"Mother," I called out, glancing toward Eleanor, who had been focused on something at the table. "Why don't you help us with our training for a bit?"
She paused, setting down whatever she had been working on, and looked over at us with mild curiosity. "What do you need help with?"
I exchanged a look with Diana before turning back to my mother. "Well, you see... Diana specializes in healing magic. She can use a bit of wind magic, but her true strength is in her healing abilities."
Diana gave a small nod, folding her arms. "It's not that I dislike wind magic, but I'm naturally better at healing. It's what I've trained in the most."
Eleanor hummed, tapping a finger against her chin as she considered this. "A healer, hmm? That's an incredibly important role. But let me ask you something, Diana—what happens when a healer is attacked? When an enemy sees you as a priority target and comes straight for you?"
Diana blinked, then tilted her head slightly. "Well… I defend myself, I suppose."
Eleanor gave her a knowing smile. "And how exactly do you plan to do that? You're a mage, yes, but healers in combat often rely on others to protect them. A healer has to know how to heal—but a healer also has to know how to defend themselves in case something happens. That's the difference between survival and defeat."
Diana's eyes flickered with interest. "So you're saying I should be learning more than just healing magic?"
"Exactly." Eleanor nodded. "It's a beautiful ability, but it won't mean anything if you can't live long enough to use it."
Diana smirked. "Well then, what do you suggest?"
Eleanor straightened, stretching a bit before cracking her knuckles. "Since you're already trained in magic, why don't we work on something that complements it? Defensive maneuvers, speed, reaction time—you don't need to overpower an enemy, you just need to outlast them and make sure you don't become an easy target."
Diana chuckled, rolling her shoulders. "Sounds like a challenge. I like it."
I raised an eyebrow. "You say that now, but I guarantee my mother is going to wipe the floor with us."
Eleanor gave me a teasing smile. "Oh, come now, Sera. Where's your confidence?"
I deadpanned. "It left the moment I realized I'd have to fight both my parents before the week was over."
Diana laughed. "Better toughen up, then."
Eleanor clapped her hands together. "Alright then, let's take this to the training grounds. Let's see what you're both capable of."
And just like that, I knew—I was about to suffer.
I turned to Diana, giving her the most grim, knowing look I could muster. "Diana... we're about to experience what you would call an inevitable beating."
Diana, who up until now had been brimming with confidence, narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"
I exhaled through my nose, shaking my head slowly. "I mean, we are about to suffer a level of humiliation that we may never recover from. A training session with my mother? This isn't going to be a friendly spar. This is going to be a full-blown, bone-crushing, ego-shattering lesson in survival."
Diana raised an eyebrow, glancing at Eleanor, who was stretching her arms with an amused, almost leisurely expression. "She doesn't look that terrifying."
I gave her a flat look. "That's how she gets you. You think she's gentle, kind, elegant—then the next thing you know, you're on the ground gasping for breath, wondering how a noble lady managed to make you rethink your entire existence."
Diana scoffed. "Sera, you make it sound like we're walking to our execution."
I shot her another look. "We might as well be."
Eleanor turned to us with a graceful smile. "Are you two ready?"
Diana hesitated, glancing at me. I could see a flicker of doubt beginning to creep in. "Uh... how exactly are we doing this?"
Eleanor tilted her head slightly. "Oh, it's simple, really. Sera, you've been training with close combat weapons and magic, yes? And Diana, you specialize in healing but lack strong defensive abilities. So, today's lesson is this—Diana, your job is to evade, block, and counter without relying solely on healing. Sera, your job is to push her to her limits."
Diana blinked. "Wait. Hold on. What exactly does 'push me to my limits' mean?"
"It means," I sighed, twirling the practice dagger in my fingers, "that I'm going to be coming at you, and you need to stop me from landing a solid hit."
Diana's eyes widened slightly. "That sounds like you're just going to try and kill me."
Eleanor smiled. "Exactly."
Diana turned to me. "I take back everything I said. We're doomed."
I patted her shoulder sympathetically. "Told you."
Eleanor clapped her hands together, stepping back to give us space. "Alright, let's begin. Show me what you've got."
I exhaled, adjusting my stance. Diana mirrored me, swallowing hard.
And then, just as she was about to say something else—
I lunged.
Diana barely had time to react. She stumbled back, eyes widening as she threw up her hands in reflex.
[Wind Barrier]
A sudden gust of wind burst forth, forming a translucent shield between us. My dagger's trajectory was thrown off just enough for her to sidestep out of the way, but her movements were clumsy. Defensive magic wasn't her specialty, and I could tell she wasn't used to blocking close combat attacks.
I smirked. "Not bad, but you hesitated."
Diana huffed. "Maybe because my best friend is coming at me with a weapon like a damn assassin!"
"Then you'd better get used to it."
I dashed forward again, faster this time. She tried to raise her barrier again, but I had already anticipated it. I feinted left, and just as she adjusted her stance to block, I twisted at the last second—moving right instead.
[Fire Dash]
Flames erupted beneath my feet, propelling me forward at unnatural speed. Before she could properly react, I was already behind her.
I felt a rush of triumph—until, at the last moment, she spun around, her hand glowing faintly.
[Reversal Pulse]
A small wave of magical energy burst from her palm, hitting me square in the stomach. It wasn't strong enough to knock me off my feet, but it did throw me back slightly. I slid to a stop, blinking.
"Okay," I admitted. "That was actually impressive."
Diana exhaled sharply, her expression torn between exhaustion and pride. "I just—" she wheezed. "I just panicked and did something."
Eleanor, who had been watching from the sidelines with an unreadable expression, suddenly clapped. "Good. You're starting to learn how to react under pressure, Diana. But you're still relying too much on instinct rather than strategy. If Sera were an actual enemy, you'd be dead by now."
Diana paled. "Thanks for the encouragement."
I straightened, rolling my shoulders. "Come on, Diana. You're supposed to be one of the smartest people at the academy, right? Think ahead. Predict what I'm going to do before I do it."
Diana scowled, but I could see the gears in her head turning. "Fine. One more round."
Eleanor smiled. "That's the spirit."
I grinned, flipping the dagger in my hand. "Alright then. Let's see what you've got."
And then, for the second time—
I lunged.
This time, I didn't hesitate. Every instinct, every ounce of training I had undergone with my parents, and every piece of combat knowledge inherited from Sera Vandren surged through me. My body moved with precision—swift, controlled, relentless.
Diana barely had time to react. Her hands glowed faintly as she summoned another [Wind Barrier], but I had already seen it coming. Instead of colliding with it head-on, I veered at the last second, sliding low beneath the swirling gusts. The moment I was past the shield, I sprang up, twisting my body in midair.
[Flame Step]
A burst of fire beneath my feet propelled me forward. In the blink of an eye, I was behind her.
Diana gasped, trying to pivot—
Too slow.
I tapped the wooden dagger against her neck lightly.
"Dead," I said simply.
Diana froze, eyes wide, realization dawning on her as her breath hitched. Her pulse thudded visibly against her throat, just beneath where my blade hovered.
The fight was over before it even began.
She let out a short, breathless laugh. "That was terrifying."
I grinned, stepping back. "That was barely serious."
Diana shot me a sharp glare. "Barely serious?!"
Eleanor chuckled from the sidelines, arms crossed. "Sera's right, Diana. You rely too much on barriers and pulses to create distance, but if someone gets in close, you don't have a solid counterattack." She tilted her head slightly. "Though, I'm impressed you kept up as much as you did."
Diana exhaled sharply, rolling her shoulders. "Yeah, well, that doesn't mean it felt good to lose that fast." She looked at me. "You've gotten way stronger, Sera."
I flipped the wooden dagger in my hand, smirking. "Well, I had good teachers."
Diana crossed her arms, clearly annoyed but also begrudgingly accepting. "Alright, alright. One more round. And this time, I won't go easy."
I raised an eyebrow. "You were going easy?"
Her eye twitched. "Shut up and fight me."
And just like that—round two began.
Diana didn't hesitate this time. The moment Eleanor gave the signal, she sprang into action, her fingers already weaving together a spell.
[Wind Strike]
A concentrated blast of wind shot toward me, fast and razor-sharp. I twisted my body, barely dodging as it whistled past my ear, slicing clean through the grass behind me.
Oh, she was actually serious now.
I barely had time to plant my foot before Diana was on the move again. Instead of retreating to gain distance like before, she rushed me—fast. Her hand glowed with faint green light as she swung at me, not with her fists, but with a blade of condensed wind.
I blocked with my dagger, wood clashing against magic. The impact sent a sharp vibration up my arm, but I held firm.
"Not bad," I muttered, pushing against her.
Diana grinned. "I told you, I'm not going easy."
She pressed harder, her magic humming between us. For a moment, we were locked, strength against strength. Then, without warning, she shifted her stance and twisted her body.
A feint.
I recognized it too late.
Diana dropped low, sweeping my legs out from under me.
I hit the ground with a sharp oof, barely rolling away before another wind slash landed where I had been seconds ago.
Okay. She was definitely improving.
But I wasn't about to let her take the lead.
As soon as I regained my footing, I focused on the energy flowing through my body.
[Ice Step]
Frost spread beneath my boots as I launched myself forward. Diana's eyes widened slightly—just enough of a reaction to confirm she wasn't expecting this.
I closed the distance instantly. My dagger flicked forward.
Diana reacted just in time, throwing up another [Wind Barrier]. I didn't stop. Instead, I pulled back, spun sharply, and used [Flame Burst]—a concentrated blast from my palm—to propel myself sideways around her shield.
Her eyes darted toward me, but she was a fraction of a second too late.
I slipped behind her again.
The blunt tip of my wooden dagger pressed lightly against her back.
"Dead again," I murmured.
Diana froze, her breathing heavy. Then, slowly, she turned her head to glance at me over her shoulder, her expression unreadable.
"…You're actually terrifying," she finally muttered.
I grinned. "Thanks."
Eleanor clapped her hands together, looking pleased. "That was much better, Diana. You were faster, your offense was sharper, and you nearly had her there with that feint." She glanced at me, raising an eyebrow. "Though Sera, I can tell you were holding back."
I shrugged, wiping a bit of sweat off my forehead. "I didn't want to hurt her too much."
Diana groaned. "You did hurt me, emotionally."
I laughed. "You'll live."
She sighed, shaking her head. "You win this time, but next time, I'll be the one standing behind you."
I smirked. "Looking forward to it."
Eleanor chuckled. "Alright, I think that's enough for today. Get cleaned up, you two. Dinner will be ready soon."
As Diana and I exchanged tired glances, I couldn't help but think—this training was actually fun.
And more than that…
I was getting stronger.
For whatever was coming next—I would be ready.