The air around the clearing was thick with a sense of anticipation. Addison stood at the center of the training grounds, her stance firm and focused. The morning light filtered through the trees, casting dappled patterns on the earth. To her side, Maddie shifted her weight nervously, her eyes locked on the ground, trying to focus on the task at hand.
The two of them weren’t just training physically today. That was a given. They’d spent weeks working on their strength and combat techniques, pushing each other, trying to prepare for the threats lurking on the horizon. But today was different. Today, they were focusing on something neither of them truly understood: the magic within them.
Neither Addison nor Maddie had unlocked it yet—this strange power that ran through their veins, somethin
