The wind roared past Celeste's ears as the demon held her aloft—its molten eyes gleaming. Students below gasped, instructors too far to act.
She couldn't reveal her strength.
But she also couldn't stay helpless.
She took a breath, focusing inward— to draw power from the stars.
She commanded libra to use Harmonic Resonance. The power to manipulate energies—amplify or diminish.
She locked onto the demon's aura—a jagged, pulsing frequency of dark magic—and gently lowered its pitch. Not too much. Just enough.
The demon shuddered, grip loosening.
Its strength weakened. Its energy destabilized.
That was all the opening she needed.
But before she could break free—
"Flame Shot!"
A torrent of fire cut through the air like a spear.
Auren's voice rang out just before his attack struck the demon clean through the chest. The beast shrieked, crumbling into ash.
The force of its death knocked Celeste loose—sending her plummeting from the sky.
Time slowed.
Her limbs flailed. Her heart thundered.
She couldn't use any ability—not with everyone watching.
So she braced herself.
Pain bloomed as she hit the ground—her leg twisting beneath her unnaturally.
The crowd roared.
But not for her.
"Drakaris killed it!"
"Did you see that shot?!"
"That was incredible!"
In the chaos, no one noticed Celeste lying there. No one saw the way she clutched her knee, teeth gritted to stop from screaming.
Auren stood at the center, people gathering around him. Praising him. Thanking him.
He didn't look in her direction.
Neither did anyone else.
Slowly, quietly, Celeste pushed herself up.
She limped away, each step a dagger of pain, her leg likely fractured—but her expression unchanged.
No one noticed the girl who saved them first. Who drew the demon away.
No one cared.
The stars inside her pulsed silently.
But Celeste said nothing.
She just walked.
Alone.
Back to her room.