The magic that was practiced in their realm came at a steep price, that much had always been known.
But what no one had realized, was that the person who managed to bend that price to their advantage... Well, they would be the most powerful mage the world had ever seen.
And that was exactly what she had accomplished. She had poison running through her veins, and ashes burning in her eyes, but they were merely new parts of her now. Parts that couldn't hurt her anymore, but that could poison an opponent at the flick of a wrist, and burn obstacles to the ground by gazing at them.
It was only later that it dawned on her that magic had still managed to set a price.
That price was the strength of will it took not to use these extraordinary powers for evil.
Author's Note: My entry for Week 10 of the Flash! contests by YA.
