Sylra's Perspective
When I first met Sera, I saw something in her eyes, something gentle, yet quietly determined. She was not the loudest among the Rising Heroes, nor the boldest. But there was a steady light in her that reminded me of a flower growing through snow. Soft, but strong.
As a mage myself, I was chosen to guide Sera in her training here in Vinterhall. The city was cold and surrounded by thick forests and old magic. It was a place where nature had learned to endure, just like the people who lived in it. I knew from the start that this place would be good for Sera, and I promised myself I would give her everything I could to help her grow.
Our training began slowly.
Sera's control over nature magic was raw but full of potential. Her spells bloomed beautifully, but they often came out with too much force or not enough direction. At times, the vines she summoned grew wildly, twisting beyond her intent. Her healing spells were powerful, but lacked balance—they healed wounds, yes, but sometimes left her tired and drained.
So we started with the basics. Every morning, we would go deep into the snowy woods just outside the city. I made her sit still and listen, truly listen, to the flow of life around her. The wind moving through the trees. The slow heartbeat of the forest. I told her, "Before you control nature, you must understand it."
At first, she struggled with the silence. She fidgeted. Got distracted. But slowly, day by day, she changed. She started to hear things others couldn't, the quiet groan of a tree's roots in frozen soil, the flutter of birds' wings far above. Her spells began to grow calmer, more focused. Instead of forcing the forest to obey her, she learned to work with it.
But I knew that I alone could not give her everything she needed.
So, I took her to meet the elves of Vinterhall, guardians of nature and masters of old magic. They lived in a grove hidden within the forest, only reachable by those who respected the land. I had trained under them once, many years ago, and asked them now to teach again, not just Sera, but me too.
They welcomed us.
We stayed there often, for days at a time. Together, we learned about the ancient ways of nature magic. We practiced casting without words, using only our breath and heartbeat. We studied the stories of forest spirits and the rhythm of seasons.
Training with the elves was different from anything Sera had done before. They didn't use loud spells or big gestures. Instead, they showed her how to feel the magic in the world around her. Each morning, she practiced moving energy with her breath, slow, steady breathing to guide the flow of magic instead of forcing it. They had her grow small plants using only her hands and focus, teaching her to be gentle and patient. When her vines grew too fast or too wild, they didn't scold her. They simply had her try again, over and over, until she found the right balance. Some days they worked with roots, other days with leaves, sometimes just listening to the trees in silence. Slowly, her magic became smoother, calmer. She started to understand how each spell was part of nature, not something separate from it. The elves said little, but they watched closely, nodding when she made progress. It was quiet work, but Sera never felt bored. Every small success felt real.
I watched Sera bloom in that quiet grove. Her confidence grew, not just in her magic, but in herself. She began to carry herself differently, head higher, eyes steadier.
To help her healing magic, I took her to the main hospital in Vinterhall. I wanted her to see real wounds, real pain. Not the kind from battles with monsters, but the quiet kind, illness, injury, fatigue. At first, she hesitated. She was scared to fail, scared to cause more harm than help. But I stayed beside her. I showed her how to focus her magic gently, how to read the signs of pain in a patient's eyes.
She healed a young boy's frostbitten fingers one day. The way he smiled at her… it changed something in her. From then on, she visited the hospital even when we didn't plan it. The healers there started to look forward to her presence. They called her a flower in winter.
And she truly was.
Her spells became more beautiful, more controlled. Vines that once grew in all directions now moved like dancers at her command. Flowers bloomed where she stepped during training, responding to her emotions. Her healing could now close wounds with only a gentle touch. She wasn't just a spellcaster anymore, she was becoming a real mage. A nature mage.
And I… I learned from her, too.
I used to think I was done growing, that my path as a mage was set. But watching Sera reminded me that learning never ends. I found myself reading books I had once passed by. I studied new spells, tested old theories. I even changed the way I taught, growing more patient, more open.
Sera helped me become a better teacher, and in some quiet way, a better person.
---
When the day finally came for us to set off for the dungeon in the northeast, we were all called to the great hall of Thaldrik Haildaleom. The noble lord of the North rarely gave his blessing lightly. He stood tall in his dark green cloak, his voice steady like the mountains themselves.
He looked at each of the Rising Heroes, gave words of encouragement and pride. And when his eyes met Sera's. He studied her for a moment longer, then spoke gently.
"You have grown well, young one," he said. "Your spirit reminds me of the first bloom of spring after a long winter. From today onward, let you be known as Verdant Bloom, a name that carries both beauty and strength."
Sera's eyes widened in surprise, her cheeks turning red. But she bowed, her voice calm as she said, "Thank you, Lord Thaldrik. I will carry it with honor."
And in that moment, I felt something stir in my heart.
Pride, not just in her, but in the journey we had taken together. She was no longer the unsure girl who hesitated in her own power. She had become something rare, a mage who understood both strength and kindness. A healer who had learned to protect. A student who had become a blooming light in a frozen land...
Sera, the Verdant Bloom.