[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-born-as-a-witch":3,"chapter-born-as-a-witch-born-as-a-witch-chapter-171":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Born as a Witch",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1702652,2172,"Chapter 171: Trials of water","born-as-a-witch-chapter-171",171,"\u003Cp>The water rippled around her, each wave carrying whispers of unseen watchers. Serelyth, in her human form, floated beside her with graceful ease, her white hair trailing in the current and her red eyes scanning every shadow and shimmer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Stay close, little flame,\" Serelyth murmured. \"Not every creature here is playful. Some are curious... some are testing you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Almost as if on cue, a swirl of light erupted from the water ahead. Shapes began to form, delicate yet imposing—creatures she had never seen before. Some resembled the mermaids in miniature, with translucent fins and silvery eyes, but others were entirely different: serpentine beings with glowing markings, fins like wings, and tails that sparkled with faint elemental magic. They circled her, watching her every move, their motions a fluid dance that seemed almost like a puzzle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of the larger creatures, a water spirit with shifting colors like opal, moved forward. Its voice resonated in her mind, clear yet musical: \"To move forward, little flame, you must see beyond what is shown. Light and shadow, speed and stillness—choose wisely.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira took a deep breath, letting the air potion’s effects settle in her lungs. She understood instinctively: these were trials, tests of perception, agility, and courage. As the spirit darted and twisted around her, she followed its movements carefully, noting patterns in its spins, pauses, and sudden flicks. Each time she misstepped, small currents tugged at her, almost scolding her for hesitation. Each time she succeeded, the water itself seemed to hum approvingly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minutes stretched into hours. Lira solved sequences of movement, learned to anticipate currents that weren’t visible, and discovered how her elemental fire could harmonize with her air potion to create subtle bursts of light, guiding her through darker patches. Serelyth remained beside her, occasionally offering a warning, a gentle touch, or a hint that only a dragon with centuries of wisdom could perceive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the day progressed, the lake’s challenges grew. Dangerous currents swirled around submerged caves, pulling with the strength of hidden waterfalls. Lira had to balance the pull, using her elemental finesse to redirect herself and Serelyth around eddies and whirlpools. The water spirits watched silently, noting her precision and determination.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then she noticed something remarkable: faint magical barriers shimmering across the entrances of some caves. These barriers pulsed with energy, revealing that the mermaids’ homes were protected by spells old as the lake itself. Lira reached out with her senses, feeling the faint thrum of enchantment and the subtle interaction with her fire and air elements. She realized instantly that these barriers were tests as well—proof that she was not yet ready to enter certain domains, no matter how much she wanted to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth leaned closer, whispering in her mind, \"See, little flame? The lake decides. You may explore, learn, and gain trust—but only when it chooses will the deeper secrets reveal themselves.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded, her fingers tracing small circles in the water, testing currents and sensing vibrations. She noticed hidden alcoves where tiny, glowing creatures peeked out, observing her with curiosity. One such spirit, smaller than the rest, swam forward with a series of loops and arcs, forming a silent riddle in its movements. Lira laughed softly, understanding: the lake demanded not only courage but also cleverness and patience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hours passed in a mix of challenge and wonder. Some spirits tried gentle tricks, creating illusions of whirlpools or walls of solid water. Others tested her ability to calm herself, letting her swim into open spaces that suddenly narrowed with currents or swept her toward hidden obstacles. Every time, Lira adjusted, learned, and grew more attuned to the lake’s magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By late afternoon, the currents softened, and the water around her shimmered in calm turquoise and sapphire. Lira surfaced briefly, lifting her head as the first stars began to reflect on the lake’s mirrored surface. The mermaids watched from a distance, heads breaking the surface, whispering among themselves. One of the elder mermaids observed with a sharp, assessing gaze, as if counting each trial, each careful movement, and each display of elemental harmony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s red eyes glimmered in the dim light. \"You have done well today. The lake will test you again tomorrow, and perhaps the day after. But every trial teaches you something—about the lake, about its inhabitants, and about yourself. You are growing closer to the shard with every choice, every moment of patience, and every pulse of courage.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded, exhaustion and exhilaration mingling in her chest. \"I understand. I just... I wonder how deep this lake truly goes, and how many secrets it hides.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"More than you can imagine,\" Serelyth replied, shifting back to her dragon form in the water for a moment, letting her massive body shimmer beneath the surface. \"And each secret waits for the right flame to unlock it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As night fell, they swam toward the shallower edges, rising from the water as the lake glowed softly beneath the moonlight. Lira pulled towels from her space bag, wrapping herself and Serelyth as they dried. The fire she summoned warmed them gently, blending with the cool night air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I still don’t know how I’ll find the shard in this vast lake,\" Lira murmured, staring into the star-speckled waters. \"It’s so big... and every corner feels alive, like it’s watching me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s human form rested beside her, one hand lightly on her shoulder. \"Then you observe, little flame. You learn. You adapt. The shard will appear when you are ready, not before. Trust the waters... and trust yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded, eyes reflecting the shimmering lake, the trials yet to come, and the promise of secrets waiting just below the surface. Somewhere in those depths, the shard waited, patient, hidden, and guarded by centuries of magic and vigilance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next morning, the lake was quiet, yet alive with shimmering currents that twisted in every direction. Lira and Serelyth, now both ready, dove back beneath the surface. The water embraced them like a living tapestry, cool yet brimming with magical energy. Sunlight filtered down in fractured beams, illuminating hidden alcoves and walls of coral that sparkled as if dusted with starlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth, in her human form with porcelain skin and white hair, glided beside Lira, her red eyes keenly scanning for anything unusual. \"Today,\" she murmured, \"the lake will begin its true tests. Pay attention. Every ripple, every flicker of light, carries meaning.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded, gripping the strap of her air-breathing apparatus but letting her newly adapted lungs do most of the work. As they swam deeper into the lake, the water thickened with magical essence, twisting around them like soft threads of light. Tiny creatures, part fish, part elemental spark, darted past, curious and teasing. Some circled her in intricate patterns, forming silent, moving riddles in the water.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, they reached the first real challenge. A sudden wall of twisting water rose before them, shimmering and translucent. It was a barrier, pulsing with energy, alive almost. Lira’s pulse quickened. She extended her senses, feeling the subtle push and pull of currents within it. \"It’s... moving,\" she whispered. \"Almost like it’s alive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth floated beside her, observing. \"It responds to intent. Calm your mind, little flame. Do not force the currents; instead, understand them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira took a deep breath, closing her eyes. She felt the water around her, the rhythm of the barrier’s pulse. Slowly, she extended her fire and air elements in a gentle wave, letting them blend with the energy around her. The currents swirled, testing her balance and control, tugging at her with invisible hands. Lira adjusted constantly, countering with subtle bursts of fire and small gusts of air, until the barrier parted just enough for them to slip through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond it, the lake opened into a labyrinth of submerged caves. Stalactites hung like crystal daggers from the ceilings, and faint, eerie light illuminated patches of coral and plants that seemed almost to hum. Lira’s eyes widened. \"This... this is incredible,\" she breathed. \"It’s like another world.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But beauty carried danger. From the shadows, a series of water serpents emerged. Their scales shimmered with deep blues and silvers, and their eyes glowed with intelligence. They moved with elegance, circling Lira and Serelyth, testing their reactions. Lira instinctively extended her fire, creating subtle glimmers of warmth in the water that didn’t harm but disrupted the serpents’ illusions. Serelyth’s eyes glinted, approving.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You must solve their puzzle,\" she whispered. \"They do not attack unless provoked. They only allow passage to those who can perceive their rhythm.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The serpents swirled, weaving complex patterns, the water itself seeming to pulse with their movements. Lira studied them carefully, mimicking their curves, anticipating their sudden turns. She let her fire and air elements flow, creating gentle trails of light that harmonized with the serpents’ motions. Step by step, she moved with them, reading their silent language, until the last serpent nodded—or at least, she thought it did—and slipped aside, revealing an opening in the cavern wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beyond the serpents lay a series of caves, some narrow and twisting, others vast and open. Currents surged unpredictably, and occasional bubbles of elemental energy shimmered through the water like floating lanterns. One section glowed faintly, guarded by an invisible barrier. Lira reached out tentatively, sensing the magic. It was protective, defensive, yet she could feel a faint trace of familiarity—this energy seemed like it had been waiting for someone, watching, waiting for the right moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not yet,\" Serelyth murmured. \"The lake tests patience as much as courage. Every trial builds your understanding. You will reach the shard when the lake deems it time.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded, determination burning in her chest. She swam on, observing, learning, adapting. Tiny water spirits flitted around her, some curious, some teasing, some testing her perception and reflexes. Every puzzle she solved, every current she navigated, strengthened her elemental connection—not just with fire and air, but with water itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As night began to fall outside the lake, filtered moonlight penetrated the water’s surface, scattering across the cavern walls. Lira and Serelyth surfaced at a calm pool, the water shimmering like liquid sapphire under the moon. Lira took a moment to breathe, feeling the air potion’s effects settle and harmonize with her body. Serelyth rested beside her, letting her form shift back to dragon briefly, her presence a reassuring anchor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You did well today, little flame,\" she murmured. \"These waters will grow more challenging. You must continue to observe, to adapt, to respect the lake and its guardians. Only then will the shard reveal itself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lira nodded, watching the shimmering surface of the lake reflect stars above. \"I understand. I will keep going. I will learn everything this lake wants to teach me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serelyth’s human form rested lightly against her, one hand touching her shoulder. \"Then rest now. Tomorrow, the lake will wake again, and your lessons will continue. The shard waits... and you are drawing closer, little flame, with every heartbeat.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1816,"2026-06-06T14:30:21.780Z",1,"novelbin.me","0531c43c3c8e673b187a29e1999f3c411c1c07bd563b68c8415608e3fdd21fac","born-as-a-witch-chapter-136","born-as-a-witch-chapter-227",479,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fborn-as-a-witch-cover.jpg"]