"DIE!"

The Kombat Hall was noisy as kids stood in line. Professor Zephyr was observing from afar as cadets waited for a chance to show off. A boy summoned a spiked ball on a chain made out of earth and ripped the clay dummy, broken pieces were scattered all over the floor.

Tegan wondered if she should go with a simple attack or come up with something more convoluted. She knew Professor Zephyr gives extra credit for creativity and lately she hasn't been feeling that innovative, her next therapy session is tomorrow and honestly she has a few things to get off her chest.

Next in line was Lisa Salazar and she wasted no time. She summoned a giant shuriken star made out of wind, everyone heard a thud as the clay dummy was cut neatly in half. Tegan knew how clean Lisa's executions were and because of that she was given the nickname: Dust Devil Ninja.

"Alright, Alright!" Professor Zephyr called out. "Take a seat, I'm going to teach you a new skill."

Everyone sat down in the middle of the Kombat Hall as the Professor pulled out an ancient chalkboard on wheels. Technology is hard to find these day and when you do find something familiar its like buried treasure.

"As Mystic Dragon Cadets you can manipulate your elements in creative ways," Professor Zephyr wrote on the chalkboard as his purple dragon thumped her tail. "My element is wind and I can use my power to propel and lift heavy objects."

"What about fire?" a boy asked.

"Well Vincent," the Professor said with enthusiasm. "Even though fire is known as the most reckless element, it can be used for good. Cadets who wield fire can use their element to become human furnaces, but without burning anything."

Tegan spoke for the first time. "How?"

"It involves a lot of concentration," Professor Zephyr explained. "The trick is not to manifest your power but to let it simmer within you."

A girl raised her hand. "And earth?"

"Earth can be used for shelter and to manipulate plant growth while water/ice can help reduce inflammation," the Professor paced the room. "Behind me I set up some activities for you to try, I'll be checking your progress."

An hour later Tegan was fighting for her life. She was flying through the air as a hand made out of dirt swung at her, her opponent was a blonde girl named Jen. Tegan stabbed the earth hand with her fire sword as it melted into mud. She summoned a bunch of daggers and blasted them at Jen, there was a rumble as her opponent created a shield.

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Tegan quickly flew up and created a fire vortex around Jen to make her surrender. If the weather is hot enough it's common for people to pass out because of heat stroke. Just then several rocks came flying and formed a barrier around her opponent.

She felt something smack into her wing as the barrier containing Jen collapsed. Both of them fell from the sky and collided into one another, they were fighting as Tegan clung to Jen with a fire dagger aimed at her throat. Her wing was sprained. Suddenly, everything stopped spinning as Tegan and Jen floated in the air.

"I surrender," Jen's voice cracked.

"Tegan wins the sparring match!" said a voice.

The verdict came from a woman sitting on the grass and cuddling a blue dragon. Rayne Summers had long red hair, pale skin, brown eyes, and was dressed like a race car driver. Her dragon was named Boomer.

Even though she was a Mystic Knight she was also the Kombat Professor. They were on the sports field as cadets clapped, her heart was pounding with excitement. Another win for the record board! Tegan was surprised, she's been called a decent fighter and if it wasn't for her condition she would’ve been on Sloan or Lisa's level.

She offered Jen a hand. "Good match."

Jen accepted it but didn't say a word.

"Fantastic," Professor Rayne complimented. "Before we continue I have some advice."

Another woman appeared and she had curly black hair, tan skin, blue eyes, and was dressed like a monk. Her name was Uma Tyler and she's a Professor incharge of Omenology at the Academy. A red dragon with gold eyes lurked behind her, it climbed ontop of her and rested on her shoulders.

"This will be amusing," Professor Uma chuckled and petted her dragon. “Ready, Sinbad?”

"I'm sure Professor Zephyr showed you a lot of cool tricks," Professor Rayne summoned a big orb of water. "Heres another lesson."

Out the corner of her eye Tegan saw Professor Uma blast a beam of fire at the water orb as thick fog surrounded them. She couldn't see anything, only silhouettes of her fellow cadets. There was a surprised yelp as a silhouette disappeared, it felt like they were being hunted.

Tegan closed her eyes and concentrated, she felt the heat circulate inside her body as fire simmered in her hands. When she opened her eyes her palms were the color of lava or embers burning in a campfire.

She waved her hands and the thick fog started to dispel, thats when she felt a yank as something grabbed her leg. As Tegan scrambled to get up an icicle danced in her face. The Professor loomed over her while Boomer circled her.

"Like I was saying!" Professor Rayne spoke loudly with a grin on her face. "In battle combos can be essential, fire and water are great for creating a smoke screen."