Chapter 53: Forged by Pain
[Continuation—]
The voice that thundered across the arena earlier belonged to only one person.
Principal Camila.
She stepped forward from the back shadows of the arena, her white cloak trailing like liquid darkness behind her. Her golden hair glowed faintly under Euphoria’s shifting sky, and her golden eyes— not stern, not furious, but impossibly calm, swept across the stunned crowd.
"Step aside," she said.
No one hesitated. The students parted immediately, making way for her as if the earth itself had given the order.
She walked straight toward Valkyrie and her group— Jasmine, Lily, Tekna, Soda, Suki, May, Ball, Sky, and the rest. Every step she took carried authority without effort. She didn’t need to yell. She didn’t need to threaten. Leadership lived in her bones.
When she stopped before them, the tension was so thick the arena felt silent— like the world was holding its breath.
Her gaze moved across their faces, one by one.
"This," she said at last, her voice steady and resonant, "is exactly why we came to Euphoria."
No one moved. No one spoke. Everyone just listened attentively.
"This place is not a vacation. It is not a school trip. You are here to evolve through challenges that will either shape you
...expose you...Define you...or CONSUME YOU..."
She began to pace slowly before the assembled students, addressing not just Valkyrie’s group now, but everyone.
"In Euphoria, your powers will grow...but so will every part of you. Your choices. Your instincts. Your weaknesses. And your demons."
She turned her eyes to Valkyrie.
"Anger," she said.
Something flickered in Valkyrie’s eyes, but she didn’t look away. Then Camila’s gaze shifted to Jasmine.
"Strength."
Jasmine lifted her chin slightly, meeting Camila’s eyes without fear— but with respect.
Camila moved on, eyes resting on May.
"Love."
May swallowed, glancing at Iyo for a moment before looking back down.
Then Camila turned her gaze to Soda.
"Trust."
Soda stared back, brows furrowed slightly like she didn’t fully understand why— but she listened.
Her gaze shifted to Sky— sharp and deliberate.
"Doubt."
Sky stiffened, then scratched the back of his head awkwardly, avoiding everyone’s eyes.
Her gaze then moved to Suki.
"Lust."
Suki raised a brow. "Well damn, call me out in public then— WAIT..."
She froze, eyes widening as a horrifying realization hit her.
"...how did she...how did she figure out I have a crush on Klien?" she whispered sharply to herself.
Tekna let out a tiny laugh she tried to swallow. "Suki....?" she whispered back, grinning way too hard.
"Shhh! Keep your voice down!" Suki hissed, pressing a finger to her lips while her cheeks burned.
Then Camila turned and looked— not at a single person, but at the crowd.
"And betrayal," she finished.
A heavy shiver moved through the arena. Her eyes returned to Jasmine.
"What Jasmine has displayed today," she continued, stepping toward her, "is enormous strength. The kind of power that does not come from just training— but from awakening."
Jasmine stood tall, but the exhaustion from battle still lingered on her face. Her injured wing hung behind her, bones cracked and feathers torn.
It looked like something that would take weeks, if not months, to heal.
A hush fell over the arena as Camila stepped around to face her (jasmine) directly. She didn’t speak. She didn’t ask permission. She simply observed— eyes narrowing slightly, as though she could see beyond torn muscle and shattered bone... deeper, into the energy lines woven inside Jasmine’s being.
Camila raised her hands.
Jasmine was confused at first but didn’t react negatively. No spell circle glowed beneath Camila’s feet. No chant of power was uttered. No symbol of healing rune shimmered in the air. Not yet! Just her hands— calm, steady and ancient.
She placed them gently on Jasmine’s broken wing.
FWOOOM—
Suddenly, golden magic erupted.
Not soft healing dust like common spells, but raw celestial fire— swirling in spirals around Camila’s arms and devouring the darkness around the wound.
The air crackled with energy, humming like divine electricity.
Jasmine’s body jerked as pain slammed into her nerve endings.
"—ngh!" she groaned under her breath, jaw locking tight as she fought back the slight pain.
The burst of energy surged deeper, pushing into bone, knitting muscle from the inside out. Golden particles burned and shimmered across every fracture like tiny suns being reborn.
CRACK— CRRRRRRK— SNAP—
The sound was wet and violent. Bone grinding back into place. Tendons reattaching like threads pulled by invisible hands. Feathers regrowing one by one, spiraling out of nothing, reweaving into perfect symmetry.
ZHHHMM—ZHHHMM—ZHHHMM—
The air vibrated with every pulse of Camila’s magic. Cracks of divine heat rippled outward, causing nearby students to step back instinctively.
Jasmine squeezed her eyes shut, wings trembling under the intensity.
"Hhh...ah..." she gasped between clenched teeth, body shuddering.
Camila said nothing— but her grip never wavered.
The healing wasn’t just physical. It was rewriting Jasmine’s body. Strengthening it. Fortifying it. The magic burrowed into her celestial DNA like molten gold, fusing old scars and reinforcing what had once been fragile.
Then— With one last surge of energy
FOOOOM—
The light burst outward and vanished.
Silence followed...
Then light engulfed the wing completely.
The cracks sealed.
The feathers reformed.
The wing restored, reborn and perfect.
Jasmine opened her eyes slowly, breathing fast. Her once mangled wing unfolded— fully restored. Every feather gleamed with a soft celestial glow, purer and stronger than before.
The crowd gasped.
"Her wing..."
"Just like that?"
"Did she just heal a celestial fracture?"
"How powerful is this woman!?"
Lily leaned closer to Tekna, whispering under her breath.
"How powerful is Camila, really? Because I swear I don’t know the limit of what she can do."
Tekna didn’t take her eyes off Camila.
"She’s the principal of Monster Academy for a reason," she replied. "And that was a celestial-class healing spell. Whatever power she has...we’ve only seen a drop."
Jasmine stretched her wing, staring at it with disbelief. "Thank you... principal Camila" she murmured.
Camila nodded once, but there was no smile.
"Do not thank me," she said simply. "It is my duty to keep you’ll safe, You’re strong Jasmine and I hope you use whatever gift that is yet to unleash for a greater cause"
Then she stepped forward again— this time addressing everyone.
"Listen to me...every one of you. The stance trials are not over. What you saw with Jasmine was only the beginning. The rest of you, your tests are coming. Euphoria will drag out your powers hopefully... but it will also expose everything inside you. Fear. Doubt. Rage. Temptation. We have five days left before we return to Monster Academy. Use every second wisely..."
A cold wind swept across the arena as if Euphoria itself reacted to her words.
"So," Camila continued, "We begin combat training"
"Now."
Murmurs exploded among the students as they began to reposition their selves.
"Take your stance," she commanded. "Every student...choose a partner."