Mila crouched in the quiet of the training grounds, her hands glowing faintly with the residual energy of her Flamedro Tonado. She took a deep breath, whispering to herself, "Focus… just a little… just once."
She raised her hands, attempting to call forth the elusive dragon beam again. For a brief, breathtaking moment, she saw it. The dragon beam a brilliant, crimson streak of raw power coiled and surged exactly as she intended. Mila's eyes widened in shock. I… I'm controlling it!
But the triumph was fleeting. A sharp, stabbing pain exploded in her skull. The dragon beam wavered violently, then disappeared, leaving nothing but the faint glow of her fireball.
Mila collapsed to her knees, clutching her head as the headache tore through her like lightning. She gasped, groaning, "Ahhh… it… it hurts… so much…"
The memory of controlling the beam vanished almost as quickly as it appeared, leaving her with only the lingering pain and frustration. She pressed her palms to the ground, breathing heavily, golden eyes glimmering through the tears.
"I… I can't control it… not yet," she whispered to herself, her voice trembling. "But… I'll get there… someday…"
Even in pain, Mila forced herself to stand. Each step back toward the academy was careful, her body trembling from the exertion and the lingering ache in her head. The dragon beam's power remained just out of reach a cruel promise of what she could achieve one day.
She tucked her hands close to her chest, as if trying to hold onto the memory of what she had just glimpsed, and silently vowed: Next time… I'll be ready.