Elara took a breath. Instead of demanding fire, she thought of the warmth of the sun on a summer afternoon. She thought of the way her own breath felt, warm and steady. She stopped seeing the candle as a target and started seeing it as a partner. She didn't command; she offered.
“The four pillars,” Elian noted, referencing the foundational Protection, Cleansing, Blessing, and Cursing , “are just the beginning”. “True power is understanding that you are connected to everything—nature, souls, and the dimensions of the universe”.
“You are operating from a place of lack,” Elian observed, finally turning toward her. “You are desperately grasping for the flame. Absence is a terrible battery to draw power from”.