As the sun set, the sky above Lumira Village transformed into a canvas of crimson and purple hues, but the natural beauty of the scene clashed with the tension gripping everyone. The students stood on the village's outer wall, gazing at the horizon where black shadows moved swiftly toward them. The shadow beasts, as Elarya had described, were grotesque creatures resembling massive wolves, but their bodies were made of swirling black smoke, and their eyes glowed a sinister red. Their chilling howls sent shivers down the spine.
Elarya stood before the students, her staff glowing faintly. "Shadow beasts feed on life energy," she said in a grave tone. "If they reach the village, no one will survive. Your task is to stop them. Rely on your gifts and on each other." Then she turned to Yasir, adding quietly, "Your power may be the key to victory, but do not act recklessly."
Yasir nodded, but her words weighed heavily on him. He looked at his classmates, who were gripping their weapons or trying to summon their gifts. Ahmed clutched his fiery sword, flames dancing along its blade, but he looked nervous. Lina stood at the back, ready to heal any injured, while Mazen positioned himself at the front, his stone shield covering his body. Nawaf, Sara, and the others appeared uncertain, exchanging anxious glances.
Suddenly, the shadow beasts charged toward the wall with terrifying speed. "Now!" Elarya shouted, and the students sprang into action. Ahmed leaped forward, swinging his fiery sword, but he failed to hit the swift beasts that moved like shadows. One of the creatures lunged at him, but Mazen intervened at the last moment, his stone shield barely deflecting the attack. "Get back, Ahmed!" Mazen yelled, his voice filled with more anger than concern.
Nawaf tried summoning strong winds to slow the beasts, but his light breezes were insufficient. Sara, using her night vision, attempted to warn the others of beasts sneaking from the sides, but she couldn't keep up with their speed. The students began to retreat, panic creeping into their hearts. Lina was healing minor wounds, but her energy was draining, and she was breathing heavily. "I can't keep this up!" she said, wiping sweat from her forehead.
Yasir stood at the back, watching the battle with wide eyes. He felt helpless seeing his classmates struggle. "I have to do something," he muttered to himself. He closed his eyes and focused, recalling how he had summoned the light dragon earlier. He imagined a massive wall of fire surrounding the beasts, trapping them and halting their advance. Suddenly, he felt a surge of immense energy burst from him, and he heard the roar of flames.
Opening his eyes, he saw a blazing wall rise from the ground, encircling a group of beasts. The creatures shrieked as they burned, turning to ash in seconds. The students froze, stunned, staring at the flames illuminating the area. But there was no time for awe. A larger beast, seemingly the leader of the pack, emerged from the darkness, its body denser and its eyes blazing with fury.
Yasir took a deep breath and imagined a spear of pure light piercing the beast's heart. As soon as the image formed in his mind, a glowing spear appeared in the air and shot forward with precision, striking the beast. It roared in agony before collapsing, its body dissipating like smoke. Silence fell for a moment, then cheers of victory erupted from the students and the villagers of Lumira watching from afar.
"You did it!" Ahmed shouted, running to Yasir and hugging him. Lina smiled with relief as she regained her strength. Even Mazen, despite his resentful glare, couldn't deny that Yasir had saved them all. Elarya approached, looking at Yasir with a complex expression—a mix of admiration and concern. "You've proven your power, but you used a great deal of energy in a short time. You must learn balance."
Yasir nodded, but he felt a slight dizziness. Using such powerful magic made him feel as though his mind had been drained. He realized that every strong spell came at a cost, something no one had told him yet. As the villagers thanked the students and offered them food and shelter for the night, Lina approached Yasir and whispered, "You're the hero today, but don't let this power change you. We need you as you are."
That night, while everyone celebrated the victory, Yasir sat alone outside the village, gazing at the two moons in the sky. He thought about Lina's words and the envious looks from Mazen and others. He had saved the village, but he felt the real challenge wasn't the beasts, but keeping the team united. Could he help his classmates grow, or would his power drive them apart?
As the sounds of celebration drew closer, Yasir resolved to start tomorrow by trying to understand his gift more deeply, not just for himself, but to support everyone. But somewhere in the darkness, Mazen sat with a few other students, whispering words filled with resentment, and the first seeds of discord began to grow.