𝗩𝗜𝗧𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗜𝗔 ✶ 𝗽. 𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝗼𝗻

𝐈. nothing happens (until it does)

001. 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐍𝐄 ──────🏆🗡️💋

❛ 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔 (𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔) ❜

𝕬dira wasn't sure why she'd agreed to train at sunrise. It was early, cold, and the spear she was practicing with kept slipping from her grip when she threw it, missing the target again and again. Which was kind of frustrating.

She squinted at the camp grounds, where a few campers were already running drills, yelling at each other like it was some kind of sport. Adira preferred to watch rather than join in — not because she wasn't capable, but because people made a lot of noise and she wasn't really a "people" person in the morning.

Taking a deep breath, she gripped the spear tighter and threw it again. It missed. Again. Her jaw clenched.

"Ugh, come on."

She adjusted her stance and tried once more. This time, the spear hit the wooden target with a solid thunk.

Adira let out a breath. "There we go."

"Looks like someone's awake now."

Adira glanced to the side and saw Kian leaning casually against a tree, his sun-bleached hair catching the early light.

"Figures you'd show up just when I get decent," she said, rolling her eyes.

Kian shrugged with that easy grin of his. "What can I say? I like to arrive at the perfect moment. You know, like a hero."

Adira crossed her arms, watching him like he was the real distraction here. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it. Sunrise is torture."

He pushed off the tree and stretched. "This is my favorite time of day. The world's quiet. You're just grumpy because something's up with your spear today."

She narrowed her eyes. "There's nothing wrong with my spear. I just had a rough start."

"Aw, I was joking," he said, grinning. "Besides, you're the best with that thing. Everyone knows it."

Adira gave him a sharp look.

Kian's grin softened. "Come on. Let me see if I can keep up."

Adira huffed and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you're on."

Kian pulled a spear from the rack nearby and jogged over to stand beside her. "Alright, show me what you've got, champ."

Adira shook her head, amusement tugging at the corners of her mouth. She reset her grip on her spear and threw again. Bullseye. The wooden target shuddered but held firm.

Kian's eyes widened just a fraction. "Okay, okay. Not bad."

Adira tilted her head, as if taking personal offence to that. "Not bad? This is a warm-up, you just wait."

"I'll pass. I don't think I can keep up."

"Are you chicken?"

Kian draped an arm around her shoulder with a grin. "Pfff no. But it looks like you're plenty warm already. Come on, let's grab something to eat."

With practiced ease, Adira gripped the spear in her right hand firmly, feeling the weight of it reassuringly familiar. With a swift twist of her wrist, she rotated the spear 90 degrees and in an instant, the metal shaft of the spear began to shift and contort, the sleek lines of the weapon transforming before her eyes.

The pointed tip retracted into the shaft, while the metal segments folded and collapsed upon themselves, forming a series of intricate patterns along the length of the weapon. Its surface shimmered and flowed like liquid metal until it settled into its new form, the once-imposing spear now a cuff adorning her wrist.