An unexpected clash reveals the true power of an air elemental

Arvanya's POV:

The arena was charged with an intensity that made the air itself feel alive. I stood across from Reed, our eyes locked in a silent challenge. The entire crowd was waiting, watching, breathless. Most of them expected this match to be short, assuming Reed's powerful fire elemental abilities would quickly overpower me—a supposedly "weak" air elemental.

But I wasn't paying attention to the whispers or doubts. My focus was on my dragons, ensuring that, no matter what happened, only my air dragon would respond to this challenge. I couldn't let the others reveal themselves, or risk exposing my true power and identity. Not today, not at any cost.

Master Orin's voice rang out, "Let the match begin."

Reed wasted no time. He stepped forward, slamming his palms together. "This won't take long," he sneered, his voice carrying across the arena. A torrent of flames shot toward me, the heat and intensity so overwhelming it seemed as if the entire arena would catch fire. But I stood my ground, a quiet confidence settling within me. I'm not here to prove anything to anyone, I thought. I'm here to show them that air elementals are just as powerful as any other.

With a flick of my wrist, I summoned the wind. It wrapped around me, forming a barrier just in time to divert the flames away. The fire whizzed past me, missing by mere inches, but I didn't flinch. The crowd gasped, their collective shock echoing through the arena.

Reed's lips twisted into a sneer. "Impressive," he mocked, but his eyes were filled with anger. "Let's see how long you can keep this up."

I didn't respond, instead allowing my air to flow around me, guiding me as I moved with ease, dodging every attack he threw my way. Each flame that shot at me was deflected, each fireball swept aside by the wind at my command. Reed's face darkened as he saw me effortlessly evade his every move. He wasn't used to being outmatched.

"You think you can dodge forever?" he spat, launching a series of smaller fireballs toward me.

I didn't bother to dodge the first one. Instead, I deflected it with a swift gust of wind, the ball of flame dissipating before it could even reach me. Then, without a second's hesitation, I spun around, gracefully avoiding the next barrage. I could feel the wind swirling around me, responding to my every movement, making it seem like I was dancing with the flames rather than battling them. I wasn't trying to show off. I was simply showing everyone how strong air elementals could be.

"You're toying with me," Reed growled, frustration seeping into his voice. "You're just running away."

I smirked, letting the words flow with a teasing edge. "I'm not running away, Reed. I'm just giving you a chance to show me what you've got. And so far, it's not much."

His jaw clenched, and his eyes narrowed in anger. With a roar, he called upon a wave of flames, creating a massive inferno that surged forward, trying to swallow me whole. But this time, I didn't dodge. Instead, I thrust my hands forward, and the air responded instantly, forming a gust so strong that the flames were blown back, creating a shockwave that knocked Reed off his feet.

He struggled to rise, sweat beading on his forehead, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. He wasn't used to fighting someone who wasn't intimidated by his flames.

"You really think you can keep this up?" Reed shouted, his voice thick with frustration. "You're not a fighter."

I took a step forward, my voice steady and cold. "I'm not here to prove anything, Reed. But you're the one who asked for this."

I felt a surge of power deep within me—stronger than before, sharper. My air dragon stirred, its presence intensifying within me, urging me forward. The connection between us was growing, becoming almost undeniable, as if the dragon itself was encouraging me to unleash my true strength.

But I wasn't done playing yet.

Reed stood tall, his face a mix of anger and disbelief. "You're just wasting my time," he sneered. "I'm not some weak little air elemental you can ignore."

I gave him a pointed look, feeling the wind swirl beneath my feet. "Is that so? Because from where I'm standing, you're the one who's getting left behind."

And then, with a sudden shift in the air, I launched myself toward him. My movements were fluid, swift, almost impossible to follow as I used the wind to propel myself with incredible speed. Reed barely had time to react as I closed the distance between us.

"Are you sure you're a final-year fire elemental?" I taunted, voice dripping with sarcasm. "You don't seem to have much fight in you."

Reed's eyes flared with rage, but I didn't give him time to respond. With a flick of my wrist, a powerful gust of wind struck him, pushing him back, sending him tumbling to the ground. The force of it was enough to knock him off his feet, leaving him winded and unable to react.

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The crowd was completely silent now, everyone watching in stunned disbelief. They had expected a battle, a fight to the finish, but instead, they were witnessing a complete domination by someone they had written off as a mere air elemental.

I caught a glimpse of Celeste in the stands, her eyes wide with shock—and something else I couldn't quite place. She wasn't the only one stunned. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Lucian, his surprise momentarily breaking through his usual cool demeanor.

A small, satisfied smirk tugged at my lips. Good. Let them all see what an air elemental is capable of.

Reed was struggling now, his confidence shattered. But I wasn't finished yet. I took a deep breath, summoning every ounce of power within me, and with it, I felt my air dragon's energy surge to new heights—a level of strength I'd never felt before. The air around me intensified, almost crackling with an electric charge, and I could feel my dragon's presence guiding me, amplifying my abilities.

With all the power I could muster, I created a cyclone of air that whirled around me, its force so intense that even I was momentarily stunned by its strength. The winds roared, spinning faster and faster, and as I directed them toward Reed, they exploded forward with devastating power.

The sheer force of the attack sent Reed flying, his body thrown back like a ragdoll as he was hurled across the arena. The ground shook, cracks splintering beneath the power of the winds, and the arena itself seemed to tremble from the impact.

Reed lay crumpled on the ground, gasping for breath, utterly overwhelmed.

I stood there, my chest rising and falling with each breath, a sense of awe washing over me. My own strength had surprised me; I hadn't realized just how powerful my air dragon had become. It was as if something inside me had unlocked, revealing a deeper reserve of strength that I'd never felt before.

I looked down at Reed, who was barely able to move, then turned toward the crowd. My voice, steady and resolute, echoed across the silent arena.

"This match is over."

As the cheers erupted, I looked back at Celeste, giving her one last glance. She was still staring at me, her shock evident. I couldn't help but smirk. They never expected this from an air elemental, I thought. But I'm not weak. No one is.

Master Orin's voice boomed across the arena, his tone filled with pride. "The match is over. Aria, an air elemental, is the winner against Reed, a fire elemental!"

I stood in the center of the arena, breathing heavily, but my confidence was unwavering. I looked over at Reed, still struggling to get up, and saw the mix of frustration and humiliation in his eyes. But then, something caught my attention—Master Orin was smiling at me, a proud glint in his eyes.

As the crowd erupted in cheers and applause, I turned to find Esme and Calen running toward me. Esme reached me first, and before I could say anything, she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug.

"You were amazing!" she exclaimed, her voice full of admiration. "I knew you could do it. Those moves—you have to teach us those! Seriously, that last cyclone attack? Insane!"

I laughed, feeling a rush of joy at her words. "I'll teach you everything, Esme. Don't worry," I replied, ruffling her hair playfully. "But you better be ready for some serious training."

But deep inside, a strange feeling lingered—a shift in my powers that I'd never felt before. My dragon felt stronger, its presence more intense than ever, and that realization sent a flicker of fear through me. It was like I'd only begun to uncover the true depths of my abilities, and the thought was as thrilling as it was terrifying.

Calen grinned, his eyes bright with pride. "I knew you were stronger than anyone thought, Aria. That was incredible."

"Thanks, guys," I said, my heart swelling with gratitude. "You two helped me more than you know."

The arena was still buzzing with energy from the fight, and I stood there, catching my breath. But my eyes drifted back to Reed, who was finally pushing himself to his feet, dusting off his clothes. The pride in my chest turned into something more fierce.

I turned toward him and spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear, my words cutting through the noise of the crowd. "Remember what we agreed on, Reed. Time to fulfill your end of the deal."

The crowd fell silent for a moment, their eyes flicking between us as Reed remained silent, his jaw clenched, his face flushed with anger. He didn't speak, but I could tell the weight of the situation was getting to him.

I raised an eyebrow, not backing down. "Or do I need to remind you, Reed? Say sorry to Calen."

Finally, Reed's shoulders slumped, his defiance crumbling under the weight of the crowd's scrutiny. He muttered something under his breath, clearly reluctant to admit defeat. But when he caught sight of Calen and me standing together, he knew he had no choice.

Reed turned toward Calen, his voice surprisingly subdued as he muttered, "Sorry, Calen. I never should've messed with any air elemental."

The words were barely audible, but they carried enough weight for everyone around us to hear. It was a hollow apology, but it was enough to fulfill the deal. I couldn't help but smirk, a sense of satisfaction running through me.

The crowd, now fully aware of Reed's defeat and apology, murmured in surprise. It was the first time many of them had seen a fire elemental humbled by an air elemental. Reed, the so-called "unstoppable fire," had been brought down—not by brute force, but by skill, strategy, and the sheer power of self-belief.

I glanced back at my friends, the pride I felt for them and myself building inside me. This was more than just a win—it was a statement. Air elementals are not weak, I thought. They are just as powerful, and they deserve to be recognized.

As the crowd began to disperse, I said to Esme and Calen, sighing. "Well, as much as I'd love to keep celebrating, I have way too many assignments waiting for me. I think a trip to the library is in order."

Esme rolled her eyes with a grin. "Always the studious one, aren't you?"

Calen chuckled. "We'll join you for a bit, keep you company. Besides, someone needs to make sure you don't get buried under all that work."

We started walking toward the library, passing by the arena where the fight had just taken place. I couldn't resist glancing back one last time, my eyes searching for Lucian. He was still there, standing on the edge of the crowd, his gaze fixed on me with that same unreadable intensity.

When our eyes met, a surge of warmth shot through me, like tiny sparks igniting under my skin. That stupid mate bond, I thought, trying to ignore the flutter in my chest. But the pull was undeniable, making me feel as if I'd been seen in a way that no one else had ever seen me before. I couldn't understand him, couldn't read the complex emotions flickering in his gaze, and it both frustrated and intrigued me.

I forced myself to look away, my thoughts swirling as I tried to shake off the strange spell he seemed to have cast over me. This was ridiculous, I told myself. I had assignments to do, a mountain of them waiting for me at the library.

But even as I walked away with Esme and Calen, the memory of Lucian's gaze stayed with me, lingering like a secret promise I couldn't quite unravel.