The moment I stepped inside, I knew this place was different.
The air smelled like old books and incense i could smell wood and fire. Heavy. The kind of heavy that sits in your chest.
Paintings lined the walls. Not the usual portraits—these told stories. Legends probably talked about the academy's old owners and mages. with each painting i passed by i could feel the rich history of this place and how powerful this land is no wonder nobody could find this place in ages.
I stopped in front of one painting it was very different than the others. it had no face only a woman standing alone, sword in hand, back turned. Something about her tugged at my brain, like a word on the tip of my tongue.
I reached out to it without thinking.
"Mira."
Miss Veena's voice pulled me back. my hand dropped. I was really nervous
"The Grandmaster is waiting."
We walked deeper. The air changed—slowly at first, then all at once no and I'm not overthinking it became really hard to breathe with each step i took forward.
Pressure slammed into my shoulders. Into my bones. Like the whole house was pushing down on me.
What the hell? whats happening
I tried to look at miss veena but my breathing went shallow. My legs started shaking. Each step felt like wading through water that kept getting thicker.
By the time we reached the doorway, I could barely stand but i kept moving forward i could feel the person beyond these walls was no ordinary.
And then I saw him.
The Grandmaster. Silver hair, deep amber eyes, seated behind a massive desk like he'd been there for centuries. Power radiated off him—not showy, just… there. Filling every corner of the room.
And beside him—
The boy from class.
The one I'd been staring at like an idiot.
My stomach dropped.
Why is he here?
Our eyes met. Something in my chest tightened.
The pressure got worse it was much worse it felt like stabbing apin like i would almost just die now.
No. I'm not falling. Not here.
My knees gave out anyway.
The room tilted. I was going down—
My eves were almost shut but i saw a faint silhouette of someone.
His warm hands caught me.
I blinked through the blur. The boy. His grip was steady.
"Stay with me," he said. Quiet. Softer than I expected.
I tried to answer. Opened my mouth.
Darkness.
everything fell into silence i had no control over my head wait i could here miss veenas voice calling out for me, my eveys blinked and i was waking up miss veena had an expression that i might not wake up.
When I woke up, the weight was gone.
Instead, something buzzed under my skin. Like energy. Like I'd drunk too much coffee and my veins were vibrating.
Miss Veena sat nearby, arms crossed. She looked tense.
The Grandmaster was smiling.
"Three whole minutes," he said. "Impressive. I expected one, at most."
I pushed myself up. My throat was dry. "What… what was that?"
Miss Veena shot him a look. "You went too far master."
He shrugged. "If she couldn't handle it, she wouldn't have been chosen."
"That doesn't mean you throw her in without warning."
"She's stronger for it." His eyes landed on me. "A little pressure unlocks what's dormant. And in her case…"
He paused.
"There was a lot dormant."
I didn't like the way he said that.
Miss Veena turned to me. "Mira. Show him."
I knew what she meant.
I lifted my left hand.
Fire came instantly—too easily. Blue and white flames curled around my fingers, no red, no orange. Just cold-looking heat.
The Grandmaster's expression shifted. For the first time, he looked less like a calm old man and more like someone who'd just seen something he'd been waiting for.
The silence stretched.
When he spoke, his voice was low. "This is not ordinary fire."
Miss Veena stiffened. "Grandmaster?"
He didn't answer her. He was staring at my flames like they were a puzzle he'd been trying to solve for years.
"Mira. Come here."
I hesitated. The flames felt warm against my skin, but suddenly I wasn't sure if that was a good thing.
I stepped closer.
He studied the fire. Then his eyes met mine.
"Do you know what this is?"
I shook my head "no"
He let out a slow breath. "This power could either illuminate the world…"
His voice dropped.
"Or burn it to nothing."