Chapter 21: Loneliness
Lyra stepped into the quiet dormitory room, her mind still buzzing with the events of the day. Clara, exhausted from her own classes, quickly excused herself to the washroom, leaving Lyra alone with her thoughts.
Seeing an opportunity to delve into her mother's alchemy notes, Lyra retrieved the worn, leather-bound journal from its hiding place beneath her mattress. She settled onto her bed, the journal cradled in her lap, and began to read.
As she turned the pages, Lyra found herself increasingly perplexed by the complex notations and advanced concepts that filled the journal. Her mother's handwriting, once a source of comfort, now seemed like an indecipherable code, the diagrams and equations far beyond Lyra's current understanding.
Frustration welled up inside her, and she closed the journal with a heavy sigh. The weight of her mother's legacy, and the expectations that came with it, felt like an impossible burden. Lyra's thoughts drifted to the traumatic memory of the ice demon attack, the very event that had torn her family apart and set her on this path.
Involuntarily, Lyra began to shiver, her arms wrapping tightly around herself as if to ward off the phantom chill. The pain of that fateful night, the loss and despair, washed over her like a tidal wave, threatening to drag her under.
But just as the darkness seemed to close in, a warm, comforting memory of her mother surfaced in Lyra's mind. She could almost feel her mother's gentle embrace, hear her soothing words of encouragement and love. The image of her mother's smile, radiant and full of pride, filled Lyra's heart with a renewed sense of strength and purpose.
Slowly, the shivering subsided, and Lyra felt her body relax. She took a deep, steadying breath, focusing on the positive memories of her mother and the love they had shared. She knew that her journey at Ashborne Academy, and her pursuit of alchemy, was not just for herself, but for the memory of her mother and the legacy she had left behind.
With a newfound sense of determination, Lyra tucked the journal back into its hiding place and prepared for bed. As she lay down, her mind drifted to the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead. She thought of Elias and the Resistance Club, of the mysteries surrounding her own family's past, and of the cruel, entitled attitudes of Lilith and her ilk.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone