Ember of the Starry Sky

Yukari's flames flickered weakly in her hands, each fireball taking more effort to conjure than the last. She had been dodging and weaving between the Lizardmen for what felt like hours, but in reality, it had probably only been a few minutes. The creatures were relentless, their sharp claws and heavy tails sweeping dangerously close to her with every pass. Each time she threw a flame, she could feel her energy draining, the fire within her dwindling like a candle in the wind.

"Alright... maybe... just a little tired..." she panted, her legs trembling beneath her.

From his comfortable perch on the rock, Hinote watched with casual disinterest. "What's the matter, flame sprout? Out of breath already? You've only taken down… oh wait, you haven't taken down any of them yet."

"Shut... up..." Yukari gasped, trying to steady herself.

The Lizardmen, with their muscular, spiked bodies, were a terrifying sight. Their scales gleamed like armor, and their beady, reptilian eyes tracked her every move. Despite her best efforts, her flames barely left a dent in their thick, scaly hides. She could feel the weight of her exhaustion settling in, each movement slower than the last. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her breathing became ragged.

She raised her hand, summoning another golden flame, but it sputtered weakly, barely forming a small ember before flickering out. "No, no, no!" Yukari growled in frustration.

One of the Lizardmen lunged at her, its massive claws aiming to tear her apart. She ducked, just barely avoiding the swipe, but her legs gave out, and she stumbled to the ground. The creature loomed over her, its sharp teeth bared in a snarl.

"Okay, okay! Let's not get too aggressive!" Yukari yelped, scrambling to her feet.

The Lizardman lunged again, and Yukari instinctively raised her hand, summoning the last of her strength. A small, golden flame flickered into existence tiny, barely the size of a ping pong ball but it was all she had left.

With a desperate cry, she threw the flame at the Lizardman's chest. The creature roared as the fire struck its scales, and for a moment, Yukari thought it had done nothing. But then, a small patch of its tough hide began to burn, the golden flames spreading slowly.

The Lizardman screeched in pain, stumbling back. Its thrashing caused it to crash into a nearby rock, and Yukari watched in disbelief as the massive creature toppled over, writhing as the flames consumed it.

"I... I did it?" she whispered, staring at the fallen beast.

"Well, one down, only a dozen more to go," Hinote called lazily from his rock.

Yukari glared at him. "You... are the worst... mentor... ever."

"I prefer to think of myself as an excellent motivator," Hinote replied with a smirk. "Look at you, you actually managed to take one down. Of course, it only took all of your magic and nearly getting crushed, but hey, progress."

Yukari tried to respond, but her legs gave out again, and she collapsed onto the ground. Her vision blurred as the remaining Lizardmen closed in on her, their heavy footsteps shaking the ground beneath her. She was done. There was no more magic left in her. No more clever tricks or desperate fireballs.

"This is it," she muttered, barely able to lift her head. "I'm gonna die... because of some stupid lizards."

The nearest Lizardman snarled, raising its claws for the final strike. Yukari braced herself, closing her eyes.

But then, the air around her suddenly grew hot. A wave of intense heat washed over her, so powerful that it almost felt like standing next to the sun. She opened her eyes just in time to see Hinote hovering in the air, his wings glowing brighter than she had ever seen them before. His entire body radiated flames, his fiery aura expanding outward like a blazing inferno.

"Alright, kid," Hinote said, his voice dripping with amusement. "Time for the real lesson."

With a single beat of his wings, Hinote unleashed a torrent of fire. The flames roared to life, sweeping across the battlefield in a massive wave. The Lizardmen didn't even have time to react. One moment they were advancing on Yukari, and the next, they were engulfed in the phoenix's firestorm. The intense heat melted through their scales like they were nothing, reducing the once formidable creatures to smoldering heaps of ash in mere seconds.

Yukari stared, wide-eyed, as the entire herd of Lizardmen was wiped out in an instant. The flames licked at the ground around her, but they didn't touch her. It was as if Hinote had complete control over every flicker of fire, making sure none of it harmed her.

"...What the heck was that?!" she gasped, barely able to process what had just happened.

Hinote landed gracefully beside her, folding his wings and giving her a smug look. "That, my dear flame sprout, is what real fire magic looks like."

Yukari was too stunned to even come up with a retort. She just sat there, mouth agape, as Hinote casually strutted over to her like it was no big deal. "You... you could have done that the whole time?!"

Hinote smirked. "Of course I could. But where's the fun in that? You wouldn't have learned anything if I stepped in right away."

"Fun?!" Yukari sputtered. "You call letting me almost get eaten by giant lizards fun?!"

"Gotta keep you on your toes," Hinote said with a chuckle. "Besides, you handled one of them. That's something."

"One! Out of, like, twenty!" Yukari shot back. "And it almost killed me!"

"Details, details," Hinote waved her off. "Point is, you're getting stronger. Slowly, but you are. Just think of this as... trial by fire."

Yukari groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I hate you so much."

Hinote just laughed, the sound rich and full of amusement. "Hate me all you want, but you survived. And that's what matters."

Yukari peeked at him through her fingers, glaring. "You know, you could have just not let me fight a herd of Lizardmen on my own."

"Where's the challenge in that?" Hinote grinned. "Besides, you'll thank me one day. Maybe."

She let out a frustrated sigh, too tired to argue anymore. "Yeah, sure. I'll thank you when I'm not about to pass out from exhaustion."

Hinote stretched his wings, the fiery glow around him dimming slightly. "Alright, alright. I guess you've earned a break. For now."

"For now?!" Yukari groaned again, flopping onto her back. "Please, just let me die in peace."

"Sorry, kid," Hinote replied with a laugh. "You're stuck with me."