Secrets of Elemental Kingdoms

Whispers of a Forbidden Path

Voices Calling from the Shadow

Arvanya's POV:

The visions had been tormenting me for a month, each one more intense and disturbing than the last. They were no longer mere flashes of light or fleeting emotions; they had morphed into a haunting call for help, echoing from deep within my own power.

Flickers of elemental dragons appeared, their ethereal forms reaching toward me, their silent yet desperate voices intertwining in a melody of fear. Each time, I felt their terror ignite like a fire in my veins, a relentless urgency that refused to be ignored.

"Really, couldn't they find a way to ask nicely?" I muttered to myself one evening, shivering as if a cold breeze had swept through me. Their cries filled my dreams, and I had begun to drift off in class—something my friends were starting to notice.

Their eyes, wide with desperation, seemed to scream for salvation, and I could almost feel their icy breaths brushing against my skin, chilling me to the bone.

And each time, the call seemed to originate from one place: Vortex Academy. The thought of it had lingered in my mind for too long, like a storm gathering strength. What would happen if I failed to respond? 

Would the dragons be lost forever, their cries silenced by the forces that bound them? The weight of that possibility pressed down on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

But leaving Aetheria Academy meant more than a mere change of scenery; it meant parting ways with my family, my brothers, and my closest friends. The very idea sent a shiver of uncertainty through me. Was I truly ready to make that leap?

Yet the visions had intensified, clawing at my resolve. I couldn't keep this hidden any longer. My brothers, especially Adrian, had begun to notice my distracted demeanor during our conversations, the way my thoughts drifted to realms beyond their comprehension.

"Arvi, you're lost in thought again," Adrian's voice sliced through the air, laced with a mix of concern and suspicion. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," I mumbled, forcing a smile that felt more like a mask than a genuine expression. "Just academy stuff. You know how it is." But the worry in his eyes told me he wasn't convinced.

Today, my friends had reached their limit. After combat training, they formed a protective circle around me near the academy gardens, the golden glow of the evening sun casting long shadows that mirrored the darkness I sensed in my visions.

"Spill it, Arvi," Sofia said, her voice firm and commanding, breaking through the tension thickening the air. Her gaze was intense, as if willing me to open up. "We're not leaving until you tell us what's really going on."

I glanced around, feeling the weight of their anticipation. My friends had stood by me through thick and thin, but this—this felt like a perilous crossing into unknown territory.

"Alright," I sighed, gathering my courage. "But you have to promise not to freak out." They nodded, their eyes wide with curiosity and concern.

Taking a deep breath, I began to share my burden, my voice trembling slightly with the weight of what I was about to reveal. "For weeks now, I've been having... visions. I know it sounds ridiculous, but I think elemental dragons are reaching out to me."

As I spoke, the memories of those visions flooded my mind—each one more vivid than the last. I could almost feel the rush of emotions that accompanied them, the fear and desperation resonating deep within me. 

"They're in some kind of trouble," I continued, trying to articulate the chaos swirling inside me. "I don't know why, but it all seems connected to Vortex Academy."