A Challenge Accepted, A Fire Ignited

Arvanya's POV:

The match began with an intensity that made the air around us vibrate. I sat in the first row of seats in the arena, my attention focused not on the cheering crowd but on the duel unfolding in front of me. Lucian and Charles squared off first.I watched as Charles, a formidable earth elemental, slammed his fists into the ground.

The earth beneath him rumbled violently, and towering stone spikes shot toward Lucian.Lucian, however, didn't flinch. With a subtle flick of his wrist, he called on the power of his wind dragon. A powerful gust whipped through the arena, tearing the spikes apart before they could even reach him.

I didn't gasp or cheer; I simply observed. Every move Lucian made was deliberate, precise, and controlled. His wind dragon's essence radiated from within him, dispersing the earth attack with effortless grace.As Charles collapsed, Lucian turned his attention to Owen and Mira.

Owen launched a massive fireball at him, its heat warping the air, but Lucian met it with a towering wave of water, called forth through his water dragon. The flames hissed out in steam.Then, Mira joined the fray, weaving elegant tendrils of water with precision. The liquid twisted and curved, cutting through the air before freezing into sharp ice shards aimed directly at Lucian.

I couldn't help but compare her move to something I might do. As a water dragon myself, I've always been able to shape and control water, but Mira's technique was different. She used her water to freeze it mid-flight, creating deadly projectiles—a tactic that showcased her precision. It was clever—impressive, even—but not clever enough to catch Lucian.

Lucian's gaze flicked toward her as the shards closed in, and he didn't even flinch. Shadow energy pooled at his feet, swirling upward in dark tendrils that consumed the ice before it could even touch him. His shadow dragon's power surged from within, devouring the shards in the blink of an eye.

The crowd gasped, stunned by the display.I could feel his confidence, his mastery over his dragons' energies—especially his shadow dragon. It was a powerful force, but there was something about it that left me cold. While his shadow suffocated and controlled, my nature dragon nurtured and adapted.

It was the difference between constriction and creation. I would have used my nature dragon's influence to bend the landscape around me, summoning vines or roots to entangle and subdue, not destroy. My elements flowed with the environment rather than consuming it.

Lucian's control over his dragons' powers was flawless, but I couldn't help but feel that our fighting styles were like two sides of the same coin. His approach was decisive, ruthless even. Mine was calculated, using my surroundings and my connection to the earth, air, fire, and water to create harmony and control.

We were equals in power, our dragons' essences matching in strength. But his techniques were direct, while mine were more about using the world around me to my advantage.

As Mira faltered, her attack undone in an instant, I couldn't help but feel a surge of respect. Lucian was fierce and unyielding. He was like a storm, unstoppable and raw in his power. But I, too, was a force of nature—capable of destruction, but preferring to let the world bend to my will.

But in the midst of all this, I caught his eyes. Just for a second. Lucian's gaze flickered over to me, sharp and calculating, before quickly returning to the match. For a moment, I felt something stir inside me, a pull I couldn't explain.

What was that look?

I couldn't be sure. But it lingered in the back of my mind even as he finished off the remaining opponents. Charles was on the ground, his energy spent. Owen and Mira weren't far behind. Lucian had won, as expected.

He walked toward his friends—Zane and Ryker—his strides purposeful, a victor in the arena and, as always, a reminder of the power.

But then something caught my eye.

The fire elemental who had created that scene with Calen earlier in the mess hall was walking into the arena, his steps slow but deliberate. He was talking to Master Orin, his voice low but insistent.

My attention sharpened. I hadn't forgotten about him, especially after what had happened this morning. I couldn't stand by and let him continue to harass Calen. That moment, when I had stepped in between them, was still fresh in my mind.

Master Orin's voice broke through my thoughts once more.

"The next match will be between Reed, the fire elemental, and Aria, the air elemental."

I froze.

Reed? Aria?

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I didn't know how to react. My heart skipped a beat, but I quickly composed myself, suppressing the immediate shock. Reed, of all people, was challenging me? And that too, after everything that had happened this morning?

The air around me seemed to freeze, and I could feel all eyes on me as Orin continued. "But only if Aria accepts Reed's challenge."

I blinked, startled by the sudden pressure. I had hoped to avoid being thrust into the spotlight, but here it was. I looked at Lucian again, almost instinctively, and the expression on his face told me everything.

Don't do it. Don't accept the challenge.

But that wasn't up to him, was it? This was my decision.

Reed didn't understand what he was messing with. He might be a final-year student, but I wasn't some helpless first-year to be walked over. As much as I wanted to avoid unnecessary confrontation, I knew I couldn't back down now.

Before I could make up my mind, Calen, who had been standing nearby, spoke up. "Aria, it's all my fault. I'm sorry."

I turned to him, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Calen. You did nothing wrong."

Esme and Calen both urged me not to accept the challenge, their voices filled with concern. Esme's hand rested gently on my arm, and Calen's eyes were wide with worry.

"Aria, please, you don't have to do this," Esme pleaded, her voice soft but insistent. "It's not worth it."

"She's right," Calen chimed in, his voice tinged with genuine concern. "Reed's a final-year student. He's got years of experience, and he's a fire elemental. You can't stand up to him like this."

I could see the worry in both their eyes, the weight of their words sinking into me. But I simply reassured them, smiling softly, though I knew they could still see the hint of determination in my eyes.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry," I said, trying to ease their anxiety

I turned to walk toward the arena, my feet moving with purpose. A nervousness I hadn't expected settled in my stomach. I hope Master Orin won't recognize me.

It had been ten years since I had last seen him, and though he'd always been a fair and calm instructor, there was no telling if he would recognize the little girl I once was, wouldn't he? I wasn't ready for that. I couldn't let that old connection come to light—not yet, not here.

I couldn't help but glance toward him, my eyes briefly locking onto his. I wondered if, after all these years, he might recognize me. His expression was calm, but there was a flicker in his eyes—something familiar. But then, just as quickly, it was gone. His gaze was indifferent, and nothing happened. He didn't seem to remember me at all.

I shook off the unease, but then, just as I neared the center, something shifted in my mind. I stopped in my tracks.

Reed's voice sliced through the silence. "What's this? Running away from the match? If you can't accept, then apologize to me. You've embarrassed me enough already."

My eyes narrowed, the anger bubbling up. No one orders me around.

"I'm not here to prove anything to anyone. I know exactly how capable I am. So why should I accept your challenge?" I said, my voice calm but firm. "And why should I apologize to you? For what? To make you feel better?"

Reed sneered, taking a step forward, his fiery aura crackling faintly around him. "What do you want then, huh? What's it going to take for you to accept?"

I tilted my head, meeting his smug gaze with a calm one of my own. His arrogance was almost laughable, but I wasn't about to let him think he had the upper hand.

I thought for a moment, considering my response. If I was going to accept his challenge, it had to be on my terms, not his. Something that would make him regret ever picking a fight. Something that would crush his ego.

Then my eyes flickered to Calen, standing nervously in the first row of seats, his hands gripping the edge of the railing as though it was the only thing keeping him upright. His earlier words echoed in my mind, the genuine apology he had offered me despite not being at fault. He didn't deserve the humiliation Reed had tried to heap on him in the mess hall. He deserved an apology—a real one—from Reed himself.

That settled it.

"If I win," I said evenly, my voice carrying across the arena, "you'll apologize to Calen. Right here. In front of everyone. And you'll promise to never mess with any air elemental again."

The arena fell silent at my words. I could hear the whispers ripple through the crowd. Reed's face twisted in disbelief before a loud, mocking laugh escaped him.

"Apologize to Calen? Never mess with air elementals again? You really think you can win against me?"

I met his gaze, unfazed. "I don't care what you think. If I win, you will do it. That's the deal."

Reed's laughter faded, and his eyes shifted toward Celeste, Lucian's girlfriend. I caught the subtle change in his demeanor—his attention had shifted, his focus now lingering on her.

I knew exactly what this was. It wasn't just Reed. Celeste, too, was involved. She had seen our interaction last night, hadn't she? Her eyes had been on me, sharp and calculating. She wanted to target me. And now, Reed was her puppet, carrying out her plan.

I smirked, the realization hitting me. Fine. If that's how they wanted to play it, I'd oblige. Not only would I break Reed's overconfidence, but I'd also show Celeste exactly who she was messing with.

Reed finally spoke, his voice low and reluctant. "Fine. If you win, I'll apologize to Calen. And I'll never mess with any air elemental again. But don't get too cocky. You won't win."

The crowd around us stirred, murmurs rippling through the arena. The challenge had been accepted.

I took a steadying breath, my eyes instinctively flicking to Lucian. He was seated just behind Esme and Calen, his posture relaxed yet commanding. But it was his expression that caught me off guard—a mixture of intrigue, annoyance, and something else I couldn't quite place. His piercing gaze locked on me, as if silently questioning my decision while daring me to follow through. It was almost unnerving, yet it lit a spark of determination in me.

I turned my attention back to the arena. This wasn't about proving myself to Lucian or anyone else. This was about showing Reed—and everyone else—that I wouldn't back down.

Today, Reed's defeat would be more than just a personal victory—it would send a message. A light hint to every elemental watching that air elementals aren't weak, no matter what others might think.

Maybe, just maybe, this could be the first step toward changing how air elementals are treated. Every student here deserves to be seen as an equal. It's time for everyone to understand that.

This is also the second reason why I'm here—and the first reason, the most important one, is to help those elemental dragons who reach out to me in their moments of need.

The ones who call for help through my visions, trusting me to bring them hope and aid when no one else can. I will definitely find them and free them from whatever danger they're in.