For the first time in what felt like weeks, Briar’s garden was quiet. Peaceful, even. After the chaos of the giant pumpkin and the magical mayhem that followed, it was almost unsettling to wake up to the sound of birds chirping and the soft rustle of leaves—without any strange humming or rebellious vegetables plotting their next move.

Briar stood at her kitchen window, sipping her morning tea as she watched the plants outside sway gently in the breeze. The vines were still neatly wrapped around the garden fence, the flowers were blooming in perfect harmony, and—miraculously—none of the vegetables were talking.

"Finally," she muttered to herself. "A normal day."

But as soon as the words left her mouth, she heard a familiar voice from the garden. "Don’t get too comfortable, Thorncroft. You know ‘normal’ never lasts long around here."

Briar groaned, setting down her tea and stepping outside to find Reginald, the ever-opinionated carrot, sitting on the garden bench with his leafy top swaying in the wind.

"Good morning to you too, Reginald," Briar said dryly, crossing her arms. "What’s the latest vegetable drama?"

Reginald gave her a withering look. "No drama. Just keeping you grounded. Wouldn’t want you thinking your magical garden is suddenly going to behave itself forever."

"Thanks for the reminder," Briar muttered, rolling her eyes. "And here I thought I might actually have a quiet day."

Reginald snorted. "In this garden? Doubt it."

Briar sighed, but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. Despite Reginald’s constant commentary, there was something oddly comforting about having him around. He was a reminder that, no matter how chaotic her magic might be, she wasn’t in this alone.

Just then, Myrtle came bouncing into the garden, her usual energy on full display as she waved cheerfully. "Morning, Briar! Ready for another adventure?"

Briar raised an eyebrow. "Adventure? What are you talking about? I was planning on having a calm day."

Myrtle grinned, clearly unfazed. "Calm? Where’s the fun in that?"

Briar shot her a look. "After everything that’s happened, I could use a little calm."

"Sure, sure," Myrtle said, waving a hand. "But I was thinking… maybe it’s time to explore some new magic."

Briar blinked. "New magic?"

Myrtle nodded enthusiastically. "Yep! You’ve been doing so well with your garden magic, and your plants clearly have their own personalities. So why not push it a little further? Try something outside your comfort zone!"

Briar hesitated. She’d just started getting the hang of her garden magic, and now Myrtle wanted her to try something new? The idea was… daunting. But at the same time, there was a tiny part of her that was curious.

"What kind of magic are we talking about?" Briar asked cautiously.

Myrtle’s grin widened. "Elemental magic!"

Briar stared at her. "Elemental magic? That’s way more advanced than anything I’ve ever done."

"Exactly!" Myrtle said, her eyes gleaming. "That’s why it’ll be fun! Besides, you’re already connected to the earth with your plants. Elemental magic is just an extension of that connection. You’ll be great at it."

Briar bit her lip, uncertainty gnawing at her. Elemental magic was no joke—it involved controlling the natural elements like earth, air, fire, and water. Witches who specialized in elemental magic spent years perfecting their craft. Briar, on the other hand, had just recently stopped her garden from staging a coup.

But Myrtle was looking at her with such excitement, and Briar had to admit, the idea of trying something new—something challenging—was intriguing.

"I don’t know," Briar said slowly. "Elemental magic is tricky. What if I mess it up?"

Myrtle shrugged. "Then we’ll fix it! Come on, Briar. You’ve been doing great with your garden. This is the next step!"

Briar glanced back at her plants, which were still swaying peacefully in the breeze. Could she really handle elemental magic? It felt like such a big leap. But the more she thought about it, the more she realized that she wanted to take that leap. She wanted to see what she was capable of—what her magic could really do.

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"Alright," Briar said finally. "Let’s try it."

Myrtle’s grin was so wide it practically split her face. "Yes! This is going to be amazing! Come on, let’s head to the clearing in the woods—it’ll be the perfect place to practice."

Briar nodded, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves as they gathered a few supplies and headed toward the forest. The clearing they’d found the day before—the one where her plants had taken the giant pumpkin—was the perfect spot for magical practice. It was quiet, secluded, and surrounded by towering trees that provided both shade and privacy.

As they reached the clearing, Myrtle set down her bag and pulled out a few small crystals and candles, arranging them in a loose circle. "Okay, first things first—we’ll start with earth magic. It’s the element you’re already most connected to, so it should come naturally."

Briar took a deep breath, feeling the familiar tug of magic in her chest. Earth magic. She could do this. She’d been working with plants for years—this was just another way to harness that same energy.

"Alright," Briar said, stepping into the circle. "What do I do?"

"Just focus on the earth beneath your feet," Myrtle instructed. "Feel its energy, like you do with your plants. Then, when you’re ready, try to move it—just a little. Nothing too big, just enough to see what happens."

Briar nodded, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She let her magic flow through her, reaching down into the earth beneath her boots. She could feel the soil—warm, solid, alive. It was the same sensation she got when she worked in her garden, but stronger. More intense.

With a gentle push of magic, Briar willed the earth to move.

At first, nothing happened. The ground remained still, unyielding beneath her feet. But Briar didn’t give up. She focused harder, pulling more magic from within herself, and slowly, she felt the earth begin to shift.

The ground beneath her toes trembled slightly, and Briar opened her eyes just in time to see a small mound of dirt rise from the forest floor. It wasn’t much—just a tiny hill—but it was enough to make her heart race with excitement.

"I did it!" Briar exclaimed, a wide smile spreading across her face.

Myrtle clapped her hands, practically bouncing with excitement. "I knew you could do it! See? You’ve got this!"

Briar beamed, feeling a surge of confidence. Maybe this wasn’t so hard after all. She could do elemental magic—she could actually do it!

"Let’s try something bigger," Myrtle suggested, her eyes gleaming with mischief. "See if you can make the earth move more. Try lifting a bigger section of the ground."

Briar nodded, feeling more confident now. She took a deep breath, focusing her magic once again. This time, she pushed harder, pulling more energy from the earth beneath her. The ground trembled again, and Briar felt the earth shift and move beneath her feet.

A larger mound of dirt rose from the ground, this one much bigger than the first. Briar’s eyes widened as the earth lifted, forming a small hill in the middle of the clearing.

Myrtle let out a whoop of excitement. "That’s amazing! You’re a natural!"

Briar grinned, her heart pounding with exhilaration. She’d done it—she’d really done it. She’d moved the earth, and it had responded to her magic like it was an extension of herself.

But just as she was about to celebrate their success, the ground gave a violent shudder. Briar stumbled backward, her magic slipping from her control as the small hill of dirt collapsed in on itself. The earth trembled again, and this time, a large crack appeared in the ground, spreading across the clearing with a loud crack.

"Oh no," Briar whispered, her stomach dropping.

Myrtle’s eyes widened as the crack in the ground continued to spread. "Uh… Briar? I think we might have a problem."

Briar’s heart raced as she watched the crack widen, the earth groaning and shifting beneath her feet. "I didn’t mean to—"

Before she could finish, the ground gave one final, violent shudder—and then, with a deafening roar, a massive tree at the edge of the clearing toppled over, crashing to the ground with enough force to shake the entire forest.

Myrtle stared at the fallen tree, her mouth hanging open in shock. "Well. That escalated quickly."

Briar, her face pale, stood frozen in place, staring at the destruction she’d caused. "I… I didn’t mean to…"

"It’s okay!" Myrtle said quickly, placing a hand on Briar’s arm. "It’s okay. You were just practicing. We can fix this!"

Briar’s heart was pounding in her chest, her mind racing with guilt. She’d lost control—again. Just like with the pumpkin, just like with her garden. No matter how hard she tried, her magic always seemed to spiral out of control.

"I’m not cut out for this," Briar muttered, shaking her head. "I can’t control it."

"Yes, you can!" Myrtle insisted, her voice firm. "You just need more practice. You’re doing great, Briar. This is all part of learning. Magic isn’t supposed to be perfect all the time."

Briar bit her lip, her hands trembling. She wanted to believe Myrtle—she wanted to believe that this was just part of the process—but it was hard not to feel like a failure when every attempt at magic ended in disaster.

But as she stood there, staring at the fallen tree, something inside her shifted. She couldn’t give up—not now. Not after everything she’d been through. She’d already come so far, and she wasn’t going to let one mistake stop her.

Taking a deep breath, Briar turned to Myrtle, determination in her eyes. "Alright. Let’s try again."

Myrtle beamed, her eyes shining with pride. "That’s the spirit!"

Briar closed her eyes, steadying her breath as she reached for the magic once more. She could feel the earth beneath her—solid, powerful, waiting. This time, she would take her time. She would focus. And she wouldn’t lose control.

With a gentle push, she willed the earth to move again. Slowly, carefully, the ground shifted beneath her feet, and a small mound of dirt rose from the forest floor—this time, steady and controlled.

Myrtle watched in awe as the earth moved, her smile growing wider by the second. "You did it, Briar!"

Briar opened her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips as she looked at the small hill she’d created. It wasn’t perfect, but it was progress. And for the first time in a long while, Briar felt like she was finally starting to understand her magic.

Maybe she wasn’t perfect. Maybe she wasn’t a master witch. But she was learning. And that, she realized, was all that mattered.