The aftermath of the Domain Clash still echoed faintly through the academy grounds, but Mila's mind was elsewhere. As she watched the Silver Elder Dragon retreat into the void of his rival's domain, a sudden jolt ran through her consciousness.
Her golden eyes widened, and she stumbled slightly.
"What… what is this?" she whispered, gripping her head.
Images flooded her mind brilliant flashes of silver scales and a younger dragon, full of pride and arrogance, daring to challenge someone far greater. Mila's chest tightened as the memory intensified:
The young silver dragon, defiant yet overconfident, lunged forward with a roar. And then… the pain. The wounds inflicted by a force so overwhelmingly majestic, a presence that radiated authority, strength, and the raw power of a queen.
Mila's vision blurred. She saw herself standing over the battered silver dragon, calm, collected, her aura asserting dominance. The memory was vivid, almost as if she were reliving the encounter herself, yet something deep in her mind whispered that this was a fragment she had never truly experienced or remembered consciously.
Her knees buckled.
"Miss Mila!"
Simni's voice cut through the haze. Mila's consciousness struggled to return to the present, only to find herself being gently supported. Simni, now in her true form, crouched beside her, arms steady and sure.
"Careful… you're not fully awake yet," Simni murmured, concern flickering in her blue eyes.
Mila's body sagged in relief, yet her mind still whirled. "I… I saw… a silver dragon… it dared to-" she whispered, voice trembling.
Simni held her gently. "It was a memory surge. Sometimes when your latent dragon powers awaken, fragments of the past or possibilities can surface."
Mila blinked, her golden eyes meeting Simni's cornflower-and-blue gaze. "Fragments…? I felt like… I was there… standing over it… and it was so… proud… and wounded…"
"Yes," Simni said softly. "But you're safe now. You don't need to face that alone."
Mila exhaled shakily, her body still trembling. "I… I can't tell if it was real or… something else…"
Simni's grip tightened slightly. "Doesn't matter right now. Rest. You've endured enough for one day."
Mila leaned against her, letting herself be carried to safety. Deep in her chest, a flicker of unease remained but also a strange, subtle thrill, the echo of power long buried, waiting for her to claim it.
And for the first time in a long while, she allowed herself to close her eyes.