Chapter 1

Carriages lined up like a colony of ants, a yearly occurrence at the arrival of spring. They carried students to a campsite near Niat Lake, where they would have their survival training. This year, they didn’t come alone.

Ayisa rushed through the forest, following the shadow that flew above. She wished she were seeing things, but that distinct cry and shape pointed to only one monster. A wyron. Not something often seen in this region. Dragons’ large size made them slow and unmaneuverable, while the small and fast wyverns were weak. Wyron combined the best features, or the worst of it, into one singular package.

Its speed made hitting it with magic and arrows difficult. Even if the spells hit, its skin reduced the damage suffered, making it difficult to down. The one good thing about them was the fact that there weren't many.

In her many years living here, Ayisa never saw one. She looked up, and the monster she had followed earlier had disappeared. Maybe she didn’t need to go to the campsite and warn them. The girl pulled to a halt, taking a breather.

They don’t need me.

The wyron might be strong, but the school had many capable students and teachers. The wyron must have sensed the formidable nature of its enemy and flown away. Voices seeped through the gaps in the trees. Ayisa inched closer, keeping her footsteps light as she approached the campgrounds.

Large tents dotted the landscape, with a large field to the west. Students ran around the campsite, the teachers yelling at them from afar. Their clean white uniforms shone under the sun. A group of five gathered sticks near the edge, while eight students crowded around four pots at the center of the place, smoke rising from their opened lids. Eight more stood near them, cutting a piece of meat up before pouring it into the pot.

Ayisa sat on a ledge that overlooked the campsite. They were all too busy to see her, but the faint, sweet smell of soup drifted into her nostrils.

I want some…

She shook her head. What would they think if a dirty girl from nowhere suddenly walked up and demanded food? She already had her meals anyway. She should be grateful for her hunt, not envy others. Besides, someone like her didn't deserve to eat delicious soup.

Loitering around for any longer might get her spotted, and that might bother the students. Right as she was about to leave, a high-pitched shriek came from above. She jerked her head upward, looking for the beast, but her eyes caught nothing in the clear blue sky. Ayisa brought her eyes back down, looking at the campsite, expecting them to be bothered by the noise, but no. Many of the people there stared at her.

They spotted me!

Students leaned against each other, their lips moving. Some covered their mouths. Others did not. They all stared at her, their gazes burning through her skin. She frantically glanced left and right. No, they couldn’t be looking at anyone else. One teacher moved away from the group, heading straight for her.

Ayisa panicked, tripping and falling as she attempted to run. She got to her feet, wiped the dirt off her knees, and continued. Eventually, she would go deep enough that they couldn’t follow her. A shriek came from above the lake.

She gasped when she saw it approaching. It opened its mouth, turning its shriek into a roar. Ayisa concentrated, directing magic at the wyron.

Soul. Water. Cloud. Above wyron. Above wyron. Attack.

Soul. Lightning. Spear. Above wyron. Ground underneath. Attack.

The sudden storm and thunder warned the school of incoming danger. They turned their gazes east, screams echoing from the campsite. Students ran into their tents, while teachers gathered in the center of the camp, weapons in their hands. They began firing various spells at the incoming beast. The monster broke off its attack, pulling its nose as it soared high into the sky.

Their attacks missed. The wyron had no problem dodging, using its speed to outrun them. It rolled and pulled its nose downward, diving straight at the teachers. Its tough skin absorbed attacks as it accelerated. Only a couple more seconds before it tore through the humans below.

Soul. Metal. Shield Dome. Above Teachers. Teachers. Attack.

A metal dome appeared right as it opened its mouth, spewing fire at its surface. Ayisa gasped, immediately reapplying the spell and switching it to light. Just in time. The fire attack slammed into the light shield. Light, being the stronger element, resisted it. It roared as it canceled its attack and flew upward, even angrier than before.

Ayisa shivered. The shield dissipated, leaving the teachers shocked by what had just happened.

But they had no time to rest. The wyron would return. Ayisa couldn’t come to them. She would bring her curse, dooming them all. Yet being this far away, she couldn’t coordinate their attacks well.

They’re teachers. They’re much better than I.

They should be able to protect themselves. They didn’t need her help. She was just sticking her nose where she didn’t belong.

Her eyes followed the monster as it circled above. It may be a monster, but it wasn’t stupid. Take out the one who created that shield, and then the rest would be doomed. She couldn’t attack, or the wyron might sense her position. The trees around Ayisa wouldn’t protect her from its attack.

But maybe she should do that. The soul of a cursed girl meant nothing compared to the many people down below. If she got its attention, then that would give them time to counter. If only she could do damage while she baited it. Wyrons didn’t have a specific element as far as she knew, not that she knew much in the first place, so she didn’t have a spell that could guarantee hurting it.

Soul. Lightning. Spear. Above Myself. wyron. Attack.

A bolt of lightning sliced through the skies. As expected, the wyron’s skin absorbed it, but her attack did catch its attention. The wyron altered course and aimed for Ayisa. It closed the gap within seconds.

Soul. Ice. Spear. Above Myself. wyron.

Soul. Wind. Slash. Above Myself. wyron.

Soul. Physical. Shards. Above Myself. wyron.

Soul. Emotional. Orb. Above Myself. wyron.

Various colors and shapes mixed, forming a growing ball above the girl’s small body. Pain assaulted her head. Her heartbeat quickened. Ayisa focused, putting everything she had into her spell. Sweat traveled down her cheeks as the wyron grew larger and larger.

Attack!

She let go. A beam of colors burst forth, aiming straight at the beast. The wyron let out a scream, opened its mouth, and sent forth an attack of its own. The magic clashed, bursting in the sky. She ducked as the wyron flew over her, its pitch-black wing pushing air downward as it soared higher and higher.

Ayisa forced herself to stand up straight, preparing another magic attack. The wyron turned around. She could feel its eyes glaring sharply at her, like knives stabbing her soul. She expected another dive, but it continued, turning south as it flew away.

Is it… over?

She patted her own body, alive and unharmed. She chuckled, the energy leaving her legs. Ayisa fell to her knees, the world spinning around her. She took quick breaths, eyes staring at the blue skies, one without the beast in it. An image that soon blurred and darkened.

… I did it… somehow. Somehow…

She fell face first to the ground.