The sun was barely rising when Calde found herself standing in the center of the clearing, her

breath still heavy from the previous day’s lessons. The early morning air was crisp, the forest

alive with the chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves. She felt a mix of anticipation and

dread, knowing that today would be her first real test.

The woman stood a few paces away, her eyes watching Calde with a sharp, unwavering gaze.

"Today, we begin the Trial of Elements," she said, her voice calm but carrying an edge of

seriousness. "You will learn that magic is not just a tool to be wielded. It is an element of this

world. Wind, fire, earth, water—they are not separate from you. They are a part of you."

Calde nodded, feeling the weight of the words. She had learned the basics—how to connect

with the magic in the world, how to control the flow of energy. But this was different. Today, the

woman was going to push her past her limits, into uncharted territory.

"You will face the elements themselves," the woman continued, "and learn how to bend them to

your will. You must prove you can control them, or they will consume you."

Calde’s heart quickened. This wasn’t just training anymore. This was survival. She had no

choice but to succeed.

The woman raised her hand, and immediately, the wind began to pick up. A soft breeze stirred

the leaves around them, growing stronger by the second. Calde watched as the air around her

swirled and twisted, the force of it pushing against her skin.

"Your first trial is the wind," the woman said. "The wind can be gentle, but it can also be deadly.

It is a force you must respect. Use it. Feel it. Command it."

Calde closed her eyes, the wind picking up around her, tugging at her hair and clothing. She

had felt wind before, of course—who hadn’t? But this was different. This wind was alive, swirling

with a power she could almost taste.

She reached out with her senses, trying to connect with it, to feel the way it moved. It was

chaotic, wild, like an untamed beast. She could feel its raw energy, but it was beyond her

control.

Focus, she told herself. She had learned this. She could connect with it. She had to.

She stretched out her hands, palms open to the wind. The gusts pulled at her, the wind tugging

at her with an almost playful force. But Calde didn’t fight it. Instead, she allowed herself to be

with the wind, to let it flow around her, to feel the way it shifted and moved. Slowly, carefully, she

extended her will toward it. She reached for the current of air, pulling at it, guiding it with her

mind.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a rush, the wind responded. It slowed, settling into

a steady breeze that circled around her, obeying her will. She opened her eyes, breathless with

the effort, but also exhilarated. She had done it. The wind was no longer a force to be feared—it

was a force she had learned to control.

The woman nodded, her face unreadable. "Well done. But this is only the first element. Fire is

more dangerous."

Before Calde could react, the ground beneath her feet rumbled. A sudden heat washed over

her, and from the altar stone at the center of the clearing, flames burst into the air, leaping high

into the sky. The fire crackled with energy, the heat almost unbearable.

"Now," the woman said, her voice calm despite the roaring flames, "control the fire. Do not fight

it. Understand it, and it will serve you."

Calde hesitated. Fire. It was raw, chaotic, and uncontrollable. Unlike the wind, fire didn’t simply

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bend to her will. It was a force of nature that consumed everything in its path. She had never

controlled fire before, never thought she could. But now, standing in front of it, she realized there

was no choice.

She stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the flames. The fire danced in the air, twisting and

flickering. Her body reacted to it instinctively, feeling the heat, sensing the way the flames

moved.

Calde extended her hands toward the fire, trying to connect with it the same way she had

connected with the wind. She closed her eyes, focusing on the fire's pulse, the way it wanted to

move, to spread. But this time, instead of trying to dominate it, she allowed herself to become

part of it.

The fire surged, responding to her call, but with more force than she anticipated. It roared

higher, a fierce inferno threatening to spiral out of control. Her heart raced as she felt the heat

intensify, the flames threatening to consume her.

But then, she remembered. Control it. Don’t force it.

She steadied her breath and focused again, reaching for the fire with more precision. Slowly, the

flames began to subside, their intensity softening as she guided them with careful control. The

fire dimmed, then settled into a steady, manageable flame.

Calde opened her eyes, her pulse racing from the effort. She had done it—she had controlled

the fire. But it had been more difficult than she had imagined.

“Fire is unpredictable,” the woman said, as if reading her thoughts. “It will always try to

consume. But you must not let it. Now, we move to earth.”

The ground beneath them rumbled again, this time with more force. The earth seemed to pulse

with energy, the soil shifting and rising beneath Calde’s feet. She could feel the earth’s weight,

its strength, its stubbornness.

“Earth is different from the others,” the woman explained. “It is steady, immovable. But it can

also shift, grow, change. You must find its rhythm and use it.”

Calde knelt, her hands pressing into the soil. She felt the weight of the earth beneath her

fingertips, the power that lay dormant within it. Unlike the wind or fire, the earth did not move

quickly. It was slow, deliberate.

But she could feel it. She could feel the pulse of the earth, the steady beat of life beneath her.

She reached for it, pulling at the magic with a steady, firm hand. Slowly, the earth responded,

shifting beneath her palms. The rocks and soil parted, forming a small mound of earth, compact

and steady.

The woman observed her closely. “Well done. But remember: Earth is not easily moved. It

resists, even when you command it. It will take time to master.”

Calde stood, wiping the sweat from her brow. The trial had been harder than she had expected,

each element pushing her to her limits. But for the first time, she felt a connection—not just to

her magic, but to the world itself.

“You have passed the first trial,” the woman said, her voice colder now, as if the moment had

passed. “But this is only the beginning. The real trials are yet to come.”

Calde nodded, her chest still heaving from the exertion. She had faced the elements and

survived. But deep inside, she knew that the journey ahead would be far more difficult.

For the first time since arriving in this world, she felt a strange sense of determination. She had

the magic. She had the strength. And now, she would learn to master both.

END OF CHAPTER 7