Kael stared at the flame floating above the girl's palm.
It flickered softly, glowing bright orange in the forest shade.
Magic.
Real magic.
Not the illusions used by the Highlands.
The girl watched his reaction carefully.
"So," she said, tilting her head slightly, "you're not surprised."
Kael slowly lowered his hands.
"You're a magician," he said.
She smiled faintly.
"And you're the boy the Highlands are hunting."
Kael hesitated.
The soldiers were still searching somewhere in the forest. Their voices echoed faintly between the trees.
He needed help.
But trusting strangers could be dangerous.
"Who are you?" Kael asked.
The girl twirled the small flame around her fingers like it was a toy.
"My name is Mira."
She extinguished the fire with a flick of her wrist.
"And you?"
"Kael."
Mira studied him for a moment.
"You look younger than I expected."
Kael frowned.
"Expected?"
Mira nodded toward the soldiers in the distance.
"The Highlands sent hunters after you."
She crossed her arms.
"That means you're important."
Kael didn't answer.
He remembered what the spirit in the sanctuary had said.
The Highlands would hunt him.
Bounty hunters.
Soldiers.
Anyone who knew the truth had to disappear.
Mira stepped closer, lowering her voice.
"Relax. If I wanted to turn you in, I would've already done it."
Kael glanced at the dagger in her hand.
"That's not very reassuring."
She smirked.
"Fair point."
Suddenly—
A shout echoed through the forest.
"Over there!"
Both of them turned.
One of the Highland hunters had spotted them.
"Damn," Mira muttered.
Two soldiers began running toward their position.
Another lifted his bow.
"Move!" Mira said.
She grabbed Kael's arm and pulled him into the trees.
They ran deeper into the forest, branches snapping beneath their feet.
An arrow whistled past them and struck a tree.
"Stop them!" one of the soldiers shouted.
Kael's heart pounded.
"Why are they so persistent?!"
Mira didn't slow down.
"Because the Highlands don't waste hunters on small problems."
She leaped over a fallen log.
"You must've done something big."
Kael thought of the sanctuary.
The trials.
The magic now burning inside him.
"Maybe I did," he said.
Another arrow flew toward them.
Mira suddenly spun around.
Her hand shot forward.
"Ignis!"
A blast of fire erupted from her palm.
The arrow burned instantly and fell to the ground as ash.
Kael's eyes widened.
"You can control it that easily?"
"Practice," she said quickly.
"Something you clearly don't have."
They ran into a narrow clearing surrounded by thick rocks.
Mira suddenly stopped.
Kael nearly crashed into her.
"What are you doing?!" he asked.
She looked back toward the approaching soldiers.
Three hunters were closing in fast.
Mira cracked her knuckles.
"We're done running."
Kael blinked.
"What?"
"You have magic," she said.
"I have magic."
Her eyes sharpened.
"So let's see if you can actually use it."
The first hunter burst into the clearing.
He raised his spear immediately.
"There they are!"
Mira stepped forward calmly.
Flames slowly ignited around her hands.
The hunter hesitated.
"A magician…?"
Kael felt the heat rising inside his chest again.
The same burning energy from the trial.
His hands trembled slightly.
Mira glanced at him.
"Relax."
Her voice was steady.
"Fear makes your magic unstable."
Another hunter stepped into the clearing.
Then another.
Three of them now.
All heavily armed.
The leader raised his spear toward Kael.
"The boy is the target."
His cold eyes shifted to Mira.
"You can still walk away."
Mira laughed softly.
"Sorry."
Flames exploded around her fists.
"I'm not in the mood."
The hunters lunged forward.
"Take them!"
Kael's heart raced.
This was the first real battle of his life.
His hands slowly ignited with fire.
The heat grew stronger.
The magic responded to his anger.
To his fear.
To his determination.
Kael stepped forward beside Mira.
"Alright," he said quietly.
"Let's try this."
The hunters charged.
And the forest erupted into flames.