Secrets Unfold Amid Friendly Challenges

Lucian's POV:

After breakfast, we headed to our classes. As we walked, Zane mentioned, "Another air elemental left the academy today."

I wasn't surprised. "It's not unusual. If they can't handle the pressure or aren't strong enough, they don't belong here. Power is all that matters," I replied, my tone cold and final.

Ryker shot me a pointed look. "Really? Nothing else matters?"

I knew what he was implying. It wasn't just about power; it was about Aria. Her smile from last night flashed in my mind uninvited. I mentally scolded myself. She's a distraction I can't afford. My focus had to remain on my strength, studies, and the responsibilities that came with them.

Classes—math, physics, and geography—passed without incident. When it was finally time to refuel, we headed toward the canteen. Predictably, Ryker was grumbling about snacks. That guy would trade his soul for a good pastry.

As we reached the canteen gates, I noticed Zane and Ryker exchange knowing glances. Their mischievous smirks told me trouble was brewing. Before I could question them, they darted inside, heading straight toward a table in the corner.

I followed, my curiosity piqued. The moment I saw who was sitting at the table, everything clicked.

Aria.

And now, judging by their faces, Zane and Ryker were going to make this very, very annoying for me.

My gaze immediately landed on her, sitting with her friends. She looked comfortable, even laughing softly at something. It annoyed me for reasons I couldn't pinpoint. Zane's grin widened, and I knew trouble was brewing.

"Mind if we join you?" Zane asked, his tone oozing charm.

I watched as Aria blinked, clearly surprised, but still managed to answer calmly, "Sure." She even mustered a polite smile, but I could sense her unease beneath the surface.

I followed Zane and Ryker reluctantly, my irritation deepening with every step. I took the seat directly across from her, deliberately positioning myself where I could observe her every move. She didn't meet my gaze, but for a fleeting second, her eyes darted toward me.

Why does she look so unnerved?

Ryker wasted no time introducing us. "I'm Ryker, and this is Zane," he said, flashing that infuriating grin of his. "And you must be Aria, the famous air elemental."

Famous? What were they playing at?

I felt my jaw tighten as I observed her reaction. She looked taken aback but recovered quickly, offering a small nod.

"Famous? What?" she asked, confusion evident in her voice.

Before I could stop myself, I glanced at her friends. One of them, a girl, whispered something, and the boy leaned in to elaborate. Their awestruck expressions irritated me further. They're just feeding the attention she doesn't need.

"They're the Untouchables," the boy finally whispered to her, his voice hushed. "Lucian and his two best friends. They're the stars of the academy. Nobody talks to them, and they don't bother talking to anyone. Until now."

The weight of his words settled over the table like an unwelcome spotlight. Whispers spread across the canteen like wildfire, and I felt the stares drilling into my back.

I hated it.

Aria, however, handled it differently. She gestured toward her friends, trying to shift the attention. "This is Esme, and that's Calen," she introduced politely.

Ryker, ever the charmer, turned his focus to her friends. "Nice to meet you, Esme, Calen. But honestly, we're here for her," he said, nodding toward Aria. "We just wanted to know more about you, Aria. You're incredible—we've never seen an air elemental defeat Reed so easily."

His words stung more than they should have. I wasn't sure why, but the way they praised her with such openness grated on me.

"Yeah," Zane chimed in. "How does an air elemental overpower a fire elemental like that? It's unheard of."

Aria tried to dismiss their praise, her tone casual. "Oh, that? It wasn't a big deal," she said, brushing it off. "I had a couple of strong fire elemental friends at Aetheria Academy who helped me train. They didn't hold back, so I guess I picked up a thing or two."

Something about the way she said it made my irritation spike. Friends. Of course, she had help. But why does that even bother me?

Zane and Ryker exchanged looks, their expressions practically dripping with amusement. I knew that look—it meant they were planning to provoke me.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Zane glance at me, a smirk tugging at his lips. Ryker followed suit, his grin widening.

Enough.

I kept my face neutral, though every fiber of my being itched to wipe those smirks off their faces. Instead, I focused on my breathing, forcing myself to remain composed.

Then came the interruption.

"Lucian, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."

I stiffened, the voice grating on my nerves before I even turned to look. Celeste.

She swept into the scene with her usual flair, sliding into the seat beside me uninvited. Her golden hair and perfect smile might have charmed everyone else, but to me, it was suffocating.

Celeste's hand found mine, and I fought the urge to pull away. Her touch was unwelcome, yet I knew better than to make a scene.

"I've been here," I replied, my tone flat and cold.

She didn't seem to notice—or care—as she turned her attention to Aria. "Oh, you're the famous air elemental everyone's been talking about, aren't you?"

Her words were laced with faux politeness, but her narrowed eyes gave her away. She knew exactly who Aria was. Of course she does. She's the one who orchestrated Reed's challenge.

Zane and Ryker exchanged knowing glances, their smirks replaced with discomfort. Even they could sense the tension Celeste brought with her.

Aria's face betrayed nothing as she answered, "Yep, that's me." Her tone was neutral, but I could sense the strength beneath her words.

Celeste smiled sweetly—too sweetly—and reached for my hand again. This time, I tensed visibly, my jaw clenching.

I glanced at Aria then, hoping she wouldn't take this the wrong way. Her eyes briefly flicked toward me before she abruptly pushed back her chair, the sound loud and jarring in the tense atmosphere.

"Excuse me," she said calmly, her voice steady. "I need to go to the administrative department to get my library card."

The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

I didn't stop her. I couldn't.

Her departure left an odd emptiness in the air, one I refused to acknowledge. I turned my attention to Celeste, her voice grating on my nerves as she tried to engage me in conversation.

But all I could think about was Aria's expression as she left. And I hated that it mattered to me.

After Aria left, the atmosphere shifted slightly, but Celeste didn't let it wane for long. Her voice cut through the lingering silence.

“So,” she began, tilting her head with feigned curiosity, “why were you talking to her?”

I glanced at her, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “You said you were looking for me. Why?”

Celeste’s smile sharpened, and she leaned in, her voice dropping into a tone laced with expectation. “This weekend is the gala, Lucian. You should go with me… since you’re my boyfriend.”

Zane and Ryker, seated beside me, exchanged awkward glances, suddenly very focused on their plates.

I raised an eyebrow, keeping my expression neutral. “The gala, huh?”

Her eyes flickered with something—pride, challenge, maybe both. “Yes, the gala,” she repeated, her smile unwavering.

I leaned back slightly, avoiding a direct response. “And that’s why you were looking for me?”

She hesitated, her composure faltering just a fraction before regaining her footing. “I wanted to remind you,” she said smoothly. “And, of course, to ask why you were talking to the new air elemental girl. Usually, you don’t bother with anyone outside of Zane and Ryker.”

Before I could respond, Zane jumped in, clearly eager to shift the conversation. “We wanted to know how she handled Reed so easily yesterday,” he said, his grin breaking the tension. “It was insane. No air elemental should be able to do that.”

Ryker nodded in agreement, glancing between Celeste and me. “Exactly. We just wanted to see what makes her so... different.”

Celeste’s expression hardened, her attention zeroing in on me. “And? Did you find what you were looking for?”

I gave her a calm shrug. “Just curiosity.”

She didn’t look convinced, but instead of pushing further, she stood abruptly, her smile turning saccharine. “Well, I’ll let you three get back to your... curiosity. But don’t forget about the gala, Lucian.”

With that, she turned and walked away, her departure leaving behind a heavy silence.

“Wow,” Zane muttered after a beat, breaking the stillness. “So... are you actually going with her?”

Ryker smirked. “You’ve got to admit, she doesn’t take ‘no’ lightly.”

I shot them both a look, my voice cold. “That’s none of your concern. Focus.”

Despite my attempt to steer the conversation elsewhere, my thoughts lingered on Celeste’s pointed remarks and Aria’s calm composure. Two forces in my life pulling in entirely different directions.

As we exited the canteen, I couldn't shake the strange feeling that lingered. It wasn't annoyance or anger—it was something else, something I couldn't name.

Ryker walked beside me, his tone light but thoughtful. "She's interesting, don't you think? Aria, I mean."

Zane chuckled, his voice playful. "Yeah, and she's got guts. She didn't flinch under Celeste's passive-aggressive nonsense. I like her already."

I said nothing, my mind swirling with conflicting thoughts. Why does it matter what she did? Or how she handled herself?

As we approached the combat arena, the familiar scent of earth and metal grounded me. The sounds of sparring and shouted instructions filled the air, pulling my focus back to the task at hand.

"Time to see if anyone's improved since last week," Zane said, grinning as he flexed his fingers.

Ryker smirked. "Or if Reed's still brooding over his defeat."

I rolled my shoulders, letting the tension melt away. Whatever feelings or thoughts Aria stirred, they would have to wait. Right now, it was time to fight.

As we walked toward the combat arena, I couldn't help but smirk, my steps confident and deliberate. "Now," I said, my tone carrying a sharp edge of amusement, "it's time to settle the score."

Zane and Ryker, walking ahead, immediately froze. Their earlier mischief in the canteen flashed through my mind—those smirks, the way they clearly enjoyed provoking me. They had been playing with fire, and now it was my turn to enjoy the game.

I shot them a pointed look, and their expressions paled in unison.

"W-We didn't mean anything by it," Zane stammered, trying to wave off the situation with an awkward chuckle. "It was all in good fun, Lucian."

"Yeah," Ryker added hastily, his grin faltering. "Just some harmless teasing. No need to get all... intense about it."

I crossed my arms, tilting my head slightly as if considering their excuses. "Harmless, you say? Because I remember someone thoroughly enjoying themselves at my expense back there."

Zane held up his hands, a sheepish grin plastered on his face. "Come on, Lucian. We were just keeping things... lively."

"Uh-huh," I replied, my smirk widening. "Don't worry, Zane. I'm all about keeping things lively too."

Ryker groaned audibly, muttering under his breath. "We're so dead."

Without another word, I quickened my pace toward the field, the anticipation of payback fueling my every step. The arena loomed ahead, its open space buzzing with the energy of combatants sparring and training.

Zane and Ryker reluctantly followed, their earlier bravado completely replaced with wary silence. I didn't even need to look back to know they were exchanging nervous glances.

Once we entered the arena, I turned to face them, my smirk evolving into a full grin. "Well, gentlemen," I said, cracking my knuckles. "Let's see how lively you can keep things now."

Zane groaned again, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "This is going to hurt, isn't it?"

Ryker shook his head, his expression resigned. "Definitely."

Their reactions only added to my amusement. They wanted to provoke me? Fine. Let's see how they handle it when the tables are turned.

As the three of us stepped into the sparring circle, the hum of activity around the field seemed to fade, leaving only the tense anticipation in the air. This was my moment to settle the score—and maybe have a little fun while doing it.

Zane and Ryker exchanged nervous glances, their earlier confidence clearly wilting.

"Alright," Zane said, attempting to muster some bravado as he stepped into the circle. "Let's get this over with. But remember, Lucian, we're your friends. No need to get too serious."

I tilted my head, feigning thoughtfulness. "Serious? Who said anything about being serious?" My smirk deepened. "I'm just here to keep things... lively."

Their apprehension was almost too entertaining as I turned to them with a teasing edge in my tone. "So, who's first?"

Zane immediately raised his hands in mock surrender. "Look, Lucian, about earlier—it was all Ryker's idea."

Ryker shot him a betrayed glare. "Excuse me? You were the one who said, and I quote, 'Let's introduce ourselves to her. She looks interesting.'"

"Right," I interjected, crossing my arms and letting the smirk linger. And what exactly did you say? Oh yes. 'You must be Aria, the famous—so very famous—air elemental.'" I repeated their words with exaggerated flair, savoring the way they winced. "Care to explain why you thought provoking me in the canteen was a good idea?"

Ryker chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Uh... team spirit?"

Zane groaned, exasperation seeping into his voice. "Okay, fine. It was a bad idea. But you've made your point. No need to—"

"—Settle the score?" I finished, the glint in my eyes unmistakable. "Oh no, Zane. We're definitely settling this."

Their expressions shifted from wary to outright horrified as I stepped into the circle, motioning for them to join me.

"Both of you," I said, rolling my shoulders to loosen up. "Together."

"You've got to be kidding," Zane muttered under his breath.

"Not even a little," I replied, letting fire spring to life in my palms.

Reluctantly, they stepped forward, their fire dragons rising to the challenge. The air around us shimmered, heat rippling as they summoned twin waves of flames, their attacks roaring toward me in unison.

"Nice try," I said, summoning my air dragon to create a gust that extinguished their flames effortlessly.

Ryker groaned in frustration. "Oh, come on! You can't just blow everything away!"

"Why not?" I taunted, sending tendrils of darkness from my shadow dragon slithering toward them.

Zane retaliated, unleashing a spiraling firestorm that forced me to dodge. I countered with a precise burst of fire from my own dragon, sending him stumbling back.

"Still warming up, Zane?" I teased, sidestepping Ryker's wild swing. "Or is this the best you've got?"

"You're insufferable," Zane huffed, letting loose another fiery arc that I easily evaded.

Their combined efforts soon spiraled into chaos, a whirlwind of fire consuming the circle. It was impressive—almost threatening—until I decided to end it.

With a surge of power, I unleashed my shadow dragon. Its dark energy swallowed their flames whole, leaving the field in eerie silence.

When the smoke cleared, Zane and Ryker lay sprawled on the ground, soot covering their faces.

Zane coughed dramatically, waving a hand weakly. "Alright, we give. You win. Happy now?"

Ryker groaned, still flat on his back. "Why do we even bother? We shouldn't have done this."

"Lesson learned," I said with a smirk, extending a hand to help each of them up.

As Zane dusted himself off, he muttered, "You didn't have to throw that 'famous air elemental' line back at us. That was just cruel."

"Cruel?" I repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You don't even know the meaning of the word."

"Yeah, yeah," Ryker grumbled. "Next time, remind me not to provoke you."

We left the field laughing, the earlier tension melting into camaraderie. Moments like these reminded me why I tolerated their antics—they were the closest thing I had to brothers.

Back at the dormitory, Zane flopped onto his bed with a groan. "My fire dragon is not going to let me live this down."

Ryker rubbed his arm, wincing. "Neither is mine. I swear they're sulking."

I shook my head, grabbing a book to distract myself from their complaints. Determined to refocus, I turned my attention to the tasks at hand, but my thoughts betrayed me. Aria wasn’t like other air elementals—there was something undeniably different about her. Her calm confidence, coupled with an unshakable strength, set her apart.

I had a strong, unsettling feeling that she wasn’t just going to disrupt the balance of things—she was going to turn everything upside down. And somehow, I couldn’t shake the sense that I, too, would be caught in the whirlwind she’d create.