The morning sun bathed the academy in a soft golden glow. The atmosphere was strangely calm, a stark contrast to the excitement of the previous day when the participants for the Elemental Tournament were announced. For the five chosen students, however, there was no time to rest. Their intense training began today.
Alaryc, Maria, Silvarya, Alicia, and Jake gathered on the expansive training grounds. Standing before them was an experienced mage chosen by the headmistress to mentor them. The man, tall and imposing with silver hair and an aura of power, observed them carefully before speaking.
"I am Master Eldran, and I will oversee your training. The Elemental Tournament is more than a mere show of strength. You must master your elements, work as a team, anticipate your opponents, and push beyond your limits. Are you ready to give it everything you have?"
The five students exchanged determined looks before answering in unison, "Yes, Master!"
Eldran nodded. "Good. We will begin with an endurance test. Show me how far you can go."
Intense Training
The exercises began immediately. Eldran pushed each student to master their elements under extreme conditions. Alaryc worked on simultaneously manipulating fire and shadow, striving to maintain a perfect balance between these opposing forces.
Silvarya trained to combine her earth and water elements to create complex attacks. Under pressure, she had to form stone walls while triggering waves to counter enemy assaults. Eldran encouraged her with a firm voice: "Don't let fatigue control your spells. You control it!"
Maria refined her fire attacks, aiming to maximize their power while conserving energy. Jake focused on the solidity of his earth defenses, while Alicia worked on her speed and precision with water.
"This is just the beginning," Eldran declared after several hours. "Rest for an hour, then we will continue with simulated battles."
As the group sat under the shade of a tree to rest, Alaryc couldn't stop thinking about the duel with Silvarya and her mysterious transformation. Her white hair, changing eyes, and overwhelming aura... It was far from ordinary.
He suddenly stood, drawing his friends' attention.
"I'm going to see the headmistress," he announced.
Silvarya raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
"There's something I need to understand."
She wanted to press further, but his serious look silenced her. Without another word, he walked toward the headmistress's office.
A Conversation with the Headmistress
Arriving at the grand doors of the headmistress's office, Alaryc knocked three times.
"Enter," came the calm but authoritative voice of the headmistress.
He stepped in to find her seated at her desk, surrounded by books and scrolls. She looked up at him and smiled faintly.
"I expected you, Alaryc. What do you wish to know?"
He wasted no time. "Silvarya. During our duel, she changed. Her hair, her eyes... And that power. That was an astral form, wasn't it?"
The headmistress nodded slowly. "Yes, it was an astral form."
Alaryc frowned. "But how? That kind of transformation only occurs in mages with exceptional potential, and only after years of training."
"Silvarya is special," the headmistress explained. "Her connection to her elements is deeper than most mages. But this form usually awakens in moments of extreme danger or intense emotion. It is a raw manifestation of her potential. However..."
She paused, her expression turning grave.
"This kind of power is unstable. If she doesn't learn to control it, it could harm her."
Alaryc clenched his fists. "Then why not tell her?"
"Because it's not the right time," she replied calmly. "She must first realize it herself. But you, Alaryc, I am counting on you to watch over her. If she shows signs of instability, you must intervene."
Alaryc nodded, though he felt the weight of responsibility settle heavily on his shoulders.
Returning to His Friends
Back at the training grounds, his friends were waiting for him. Silvarya looked at him, intrigued. "So, what did you want to know?"
He hesitated for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Nothing important. Just clarifications about the tournament."
She stared at him but didn't push further.
"Let's get back to training!" Alicia declared enthusiastically.
As the day drew to a close, Alaryc occasionally glanced at Silvarya. The question of her astral form lingered in his mind. He silently vowed to do everything in his power to help her control this gift... or curse.