Milly took a deep breath, feeling the familiar heat at her fingertips. Flamedro Tonado… the words pressed against her lips almost instinctively, though she didn't fully remember why. She focused, controlling her power carefully, molding it just enough to form a spinning vortex of fire.
The small tornado hovered in front of her, whirling with controlled force. Sparks danced along its edges, casting flickering shadows across the arena floor.
"Keep it small… manageable…" she whispered to herself, recalling the painful headaches that came when she overextended during her self-training.
The Sage's eyes widened, a flicker of surprise crossing his calm, practiced expression. "What… is that?" he muttered, stepping back, wary. "I've never seen a spell… like this."
Milly gritted her teeth. "It's just a trick," she said quietly, almost to convince herself. She tilted her hands slightly, and the Flamedro Tonado shifted, twisting faster, its fiery winds brushing against the edges of the arena.
"Trick or not," the Sage said, his voice sharpening, "it's not ordinary magic. Who taught you that?"
Milly hesitated, shaking her head. "No one… I learned it myself." Her golden eyes narrowed with determination. "And I'll keep learning."
The Sage raised his arms, preparing a countermeasure, but even he moved cautiously now. The Flamedro Tonado was contained, small yet potent, but its destructive potential was clear. He realized this wasn't just raw magic it was a blend of instinct, control, and power honed silently, in secret.
Milly's heart throbbed, her head slightly aching as a warning from her body but she ignored it. I can do this. I have to do this. She adjusted her stance, ready to see how far her control could go before the headache became unbearable.
The arena went silent, save for the hiss of the spinning fire and the faint crackle of its sparks. The Sage's expression was unreadable, but the sharpness in his eyes betrayed his curiosity and a flicker of unease.
"Interesting…" he said finally, lowering his arms slightly. "You're not just a novice, are you, Mila?"
Milly's lips twitched into the smallest of smiles, just for herself. "No," she whispered. "Not even close."
And with that, she readied herself for the next move, her small but deadly Flamedro Tonado swirling in the air like a contained storm her first real spell in a fight that would test everything she had learned so far.