Nube Gris Arena
Jazmine was not having a good day. Celena had returned from wherever Mistress Yelena had sent her at the beginning of summer. The older girl had come back in a foul mood and had, for the last six days, tormented Jazmine relentlessly. Today was no exception. Adding to her misery was this training in the Air arena. She had a hard enough time when it was only Mistress Yelena. Now she had to face off against Celena, too.
"I'm not going to show you mercy," Celena taunted.
Jazmine gritted her teeth. "Neither am I!"
"Good. Otherwise, it'd be boring against such a weaker opponent."
Jazmine kept her tears in check. She would not give Celena the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She reached into her power and yanked it forcibly out. The winds howled around her body. The arena was designed like a desert, so there were not many things that were usable except for sand and some of the trees. That was fine. She would still win.
Celena smirked and called forth her power, creating two tornadoes that swirled menacingly beside her.
On the dune overlooking the arena stood Mistress Yelena.
"The winner will be allowed to leave and go eat. The one who loses will train an extra two hours with me."
Determination ran through Jazmine. She was not going to be the one stuck training any longer than necessary. She wanted to knock that smug look off Celena's face.
"Begin!"
Celena didn't wait as she sent one of her tornadoes hurtling toward Jazmine.
"I don't think so!" Jazmine whipped her winds outward, swatting aside the tornado.
"Weak!" Celena shouted and sent her other tornado out.
Iamwithyou,ChildofAir.
That voice again. Only this time, it sounded...nicer. Confused, Jazmine's attention strayed, and she didn't dodge Celena's attack and was knocked backward onto her butt.
"You're pathetic, Jazmine. Give it up," Celena ordered.
"Never!" She scrambled back up, anger singing in her veins as the wind roared in response.
Useme.AskitofmeandIshallgrantyourdesire.
"Canyoureally?Canyoureallyhelpmewin?"
Askmeanditshallbe.
She had never listened to the voice before, and she always lost. This once, she decided to give it a chance.
"Pleasehelpme.Iwanttowin."
Itshallbeasyouwish,ChildofAir.
Jazmine felt the change in her power a second before all the air seemed to freeze. Fear ripped through her, and then an earth-shaking boom rocked the arena. Dust flew up in the air. Jazmine dropped to her knees, coughing and squinting. She couldn't hear anything above the keening of the wind.
Abruptly, all sound disappeared, and an eerie silence descended. Still coughing, Jazmine stood, her eyes watering as she peered into the clearing wall of dirt and debris. Where was Celena? She took a step forward to check where her opponent had gone.
Mistress Yelena's clapping stopped her, and she turned to stare up at the still-standing sand dune.
"Amazing. I didn't think you had it in you." Mistress Yelena pointed to something behind Jazmine.
"Mistress Yelena...," Jazmine stopped and turned to look where her teacher was pointing. Lying in the sand, unconscious, was Celena. Shock sent Jazmine to her knees. She had defeated the older girl.
"I, I did it," she whispered.
"Jazmine!"
Dazed, she raised her head and saw Tamara and Marisa waving and shouting congratulations. A huge smile spread across her face, and she rose. Flinging her fist into the air, she shouted, "I did it!"
"Go, Apprentice. You've earned it."
"Thank you, thank you, Mistress Yelena." She bowed and raced toward her friends. This was the best day of her life!
"I did it! Did you see!" she crowed and flung herself into Tamara's arms.
"You did good! We're so proud of you. Maybe that will shut that bully up now!" Tamara hugged her hard, and Jazmine was happy.
"Yeah, Airhead. Even I'll admit that was amazing. C'mon. Let's go get Alea and some food."
"I like that idea. Let's go!"
Still chatting excitedly about her win, Jazmine followed Marisa and Tamara to the last training arena to get their friend.
***
Reina Azul Arena
"Here I come, Mistress Telena," Alea shouted and, with a flick of her wrist, sent a blast of water hurtling toward her teacher.
"Futile." Mistress Telena wriggled her fingers, and the water was knocked aside, not even reaching the spot where she stood.
Alea grinned. She loved training in this arena. She and Mistress Telena both stood on small islands from which they launched their attacks. Over the months, Alea had gotten stronger. Mistress Telena had begun giving her harder skills to master. Alea relished the challenge. Her quick mind was always in motion, and her teacher made sure to keep it busy.
"Shall we get down to business?"
"Yes, Mistress Telena."
Smiling, Alea reached for that watery place that gave her strength and love. The one place that no one else could touch. She felt the happy purr of the water as it readied itself to do her bidding. Time to show Mistress Telena that she was not to be underestimated.
"Let'sgo,myfriend."
Her Element power twined around her and, though it wasn't visible, she knew it was there, coiled like a snake. She whipped it outward, into the ocean between the two islands. With a surge, the water created a whirlpool that lifted upward, spinning faster into a dancing mass of tendrils.
"Impressive, now let's see if you can control it."
Mistress Telena pointed her palms outward. A huge water wall erupted from the ocean, blocking her from Alea's view.
"I will not be stopped, Lady!"
"Becomeaserpentandbitethatwhichstopsus."
The water's rumble of happiness rattled the island beneath Alea's feet. She grinned and shifted her footing. Mistress Telena was in for a surprise.
Alea's water tendrils waved threateningly before sinking and disappearing. She felt them shift into their serpent form and swim beneath her teacher's water wall. She kept a grin on her face.
"Giving up, Apprentice? That's so unlike you."
She shrugged. "What can I say, Lady, but your water wall is scary. I don't think I can beat that." She had to keep Mistress Telena distracted. It was the only way her gamble would pay off.
"Well, at least you've learned caution. Not all opponents will be beatable. One should know when to cut losses and run for it."
"Any thief worth her salt knows that," Alea countered. She knew the moment her water serpent had made it around the back side of the island.
"Now!" she ordered.
The explosion of water from behind Mistress Telena made the woman jump and whip around but she wasn't fast enough as the serpent hurtled toward her, smashing into her and knocking her flat.
Alea didn't stop there as she circled her hands before her rapidly, creating a water prison, much like the one Mistress Telena had used on her when they first met. Mistress Telena sat up inside the water prison and smiled proudly at her.
A moment later, the prison cracked and water rushed out of it and back to the ground. Mistress Telena landed lightly on her feet. "Good job, my Apprentice. I didn't even feel you manipulate the serpent. You have definitely improved."
"Told you, Lady, there ain't nothin' I can't do."
"Yes, I know. We're done for today. I do believe your friends are here to get you."
Alea laughed. "I ain't got no friends. But if you're talkin' about those girls who drag me around all the time, then yeah, I know them."
"One day you'll call them friends. But for now, go. Enjoy the rest of your day."
Smirking, Alea took a running leap and dove into the water, calling up the water serpent and riding it to the pier. She allowed Marisa to haul her up and on to the pier. She passed her hands over her clothes, calling the water off it and leaving her dry. She tossed the collected water back into the ocean and grinned at Jazmine's amazed expressions.
"What, can't you do that with your element?"
"No, I can't."
"Hey, me either," Tamara admitted.
Alea turned to Marisa. "What about you?"
"I can. I can keep my clothes from getting burned."
"Who cares? Let's go eat. I'm starving!" Jazmine interrupted.
"Sure, whatever," Alea agreed, though she was annoyed with the other girl. Why did Jazmine always change the conversation? She'd noticed the other girl didn't like it when other people were praised. Not that it was her problem, but it did irritate her after a while.
"Yes, food, please. I'm hungry," Tamara added.
The four girls left the last training arena, happy with their victories in their training sessions and chatting about what they were going to eat for lunch. None of them saw the sad look Mistress Telena gave them as she watched them leave.