The victory at Lumira Village brought a fleeting sense of unity, but as the days passed, cracks began to form among the students. They were housed in a large wooden lodge provided by the grateful villagers, who treated them as heroes. The lodge was simple but warm, with long tables for communal meals and a hearth that crackled with fire each night. Yet, the warmth of the fire couldn't melt the growing tension within the group.
Yasir noticed it first during training sessions. Elarya had insisted they practice their gifts daily to prepare for future threats. While some, like Ahmed and Lina, threw themselves into improving their skills, others, led by Mazen, grew increasingly resentful. Mazen's bitterness was palpable. During one session, as Yasir helped Sara refine her night vision to detect faint movements, Mazen scoffed loudly. "Why bother? Yasir can just snap his fingers and win every fight for us." His words dripped with sarcasm, and a few students nodded in agreement, their own insecurities surfacing.
Yasir tried to ignore the comments, but they stung. He was still grappling with his own gift. Each time he used powerful magic, like the fire wall or the light spear, he felt a mental exhaustion that lingered longer than he expected. It was as if his imagination, the source of his power, was a muscle that could be overworked. He hadn't shared this with anyone, not even Ahmed, fearing it would make him seem weak.
One afternoon, while the group trained in a clearing outside the village, Yasir approached Ahmed, who was struggling to maintain the flames on his sword for more than a few seconds. "Try focusing on the rhythm of your breathing," Yasir suggested. "Imagine the fire flowing like a river, steady and controlled." Ahmed followed his advice, and soon his sword blazed brighter and longer. "Whoa, it worked!" Ahmed exclaimed, grinning. "You're not just a magic king, you're a teacher too!"
But their moment of camaraderie was interrupted by Mazen's voice. "Oh, look, the great Yasir is saving the day again," he said, his stone shield glinting under the sun. "Why don't you just do everything yourself, hero?" The venom in his tone silenced the clearing. Lina, who was practicing her healing nearby, stepped forward. "That's enough, Mazen. Yasir's trying to help us all. You could learn something if you stopped complaining."
Mazen's face reddened, but before he could retort, Elarya appeared, her presence commanding silence. "Division will destroy you," she said sternly. "Your gifts are unique, but they are strongest when used together. Yasir's power is great, but he cannot succeed alone." Her words were directed at everyone, but her gaze lingered on Mazen, who looked away, jaw clenched.
That night, Yasir couldn't sleep. He sat by the lodge's hearth, staring into the flames. Lina joined him, sitting cross-legged on the floor. "You're carrying too much," she said softly. "You don't have to be the hero every time. Let us share the burden." Yasir sighed, finally admitting, "It's not just that. Every time I use strong magic, it… drains me. Like my mind gets foggy. I'm scared I'll mess up when it matters most."
Lina's eyes softened. "Then we need to get stronger so you don't have to push yourself so hard. Teach us, Yasir. Help us make our gifts better. That's how we'll win, as a team." Her words struck a chord. Yasir realized he'd been so focused on controlling his own power that he hadn't considered how to empower his classmates.
The next day, Yasir took a new approach. During training, he worked with each student, offering ideas to enhance their gifts. He suggested Ahmed combine his fiery sword with quick footwork to create spinning flame attacks, making him more agile in battle. For Lina, he proposed channeling her healing energy into temporary boosts for others' stamina, extending her role beyond just mending wounds. Even Nawaf, whose wind control was weak, learned to focus his breezes into sharp gusts that could disorient enemies.
Mazen, however, refused to participate. "I don't need your help," he snapped when Yasir offered to show him how to shape his stone shield into a movable barrier. "You're not my leader." Yasir bit back a response, knowing arguing would only deepen the rift. But Mazen's influence was spreading. A few students, like Nawaf and another boy named Rami, began skipping group training, whispering among themselves about how Yasir's power made their efforts pointless.
One evening, as the group prepared for a scouting mission to track shadow beast activity, a heated argument broke out. Mazen accused Yasir of hogging the spotlight. "Why do we even bother fighting when you can just imagine the problem away?" he shouted. Ahmed jumped to Yasir's defense. "He's saving our lives, Mazen! What have you done except complain?" The argument escalated until Elarya intervened, her voice like thunder. "Enough! You are not enemies. Save your anger for the true threat."
The mission went ahead, but the group was fractured. Yasir felt the weight of their discord more than ever. As they ventured into the forest, he vowed to find a way to bridge the gap. He didn't want to be just the King of Magic—he wanted to be a leader who lifted everyone up. But with Mazen's resentment growing and the shadow beasts lurking, Yasir knew the path ahead would test more than just his power. It would test his ability to hold the team together.