The days after my first real fight were a blur of training, exhaustion, and overwhelming thoughts about my ability. I had discovered something terrifying—I could rewrite events. But how much control did I really have over it?

"Come on, let’s train!" Sym clapped his hands together as we stood on the training field. "Maybe your super OP powers will finally come out without you even trying."

"It’s not ‘OP’ if I don’t know how to use it," I muttered, stretching my arms. Rue stood a few feet away, watching silently, his usual unreadable expression in place. Since my fight, he had been more observant.

"So, what’s the plan?" I asked. "We just keep sparring until something clicks?"

Sym smirked. "More like, we push you until your instincts take over. Trust me, this method is genius."

I rolled my eyes. "Sounds like you just want an excuse to beat me up."

"Not at all. This is educational!"

Rue finally spoke. "If you don’t fully understand your ability yet, forcing it out might be dangerous."

Sym waved him off. "It’s more dangerous if she doesn’t understand it and messes up in a real fight. It’s better if she finds her limits here, right?"

Rue didn’t look convinced, but he didn’t argue. "Fine."

"Game on!" Sym charged at me without warning.

"What the—!" I barely dodged his first attack, stumbling as he twisted around and aimed another hit at my side. My instincts kicked in, and I ducked at the last second, his fist grazing my hair.

Then, I saw it again.

A flicker of a different reality—one where I tripped on the uneven ground and got hit square in the stomach. Without thinking, I shifted my balance and steadied myself just before it could happen.

Sym huffed. "Oh? That was smooth. You saw it again, didn’t you?"

I didn’t respond immediately, still processing what had just happened. "Something like that. But it was too fast."

"Alright, one more time!" Sym lunged again.

This time, I focused harder, but the images in my head were unclear, shifting too fast for me to keep up. Panic rose in my chest as I hesitated—and that second of doubt cost me. Sym’s palm slammed against my shoulder, sending me stumbling back.

"Tsk," Rue muttered, shaking his head. "You’re relying too much on the ability. You don’t even have full control over it yet, but you’re already depending on it."

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

He crossed his arms. "Instinct first. You can’t rely on something you don’t fully understand. You should be able to fight even without it."

Sym nodded. "Makes sense. If you don’t fully understand how to use it, there might be effects you won’t like."

I swallowed hard. What if they were right? What if, one day, I did something I didn’t mean to?

"Wait a second," Rue suddenly said. "Sym, you’ve been beating us up this whole time, but we’ve never actually seen your ability."

Sym grinned. "Okay, I’ll show you guys. But this stays between us."

He stepped back, took a deep breath, and the air around him seemed to shift. Energy crackled, the ground vibrating slightly beneath us. Then, in a blink, a force surrounded him—a faint glow pulsed around his body, like he was drawing in something unseen.

With a swift motion, he raised a hand and redirected a gust of wind so strong that it sent dust flying around us.

Rue’s eyes narrowed. "What the…!?"

Sym smirked. "Let’s just say I can manipulate energy."

I stared, wide-eyed. "Why aren’t you part of the Elite students? If your powers are that strong, you should be."

He let out a chuckle. "I declined. I prefer keeping things lowkey. It’s easier when no one has expectations, right?"

Rue frowned. "You’re hiding something."

Sym shrugged, clearly unfazed. "Or maybe I just want a peaceful life. Who even likes drama?"

I wasn’t sure if I believed him. Sym was a lot more powerful than he let on.

That night, I sat alone in the common area of the dormitory, staring at my hands.

A soft voice interrupted my thoughts. "Do you want to talk about it?"

I turned and saw Selena standing by the doorway, her expression surprisingly gentle.

"I don’t know how to control this," I admitted. "And I don’t know if I should even try."

She walked over and sat across from me. "You know, there are a lot of people here who don’t fully understand their abilities yet. But what matters is that you’re not afraid to try."

I studied her carefully. Selena was an elite student—strong, skilled, and confident. If anyone knew how to master their powers, it was her. But there was something about the way she spoke that felt… off. Almost rehearsed.

"Did you know how to use yours at first?" I asked.

She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. "No. But I learned, eventually. You will too."

A strange feeling settled in my stomach. Something about this conversation didn’t feel right.

And I had no idea why.