{Elira}
~**^**~
By the ti I made it back to the dorms, the sky was already painted with the kind of light that softened everything it touched.
My whole body ached, but it wasn’t the usual soreness that ca after a brutal session. This one felt earned.
Every ache was a reminder that I was changing, piece by piece.
As soon as the elevator arrived on the third floor, the doors opened. I exhaled and stepped out, finding my way to our door before pushing it open.
The familiar chatter hit imdiately. Nari sprawled on her bed with her tablet in hand, Cambria folding laundry with her usual quiet focus, Tamryn braiding Juniper’s hair while humming off-key.
The room slled like shampoo and warm tea.
When they noticed , all movent paused for a second.
"Elira!" Nari practically leapt from her bed, her grin huge. "You look like you just ran a marathon, but also like you won one!"
Cambria’s brows furrowed slightly as her gaze swept over . "Did Professor Zenon push you again today?"
I laughed weakly, dropping my backpack on my bed. "Let’s just say... it wasn’t a light session."
Juniper’s gentle voice followed. "And yet you are glowing." She tilted her head, smiling softly. "Like you are not even tired."
"I’m exhausted," I admitted, collapsing backwards onto my pillow. "But maybe... I’m getting used to it."
Tamryn snorted. "Used to Professor Zenon? Impossible."
That made smile. "Maybe not to him, but to what he is teaching."
Their eyes flickered with curiosity, but none of them pushed. Not this ti. I think they could sense that whatever happened today wasn’t sothing I could explain easily. It was sothing I felt after all.
Nari ca over and perched on the edge of my bed. "I swear, every day you co back stronger. It’s kind of unfair, actually.
"You are glowing, your hair is all ssy like so action movie heroine, and the rest of us just look like tired students."
"Speak for yourself," Cambria teased without looking up. "So of us know how to look composed even after a full day."
Nari threw a pillow at her. It missed. Barely.
I laughed, the real kind that reached my chest. The sound of their banter, the ordinary rhythm of the room, grounded again after hours of intensity.
Juniper passed a small cup of warm tea. "Drink this. It will help with the fatigue."
I took it, the steam fogging my vision for a mont. "Thanks."
"So," Tamryn said suddenly, tone mischievous. "Did you see the stage today?"
I blinked. "The stage?"
"The Founders Day stage!" she exclaid. "They have already started decorating the front lawn. You should have seen it—huge silver banners, all carved with the academy crest. Even the platform for the combat arena is almost ready."
That made my stomach twist with a sharp jolt of reality.
Founders Day. The final duel. The day everything would be decided.
"I guess it’s really happening," I murmured.
Nari bumped my shoulder playfully. "You are not nervous, are you?"
I hesitated, then smiled faintly. "Maybe just enough to stay sharp."
Cambria gave a small nod. "That’s good. Overconfidence breaks faster than fear."
There was a small, comfortable but charged pause after that. Each of them knew what was at stake. And maybe for the hundredth ti, so did I.
Juniper broke the silence gently. "Elira, when you fight on that stage, rember you are not just fighting them. You are fighting everything they said you couldn’t be."
I t her eyes, warmth spreading through my chest. "Yeah," I whispered. "I know."
The room fell quiet again, the calm before the storm.
---
By evening, ESA didn’t feel like the sa academy anymore.
The grounds shimred under the pale wash of dusk, the air carrying that rare hum, the kind that cos before sothing monuntal.
Even the wind felt aware, brushing past the flags and silver banners that had begun to line the walkways.
When the notification pinged on my smartwatch, my stomach dropped:
[Top Ten Combatants – Report to the Main Hall at 6:00 PM for Official Founders Day Briefing.]
I stared at the words for a long mont before Cambria’s voice cut through the fog of my thoughts.
"Don’t worry, you will be fine," she said simply.
Juniper smiled from across the room. "We will save you dinner."
I nodded, though my throat felt tight. "Thanks."
The walk to the hall was long and quiet. Every student I passed seed to pause mid-step, whispering as I went by with curiosity, awe, and disbelief.
It was strange how quickly the stares had changed.
About two to three weeks ago, those sa eyes had dismissed as an Oga. Now, they watched like I was a storm about to break.
When I stepped into the main hall, nine other students were already there—a mixture of familiar faces and new ones.
Before I could think too long, the doors closed behind with a soft thud.
Professor Kael was already at the front, joined by three other professors, including Zenon.
Just seeing him made my chest tighten. His posture was as disciplined as ever, but his steady gaze found almost instantly.
Professor Kael began, his voice crisp and commanding.
"Congratulations, all of you. You are the final ten. On Founders Day, you will represent the strength, unity, and spirit of ESA before our entire kingdom, including the royal family, pack alphas, and the High Council."
A ripple of murmurs passed through the room.
"The duels will begin at noon, following the parade," he continued. "Each match will be chosen by random draw, and all combatants are free to use their supernatural abilities. However—" his eyes swept over us, lingering for a fraction longer on , "—any sign of uncontrolled or excessive force will result in imdiate disqualification."
My heartbeat stumbled at those words, ’Uncontrolled force.’
I knew exactly what she ant.
The professor went on to outline the expectations for the event—our curfews, the code of conduct, and the uniforms we would be given for the ceremony.
I tried to focus, but my mind kept drifting to the flicker of fire that still occasionally sparked in my palms, to Zenon’s lessons on control, to the fact that in less than a week, the entire world would be watching.
When the eting ended, Professor Kael dismissed us with a final nod.
"Get enough rest. Founders Day will test more than just your strength. It will test your composure."
The group began to disperse, quiet footsteps echoing in the vast room.
I turned to leave when a low voice stopped .
"Elira."
I froze, then turned to see Zenon walking toward , hands in his pockets, his usual calm masking sothing deeper.
"Professor," I greeted, though the word ca out softer than I intended.
He stopped a step away. "Did you listen to everything that was said?"
"Yes."
"Good." His gaze searched mine, unreadable as ever. "You have made it this far because you learned to endure. Don’t forget that on the field. And rember, not every opponent will fight fair. Anticipate that."
I swallowed. Sothing in his tone made my chest warm and uneasy all at once. But before I could say anything, he stepped back and turned away, his figure disappearing down the hall.
---
The campus air felt cooler than usual this evening, and I was halfway across the courtyard when two first-year girls rounded the corner, nearly bumping into .
Their eyes widened instantly. "Elira Shaw!" one of them gasped, clutching the paper bag in her hand like it was about to fall.
The other girl elbowed her, grinning ear to ear. "We were just talking about you! You have been amazing in the duels—everyone says you are the real rising star of ESA."
Heat crept up my neck at the praise. "Oh, um, thank you." I gave a small smile, hoping they wouldn’t make a scene. "But I still have a lot to learn."
"Maybe," the first girl said, eyes bright, "but you are already everyone’s favorite. We—" she hesitated, then held out the paper bag—"we wanted to give you this."
Inside, I caught a glimpse of neatly packed snacks—choco bars, fruit candies, and a bottled drink. I imdiately shook my head. "
Oh, that’s really kind of you, but I can’t accept it. Snacks aren’t allowed in the dorms, and if the dorm mistress finds out—"
They both laughed. "Others can see you taking snacks from us here on the school grounds, so it isn’t a problem," the taller one teased. "Besides, everyone’s bending rules this week. The dorm mistress won’t say a word."
I tried again, weakly. "Really, I appreciate it, but—"
"Please," the girl insisted, gently pressing the bag into my hands. "We just wanted to wish you luck for Founder’s Day. You will win for sure. We are counting on you!"
Their earnest faces made it impossible to refuse. I sighed and smiled. "All right. Thank you."
They both squealed softly, then stepped back and waved as they left.
I stood there for a mont, the small bag warm in my hands. It felt strange, being admired, loved, even, by people who had once only seen as a lowly oga.
As I turned toward the dorm building, the last glow of sunset brushing the sky, I thought to myself,
’Maybe this is what change looks like—small, unexpected, and a little terrifying.’
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