Chapter 4 (Four)

Laura's POV

The training ground felt like a battlefield before the war began-silent, expectant, heavy with tension. The sun had only just risen over the high towers of Castellan Academy, casting long shadows across the arena made of smooth black stone etched with golden veins of energy. It was said the ground itself pulsed with magic drawn from Castellan's ancient heart.

"Listen closely, everyone," Master Herrick's voice boomed across the yard, as sharp as a whip crack. He was tall, stern, and wrapped in a long coat of navy with silver trim, the insignia of the Castellan elite glinting on his collar. "The rules are simple."

He stalked slowly in front of us like a predator.

"In this combat session, no weapons are allowed. Only your raw abilities. No one leaves until they've either defeated their opponent... or surrendered."

A chill ran down my spine.

"Now..." He lifted his hand. "Formation!"

Students moved immediately, pairing off like it was second nature. The Seven Castellan Devils scattered in smooth, practiced synchrony. Sparks of power began to hum in the air like a coming storm.

I just stood there, confused and awkward, blinking at the movement.

"What formation?" I muttered under my breath.

Master Herrick's gaze snapped to me. "Don't try to get me annoyed, Amanda," he said coldly.

I bit my lip. "I just don't remember the formation..." I trailed off, trying not to sound weak, but I couldn't help the uneasy flutter in my chest. I didn't belong here. I wasn't Amanda Lavander-I was Laura Lockgreen, a girl from Downtown, shoved into a life of magic and privilege I didn't understand.

"Hey," a soft voice called from behind. I turned.

It was Olivia. Tall, graceful, with platinum-blonde hair tied back in a braid and eyes like frosted glass. Her expression was unreadable, but not unkind.

"Seems you've forgotten the formation," she said, more observation than accusation.

I nodded. "Yeah. Sorry."

"I'm your partner."

"Oh," I said dumbly. "Right. That."

She raised an eyebrow but said nothing more, just moved to her position. I glanced around. Ryan had been paired with Max and Jasper-he stood like a shadow in the sun, still and focused, a predator among boys.

On the opposite side, Kiara stood across from Charlotte, both girls radiating power.

Wait-Kiara and Charlotte were opponents?

That couldn't be right. They were always close. And they looked like they were about to tear each other apart.

"Master Herrick!" Kiara whined, already pouting, her hands thrown dramatically in the air. "I don't want to die! Can I switch partners? Charlotte's crazy when she fights!"

Charlotte rolled her eyes, already hovering slightly above the ground, her telekinetic field pulsing around her like shimmering heat.

"No switching," Master Herrick said flatly. "You fight who you're paired with. Life won't always give you fair battles."

Kiara groaned. "I'm too pretty to die."

Master Herrick ignored her. "Begin!"

The arena exploded.

Screams, magic, gusts of energy and bursts of elemental force shattered the silence. Olivia was quick-ice already snaking toward me. I jumped back, narrowly avoiding a blast of frost that left a streak of frozen ground.

I turned to see Ryan effortlessly knocking both Max and Jasper to the ground like they were mere practice dummies. His movements were clean, efficient, merciless.

Kiara vanished in a flicker of light, teleporting from place to place as Charlotte hurled bolts of psychic force through the air, tearing at the ground and creating shallow craters.

And then I looked down.

My feet.

They were freezing.

Ice crawled up from the ground, swirling around my ankles, rising like vines. Cold needles stabbed into my skin, locking my legs in place.

I gasped. "Oh no..."

How had I forgotten? Olivia was an elemental. Ice was her domain.

I struggled, trying to jerk free, but the frost was like stone. Olivia was moving toward me again, her hands glowing faint blue. She looked calm, focused-but there was power in her movements, sharp and deliberate.

I panicked-then remembered.

I wasn't Amanda. I was Laura.

And Laura had power.

I closed my eyes for just a second, inhaling deeply. I reached into that inner place, the core I didn't even realize I had until now, and pulled-

A ripple of force surged through me. The ice shattered with a sound like breaking glass.

A visible pulse of energy pushed Olivia backward. She stumbled, gasping in surprise. Everyone around us paused, the chaos of combat stilling for a single breath.

They looked at me in awe...

"Amanda..." Master Herrick's voice was a mix of suspicion and awe. "Did you just... use your ability?"

I nodded slowly. My heart pounded, but I kept my voice calm. "Yes, sir."

There was a long silence.

"You've never been able to do that," he said, brows knitting.

Everyone stared at me.

"She-she used a repulsion field," Kiara said, eyes wide. "I thought Amanda didn't even have an ability."

"She doesn't," someone else muttered.

"This isn't Amanda's power," I whispered to myself, my mind spinning. "This is mine..."

Did Amanda use forbidden magic to steal my body because I had abilities and she didn't? Was this why she was in Downtown-in my body-while I was stuck here?

Was she trying to take what wasn't hers?

I shook the thoughts away. Focus. I had to finish this.

Olivia was picking herself up from the ground, her expression unreadable.

"That was powerful," she said softly.

"I'm sorry," I said, reaching to help her.

She took my hand, her touch cold but not unfriendly. "Don't be. You fought better than I expected. I think you're changing."

Ryan was still watching me from the far end of the field, his arms folded, blood from a shallow cut staining the edge of his collar. But it was his eyes that chilled me more than Olivia's ice.

He looked like he was seeing a ghost.

He looked like he knew.

Herrick cleared his throat. "That's enough for now. Training dismissed."

The other students began to drift away, still whispering about what they'd seen. I lingered, unsure what to do.

"Amanda," Herrick called, his voice more careful now. "Come see me later. I want to run a few tests."

I nodded without answering.

As I turned to leave, Ryan stepped into my path. His violet eyes were piercing, shadowed.

"What's your game?" he asked quietly.

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

"That wasn't your power. Not Amanda's, anyway. I know how she fights. That wasn't her."

I swallowed. My throat was dry. I tried to play it cool. "People change."

He tilted his head slightly. "Not like this. Something's wrong."

"Or perhaps you have been deceiving us by hiding your abilities"

I stared at him, unsure of what to say. Finally, I pushed past him, heart pounding.

Back in my room, I collapsed onto the bed.

Everything was unraveling.

I gazed out the window, past the golden towers, past the gardens and polished statues, to the mountains on the horizon. Beyond them was Downtown. My real home. My brother, Johnny. My foster parents. My life.

I couldn't stay here. I had to find a way back.

But before I could even begin to think of a plan, Lydia knocked and entered.

"Oh, Miss Amanda!" she exclaimed. "I saw your match. You were brilliant!"

"Thanks," I said, sitting up.

She looked at me with admiration, then paused. "Is something wrong?"

"No. Just... tired."

She hesitated, then added, "Master Herrick asked me to remind you about your evaluation later."

"Right," I muttered.

Lydia gave a polite bow. "Do you need anything, Miss?"

"No. Thank you."

She left, and I laid back on the bed again, staring at the ceiling.

One thing was becoming very clear.

I might not be Amanda.

But if I was going to survive in her world... I needed to learn how to act like her.

And fast.....but how.

---