Aya was walking along the bustling city streets, enjoying the gentle evening breeze. In her hands, she carried a basket of fruit given to her at the infirmary in gratitude for her help. She felt satisfied—today, she had truly made a difference.
"You're proud of yourself, aren't you?" Leticia's voice echoed in her head with a faint note of amusement.
"Shouldn't I be?" Aya replied with a smile. "It was wonderful."
They continued on, when Aya suddenly heard a dull thud, like a distant hammer striking stone. She froze, listening intently.
"Did you hear that?" she asked inwardly.
"Hear what?" Leticia sounded calm.
Aya frowned, thinking she might have imagined it, and walked on. But the sound came again moments later, louder and clearer this time. Leticia heard it, too.
"That wasn't just any sound…" Leticia muttered. "Stay alert."
Before Aya could respond, a third strike rang out—so powerful that the ground trembled. A deafening crash echoed through the city, and one of the nearby buildings began to collapse. The air filled with a sharp scent of dust and smoke. People screamed: some called for help, others simply ran in blind panic. Somewhere close by, a child was crying out for its mother, the panic gripping the streets like a trap.
"Run!" Leticia shouted in Aya's mind.
Aya instinctively took a step back, ready to follow her advice. But then her gaze fell on the wounded. Several people lay pinned beneath the rubble, others were sprawled on the ground, shocked and helpless. The stench of blood and burning wood filled the air, and thick dust clogged her lungs.
"Aya, this is too dangerous!" Leticia's voice rose to a near scream. "Can't you see what's happening here?!"
Aya could see. She turned toward the source of the destruction and realized it was a battle—a mage and a knight, locked in combat. Their strikes tore through the air, crumbling buildings and shaking the earth. Waves of force erupted through the streets, leaving chaos in their wake. This was far beyond anything she could handle.
Yet she couldn't leave. She dashed toward the first casualty, her heart pounding furiously. Dust choked her throat, but she ignored it. Her hands shook as she touched bloodied skin.
"Hand over control!" Leticia demanded, seeing her hesitation.
But Aya stood rooted, a fierce resolve in her eyes.
"Forgive me, Leticia," she whispered in her thoughts. "I can't do that."
She ran to the first victim—a man pinned by debris, breathing in ragged gasps, sweat streaming down his pale face. Aya gently pressed her palms against his chest, channeling the warmth within her. He trembled, and his breathing steadied somewhat.
But something was wrong.
His wound was healing too slowly, and he still gasped for air. Gritting her teeth, Aya tried harder. She moved on to the next victim—an older woman with a deep gash in her leg—and again sensed her magic falter in ways it hadn't in the infirmary.
"Why is this taking so long?!" she murmured in panic.
"You're draining yourself," Leticia observed coolly. "There's chaos, fear—too many wounded. You can't heal them all!"
But Aya wasn't listening. Her heart hammered in her chest. She pictured herself beside that clear, crystalline pond again, leaning close to the water. She reached for just a drop at first, but it wasn't enough. In the next moment, she stepped fully in, allowing the energy to envelop her completely.
A surge of warmth flared within her, and the light flowing from her palms intensified abruptly. It no longer trickled but encompassed her entire body, creating a radiant halo.
"Aya! Stop!" Leticia cried out, but her voice was lost beneath the roar of energy.
People around her stared in amazement. The gauzy cloth covering her face glowed with the light, forming the illusion of a celestial figure descended to earth.
"It's an angel…" someone murmured, falling to their knees.
"She's a divine omen…" another whispered, tears welling in their eyes.
"No…this can't be real…" said a wary voice in the crowd. It belonged to a city guard, gazing at her with suspicion.
A chill of fear shot through Aya. She had just revealed herself.
But she couldn't stop.
She refused to stop now.
She continued to heal, determined to help until her strength finally gave out.