The morning air was crisp, but heavy with the scent of dew and charred leaves from y failed fireball experiments—thanks to Asher. The forest clearing had become a familiar ground now, half training field, half disaster zone. Burnt stumps, broken branches, and craters told stories only the three of them could explain.
"Alright," Asher declared, stretching with the enthusiasm of someone about to wrestle a bear. "Today's the day we don't embarrass ourselves. Probably."
Ethan cracked his neck. "We're training, not fighting a war."
"Well, I fight like every day's a war," Asher said proudly, then stumbled as he tried to do a one-legged stance. "Okay, not a good start."
Nick ignored them both, already setting up a perimeter using small carved stones and etching faint lines into the dirt with his boot.
"What are you doing?" Ethan asked, watching curiously.
"Creating a wind circuit," Nick said. "Dragon Art: Whispering Tempest. It's supposed to teach me how to ride the wind like a blade instead of pushing against it. I form a path, let the wind guide me. If I can move in rhythm, I move faster. Smoother."
"You're doing wind yoga," Asher snorted.
Nick shot him a look. "I don't see you doing anything useful."
"Oh, really?" Asher planted his feet. "Watch and learn, peasant. Dragon Art: Flame Wreath. It's a fire enhancement technique. Basically, I cover my arms in fire, punch harder, burn brighter, probably look ten times cooler."
"Or get third-degree burns," Ethan muttered.
"You're just mad because your lightning makes you look like a glitching squirrel," Asher grinned.
"Better than being a walking bonfire," Ethan retorted, grinning slightly.
Still grumbling, Asher inhaled deeply and gathered fire-element essence around his fists. Flames licked up his arms like coiling snakes, forming blazing gauntlets. He grinned… then yelped, waving his hands.
"Hot! Too hot! Okay—note to self: limit the essence before I melt my own fingers!"
Nick shook his head. "Flame control, genius. It's not about raw heat—it's about tuning it to your body."
"Says the guy doing interpretive dance with the air."
Meanwhile, Ethan had taken a step back and crouched low, static crackling around him. "Let's try something different," he muttered. "Dragon Art: Lightning Echo Pulse."
Nick and Asher paused to watch. Ethan grounded himself, letting his essence flow from his core into the surrounding area. A faint hum filled the air as tiny sparks jumped from tree to tree.
"The theory is, I charge the surroundings, then snap all that lightning back to me to create a burst of energy and awareness."
"You're becoming a lightning sonar?" Asher asked. "Bro… that's either genius or the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Works for bats," Ethan muttered.
He snapped his fingers—and a burst of lightning surged back to his body in a violent pulse.
Ethan staggered. "Okay. That was... too much feedback."
His hair stood on end.
Asher whistled. "You look like you stuck a fork into a socket."
"Not entirely wrong," Ethan muttered, shaking it off and trying again.
Meanwhile, Nick had started sprinting across his marked circuit, the wind following his steps. He moved like a blur—light and fast, almost gliding through the air currents.
Asher watched, impressed despite himself. "Alright, I'll admit, you don't look totally ridiculous."
Nick skidded to a stop, wind swirling around him. "It's all about tuning into the rhythm. Once I stop trying to force it, it just… flows."
"Wow, that's deep," Asher mocked. "Next thing you know, you'll be giving spiritual advice."
Nick smirked. "You on fire again yet?"
Asher looked down—his sleeve had reignited.
"Maybe."
They trained deep into the afternoon. Ethan's Echo Pulse grew more stable, allowing him to "feel" movement and energy around him like invisible threads. Nick's Whispering Tempest started to sharpen his dodges, his body reacting before his mind. Asher, after several more burns, managed to stabilize his Flame Wreath to the point where his punches left flaming trails in the air, and not just scorch marks on himself.
As they collapsed near a tree, sweaty and worn out, Asher spoke up. "You know, we might not have spells like the rest of the academy yet… but I'd put money on us surviving longer in a real fight."
Nick leaned back, watching the clouds shift. "We've still got a long way to go."
Ethan nodded. "But we're getting closer."
Asher sat up. "And when we get our weapons—oh, ho ho—Kael better be ready to see some true destruction."
"Please don't blow yourself up on the first swing," Nick sighed.
"No promises," Asher grinned.
They laughed, the forest echoing with the sound—brotherhood forged in sweat, sparks, and smartassery.
They weren't the best yet.
But they were getting better.