"Are you ready?"

Selia didn't quite understand at first. But then she remembered that short, mysterious question he had asked earlier that evening. She slowly nodded. Zayn opened the door wider and extended his hand to her.

Together, they left the house without a sound. As they made their way beyond the edge of the village, neither of them spoke a word. Zayn led the way, and Selia followed a few steps behind. The path was lit only by moonlight, yet Zayn's steps were steady. This was no ordinary walk. It was the beginning of something far more important.

Eventually, they arrived at a small clearing deep in the forest, a place Zayn had discovered on his own before. At its center was a natural circle of stones, a spot where energy felt especially intense. Selia looked around with wide eyes.

"What are we doing here?" she asked quietly.

Zayn turned to face her. "If you truly want to become a healer... you'll need to understand some things first," he said as he sat down on the ground. Selia mirrored him, sitting across from him.

Zayn told her to close her eyes. "Listen to your breath. Listen to your heartbeat. Don't think—just feel that faint vibration inside you. That vibration... that's mana."

Selia kept her eyes shut. Inside her chest, she began to feel something unusual—a warmth, pulsing gently. It spread from the center of her chest outward. She had never noticed it before.

"Do you know what mana is?" Zayn asked softly.

Selia shook her head.

"Mana is the essence of everything. The earth, the air, the water... But most importantly, it's the force of your will. Not to be powerful—but to do what's right. If you want to become a healer, you need to recognize that essence first."

Zayn guided her through the process slowly. It was gentle, not overwhelming. Selia felt as if something dormant was finally awakening inside her. The mana moved within her like a warm current. Zayn watched her closely, the corners of his lips lifting ever so slightly.

"You... have potential," he murmured. "That feeling inside you—not everyone has it. But you do."

Just then, the bushes rustled.

Selia opened her eyes, startled. Two glowing eyes stared at them from the darkness. Two wolves stood in the shadows, eyes gleaming and teeth bared.

Selia instinctively shrank back, but Zayn rose to his feet. His expression turned cold. As the wolves advanced, Zayn released a presence that rippled outward—not physical, but heavy and crushing. It was a shadow from a life he no longer spoke of.

The wolves whimpered and backed away, vanishing into the trees without a single sound. No growl, no fight, no blood. Selia blinked, unsure of what she had just witnessed.

Zayn turned around. "Let's go," he said calmly.

On the way back to the village, Selia walked in silence. Questions swirled in her mind, but she didn't ask them. Zayn reached into his pocket and pulled out a small necklace. Simple in design, but with a soft blue stone set in the center.

"This... is your birthday gift," Zayn said.

Selia's eyes widened. "But... how did you—"

"I made it," he interrupted. "If you want to become a healer, this stone will help you. But the path won't be easy. Are you sure you want this?"

Selia nodded slowly. Zayn looked her in the eyes and added:

"Then don't tell anyone. No one. Just us."

Selia clutched the necklace tightly. It was no longer just a gift—it was a beginning.

The moonlight was beginning to fade as they silently walked the dirt path leading back to the village. The forest behind them felt quieter now—as if something ancient had acknowledged their presence and then fallen back to slumber.

Selia held the necklace tightly in her hand, her heart still racing with questions. Zayn remained quiet, lost in thought, his footsteps calm but deliberate.

As they passed the outer fence of the village, a voice cut through the silence.

"Where were you?"

They both stopped instantly.

From the shadows near one of the sheds, Kael, their older brother, stepped forward with his arms crossed. His expression was calm, but his tone held a sharp edge.

"I saw you leaving," he continued. "I've been watching. You've been sneaking out at night, haven't you?"

Zayn didn't flinch. "Just walking," he said simply.

Kael raised an eyebrow. "With Selia?"

Zayn didn't answer.

Kael took a step closer. "If you don't tell me what this is about... I'll tell Father."

Selia's eyes widened. "Kael, please don't—"

Kael held up a hand, silencing her. "I'm not angry. I just want to know what's going on."

There was a tense pause. Then, Zayn sighed.

"She wants to become a healer," he said. "I've been showing her how to feel mana."

Kael blinked. "You can do that?"

Selia stepped forward, her voice soft but confident. "He's really teaching me. I… I felt it tonight. Something warm. Alive."

Kael looked at them both, then glanced at the necklace in her hand. His eyes narrowed slightly.

"You're serious," he murmured.

Zayn nodded. "If you want… I could show you too. But only if you swear never to speak of this to anyone. Not even Mother or Father."

Kael hesitated. Then, a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"That sounds like something I'd regret saying no to."

Zayn didn't smile, but there was a flicker of understanding between them—something unspoken, deeper than words.

"Then it's settled," Kael said, lowering his voice. "But if Father finds out, I had nothing to do with it."

Selia giggled quietly, the tension easing from her shoulders. For the first time in a long while, the three siblings walked together in silence—bonded not by blood alone, but by a secret now pulsing between them like mana through the roots of an ancient tree.

🌙 End of Chapter 11

A small spark had ignited beneath the veil of night—one that might grow into a flame too bright for the world to ignore. But for now, it remained hidden in the hearts of three siblings, under the hush of whispered promises.