Echoes of fallen stars

Sparks and Shadows

Ezra's arms ached, and every step felt heavier than the last. Training had started just a few days ago, but she could feel every bruise and strain from hours spent holding stances, practicing focus, and grappling with the frustratingly elusive glow of her newfound power.

Today, Finn had said, they'd try something "a little different," which usually meant she'd be thrown into a task she wasn't quite ready for. As they walked deeper into the forest, Ezra felt her nerves begin to prickle. The dense trees whispered in the wind, and the late afternoon sun cast long shadows, stretching across the ground like fingers reaching for them.

Finally, Finn stopped in a small, enclosed grove, an area ringed by trees with a single ancient boulder at its center, etched with faded, mystic runes. He gestured for her to come closer.

"What are we doing here?" Ezra asked, glancing around.

"Today, we're going to push the limits a bit," Finn replied, folding his arms and giving her an expectant look. "I want to see if you can draw more than just a spark from that staff."

Rowan stepped up beside her, his face set and serious. "Finn thinks your power needs a challenge—a way to fully awaken. Today, you'll learn how to confront it."

Ezra raised an eyebrow, feeling both excitement and apprehension. "Confront it?"

Rowan nodded, holding up his hand. Suddenly, a dark mist swirled between his fingers, growing in size and density until it solidified into a flickering orb of shadow. It looked otherworldly, pulsing with a cold energy that made her shiver.

"What... is that?" Ezra whispered.

"This," Rowan said, his voice barely above a murmur, "is a shadowbinding. It's a spell meant to awaken resistance in someone who can channel energy. If you learn to overcome it, you'll gain control over your power. Fail... and it will drain you instead."

Ezra's eyes widened, a sudden dread pooling in her stomach. "Wait—what? Drain me?"

"Don't worry," Finn interjected, his voice calm. "Rowan will be controlling it, making sure it doesn't get out of hand. We're just giving you a taste, something to test your limits."

She took a steadying breath, gripping the staff until her knuckles turned white. Her instincts told her to run, but something deeper—the spark she'd felt growing each day—urged her to stand her ground.

"Alright," she said, forcing herself to sound braver than she felt. "Let's do this."

Rowan nodded approvingly, and with a small flick of his wrist, he sent the shadowbinding toward her. As it approached, the temperature around her seemed to drop, and Ezra could feel the energy of the spell trying to latch onto her, like a vine wrapping around her, seeking her warmth and light.

"Focus, Ezra!" Finn's voice cut through the chill. "Remember what you've learned. Ground yourself. Don't let it pull your energy—direct it back."

Ezra closed her eyes, feeling the rush of cold wash over her. She reached deep within, searching for the flicker of warmth she'd felt before. It was harder to find this time, as if the shadowbinding was clouding her senses, filling her mind with a fog of doubt and fear.

"Come on, Ezra," she murmured to herself, frustration building. "You can do this."

The spark ignited within her, faint at first, but she grasped it, pulling it forth, coaxing it to grow. She imagined the warmth spreading through her, defying the cold grip of the shadowbinding. Slowly, she felt the chill retreat, as if she were pushing against it, her energy forcing it back.

The staff began to glow faintly in her hands, a soft, golden light radiating from within the wood. She opened her eyes, watching as the glow pulsed, beating back the shadowbinding's dark tendrils. It was working.

Suddenly, however, the shadowbinding seemed to sense her resistance and intensified, wrapping itself tighter around her, draining her strength more aggressively. The light in the staff flickered, and Ezra felt her energy slipping away.

"Finn—" she gasped, panic lacing her voice. "It's... it's too strong!"

"Don't give in!" he urged. "Push back, Ezra! You have the strength!"

Rowan's face softened for a moment, as if he, too, felt her struggle. "Ezra, it's just energy. Redirect it. Think of it as part of you that you control."

Ezra gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut as she dug deeper, calling on everything she had left. She imagined the spark inside her flaring up, consuming the darkness, forcing it to retreat. She felt the warmth expand, pulsing through her limbs, stronger than before, as though her fear was feeding it.

The light in the staff blazed brighter, and with a final, desperate push, she forced the shadowbinding off. It evaporated into the air with a hiss, the dark tendrils receding back toward Rowan, leaving her standing there, breathing heavily, her heart racing.

She had done it.

Finn let out a breath, looking both relieved and impressed. "You're stronger than you realize, Ezra."

Rowan nodded, the faintest hint of pride in his eyes. "Very few can resist shadowbinding on their first try. You're starting to grasp what you're capable of."

Ezra felt a swell of triumph, though it was tinged with exhaustion. The experience had been terrifying, but there was a strength inside her she hadn't known existed. It wasn't bound by the stars, but by her own will—and that felt more powerful than any starlight.

As they walked back to the safe house, the sun setting low on the horizon, Finn spoke up. "Tomorrow, we'll work on balancing that energy. Power is dangerous if you don't control it. But you've taken an important step today, Ezra. You're on the path now."

She nodded, feeling the weight of his words. She was on a path that felt both foreign and exhilarating, and she knew there would be no turning back. With every test, every new spark of power, she was shedding her old self, growing into something more.

When they reached the safe house, Ezra looked back at the forest, the night already creeping over the trees. She thought about the shadowbinding, about the dark pull she had resisted. There was power in her—not from starlight, but something raw and untamed. And as much as it scared her, it also thrilled her.

She whispered to herself, a faint smile touching her lips. "I'm ready for what comes next."