Kapitel 8: Echoes of Fire and Stone

The morning broke, pale and misty, through the thick canopy above. Elara stirred awake, her body aching from the uneven ground and the weight of her thoughts. The mark on her palm, its glow subdued in the early dawn, pulsed faintly, as though reminding her of its presence.

Seris was already up, her keen eyes scanning the horizon as she sipped from a small tin cup. Korrin and Malric moved around the camp with quiet efficiency, taking down their makeshift shelter and securing their gear. The air was thick with unspoken tension, as if the very forest itself held its breath.

Elara sat up, brushing leaves from her cloak. "You mentioned training," she said, her voice cutting through the stillness. "What exactly does that entail?"

Seris turned to regard her, a faint tug of a smile on one corner of her mouth. "It means we are going to teach you to wield the power you carry. You've awakened something ancient, Elara, and if you don't learn to control it, it will control you.

Korrin chuckled from where he crouched by the fire pit. "Translation: it's going to hurt."

Elara shot him a glare. "Thanks for the encouragement."

Seris rose to her feet, dusting off her hands. "He's not wrong. Power like yours isn't something you master overnight. It requires focus, discipline, and resilience. Are you ready for that?

Elara stood, her gaze steady despite the uncertainty that gnawed at her. "I don't have a choice, do I?"

Seris's expression softened. "No, you don't. But that doesn't mean you're alone in this."

---

The first lesson began in a nearby clearing, where the ground was soft with moss and the sun dappled the earth in shifting patterns. Seris positioned Elara at the center of the space, while Korrin and Malric observed from the sidelines.

"Close your eyes," Seris instructed.

Elara hesitated, then obeyed.

"Focus on the mark," Seris continued. "Feel its presence, its energy. Let it guide you.

Elara frowned, her eyebrows furrowing as she reached within. Her palm flared faintly, the heat of her mark running along her arm. It felt alive, as if a heartbeat stirred inside-a beat that did not wholly belong to her.

"I feel it," she whispered.

"Good, now channel it," Seris instructed in calm, sure tones, "like water down a stream coursing through your veins".

Elara tried, but the energy was wild, erratic. It surged and ebbed, slipping through her grasp like sand. Frustration bubbled up inside her, and the mark flared brighter in response.

"I can't control it," she said through gritted teeth.

"Because you're fighting it," Seris said, stepping closer. "Power isn't something you command; it's something you guide. You have to work with it, not against it."

Elara took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She tried again, this time focusing on the rhythm of the energy rather than its intensity. Slowly, the wild surges began to stabilize, forming a steady pulse that matched her heartbeat.

"Good," Seris said, a note of approval in her voice. "Now, release it."

Elara's eyes snapped open. "What?"

"Release it," Seris repeated. "Trust yourself."

Elara hesitated, then extended her hand. The mark flared brilliantly, and a surge of golden energy burst forth, striking a nearby boulder. The stone cracked and splintered, pieces flying in all directions.

Korrin let out a low whistle. "Not bad for a first try."

Elara stared at the ruined boulder, her chest heaving. "I didn't mean to—"

"That's the point," Seris interrupted. "Power like yours doesn't come with instructions. You'll make mistakes, but each one will teach you something. The important thing is to keep trying."

Elara nodded slowly, her mind racing. She hadn't expected this—this raw, untamed force inside her. It was exhilarating and terrifying all at once.

As the day wore on, the lessons continued. Seris pushed Elara to her limits, testing her focus and endurance. Korrin offered occasional quips and sarcastic encouragement, while Malric remained a silent observer, his piercing gaze unnerving but oddly reassuring.

By the time the sun began to set, Elara was exhausted. Her muscles were screaming, and her mind felt stretched taut. But she had made progress. The energy no longer felt completely alien-it was still wild, but she was starting to learn its rhythms.

Seris approached her as she sat on the ground, catching her breath. "You did well today."

Elara looked up, surprised. "I barely managed to keep it under control."

That's more than most would've accomplished in a single day," Seris said. "You have potential, Elara. Don't let self-doubt blind you to that."

Elara nodded, though doubt still tugged at the back of her mind.

As night began to fall, the group sat around the campfire. The forest, so threatening in the light of day, was now almost tranquil. The shadows danced in the firelight, their edges softened by the warm glow. Elara sat close to the flames, her body weary but her mind restless.

Korrin leaned back against a fallen log, chewing on a piece of dried meat. "You know," he said, his voice breaking the silence, "most people would've run screaming by now. You've got grit, Elara. I'll give you that."

Elara glanced at him, her tone laced with dry humor. "Should I take that as a compliment or a warning?"

Korrin grinned. "Both.

Seris shook her head but smiled faintly. "He's not wrong. You've been thrown into the deep end, and you're still swimming. That's no small feat."

Elara stared into the fire, the flames reflecting in her eyes. "It doesn't feel like swimming. It feels like drowning with occasional breaths of air."

Malric, who had been silent as usual, spoke up for the first time that evening. His voice was low, steady, and carried a weight that silenced the others. "The first step to mastering power is accepting that it will never be easy. It will test you, break you, and remake you. The question is whether you're willing to endure that transformation."

Elara met his gaze, her exhaustion forgotten. "Do I have a choice?"

Malric's sharp eyes softened a fraction. "Not anymore."

His words dropped like a mantle upon them, the fire crackling in the tense quiet.

As night deepened, Elara lay awake, the faint glow of the mark on her hand a persistent reminder of her new reality. The forest hummed with life-a stark contrast to the quiet resolve building in her heart.