Chapter 6 Distress
Lyra woke up feeling strange.
She sat slowly on the bed, her hair messy and her eyes blinking like she was trying to remember something important… but nothing came. Her head felt heavy, like she had forgotten a dream she wasn’t supposed to forget.
She rubbed her forehead softly.
“Why do I feel like something happened last night?” she whispered to herself.
No matter how hard she tried, her mind was blank.
She got down from the bed, her feet touching the cold floor. She took a deep breath and tried to relax because she remembered what her instructor said yesterday.
“By tomorrow, every single one of you must be able to bring out your wings.”
Lyra bit her lip nervously and closed her eyes. She held her hands together like the instructor taught them.
Focus on yourself.
Imagine your wings.
Feel it.
See it.
Let them come out.
She kept repeating the words silently in her head.
She imagined glittery wings, big and bright.
She imagined everyone clapping for her.
She imagined not being the only one in class without wings.
But nothing happened.
Not even a tiny glow.
Lyra sighed, already feeling like crying a little.
“You don’t have to stress yourself too much,” Echo said suddenly, walking out of the bathroom while drying her hair.
Lyra turned quickly, hugging her hands to her chest. “You should have seen the way the whole class was looking at me yesterday… like I’m the strangest fairy in the whole world.”
Echo nodded softly. “I understand. It’s really strange to see a fairy who can’t bring out wings because that is like the easiest thing to do.” She gave her a little smile. “But you just have to keep trying. You’ll get it someday.”
Lyra looked down sadly. “What if I don’t?”
Echo sighed. “Don’t think like that. Just get ready, your instructor hates lateness. I have to go now before I get into trouble.”
She hurried out, leaving Lyra alone in the quiet room.
Lyra stood in front of the small mirror and looked at herself.
She didn’t look like someone who belonged in a magical school.
She looked… normal. Too normal.
Maybe that was the problem.
She forced a small smile and quickly got dressed. Her stomach kept twisting nervously as she walked to class, hugging her books tightly like they could protect her from embarrassment.
When she stepped into the classroom, everyone turned immediately.
Some whispered.
Some raised their brows.
Some even looked curious, like they wanted to see if she had finally done it.
Her instructor, a tall fairy man with long blue hair, didn’t waste time.
“Lyra,” he said straight away, his voice echoing in the room. “Can you bring out your wings now?”
Lyra froze.
Her heart skipped.
Her throat suddenly felt dry.
“I… I can’t,” she answered quietly, staring at the floor so she wouldn’t have to look at their faces.
A loud gasp echoed in the whole class.
Some students covered their mouths.
Some exchanged shocked glances.
One girl even whispered, “Impossible…”
The instructor looked genuinely surprised. “You still can’t? Even after all the practice?”
“I tried… but nothing is happening,” Lyra whispered.
The instructor sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Then you will have to keep trying until you do. You cannot go to the next spell without bringing your wings out first.”
Lyra nodded, feeling her face burning.
She went to sit down quietly. Her chair felt colder than usual, and she pressed her books against her lap, trying to hide how embarrassed she was.
All around her, the room was filled with bright lights and little sparkles as the other fairies brought out their wings easily. Some had butterfly wings, some had glowing crystal wings, some had wings that sparkled like stars.
They started practicing spells, floating gently above the ground and laughing, moving around the classroom like it was nothing.
Lyra sat alone at the corner.
Her hands remained on her lap.
Her back felt heavy.
Her heart felt heavier.
She tried again secretly, closing her eyes tightly and imagining wings behind her.
But still… nothing.
Not even a tiny sparkle.
She looked down sadly, wondering why she was so different.
Why she couldn’t do the simplest fairy thing.