Elvira Blaze slowly stirred in bed, her eyes fluttering open to the soft rays of the morning sun filtering through the curtains. It was the day. Her 18th birthday. The day when every person in the kingdom would finally awaken their magic. Or, at least, that's what they told her.
She rubbed her eyes and yawned, feeling no different than she did the day before. Nothing about the day felt particularly significant. She still lay in her childhood room, the cold, sterile walls the same as always. The room smelled faintly of lavender — her mother's favorite scent.
"Elvira! Time to wake up!" Her stepmother's voice echoed from downstairs, sharp and demanding.
Elvira sighed and swung her legs over the edge of the bed, the chill of the wooden floor meeting her bare feet. She didn't feel any excitement. No thrill. It was just another day. Her father had died years ago, leaving her with a mother who barely acknowledged her existence. Her new stepfather was cold, distant, and preoccupied with his own ambitions. And her step-siblings? They didn't care much for her either.
She stood and walked over to the mirror, running her fingers through her untamed black hair. No magical energy coursed through her veins yet, no sign of the power she was supposed to have. The way her family acted today — the way they hovered around her, pretending to care — made her feel like an experiment.
"Is your magic stirring yet, Elvira?" Her stepmother's voice floated up from the stairs again, too sweet for comfort.
Elvira gritted her teeth but forced a smile. "Not yet," she muttered.
She glanced at the clock. It was 8:00 AM. Her family had prepared a small, quiet breakfast, nothing extravagant. It was strange how the whole house seemed to hold its breath, like everyone was waiting for something to happen.
Downstairs, her stepmother sat at the dining table, looking more radiant than usual. Her step-siblings, Lila and Jaxon, were already seated, their eyes fixed on her with something that resembled curiosity. Elvira couldn't help but feel like an outsider in her own home.
"You're late, Elvira," Lila remarked with a smirk, her voice dripping with mock sweetness.
"I was just waking up," Elvira replied, sitting down at the table.
"Do you think it'll happen today?" Jaxon, her older stepbrother, asked, his voice casual but tinged with something that Elvira couldn't quite place.
"Don't start, Jaxon," Lila snapped. "Of course it will. Everyone's power awakens on their 18th birthday. It's the law."
"Not everyone," Elvira muttered under her breath.
Her stepmother's gaze turned steely. "You'll have your magic soon, don't worry. Your father would've been proud."
The mention of her father made Elvira's chest tighten. He had been the one who always encouraged her, who believed she was capable of more than just being a powerless girl. But now, with his death, everything had changed. She was left with a family who treated her like she didn't matter.
A violent explosion of light filled the space around her. She gasped, stepping back, the world spinning. The force was so powerful that she had to hold onto the nearest wall to stay on her feet.
It was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. Her body burned with energy, a thousand different sensations, powers awakening all at once.
Her family rushed to her side, faces filled with shock and fear.
"Elvira!" Her stepmother cried out, her voice trembling. "W-what's happening?"
Elvira's body crackled with magic. She could feel it — fire, ice, air, earth, and lightning — all coursing through her, each element demanding to be controlled, to be released.
Her body felt like it was on fire, but not in a painful way. It was as if she had been asleep for so long, and now… Now she was wide awake. But the power was too much, too overwhelming.
"What is this?" Lila gasped.
Her stepmother took a step back, her eyes widening in fear. "Five?" she whispered, her voice shaking. "Impossible…"
The world seemed to stop as Elvira stared at her family. The look in their eyes wasn't awe, or admiration, or even excitement. It was fear.
And for the first time in her life, Elvira realized that she wasn't the powerless girl anymore.
She was a weapon.
Her stepmother took a step back, whispering, "You… You have five powers. Elvira, this is dangerous. We need to call the Council."