Ember of the Starry Sky

Three days. It had been three whole days of training, and Yukari was beginning to suspect that Hinote was either a sadist or a really bored phoenix. Every time she thought she was getting the hang of something, he'd throw another challenge at her. The worst part? He made it all look so effortless.

"Alright, kid," Hinote said, towering over her with his massive wings folded behind him. "Today, I'm teaching you your first real spell. It's called 'Flame of the Dawn.'"

Yukari's eyes widened. "Flame of the what-now?"

"Flame of the Dawn," Hinote repeated with a dramatic flair, like it was supposed to impress her. "It's a technique that summons golden flames, particularly strong at dawn. It symbolizes—"

"Blah, blah, blah, some kind of mystical nonsense about new beginnings and renewal, right?" Yukari waved her hand. "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Let's skip the speech and get to the burning stuff."

Hinote raised an eyebrow. "You sure got a mouth on you for a five-year-old."

Yukari grinned, hands on her hips. "Comes with being ignored and hated by everyone. You get good at talking back."

He sighed. "Well, let's see if you can back up that mouth with some actual magic. The 'Flame of the Dawn' is powerful, but you're nowhere near that level yet. So, for now, we're focusing on control. No more ping pong balls of fire."

Yukari crossed her arms and scowled. "Hey, that was a good fireball! It was just… you know, beginner-sized."

Hinote let out a laugh that sounded like crackling flames. "Beginner-sized? That thing was like a mosquito bite. I could sneeze bigger flames."

"Okay, okay, we get it. You're a big, bad phoenix who can blow stuff up without even trying," Yukari grumbled. "Some of us have to learn these things."

"Alright, alright, calm down, flame sprout. Let's start with the basics," Hinote said, his tone finally serious. "The 'Flame of the Dawn' draws on your inner magic. But you need to synchronize with the rhythm of nature your magic isn't just yours. It's connected to everything around you. You need to feel it."

"Feel it?" Yukari echoed, wrinkling her nose. "What does that even mean? How do I 'feel' magic?"

Hinote looked at her like she'd just asked why water was wet. "You just do, kid. It's like... when you're cold, and you feel the warmth of a fire, except the fire is inside you."

"That's the dumbest explanation I've ever heard," Yukari said flatly.

Hinote grinned, his flames flickering slightly brighter. "Welcome to magic."

He positioned himself a few paces away from her and demonstrated by summoning a small golden flame, just bright enough to light up his immediate surroundings. It hovered in the air, flickering like the soft glow of the rising sun.

"See? This is the 'Flame of the Dawn,'" Hinote explained. "Now, your turn. Channel your energy, feel the flow of magic in the air, and ignite it."

Yukari took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and concentrated. She reached for that familiar warmth in her chest, the same one she'd felt all her life. It had always been there, simmering beneath the surface, waiting for her to lose control. But this time, she wasn't supposed to lose control she was supposed to harness it.

She extended her hand, willing the flames to come. Slowly, a tiny spark appeared, flickering like a candle flame. It was barely there, a far cry from Hinote's golden blaze.

She groaned. "It's so small! I thought this was supposed to be a powerful spell!"

Hinote shook his head. "You're not trying to make it big yet. You're trying to control it. If you can't handle a small flame, how do you expect to manage a bigger one?"

"Ugh, I hate this," Yukari muttered. She concentrated harder, but the flame fizzled out. "Oh, come on!"

Hinote stifled a laugh. "You look like you're trying to pop a balloon with your brain."

"Shut up!" Yukari snapped, her cheeks flushing red. "I'm focusing!"

She took another deep breath, and this time, she focused not just on the warmth inside her but on the air around her. She tried to imagine herself as part of that flow, connected to the world. Slowly, the flame reappeared, slightly bigger this time. It flickered in her hand, the golden light catching her eye.

"There we go!" Hinote said, sounding almost impressed. "Now, throw it."

"What?!" Yukari's eyes widened. "You want me to throw it at you?"

Hinote shrugged. "I'm a phoenix. What's a little fire to me?"

Yukari hesitated, then aimed the flame at him and hurled it. The fireball sailed through the air, heading straight for Hinote's chest. Before it could hit, Hinote blew on it gently, and the flame vanished into thin air like it had never existed.

Yukari blinked. "You just… you just blew it out?"

Hinote's grin was infuriating. "Was that supposed to be an attack? Because I barely felt it."

"Ugh! I hate you!" Yukari groaned, stomping her foot. "Why is this so hard?!"

"Because you're thinking too much, kid," Hinote replied, casually lounging as if they weren't in the middle of an intense training session. "Magic isn't all about logic. You need to feel it."

"Stop telling me to feel stuff! I've been feeling things my whole life, and it hasn't exactly worked out for me," Yukari snapped, her frustration boiling over.

Hinote's flames flickered brighter again. "Your problem is that you're fighting yourself. You've been scared of your power for so long that now you're holding back. Let it go, but control it. Don't be afraid of what you can do."

Yukari hesitated, biting her lip. Was she really holding herself back? She'd spent her whole life terrified of her magic, of what it could do, of what it had already done. But maybe Hinote was right. Maybe she'd been so focused on keeping it in that she didn't know how to let it out properly.

She clenched her fists, feeling the warmth spread through her body again. This time, she didn't resist it. She let the magic flow through her, the heat building in her chest, her hands, her fingertips. The flame reappeared, brighter and bigger than before, its golden light flickering in the dawn air.

Without thinking, she threw it again, and this time, the fireball was twice the size of the first. It shot toward Hinote, who stood there, unimpressed, and… blew it out again.

Yukari threw her hands in the air. "ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

Hinote laughed, the sound echoing through the empty landscape. "Now that was better! You're getting there, kid."

"You blew it out again!" Yukari shouted, glaring at him.

"Yeah, but this time, I felt it," Hinote said, winking. "Keep practicing, flame sprout. Soon, you'll be setting forests on fire."

Yukari groaned. "I don't want to set forests on fire! I want to do something cool!"

Hinote smirked. "Patience. Once you master the 'Flame of the Dawn,' you'll be able to do a lot more than just setting things on fire. But first, you've got to learn control. And that, my little fireball, takes time."