The private room where Non and Emily found themselves was small and modest, illuminated only by the dim light of an oil mp resting on a nearby table. A simple bookshelf with a few worn books adorned one er, while a chair and an old desk pleted the austere décor. Despite its simplicity, the space had a calming air, far removed from the bustle of the church.

  Emily sat on the edge of a chair, her hands csped in her p as her fingers nervously toyed with the hem of her shirt. Her heart pounded loudly, and though she tried to trol her breathing, her nervousness was clear in her posture. Being aloh Non in such a fined space, coupled with her inexplicable inability to trol her magic, filled her mind with questions and fears.

  "I’m going to lose it at this rate..." Emily thought, trying to keep from sweating, though it was futile.

  Meanwhile, Non stood behind her, iing her back with hands that were firm yet careful. His fingers moved across her bare skin with precision, searg for any sign urity while his other hand held an open book. Emily could feel every movement, every touch, whily heightened her disfort. Yet, it was the silehat truly uled her. Non was focused, as if trying to solve a plicated problem she couldn’t prehend, and she couldn’t help but think that something was terribly wrong.

  Finally, after what felt like ay, Non broke the silenbsp;

  “Your core... it’s gone,” he said gravely, though nly, as if processing the information even as he spoke.

  Emily turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, her eyes filled with a mix of surprise and fusion.

  “What does that mean? Is... is that normal?” Emily asked, her voice trembling as she csped her hands tightly in her p.

  Non closed the book he had been reading a out a sigh, l his gaze to the floor for a moment before answering.

  “No, it’s not. This is the first time I’ve seen anything like this.” His tone was sincere, but the hint of on his face didn’t go unnoticed by Emily.

  Her heart began to race even faster, and she felt heat rise to her fabsp;

  “Then... what does it mean? I... form another core?” Emily asked quickly, her words tumbling out as she tried to keep her growing ay at bay.

  Non hough his expression remained serious.

  “We try,” he replied, stepping toward the table to set the book down, giving Emily the ce to button up her shirt again. “But I’ll need you to focus as much as possible. This might be harder than the first time.”

  Still fused and nervous, Emily fumbled with the buttons of her shirt. Her mind was a whirlwind.

  Why had her core disappeared?

  Had she done something wrong?

  As Ned materials oable, Emily tried to calm herself, but her thoughts spiraled downward.

  ‘What’s happening to me?’ she wondered, feeling a lump ihroat. ‘What if I ’t form another core? What if... she was right?’

  Her grandmother’s voice echoed in her mind, bringing back words she had been trying tet. The memory hit her like a sp. Emily squeezed her eyes shut, trying to banish those thoughts, but the echo of those words was relentless.

  Non, notig that Emily was lost in thought, pced a hand on her shoulder.

  “Emily,” he said, his voice soft but firm, pulling her out of her trance.

  She looked up at him, her eyes brimming with insecurity.

  “I’m sorry,” Emily murmured, feeling ashamed of her ck of focus. “It’s just that... I ’t feel anything. Before, when you asked me to form my core, I could feel the mana flowing through my body. But now... there’s nothing. It’s like... it’s like it vanished.” Her voice cracked slightly at the end, and her hands trembled as she tried to expin.

  No in front of her, pg both hands on her shoulders to steady her.

  “Emily, listen,” he said in a reassuring tone. “You don’t have to apologize. This isn’t your fault. We’ll figure this out, but I need you to trust me. Okay?”

  Emily nodded slowly, though she still couldn’t shake the sting of shame.

  “I don’t want to be a burden to you,” she admitted, tears welling up in her eyes. “I thought magic was the ohing I was good at, but now I ’t eve. What if I ’t ever use it again? What if—”

  Non, seeing the tears begin to roll down her cheeks, gently wiped them away with the back of his hand.

  “Emily,” Non interrupted, his voice firmer but filled with warmth. “Don’t pressure yourself. You’ll get through this.”

  Emily felt the weight on her chest lighten slightly at his words, though the tears tio fall. Non held her gaze, as if trying to vey all the reassurance he could muster.

  “Thank you,” Emily whispered at st, her voice still broken. “I’m sorry for being so... useless right now.”

  Non shook his head, a faint smile breaking through that seemed to ease some of the tension in the room.

  “Don’t say that again,” Non said softly but firmly. “You’re strohan you think.”

  Although Emily felt they were just f words to make her feel better, Non, who had seen the power she had wielded in that "vision," had no doubt she had far more potential than even she realized.

  And though he didn’t want to admit it, the thought that this might be a side effect of the request she had made to ‘those beings’ was a clusion that resonated louder and louder in his mind.

  ‘I o fix this,’ Non thought, g his fist tightly.