Morning sunlight poured into the academy courtyard, warm and gentle.
Students chatted cheerfully as classes began.
But Mila known to most as the calm, silver-haired PE teacher was quiet.
Her movements were automatic, her mind replaying the dream over and over.
"The meteors come from us."
"You can't run from yourself forever."
She clenched her fists behind her back, forcing herself to focus.
"Miss Mila!" a student called, waving. "We're ready for warm-ups!"
She blinked, then forced a smile. "Right. Let's begin, everyone!"
Her voice was as firm as ever, but her golden eyes now safely blue betrayed a faint tremor of unease.
Hours passed, and the day faded into dusk.
By nightfall, the academy grounds were quiet again, save for the whisper of waves near the training field.
There, Mila stood alone wearing her boots, hair tied back, her breath steady.
"I can't keep running from it…" she muttered softly. "If my body reacts on its own again, I'll face it head-on."
She extended a hand, summoning a small orb of flame Blagos Endos, controlled, steady, harmless.
Then she called forth the swirling motion of Flamedro Tonado, keeping it miniature and balanced.
So far, so good.
She took a deep breath and began her focus routine again trying to channel her energy evenly through her body.
But then
Her hand twitched.
Then her entire right arm jerked upward.
"…What?"
Her body stiffened suddenly, like an invisible force had gripped her limbs.
Her eyes widened in panic. "No… not again!"
She tried to step back, but her leg moved forward instead her stance shifting as if someone else were inside her skin.
Her lips trembled, yet words began to escape against her will.
"Arthia… nos…"
"No!" she screamed, clutching her mouth with her left hand but her right hand tore free, glowing violently red.
The ground around her cracked as energy surged from her palm.
A faint outline of a dragon's head flickered in front of her, jaws opening wide but then
Mila's eyes blazed gold for an instant.
"Stop!"
The dragon shape shattered like glass, and the energy dispersed into a harmless wave of heat that faded into the air.
Her knees gave out, and she fell to the ground, panting hard.
Sweat dripped down her face as she gasped, her voice trembling.
"…I stopped it…"
She looked at her trembling hands.
The glow faded, leaving only the moonlight reflecting off her silver hair.
For a few moments, she sat there heart pounding, mind racing.
Then she whispered, almost to herself,
"Who's really in control here… me, or her?"
The wind blew softly through the trees, and in the faint echo of the night, a voice hers, but not hers answered quietly:
"That depends… on which of us you let win."
Mila froze.
Her golden eyes flickered faintly beneath her blue irises.
"…No," she whispered, shaking her head. "Not again…"
But the wind only carried a faint, knowing laugh as the scene faded into darkness.