We didn't stop.
Not in the hallway.
Not near the classrooms.
Not anywhere normal.
Luna kept walking.
Silent.
Focused.
Kiara followed, unusually quiet for once.
And me?
I just… went along with it.
Because clearly—
I had no idea where we were going.
"…You planning to tell me where we're headed?" I asked.
"No," Luna replied.
"Of course not."
Kiara smirked slightly.
"Relax. You'll like it."
"I doubt that."
"You say that now."
Not reassuring.
At all.
We took a turn.
Then another.
And another.
Until—
I realized something.
"…We're not in the main building anymore."
"Good observation," Kiara said.
"Shut up."
She laughed softly.
Luna finally stopped.
In front of a door.
Old.
Metal.
Locked.
Or at least—
It looked locked.
"What is this?" I asked.
"Somewhere quiet," she said.
"That's not suspicious at all."
She ignored me.
Of course.
Her hand moved to the handle.
And then—
Click.
It opened.
"…That was locked," I said.
"Not for me."
"Again, not suspicious at all."
Kiara walked past me.
"Stop complaining and come in."
I hesitated.
Just for a second.
Then stepped inside.
The room was—
Empty.
Almost.
No desks.
No boards.
Just open space.
Dusty.
Unused.
Forgotten.
"…You brought me here to clean?" I asked.
Kiara snorted.
"Yeah, that's exactly why."
"Wouldn't be the worst thing today."
Luna stepped in and shut the door.
The click echoed.
Loud.
Final.
That sound—
It felt like something had started.
"Alright," Kiara said, stretching her arms. "Let's begin."
I stiffened.
"Begin what exactly?"
Luna turned to face me.
"Your training."
"Right… and that includes?"
"A simple test."
I sighed.
"Everything with you is a test."
"Yes."
"At least you're consistent."
Kiara stepped closer.
Her expression focused now.
"Remember what happened earlier?"
"How could I forget?"
"That push you did."
"I didn't do it on purpose."
"Exactly," she said. "And that's the problem."
Luna nodded.
"You need control."
"Yeah, I figured that part out."
"So we're going to force it."
I blinked.
"…Force it?"
Before I could react—
Kiara moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
She was suddenly right in front of me.
Her hand—
On my chest.
Right over the mark.
The moment she touched it—
A sharp jolt ran through my body.
"—AH!"
Pain.
Not as bad as before.
But enough.
"What the hell was that?!" I snapped, stepping back.
"Focus," she said.
"That is me focusing!"
"No," Luna cut in. "That's you panicking."
"I'm not panicking!"
"You are."
"Okay maybe a little—BUT STILL!"
Kiara smirked.
"There it is."
"Not helping!"
She stepped back.
"Again."
"Again?!" I stared at her. "Are you serious?"
"Yes."
"Why?!"
"Because you reacted."
"That's bad?!"
"That's uncontrolled."
Luna crossed her arms.
"Close your eyes."
I blinked.
"…What?"
"Close your eyes."
"This feels like a terrible idea."
"Do it."
I hesitated.
Then—
Slowly—
Closed my eyes.
"Now what?"
"Focus on your chest," Luna said.
"On the mark."
I swallowed.
"…Okay."
At first—
Nothing.
Just my breathing.
My heartbeat.
Then—
That warmth.
Faint.
But there.
"Do you feel it?" she asked.
"…Yeah."
"Good."
Kiara's voice came next.
"Now don't fight it."
"What?"
"Let it respond."
"That sounds like the opposite of what we should do!"
"Trust us."
I almost laughed.
Almost.
But something in their tone—
Made me stay quiet.
Made me try.
I focused on that feeling.
That warmth.
That mark.
And slowly—
It changed.
From warmth—
To heat.
From heat—
To pressure.
My breathing slowed.
My heartbeat steadied.
And then—
I felt it.
That same energy from before.
But this time—
Controlled.
Not exploding.
Not wild.
Just… there.
"…I feel something," I whispered.
"Good," Luna said. "Don't lose it."
Kiara stepped closer again.
"I'm going to trigger it."
"Wait—what—"
Too late.
Her hand pressed against my chest again.
This time—
I was ready.
The jolt came—
But I didn't panic.
I held onto that feeling.
That pressure.
That energy.
And then—
It reacted.
A pulse.
Not explosive.
Not chaotic.
But strong.
Focused.
A ripple moved outward.
The air shifted slightly.
And then—
Silence.
I opened my eyes.
Breathing steady.
"…Did I just—?"
"Yes," Luna said.
"For the first time," Kiara added, "you actually controlled it."
I stared at my hands.
"…I did that?"
"Yeah," she smirked. "Not bad."
I let out a slow breath.
Relief.
Confusion.
And something else.
Something new.
"…Again," Luna said.
I looked up.
"What?"
"Do it again."
I sighed.
Of course.
"Yeah… I should've seen that coming."
Kiara grinned.
"Welcome to training."
I shook my head.
But this time—
I didn't complain.
Because for the first time since all this started—
I felt something different.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
Control.
Just a little.
But enough.
"…Alright," I said.
"Let's do it again."