The quiet of the afternoon wrapped Greymire in a tense stillness, as if the town itself was holding its breath. But inside the guildhall, the air felt thick, alive with the weight of unspoken questions. Ellie stood near the far wall, clutching her sleeve, every fiber of her being alert. The tests were over, but their remnants lingered, a faint tingle on her skin, a reminder that her supposed "magic" was still a mystery—even to her.

Seren sat at a long table, the investigator’s quill moving in measured strokes, her face calm as she recorded the morning’s trials. Ellie watched her, waiting for that telltale frown, that narrowing of the eyes that would signal something had gone terribly wrong.

How could Seren not see through it? The absurd results had been nothing but accidents. She’d stumbled, fumbled through the entire ordeal, and yet… no one seemed to notice. Not Seren, not the others. Certainly not Hargrave.

She glanced at him now. He stood by the fireplace, hands behind his back, his chin held high in smug satisfaction. He caught her eye and nodded approvingly, as though they shared some unspoken triumph. But Ellie’s stomach twisted at the sight. If only he knew the truth.

Finally, Seren stopped writing. She set the quill aside, rolled the parchment with careful precision, and tied it with a thin cord of crimson. Standing, she approached Hargrave and offered the scroll with a small, formal bow.

“It is done. The report will be sent to the Mage Academy immediately. Of course, they’ll need to review my findings, but I anticipate little disagreement.”

Hargrave’s face lit up. “And those findings are?”

Seren paused, her eyes flickering to Ellie for the briefest moment. “Ellie Liddell is unlike any mage we’ve encountered,” she began, and Ellie’s heart lurched in her chest. “Her magic defies the conventional rules of spellcraft. She doesn’t adhere to the same limitations we do.”

Ellie blinked, her breath catching. What was Seren talking about?

“I’d go so far as to say,” Seren continued, “her abilities transcend our current understanding. Beyond normal comprehension, if you will.”

Hargrave practically beamed. “Exactly what I thought! The moment I saw her, I knew she was special.” He slapped Ellie on the back with enough force to make her stumble. “Didn’t I say that? The Guild’s future rests on this girl!”

Ellie forced a smile, though her insides were in freefall. Special? Transcendent? Was this some cruel joke? She had barely survived each test, and Seren was treating it like… genius? She opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. What could she possibly say? Actually, I tripped over my own feet and accidentally blasted everything to pieces.

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Seren’s gaze never wavered. “There is no doubt in my mind,” she said with an unnerving calmness, “that Ellie’s magic is powerful. Chaotic, yes. But it’s not uncontrolled. It’s a force that suggests untapped potential.”

Ellie’s heart pounded, her pulse loud in her ears. This was a nightmare. “Untapped potential” was just a kinder way of saying she had no clue what she was doing. She glanced toward the door, wondering if anyone would notice if she just… ran.

Seren continued, oblivious to Ellie’s spiraling thoughts. “I’ll recommend further observation. The Academy will want to study her closely. She could become a valuable asset. Perhaps even… something more.”

Ellie’s stomach turned. More? She didn’t want to be an asset to anyone—least of all the Mage Academy. The thought of being prodded, tested again, made her skin crawl. She tried to steady her breath, but it felt like the walls of the guildhall were closing in around her.

“You hear that, Ellie?” Hargrave’s voice was loud, jovial. “The Academy’s going to take a real interest in you. This is a huge step forward—for you, for the guild. You’ve made history.”

Ellie managed a stiff nod, her throat dry. “I… I suppose so.”

Seren, however, was still watching her. Ellie felt the weight of her gaze and wondered, briefly, if the investigator knew more than she was letting on. But Seren said nothing of the sort. Instead, she gave a small bow toward Hargrave. “I’ll be in touch. There are still aspects of Ellie’s magic I wish to study further. But for now, she should rest.”

Rest? How could she rest with all this hanging over her?

As Seren made her way toward the door, she paused, her hand resting on the frame. She turned back to Ellie, her calm, collected expression faltering just slightly. She walked back, her voice dropping low, just for Ellie.

“Tell me,” Seren said softly, her tone almost playful, “are you our missing Archmage in disguise? You can tell me.” Her eyes gleamed with something that might’ve been amusement, but there was an edge to her words. “If that’s your secret, I promise it stays between us.”

Ellie froze, her mind spinning. The absurdity of the question hit her like a slap. Was Seren joking? Her stomach churned. She forced an awkward laugh. “I—I think you’ve got the wrong person.”

Ellie’s breath caught. She stared at Seren, the name bouncing around in her head. Elladora? But before she could react, Seren took a step closer, her gaze sharp, searching Ellie’s face with unsettling precision.

“You’ve been gone for what… decades now?” Seren’s tone was casual, but her eyes gleamed with something dangerous. “Most people don’t remember what you looked like back then, not exactly. But some… unsavory types might. You’d be wise to be careful. Old enemies have long memories.”

Ellie swallowed, her throat tight. There was no way Seren could be serious—this had to be some bizarre joke. Yet the intensity in Seren’s gaze told her otherwise.

Before Ellie could respond, Seren gave a small, knowing nod, as if she’d already gotten all the confirmation she needed. Without another word, the investigator turned on her heel and walked out of the guildhall, leaving Ellie frozen, her mind spinning with the implications of what Seren had just said.

Hargrave was still grinning. “You’ve done it, Ellie! You’ve impressed the best. You’ve put Greymire on the map.”

Ellie’s limbs felt heavy, her mind numb. Somehow, she had survived another day, another impossible test. But as she looked around at the excited faces in the guildhall, she knew one thing for certain: her luck couldn’t last forever.

And when it finally ran out… what then?