The training room was quiet, lit only by the dim glow of the moon streaming through the tall windows. Milly crouched in the center, her black and red scales faintly reflecting the light, her hands trembling slightly as she prepared to push herself further than ever before.
Tonight, she thought, I'll try to control it. I have to.
She inhaled deeply, summoning all her focus. The air around her crackled with tension as a bright red light materialized beside her. Slowly, a dragon's head took shape, scales glinting like molten metal, eyes blazing with an inner fire. Its maw opened wide, and Milly felt the raw power of the dragon beam coursing through her mind, waiting to be released.
"Focus… I can control you," she muttered under her breath, sweat trickling down her forehead.
The beam surged forward then pain exploded throughout her entire body. Sharp, agonizing, impossible to ignore. Her vision blurred as the spell collapsed, the dragon head dissipating in a flash of red light. Milly fell backward, hitting the cold floor with a soft thud. Her chest heaved, but no matter how hard she willed it, her body refused to respond.
Why… why won't it listen? she thought, panic tinged with frustration. I can't move…
Her limbs felt like lead, her muscles unresponsive. The overwhelming exhaustion, combined with the pain, pulled her down further. She exhaled shakily, accepting defeat for the night.
I… guess I'll sleep here… she whispered, curling slightly on the floor, letting her eyelids grow heavy as the moonlight bathed her in a quiet, silvery glow.
Even as she drifted into an uneasy sleep, her mind couldn't stop racing. One day… I'll control it. I have to.
The training room fell silent, save for the soft sound of her steadying breath, and the faint residual hum of a power far greater than she had yet mastered.