yes, but it is will that controls it. If you're afraid, if you hesitate, it fades."
He moved to the center of the room, drawing a strange circle on the floor with powdered crystal. "We'll try something else now. Something riskier."
Kain stepped in. "Are you sure that's safe? She just awakened a part of it...."
Theron cut him off with a glare. "Safe? Nothing about this girl is safe. She's not meant to be. She's meant to break the chains this kingdom was built on."
He pointed to the circle. "Step in."
Solene stepped into the glowing symbol, breath steady.
"I want you to remember a moment that made you feel powerless," Theron instructed. "Something that tore you down. But instead of breaking, stand firm. Will it. Hold on to who you are."
Solene closed her eyes.
She remembered the screams from the arena. The jeers of the crowd. The heat of fire licking her skin as she fought to survive. The first time she saw someone die beside her.
Tears filled her eyes, but she didn't let them fall.
The ground beneath her began to tremble.
Cracks of red and blue light spiraled from the circle. Her hair lifted in the air. Her eyes snapped open, glowing brighter than before.
The fire returned. The ice. Then a third pulse, a wave of silvery light, like a storm building in her chest.
She screamed, and the energy exploded outward in a burst of sound and power, shaking the cottage to its beams. Bottles shattered. Books flew. Kain had to brace himself against the door.
Theron just smiled, eyes wide with awe.
"There," he whispered. "You're beginning to understand."
Solene stood in the center of the room, trembling slightly but upright. Stronger.
"I didn't know I could do that," she breathed.
"You didn't," Theron said. "But now you do. That prophecy wasn't just a warning. It's a key. And you just turned it."
Solene stood in the middle of the room, her chest rising and falling with every breath. Magic still shimmered faintly around her, cold mist curling at her fingertips, sparks flickering like fireflies in her hair.
Theron watched her with a sharp, unreadable look. Then, slowly, he stepped forward.
"You did well," he said. "But now, you need to listen."
Solene turned to him, her heartbeat still loud in her ears.
He reached out and touched her shoulder, not gently, but firm like a teacher correcting a student.
"That fire inside you, your anger, it's powerful. It breaks the lock and lets the storm loose. But you must be careful."
She frowned slightly. "Why? Isn't that what helped me awaken it?"
"Yes," Theron nodded. "But power born from rage is a double-edged blade. It cuts deep, but it can also cut you."
He stepped back, walking slowly around her as he spoke, voice calm but heavy.
"When your emotions lead, your power becomes wild. Unpredictable. You might burn the enemy… but you could just as easily burn yourself, or those you care about."
Solene's lips parted. "Then what do I do?"
"You learn," Theron said, pausing to look her in the eyes. "You learn to control it. Not with rage, not with fear. But with will. With purpose. That's what must drive you."
She nodded slowly, taking in every word.
"Anger can light the spark," he continued, "but it is will and determination that will shape it. Master it. That's the path of a true wielder. You must learn to awaken your power without emotions guiding you."
Kain stood by the doorway, arms crossed, watching with a mix of curiosity and quiet concern.
Theron glanced at him. "You've seen it, haven't you? What she's capable of."
Kain nodded once, his jaw tense.
Theron looked back at Solene. "This kingdom will tremble before you, girl. But only if you learn when to feel, and when tolead."
Solene looked down at her hands, still faintly glowing. Her voice was soft, thoughtful.
"Will and determination…"
She closed her fingers into a fist.
"I'll learn. No matter what it takes."
Theron smiled, not mad this time, but proud. "Good," he said. "Because this is just the beginning."
The sun was rising, painting the sky with warm colors. The air felt cooler now, and soft wind passed through the trees around Theron's strange, lonely home. Solene stepped outside, feeling a little tired but excited. She wanted to move, to keep learning.
Kain stood in the clearing ahead, already holding a wooden staff. He turned when he heard her footsteps.
"Finally," he said with a small smile. "Did the old man wear you out already?"
Solene laughed, shaking her head. "He tried, but I still have some fight left."
"Good," Kain replied, tossing her another staff. "Because now it's my turn."
She caught it, gripping it a little awkwardly.
"Why this again?" she asked.
"Because magic isn't always enough," Kain said, stepping closer. "You won't always have time to focus or cast a spell. You need to be ready to fight, even without it."
Solene nodded, serious now. "Okay. Teach me."
Kain circled around her slowly, motioning for her to copy his stance.
"Spread your feet. A little more. Yes. Balance is everything."
She adjusted her feet, crouching slightly.
"First, we learn how to defend. If I swing at you, don't block it straight on. That will hurt. Instead, guide the hit away. Watch."
He swung slowly, and she tried to block it, but it still made her arms sting.
"No," Kain said, coming behind her. "Loosen your grip a little. And turn your wrists. Don't fight the blow. Redirect it."
Solene nodded and tried again. This time, when he swung, her staff moved smoother. She pushed the hit to the side instead of stopping it.
"Better," he said. "Let's go again."
They trained like that for a while. He taught her how to deflect, how to spin, how to duck quickly and move with speed instead of power.
"Your body is a weapon," Kain said. "But a smart weapon. You don't need strength. You need control."
Her arms were tired, and her hair stuck to her face from sweat, but she smiled through it.
Then she made a fast move, twisting his staff away from him. Kain blinked in surprise.
"Well," he said with a short laugh, "look at you."
"Told you," Solene said, smiling wide. "I'm learning."
Kain lowered his staff and stepped closer.
"You are," he said seriously. "And if you keep going, we'll move to the next part."
"Next part?"
He nodded. "Fighting while using your power."
Solene's heart skipped.
"You mean, like… magic in the middle of a fight?"
"Exactly," he said. "You'll learn to coat your strikes in fire, use wind to move faster, ice to trap enemies mid-battle. You won't need to stop and think. It will just happen."
Solene looked at him with wide eyes, breathless. "I want that."
Kain gave her a small nod. "Then we keep training. Until your enemies fear more than your magic… they fear you."