The icy air clawed at Lydia’s skin, biting into her cheeks like a thousand tiny needles. Her hands trembled as she struggled to maintain control over the water ball hovering precariously above her palms. The sphere wobbled, its surface rippling with instability, before collapsing with a loud splash. Water cascaded onto the polished marble floor, freezing instantly into a jagged patch of ice.
"Not enough!" Queen Celestia’s voice thundered through the cavernous training hall, sharp and unyielding. Her words echoed off the frost-covered walls, each syllable a hammer blow to Lydia’s already frayed nerves. "Again!"
Lydia’s shoulders sagged, her breath coming in ragged gasps that hung in the air like ghostly clouds. Five hours. Five grueling hours of relentless training, and still, she couldn’
