In shadow and light: waltz of souls

Leticia stood in the field behind her house, enjoying the gentle breeze that ruffled her long hair. In her mind, Aya's voice echoed with curiosity.

"So you're saying I have magic?" Aya asked cautiously.

"Yes," Leticia nodded. "But we don't know which type of magic you can use yet."

Aya paused to think. In her world, magic had always been the stuff of anime and manga—fantastical elements, not reality.

"I mean, I've seen a lot in anime, but I never thought it could be real," she confessed.

Leticia frowned slightly.

"Anime? Manga? What does that mean?" she asked, unsure what Aya was talking about.

"Oh…" Aya realized she'd landed herself in a tricky spot. "It's…sort of like illustrated stories and animation in my world."

"How interesting…" Leticia murmured. "Well, never mind. Let's focus on the magic for now."

Leticia began explaining how magic worked in her world, using complex terms and formulas. Aya tried to concentrate, but she soon felt overwhelmed—none of it made any sense to her.

"Leticia…" she sighed. "Could you explain it in simpler terms? I'm totally lost."

Leticia stopped, gazed into empty space as if analyzing her mistake, then nodded.

"Alright. Think of magic like the air around you. You can take it and direct it wherever you want. Your mind controls this flow, and your body serves as the conduit."

"Oh, now I get it—at least a little bit!" Aya brightened.

"Excellent. Now let's try it in practice. I'll give you control, and you can try to tap into your magic. Focus and sense it inside you."

Aya took a deep breath, and Leticia yielded control of the body. Aya tried to concentrate, but nothing happened.

"Um…nothing's happening," Aya admitted.

"You just can't feel your magic yet. Try again. Just sense the energy flowing through your body. Find where it's coming from."

Aya tried again. The second time was also a failure. She started doubting herself.

"Maybe I don't have any magic at all?" she wondered out loud.

"You do—I felt it yesterday," Leticia said confidently. "It's just lying dormant. Some people have it deeper within them than others. Try again, but this time, don't focus on the outcome. What I said about air was just an analogy."

Aya closed her eyes and relaxed. She pictured a clear, crystal pond. She wanted to scoop up some water from it, but had nothing to collect it with—so she decided to use her hands. As soon as her hands touched the water, a golden shimmer materialized around her palms.

This time, something changed. A faint glow enveloped her hands. She sensed that something inside her had awoken.

"Did I…did I do that?" her voice trembled with excitement.

"Yes," Leticia said with a smile. "That's magic. And now we know what kind of magic it is—light."

Aya stared at her hands in amazement, watching the golden radiance flicker between her fingers.

"I can control light…?" she whispered.

Leticia pondered for a moment and nodded.

"Indeed. Light magic is one of the rarest forms in this world. The last recorded occurrence was over five hundred years ago. It's always been regarded as a divine gift—a sign of purity and tremendous power."

Aya's eyes widened.

"Five hundred years?! That means…I'm some sort of chosen one?"

Leticia gave a small, wry smile.

"Possibly. But it also means it's going to be harder for you to master. We'll have to train."

Aya still couldn't quite believe it, but a growing sense of exhilaration welled up inside her. She really could use magic. This was only the first step—a step that would change both their destinies.