Hours passed since the last shockwave.
The training chamber had long gone silent, save for the quiet hum of the runes stabilizing again. Faint rays of dawn light slipped through the cracks above, dust swirling in the beams.
Milly sat on the cold floor, her hands resting on her knees. Her breathing had steadied, but her body ached from the intensity of the training.
Across from her, the Sage stood with his staff, quietly watching the fading glow of Arthianos's lingering magic.
He finally spoke.
"You've improved quickly. The energy isn't consuming you anymore."
Milly gave a tired smile. "That's good to hear. But…"
She looked up at the ceiling the faint red hue of early morning illuminating the cracked stone. Her eyes, faintly gold beneath the disguise, flickered with worry.
"…there's something wrong."
The Sage raised an eyebrow. "Wrong?"
Milly slowly shook her head. "Those meteors… I thought they came because of Arthianos. Because of the dragon's breath."
She paused, her voice trembling slightly. "But the last few times I trained, the meteors came even when I didn't use his power."
The Sage's expression hardened. "…You're certain?"
She nodded. "Even when I focused only on Flamedro Tonado they still came. Arthianos never mentioned anything about that."
The Sage began pacing, deep in thought. "If it isn't the dragon… then something else is resonating with your magic. Something that reacts every time your power peaks."
Milly frowned. "Something inside me?"
"Possibly." He stopped and looked at her with quiet concern. "A power that mirrors you but isn't you. Perhaps something buried beneath your consciousness."
Milly clenched her fists, unease growing in her chest. "Another one… I can't control."
The Sage's gaze softened, though his tone remained serious. "Control isn't the issue anymore, Miss Mila. It's understanding. You can't fight what you don't yet recognize."
Milly lowered her head. "Then how do I understand it?"
He sighed. "We'll start by isolating it. Next session, I'll suppress your external magic Arthianos, Flamedro Tonado, all of it and we'll see what's left. If something responds then… we'll know."
Milly didn't respond right away.
The thought of losing control again the thought that something else was inside her made her chest tighten.
"…Something that uses my power," she whispered. "But doesn't obey me."
The Sage looked at her solemnly. "Then it's time we find out who's truly wielding who."
That night, as Milly stood by the dormitory window, the faint light of the moon caught her silver hair. She stared at the horizon, where streaks of faint smoke still marked where the meteors had fallen.
She whispered softly, almost to herself,
"…If it's not Arthianos… then who are you?"