CHAPTER 22

Trial by Moonlight

"Sophia, pay attention to the energy," Marcellus urges, his low, insistent voice as seductive as the silvery light of the full moon.

"I'm trying my best, Marcellus," I reply, my own voice shaking as I focus on attempting to levitate a pebble with my mind. "But no matter how I concentrate, it disappears like mist.".

"You have to feel it in your bones, Sophia. Not in the stone, but inside you," he breathes.

I close my eyes, my voice trembling, "I feel a pulse—a soft heartbeat of magic within me, but it is so temporary. It's like I am attempting to hold onto something I cannot."

Marcellus nods, "That's your inner fire, just waiting to be fanned into life. Tell me, what did you feel just now?"

I swallow hard, "It was like a spark, a momentary glow of heat. For a moment, I felt a wave of power, and then. nothing."

"Don't let that put you off," Marcellus says. "Magic is a wild tide. Sometimes you surf it, and sometimes it surfs over you.".

I sigh, "I'm afraid, Marcellus. Afraid I'll never be able to control this force. What if it consumes me instead of giving me power?"

His voice softens, "Fear is the start of knowledge, Sophia. You must confront it, even if that means experiencing the burn.".

I grit my teeth, "I remember the first time I tried. I concentrated so hard that my arms trembled like leaves in a storm. I thought I'd break."

Marcellus smiles warmly, "And yet, here you are. Each failure is simply a lesson in disguise. What do you want from this magic?

I pause, then bend down and whisper, "I want to protect the ones I love, and I want to find out who I am truly. But sometimes I ask myself, is this power a gift or a curse."

"Neither, Sophia—it's yours," he whispers, his tone soothing. "Let magic guide you, not control you."

I open my eyes, determined but hesitant. "Okay, I'll try again," I say, stepping forward. "This time, I'll let go of my fear and trust the spark."

Marcellus encourages, "Imagine that spark growing, fueled by your hope. Allow it to fill you from the inside out."

I close my eyes tightly and whisper, "I see it… a small ember, shining in the darkness. I feel it warming me, but it's fragile."

"You're doing well," he whispers. "Now, push harder. Let your heart open, let the ember sense the gusts of your will."

I breathe in deeply as I concentrate, "It's. it's pushing back, Marcellus! I can feel the energy flowing through me, like a wave cresting high!"

His eyes sparkle, "That's it, Sophia! Seize the surge. Feel it, don't fear it!"

I gasp, voice trembling with fear and awe, "I feel it overwhelming me now—as if the energy is almost too powerful to contain. It's beautiful but terrifying. I don't know if I can maintain it."

Marcellus places a firm hand on my shoulder, "Hold on, but don't force it. Let it flow naturally through you."

I shake my head shuddering, "I'm trying, but every instinct yips to abandon mastery. What if I become lost in this tidal wave?"

"Then remember you are more than your strength. You are heart, soul. The magic is merely a part of you and not the totality of you," he instructs gently.

I murmur, “I want to believe that. Right now, it feels like I’m standing on the edge of a precipice—one misstep and everything might crumble.”

Marcellus’s voice is a soothing balm, “Every great journey has its perils, Sophia. The key is to step forward with faith and trust. Trust in your ability to steer this wild force.”

I halt, my own voice echoing within my mind, "I am stronger than my fears. I can do it."

"Indeed," Marcellus agrees. "Let the moon bear witness as you reclaim your power. Every bead of sweat, every tremble of doubt will push your change forward."

I let my chin drop, and in a voice barely above a whisper, I say, "I'm trying to let go, to merge with the energy. But it's like chasing a dream that taunts just beyond my fingertips."

"Dreams are the sparks of reality, Sophia," Marcellus answers, his voice challenging and gentle. "They can be elusive, but they are not beyond reach. Feel the magic in your veins—it is yours to command."

I take a deep breath once more, focusing again, "Okay, here goes nothing…" I say with trembling determination as I extend my hand towards a swirling ball of energy that seems to take form above my hand.

There is a whisper moment of silence when I struggle with the rush of power. "I feel it now—the energy isn't in the air, it's inside me, pulsating like a heartbeat," I exclaim, voice shaking with awe and terror.

Marcellus claps softly, "That is your moment of revelation, Sophia! You understand, you possess the power. It's there, steady and true, waiting for you to master it fully."

My eyes glimmer with a combination of awe and irritation as I mutter, "It's like a fire fighting the wind—frail and capricious. I just wonder if I can ever really master it."

"Mastering comes with practice and patience," Marcellus encourages me. "Each test by moonlight sharpens your magic and your will."

I slowly shake my head, still savoring the residue of the raw power. "I don't know if I can do this every night, if the tension will get to me."

He grins widely, "You are made of sterner stuff than you know, Sophia. Let the moon be your guide, and let your inner flame illuminate the darkness within."

I take a deep, stabilizing breath, "I'll keep trying, Marcellus. I'll keep reaching for that spark until it's a burning flame."

"Remember," he reminds me softly, "that every challenge you're fighting with now will mold you into someone who can command not just magic, but your own destiny."

My voice is barely more than a whisper as I admit, "I'm scared of what I'll become if I lose control—if this magic eats me.".

Marcellus's eyes glint with comprehension, "That fear is natural, Sophia. It is a sign that you care about who you are. But let that fear be converted into determination. Embrace it as part of your process."

I feel a shock of contrary emotion, "I want to embrace it, but it's so overwhelming. All success has the taste of potential failure.".

He leans in closer, his voice firm but kind, "Failure is but a stepping stone to mastery. Don't fear falling, because every time you get up, you grow stronger."

I smile softly, a voice that trembles between hope and doubt, "I'm afraid if I fall too many times, I'll never master standing tall again."

Marcellus's reply is gentle, "Then let your heart be your anchor. The magic inside you is not a curse, but a gift—a part of who you are destined to be.".

I shut my eyes again, the soft light of the orb mingling with the light of the full moon. "Marcellus, suppose this magic proves to be beyond my control? Suppose, trying to master it, I risk losing the very essence of what I am?"

His voice is a soft whisper, "Sophia, you are not made by your power. You are made by your heart, your choices, and your capacity to love. Let that be your guide, and you will never lose yourself entirely.".

I open my eyes slowly, determination and lingering fear blurring together. "I'll try it," I tell him, voice trembling with determination and vulnerability. "I'll nurse this spark until it's something greater, until I can harness it without fear."

Marcellus smiles, and his words are a vow, "Then let the night witness you transformed, Sophia. Let trial by moonlight be the crucible that forges your true self."

I take one last deep breath, feeling the gentle pull of the energy coursing through me. “I’m ready, Marcellus. I’m ready to let my inner flame rise, even if it means confronting every fear and every doubt along the way.”

Whispering these words, a persistent thought appears and trembles in doubt, "Will this spark ignite my journey, or be the fire that burns everything that I hold dear?"

"Only time will determine if I can control this fire and not become lost in its blinding flame.".