Heart of Elaria

Chapter 5

The arena buzzed with energy as we stepped onto the sunlit course, the air thick with anticipation. The Obstacle Course of Elements sprawled before us, divided into distinct sections that reflected the four elements— fire, water, earth, and air. I could already see other teams navigating the fiery terrain, water hazards, and rocky obstacles, their expressions a mix of determination and sheer panic.

Commander Valen stood at the edge, arms crossed, observing us intently. "Remember," he called out, his voice slicing through the excitement, "this trial is about cooperation. Do not underestimate the power of your combine abilities. Work together, and you will succeed!"

I felt a flutter of nerves as i glanced at my team. Kaelan stood off to the side, his arms crosses and gaze sharp. It was hard to ignore the tension between us, but we had to put it aside if we wanted to get through this trial in one piece. I swallowed my unease, turning to the others.

"Alright let's do this," i said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. But before i could go any further, Kaelan stepped forward, cutting me off with a raised hand.

"I'll handle this," he said smoothly, his voice dripping with authority. "We need to be smart about who handles what."

He turned to Iris first. "You've got light magic, so you're going to be key for the water section. Your illusions can help us to see through the mist and slippery surfaces."

Iris grinned, bouncing slightly on her toes. "Got it! I can make the path clearer, and if we run into any rival teams, I can throw up a decoy or two."

Kaelan barely nodded before moving on, his eyes locking on Sylas. "You've got plant magic, right? Perfect for the earth section. Use those vines of yours to create bridges or pull us up when we need it."

Sylas gave a thumbs up. "No problem. I've got your back."

Next, Kaelan turned to me, his eyes narrowing slightly. I could feel the weight of his gaze, and something in his expression shifted, like he was sizing me up. "And you... what can you do?"

I froze, my stomach twisting in knots. This was the moment I had dreaded. I was the only one of my friends without powers, Gideon's element was earth which helped him on his farm, Fiora was earth and light, it was how she was able to navigate the mining tunnels so well and tend to the farm by herself. Malik and Jace were skilled with water. Jace could find almost any water source and its where Malik's sense of adventure comes from. "I—" I stammered, feeling my face heat up under his scrutiny. "I don't have any abilities. Not yet at least."

For a split second, i saw disbelief flicker across Kaelan's face, followed by frustration. He pinched te bridge of his nose and sighed heavily, clearly trying to keep his cool. "You dont have any abilities," he repeated, as if confirming the absurdity of the statement. "Not even basic elemental magic?"

I shook my head, hating how small i felt under his gaze. "No. i mean, i can fight, and I've trained physically, but... no magic. Not yet." Kaelan let out a short, irritated laugh, shaking his head in disbelief. "Great, just great." He shot me a sharp look, eyes narrowing. "How do you expect to survive the Academy without any abilities?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but my usually quick witted sense of humor seems to have dissipated and i wasn't sure what to say. I had trained for this my whole life, but the magic just... hadn't come yet. It wasn't my fault, but i couldn't deny it made things harder.

"Does it matter?" Sylas interjected, stepping forward. "Liora's still a part of the team. She's got skills that'll help us down the road, even if they're not magic."

Kaelan clenched his jaw but didn't argue. I gave Sylas a grateful smile as Kaelan muttered under his breath, "Fine. We'll work with what we've got. Just stay close, and try not to get in the way." His tone was sharp, but there was a glint of something in his eyes— maybe doubt, maybe concern.