The following days melted into a timeless routine, a blur of ink and silence.
I asked, she answered. I read, she watched.
"Miss, I want to know about crystals," I asked one afternoon, sliding a thick tome toward her. "Why do monsters have them in their bodies?"
Elyra did not answer immediately. She read through my summarized notes, her eyes darting across the page.
"Crystal stones are vessels for the energy of the will," she read softly. "If found in monsters, they grow due to highly energetic and negative environments. If found in beasts, it is natural evolution."
She closed the book.
"Could you show me? That energy?" I asked.
Elyra raised her index finger. No incantation, no superfluous movement.
"Little light."
A small sphere of light, pure and blinding, hovered at the tip of her finger. Beautiful in its simplicity.
"Can I do that?"
The light vanished. She took a sip of her tea, her gaze piercing right through me. "No."
The answer struck my chest. "Why? The books say every living being possesses energy."
"You do not originate from here, Azisa. You possess no vessel."
I stared at my palms. Rough, covered in calluses, yet inside... hollow.
"But I've grown stronger," I argued, clenching my fist. "My physique has changed."
"Your body absorbs energy like a dry sponge, but it does not store it. You use it to permanently reinforce your muscles and bones. Unconsciously."
She set her cup down, the sharp clink echoing in the quiet room. She leaned forward, her gaze dissecting me.
"It is an anomaly, Azisa. You do not generate energy. You consume it."