Chapter 6: A Wish in the Dark

“Huk, Huk.”
Rough breaths echoed through the forest.
“Sister…. Let’s stop now….”
“No, we don’t have time. Come on, we have to go.”
In the pitch-black forest, now veiled in darkness, two young girls were painstakingly taking one step at a time.

“Ugh.”
“Sister!”
The girl, Asara, lost her balance and fell.
Her wounds were torn open, bleeding profusely, and her legs trembled from walking all day.
Nahida helped her fallen sister into a nearby cave.
“I’m sorry, Nahida….”
“Sister….”
Asara stroked the head of Nahida, who was on the verge of tears.
‘This can’t go on. We have to leave quickly….’
Asara was going mad with anxiety.
She couldn’t help but worry as the delays continued.
“Nahida, could you possibly try to heal my wounds?”
Asara placed her hope in the power of a divine being.
She thought that Nahida’s power might somehow be able to do something.
“I’m not sure, but….”
As Nahida stretched out her hand and closed her eyes, a green energy began to emanate from her fingertips.
But it was only for a moment; the green energy soon scattered into thin air.
‘I guess it’s still too much for her.’
“I’m sorry, sister….”
“No, it’s okay. Thank you.”
Asara smiled and comforted Nahida, but Nahida still looked like she was about to cry.
‘Can’t I do it with my power…. The real problem is that I don’t even know what my power is…. But trying is better than doing nothing.’
As Asara closed her eyes and concentrated, she felt a green energy near her heart.
She did not miss it and drew it out from her heart.
‘Right now, I just wish my wounds would heal…!’
In that moment, the area was engulfed in light.
After some time passed, she opened her eyes to find the wounds had vanished without a trace.
“Huh…? How…?”
‘I only wished for it desperately…?’
“Ugh.”
Asara staggered from a sudden wave of exhaustion, and Nahida began to cry softly.
“S-Sister. You’re really okay, right…?”
“I told you I’m really fine…. Look, the wounds are all healed.”
Asara showed her leg to Nahida, and Nahida’s eyes widened in surprise.
“Oh, sister, so it doesn’t hurt anymore…?”
“Of course not.”
Asara gave a wide grin.
Color returned to Nahida’s face, and she broke into a bright smile.
“That’s such a relief….”
Seeing Nahida’s smiling face, Asara also smiled even more widely.

Honestly, I thought it wouldn’t work.
Because all I did was wish for it desperately.
But what do you know.
I wished for what I imagined, and it actually came true.
This is probably my power.
Of course, I don’t think I can use it recklessly.
It seems like there’s a price to pay.
And it’s not as easy to control as I thought.
I tried to use it again multiple times after healing the wound, but it was no use.
I even desperately wished for the Sages to not find us, but it didn’t seem to have any effect.
“How useless.”
It’s a really good power if I can succeed in using it.
The downside is that I can’t use it as I please.
It’s a relief that I was at least lucky enough to heal my wound.
We were almost caught so anticlimactically.
Still, I hope it works properly at crucial moments.

“…Did you feel that too?”
“Yes, this is definitely….”
“Yes, it is the aura of Lady Rukkhadevata.”
“It’s nearby.”
“What are you all standing around gawking for! Search the entire area at once!”
At the Sage’s words, the people of the Akademiya moved in a hurry.
Asara had no idea what consequences her actions would bring.