After two exhausting hours of attempting to pour the water out using the Air Force, Ren’s shoulders sagged, sweat streaming down her back. The cave’s cool air proved that it wasn’t the heat draining her strength; rather, it was her inability to summon her power without external help or the compelling force of fear.
"Listen," Agara said firmly, pacing slowly around her seated form, "if you always depend on fear to awaken your magic, you’ll soon find yourself spoiled. Find that significant door inside you, the one that allows the current of power to surge into your fingertips. You already sense the core of your magic, stop doubting yourself."
Ren had sat motionless on a large flat stone, thin streams of water slipping quietly around its base. A solitary hole in the cave ceiling allowed a shaft of gentle sunlight to filter through, illuminating her troubled expression.
"I can feel it," she admitted softly, her voice trembling with frustration, "but it’s too heavy. I just can’t move it."
Agara observed her carefully, aware he could easily channel his own magic to soothe her turbulent mind. Yet he refrained, knowing he couldn’t remain long in Thegara. Soon, he’d have to rejoin Kai and tend to wounded soldiers on the battlefield, leaving Ren alone to confront the storm raging within herself. She had to learn this now.
"There were days that I was sitting in a cave just like this one and my sister, Anarya used to train . I understand you." His heart was so heavy to recall those sweet and now bitter mories. The sa day arrived and he was repaying his sister’s favor. That one kind sister, who accepted him as a brother while the others just loathed to be around him for him having human blood. "It is not your power that feels heavy," Agara gently corrected.
Ren straightened her shoulders and raised her eyes to et his gaze.
"It is the fear of breaking the glass," he continued. "Don’t focus on avoiding damage; instead, focus solely on moving the water."
Her eyes widened in shock. Could he read minds? Because that was precisely what she had been doing, so fixated on the fragile glass that she’d forgotten her real goal was simply to move the water.
Determination surged through Ren, and she raised her hands, ticulously performing the formation for the Water Force that Agara had patiently taught her. Each shade of magic demanded precise movents, each carefully executed to prevent unintended consequences. She drew on the core of her magic, blending it seamlessly with the power of nature, feeling it rush through her like a gentle yet unstoppable current.
She focused intently on the sound of droplets trickling down the cave walls, the rhythmic rush of water carving paths through stubborn stone. She envisioned droplets suspended in mid-air, glistening with potential, and willed that vision into reality. Her magic pulsed calmly through her veins, mirroring the tranquil rhythm of the flowing water. Opening her eyes, she fixed her gaze on the glass in front of her.
The water trembled, lifting gracefully into shimring droplets, floating gently upwards as Ren guided them with smooth, controlled movents. A surge of pure joy coursed through her, a triumphant smile lighting her face, but in that mont of exhilaration, her concentration fractured, and the droplets splashed down, slipping through her fingers.
Agara seed satisfied, though he’d hoped Ren could at least move a single drop within the first hour. Yet, she was too easily distracted, her adventurous spirit mirrored that of her mother.
"Tsk! It didn’t last long!" Ren pouted, her voice tinged with disappointnt.
"That was good! You managed to hold four drops of water mid-air purely by your own power," Agara encouraged but his expression was intact. "You haven’t even begun to incorporate the air and wind to intensify your control. One day, you’ll be capable of channeling your power and extracting water from any living creature."
Ren’s brows knitted together in alarm. Extracting water from living beings sounded disturbingly similar to a vampire drawing blood. The only difference was that she wouldn’t require fangs.
"I don’t want to kill people," she protested softly.
Agara chuckled reassuringly, shaking his head. "I know, and I understand your concern. But imagine this scenario: if soone is poisoned and you have the power to cleanse their blood, what would you do?"
Ren hesitated thoughtfully, then asked quietly, "Could I actually separate poison from blood?"
"Yes," Agara confird with a nod. "But you’re overthinking it, princess. When ditating to channel your power, to tap into natural elents, you must clear your mind entirely. No questions, just trust."
She bit her lower lip anxiously. Clearing her mind was far from easy, especially when it brimd with swirling uncertainties. Yet beneath it all lay a firm resolve: she yearned to master her power, support her husband, protect Thegara, and stand firm against Luther, whose ravenous greed threatened everything she held dear.
"Starting today, you’ll dedicate an hour each day solely to ditation," Agara declared firmly. "I must ensure you learn how to clear your mind completely. Even a single malicious thought could corrupt your magic and send it spiraling in a harmful direction. That’s enough practice for today."
His expression was stern, the air around him noticeably heavier than before. Ren could sense the intensity of his expectations, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint the reason behind his strict deanor. Nevertheless, at the beginning, Agara refused to dismiss her until she’d managed at least one droplet of water. Ren inwardly groaned, imagining the demanding months ahead.
As she stood, pins and needles shot through her legs, causing her to stumble awkwardly. Agara swiftly caught her arm, steadying her with a disapproving scowl. "After lunch, take your training seriously. You’ll have plenty of ti to read books at night."
Embarrassed, Ren felt heat rush to her cheeks. Why did she constantly find ways to humiliate herself in front of others?
After dismissing her for lunch, Agara disappeared again. Ren and Arkilla walked past the Garden, which no longer felt cursed.
"I haven’t heard the Rose’s voice since yesterday," Ren noted quietly.
Arkilla’s expression turned thoughtful. "Perhaps it’s simply sleeping."
"I hope so," Ren replied thoughtfully. "We need a fitting na for this garden."
Arkilla shrugged lightly. "Can’t we just call it ’the garden’?"
"No," Ren insisted gently, her tone decisive. "We’ll na it Seraphina Garden, after my ancestor. And we’ll need gardeners to tend to it regularly, trimming and maintaining the plants."
"Seraphina Garden," Arkilla echoed appreciatively. "It’s a beautiful na. Now tell , how was your first magic training session?"
Ren sighed softly, her shoulders dropping. "Annoying. I only managed to lift four droplets, and even those fell after floating just two inches above the glass."
Arkilla brightened, smiling encouragingly. "That’s amazing! You did it!"
Ren’s lips tightened, frustration evident in her eyes. Her brief mont of excitent had ultimately undermined her progress.
"You’ll improve," ca a reassuring voice from behind them.
Ren turned quickly, her heart fluttering at the familiar voice. Kaisun stood there, strikingly handso and half-naked, beads of sweat glistening along the defined lines of his muscular physique.
Her breath caught in her throat, cheeks flushing as her gaze lingered. Holy my my! Why was this particular sight of her husband always so irresistibly delightful?
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