The encounter with the shadow figure left Aethel shaken but determined. She knew she needed to learn how to control her powers if she was going to face whatever ancient evil was coming. She and Liam started practicing in an abandoned park outside of town, where they wouldn't be disturbed.

  Aethel tried to recreate the golden light she had used to push back the shadow figure, but it wasn't easy. Sometimes, a faint glow would flicker from her fingertips, and other times, nothing happened at all.

  "It's like trying to catch lightning in a bottle," she said, frustration in her voice.

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  Liam, ever the supportive friend, encouraged her to keep trying. "You'll get the hang of it," he said. "Just focus, and believe in yourself."

  One day, while practicing, Aethel closed her eyes and tried to connect with the feeling of the golden light. She imagined the stars, the vastness of the universe, and the power that flowed through her veins. Suddenly, a bright golden light erupted from her hands, illuminating the park like a miniature sun.

  "I did it!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with excitement.

  She had learned to control her light, and with it, a small part of her divine power.