The Auren'del training grounds were still that morning—eerily still.
A thin mist drifted above the cobblestone floor, catching the early light like molten glass. The hum of mana pulsed through the air, resonating against the dome that sealed the field in a shimmering barrier. Every breath carried that faint tension before battle—the quiet before a storm.
Four siblings stood at opposite corners of the square arena.
Theron cracked his knuckles, a grin tugging at his lips. "Alright, one last spar before the academy exams. Let's see who's grown soft."
Hector exhaled a light chuckle. "Or who's still as reckless as ever."
Selene brushed a strand of silver hair from her face. Calm, unreadable—yet her eyes gleamed like sharpened glass. "Mira, you're first. Don't hold back."
Mira's crimson eyes flared with excitement. "You don't have to tell me twice."
The two sisters stepped into the center. The barrier around them shimmered brighter, sealing them within a world of blue-white light and silent pressure.
For a heartbeat, time itself seemed to pause.
Then—boom.
Mira burst forward, heat exploding beneath her feet. Each step left a molten print. Halfway through her dash, she slammed her heel down, igniting a burst of fire that rocketed her ahead. She blurred—a streak of scarlet flame cutting through the mist.
Selene lifted her hand. "Gale Flow."
A spiral of compressed wind unfolded before her, smooth and effortless. Mira's incoming blaze curved sharply, drawn off course and detonating harmlessly against the barrier's edge.
"That's quick thinking," Hector murmured from the sideline. "Redirect instead of blocking—efficient."
Theron grinned. "Still, Mira's acceleration is getting wild."
Mira didn't slow. Her fists flashed as a volley of flaming projectiles erupted from her palms—spiraling, arcing, weaving through the air.
Selene's response came with almost no movement. She simply turned her wrist. A veil of water rose from the air itself, spinning like glass under sunlight. Each orb of fire fizzled into steam before touching her.
"Is that all you've got?" Selene asked softly, the faintest smirk at her lips.
Mira's brows furrowed. She switches between wind and water flawlessly… I can't get close if she keeps her rhythm.
Selene's counterattack followed—a cascade of water arrows fused with slivers of wind. They hissed through the air like sharpened spears.
Mira planted her feet and raised a burning wall in front of her. The arrows struck, scattering droplets of vapor, but something felt wrong. The flame trembled—then vanished.
Wait… my fire's gone?
Before she could react, a second barrage of water blades erupted from her flank. She twisted mid-air, barely dodging, though a few grazed her arm. Steam hissed from the contact.
"How—?" she breathed.
Selene's voice cut through the mist, calm and confident. "You left gaps in your density. I compressed the vapor and drained the oxygen."
Mira's jaw tightened. "Then I'll stop you before you can breathe again."
Her eyes narrowed. I need three seconds.
The world shimmered—then froze.
Sound. Movement. Even the ripple of mana hung motionless.
"Time stop," Hector whispered, his eyes lighting with admiration. "Nicely done, Mira."
Inside that stillness, Mira moved like lightning. Flames danced from her fingertips as she drew a wide circle around Selene, erecting a towering wall of fire. Then she raised both arms, focusing the heat until the air warped and cracked. Sweat rolled down her face; her heartbeat echoed in the void.
When time resumed, Selene blinked—and immediately sensed danger.
She was trapped within a shrinking cage of fire, its walls rippling with blistering heat.
"Flame barricade?" she murmured, amused. "Clever."
Wind surged at her call. She conjured a spiraling vortex that roared outward, scattering flames in waves. But even as the fire tore apart, a second pulse of heat came from above.
A flash of white ignited the arena—pure flame, bright enough to bleach the world.
Selene's instincts screamed. She threw up a barrier of water, but the surface boiled instantly. Steam engulfed her, thick and blinding.
Mira's voice cut through the roar. "Let's see you redirect this!"
The blast struck home. The entire arena shook, the protective dome quivering from the pressure.
Dust and steam swallowed everything.
"Did I… get her?" Mira panted. Her knees trembled.
For a heartbeat—silence.
Then, a ripple of blue light cut through the haze. The steam condensed, folded inward, then burst out in a cold wave.
Selene stepped from the vapor untouched, her aura calm and brilliant. Her presence filled the space like a rising tide.
"Nice try," she said softly. "But fire alone can't beat me."
Mira stared, eyes wide. "She… neutralized it using mana phase shift…"
"Mana Phase Shift…" Hector murmured, half in awe, half in analysis. "It alters the energetic alignment between mana and matter. By shifting her mana's resonance, Selene can temporarily lock oxygen molecules into an unreactive state—almost like turning them into inert gas."
He leaned forward slightly, studying the flickering distortion where fire refused to exist. "That creates localized suppression zones," he continued under his breath, "places where combustion, oxidation, even breath-based magic just… stop functioning properly."
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "So that's how she nullified Mira's flames. Elegant—and terrifying."
"Exactly," Selene replied. Water swirled beneath her feet, forming serpents that slithered across the ground. "Adaptation, Mira. You burn brightly, but without restraint, you consume yourself."
The serpents lunged. Mira reacted on instinct, blasting the ground with heat. Steam and flame erupted, severing the tendrils.
But Selene was already whispering—"Gale Flow: Cascade Mirage."
A high-pressure spiral of water and air burst behind Mira. She barely managed to twist aside, yet the edge of the vortex caught her shoulder and hurled her across the field.
She rolled, leaving a streak of scorched stone, and skidded to a stop. "She's manipulating the entire atmosphere… like it's part of her body."
Selene's tone remained composed. "You rely too much on destruction. Control is power. Learn that, and your fire will obey you."
"Oh, I'll show you control," Mira growled.
Her flames reignited, brighter and denser. The air shimmered with heat as molten cracks spread beneath her.
"Phoenix Veil—First Form: Scorch Bloom!"
Fire spiraled upward in blooming patterns, forming petals of molten energy. Each flared out, splitting into countless homing orbs that screamed toward Selene.
Selene smiled faintly. "So you're serious now."
Serious, I was serious right from the very start Mira replied back immediately
Selene lifted her hands. Water and air fused around her—Tempest Ward.
Fire met storm. Explosion after explosion rattled the field. Red and blue light interwove, painting the mist in violent hues.
Theron's grin stretched wide. "Now that's a damn fight!"
Hector's eyes glowed faintly as he observed the mana currents. "Selene's flow synchronization is perfect… Mira's instinct is sharp, but she still forces her flames instead of guiding them."
Within the storm, Selene's silhouette danced—dodging, redirecting, striking with liquid precision. Mira pressed forward, every motion fueled by emotion and will.
They met at the center—fist to palm. Fire hissed against water.
The impact cracked the air, sending both sliding backward. Steam billowed.
Mira grinned, panting. "You're holding back."
Selene's reply came like wind through reeds. "So are you."
They charged again—hand-to-hand. Mira's fists burned, each strike trailing embers. Selene countered with swift, fluid motions, redirecting with wind bursts and retaliating with water whips that cracked like lightning.
A punch, a block, a counter-kick—each motion flowed into the next, rhythm meeting rhythm. Sparks and droplets flew with every clash.
Finally, Mira spun, unleashing a flaming roundhouse. Selene caught it with both hands; the shockwave rippled outward, cracking the arena floor.
For a second, they locked eyes—one blazing with passion, the other calm as still water.
Then—boom! The force threw them apart.
The sisters stood across from each other, breathing heavily, sweat and steam rising from their skin.
Selene straightened first, calm returning to her voice. "Enough."
Mira's shoulders lowered as her flames receded. "Guess you win… again."
Selene smiled faintly. "You got closer this time. Much closer."
The barrier around them shimmered and fell, revealing a battlefield of scorched stone and evaporating mist.
Theron clapped, laughter echoing. "That was insane! You two almost cooked the training hall!"
Hector walked forward, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Selene's still the strategist… but Mira's catching up. Her mana shaping's improving fast."
Selene brushed soot from her sleeve. "Remember, Mira—never fear your flame. Command it."
Mira chuckled, exhaustion fading into pride. "Next time, I'll make sure even you feel the heat."
Theron slung an arm around her shoulder. "That's the spirit. Though maybe don't melt the courtyard next time."
The siblings' laughter filled the dome, warm and alive. The air still carried the scent of smoke and ozone—a mix of rivalry and affection that only family could forge.
Mira glanced at Selene as they walked back. Her sister's composure was unshaken, but Mira caught the faint warmth in her expression—the pride hidden behind that calm. For all her teasing, Selene had been training her to think, not just burn.
She smiled quietly. "One day, I'll catch up to you."
Selene's answer was a small nod. "I know you will."
Outside, thunder rumbled across the plains. A storm gathered on the horizon, dark clouds flashing with silver veins of light.
Selene looked toward it and smiled faintly. "Fitting weather."
Everyone who saw the fight the knew that Selene was clearly holding back she only used water and wind she clearly intended to stay on the defensive, she truly terrifying hector sighed
Hector turned his gaze upward. "Guess that means it's our turn next."
Theron cracked his neck, fire already gathering around his fists. "You're damn right it is."
As the wind howled softly and rain began to fall in thin, misty threads, the dome shimmered once more—resetting for the next match.
This time, the air felt heavier.
Not just from mana—but from history, rivalry, and an unspoken promise between brothers.
The next match—Hector vs. Theron—was about to begin.