The Magic that was Lost and Forbidden

V. Whispers and Shadows

Mrs. Belva adjusted her lace-trimmed shawl, her heart pounding with a mix of excitement and nervousness. She and her friend Gertrude crouched behind a large stack of crates, peering through a narrow gap in the curtains that covered the windows of the guild hall. The two women had no business being there—Sunjua's ranking trial was supposed to be a private affair—but their curiosity had gotten the better of them.

"This is wrong, Belva," Gertrude whispered, her voice trembling with anxiety. "We shouldn't be here. If anyone finds out we were spying..."

"Shh!" Mrs. Belva hissed, placing a firm hand on Gertrude's arm. "Just keep quiet and watch. We need to see this for ourselves."

Inside the dimly lit hall, Sunjua stood at the center of the room, his posture tense but determined. He held his practice sword with a confidence that belied his age, and there was a focused intensity in his eyes that made Mrs. Belva's heart skip a beat.

Elder Rian and Mr. Gareth stood off to the side, their expressions unreadable as they observed Sunjua's performance. The room was filled with an air of quiet anticipation, the only sound being the soft rustle of the curtains as a faint breeze drifted through the cracks in the windows.

"He looks so... serious," Gertrude whispered, her eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear. "Do you think he can really do it?"

"We're about to find out," Mrs. Belva replied, her eyes narrowing as she leaned closer to the window, her curiosity piqued.

The trial began with a series of tests designed to evaluate Sunjua's physical abilities. He moved through the swordsmanship drills with fluidity and precision, his every movement a testament to the rigorous training he had undergone. His strikes were clean, his footwork agile, and his concentration unwavering.

As the trial progressed, Mrs. Belva and Gertrude watched in growing astonishment. Sunjua's skill with the sword was impressive, far beyond what they had expected from a boy his age. But it wasn't just his swordsmanship that caught their attention—it was the way he carried himself, the way his eyes seemed to blaze with determination and focus.

"Look at him," Mrs. Belva murmured, her voice tinged with both admiration and suspicion. "He's no ordinary boy."

"He's certainly... something," Gertrude agreed, her voice filled with uncertainty. "But do you really think—?"

Gertrude's question was cut off as the final trial began. This was the moment they had both been waiting for—the test of magic control. Sunjua stepped forward, his expression a careful mask of concentration. The air in the room seemed to thicken as he prepared to demonstrate his abilities.

Mrs. Belva held her breath, her eyes locked on the boy in the center of the room. She had heard the rumors, the whispers that Sunjua possessed a rare and dangerous talent, but she hadn't believed them—until now.

Sunjua raised his hand, and a faint glow began to emanate from his palm. The light was subtle, almost imperceptible, but there was a power behind it that sent a shiver down Mrs. Belva's spine. The mana seemed to pulse with life, as if responding to the very will of its master.

"Is he...?" Gertrude breathed, her voice barely audible.

But what they saw next left them both stunned. Instead of casting a spell with the usual incantations, Sunjua simply willed the magic to take shape. The energy coalesced into a shimmering barrier around him, the mana particles dancing like fireflies in the dim light of the hall. There was no chanting, no verbal command—just pure, unbridled control.

"He's not even chanting!" Mrs. Belva whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief. "He's just... making it happen!"

"Can that even be possible?" Gertrude asked, her face pale with shock. "I've never heard of anyone doing magic like that."