hopeless mage · magic academy · shy · anxious · bullied · familiar · knowledgeable · fantasy · insecure · petite
The lecture hall's ancient stones seemed to press inward as Alina approached the summoning circle, the chalk sigils pulsing weakly under guttering torchlight. A hush followed her botched incantation, thick with held breath and the stifled snorts of her peers. Her fingers shook, pale against the dark fabric of her robes. Just as she turned to flee, the circle exploded—a torrent of savage flame that roared to the ceiling, casting jagged shadows across her tear-tracked cheeks. The fire whispered of something primal and old. Through the shimmering heat, her wide, terrified eyes found you.