In the grip of Elements

Chapter 4

The past two weeks felt like an endless loop of frustration. While everyone around me made strides, tackling tougher assignments with ease, I was still struggling to summon my element and knock over the training dummy. Sure, I managed to make it wobble a bit, but that was hardly progress. I could tell Orion noticed my struggle; he began spending more time focused on me, rather than the others.

"It's just not happening," I said, frustration bubbling to the surface as we wrapped up today's session.

"It will," he replied, his own annoyance creeping in. "You just need to stop overthinking it."

"I'm not! The stupid dummy just won't budge!" I shot back, my voice rising.

My peers exchanged sympathetic glances, while other groups erupted in laughter, just like they had been for days. Normally, I could brush it off, but today was different. Anger surged within me, and I turned on my heel, storming away.

"Aella, come back here!" Orion called after me.

"Ugh," I groaned, not slowing down. "Can't you just give me a moment?"

I caught a glimpse of him relaying orders to Blaze while the others cleared the training grounds. He approached me with a mix of frustration and concern etched on his face.

"What's wrong?" he asked, his tone softening. "This isn't just about the training."

He saw right through me. I realized then how much he had been trying to help. He'd been spending extra time with me, even coming to get me after dinner for private advice, away from the snickering groups. But despite his efforts, I still felt lost.

Taking a deep breath, I weighed the risk of confiding in him. Maybe he was trustworthy enough.

"Remember what I said on the first day of training?" I asked, my voice wavering slightly.

"Yeah, you mentioned something about the Elemental test being wrong," he replied, his brow furrowing.

I hesitated, gathering my thoughts. "The day of my test, something strange happened. They announced I belonged to air, but it felt like my test wasn't finished. It was like there was something inside me, pushing to break free. After I stepped off the platform, that feeling faded away."

I paused, searching his eyes for understanding. "Since we started training, every time I try to summon my powers, that feeling comes back. It's starting to scare me..."

Orion's expression changed. "Have you told anyone else about this," he asked.

"No," I replied. "Do you know what it means?"

A spark of hope ignited within me, flickering like a candle in the dark.

He shook his head. "No, but it's best not to tell anyone. Not until we do."

We. The word hung in the air, unfamiliar yet thrilling. I pushed the feeling aside and nodded, my heart racing.

"Let's try again. Maybe let it fill you instead of being scared of it?" he instructed, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.

Nervous energy coursed through me, but if he was right, this could be the key to unlocking everything. I positioned myself in front of the dummy, my breath steadying as I opened myself up. Almost immediately, a heat surged within me, as if something deep inside was straining to break free. I hesitated and glanced at Orion. His encouraging nod propelled me forward.

Taking a deep breath, I embraced the rising tide of power. It burned in my veins, fierce and alive. And then, in a flash, I understood. It wasn't just air—it was fire.