The Phoenix Summoner (ON HOLD)

16

That night Anya sat at dinner in silence. She picked at the food on her plate, her stare never leaving her roasted pheasant.

"How was Summoner training with Baghra?" Feydor asked nudging her out of her daze. She looked up letting out a deep sigh.

"Just as taxing as a remember."

"But you are making progress, yes?"

"If by progress you mean only being able to make sparks, then yes." Feydor pulled his lips into a straight line, reaching over to touch her shoulder.

"Don't worry if there's anyone I know who can do this. It's you." Anya reached up to place her hand on the one Feydor had on her shoulder. Anya looked over to Alina who she saw making conversation with Marie and Nadia.

"You worry for her?" Feydor asks. He knows Anya has always had a hard time trusting people, mainly cause of where she was born. Kerch was not the place where people trust easily. He was surprised seeing how much Anya had begun to care for Anya in the short time she's known her.

"Of course I do. She was thrusted into our world after years of thinking she was just a normal girl. Not to mention everyone's counting on her to wield a power she never knew she had. That's not something you can just learn overnight."

Ivan stood up at the front of the table clearing his throat. The room silent as everyone present turned they're attention to Ivan. He held a scroll in his hand opening it.

"News from the Fjerdan front. In the First Army many causalities in the the 18th, 27th, and 36th battalions. Also among the dead, six healers, four Inferni, and three heartrenders." He closed the scroll handing it off his glaring gaze shifting between Anya and Alina.

"The Fjerdans will be no match against a unified Ravka. So why are you sitting here eating figs...hmmm. You should be training every waking moment to tear down the fold."

Anya stood up abruptly glaring daggers at Ivan. He slinks down under her gaze. She feels the power take over her body. Her hair raises and the surroundings around her start to dissolve away. Ivan watches in fear as her eyes between brown and gold. Cracks start to form around her face and down her arms. Feydor scoots away in shock, never actually seeing her power in this form before.

"If you think it's so easy Ivan, why don't you try it? Hmm." She said moving closer to him. As if in a trance she reached his chair looking down at him with a blank expression. He grab his arm causing him to shriek in pain. Everyone watched in fear as Ivan's arm started to crack.

"ANYA!" Alina yelled jumping out of her seat. She ran to Anya grabbing her by the shoulders forcing her to look at her. Anya snapped out of her trance, her powers fading away. She looked around seeing everyone's shocked and terrified faces. She looked down at Ivan her lip quivering.

"I-I'm sorry." She stuttered running out of the room. Everyone sat their shocked at what just happened.

In the shadows a figure watched from behind a pillar. Things were moving faster then they'd hoped. Soon Anya will become the very thing the Grisha have been fearing for the past hundreds years.

~

Anya sat at her vanity one leg pulled to her chest. She held her head up with one of her hands as she stared at the empty space in front of her. She tugged at the crow necklace around her neck lost at her thoughts.

"Anya..." she hears a whisper. Her head begins to feel dizzy as the voice continues to whisper her name. She presses her fingers to her temple rubbing her head. She looks up looking at her reflection in the mirror seeing her eyes shift color. Footsteps echo outside of her room pulling her from her trance. She looks at the door then back at the mirror seeing her eyes back to normal.

She rests her arms on the vanity covering her face with her hands. Quiet sobs echoed throughout the room, until she fell asleep.