Elemental Blitz

4

Rael sat at the edge of the training grounds, watching the other recruits practice spells and sword techniques. He could feel the glares on his back, hear the murmurs of discontent. It wasn’t surprising. He’d embarrassed half of them during the trials, and the rest probably just didn’t like his attitude.

A tall noble, one of the few still standing at the end of the trial, sneered as he walked past Rael. “You think you’re special, don’t you? Just because you got lucky.”

Rael didn’t even bother looking up. “Go f**k yourself.”

The noble bristled, clearly itching for a fight, but he kept walking. Rael sighed. It was only a matter of time before one of them tried to take him down outside of the trials. These nobles had egos as fragile as their spells.

Captain Olysia approached, her eyes sweeping over the field. “You’ve made quite the impression, Phaze.”

Rael raised an eyebrow. “Good or bad?”

“Depends on who you ask.” She grinned. “The nobles want your head. Some of the others are talking about making you an ally. Keep your head on a swivel.”

Rael nodded, watching as a group of nobles gathered on the other side of the field. They were whispering to each other, occasionally glancing in his direction. It didn’t take a genius to figure out they were plotting something.

“I’m not worried,” Rael said. “They’ll try something soon, I’m sure. I leave the clean up to the healers.”

Olysia gave him a long look, then chuckled. “You’ve got confidence. But you’re also not an i***t. Stay sharp.”

Rael stood, grabbing his sword. “Always.”

Later that night, as Rael made his way back to his quarters, he noticed a shadow darting between the buildings. He paused, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area. The academy grounds were mostly deserted at this hour, the other recruits likely either asleep or planning whatever nonsense they were up to.

Rael continued walking, but his senses were on high alert. He could feel the subtle shifts in the air, the telltale signs of magic being prepared. A prismatic shift in the darkness revealed the faint patterns of elemental energy, barely perceptible but definitely there.

He didn’t change his pace, but his mind worked quickly. Whoever was out there wasn’t subtle, and their plan was sloppy. He felt a flicker of amusement.

As he rounded a corner near the barracks, three figures emerged from the shadows—nobles, of course, each holding a different weapon. One had a rapier, the other a short spear, and the last held a glowing orb of magic.

The leader, a guy with a face you’d want to punch on sight, grinned. “Thought you could show us up in the trials, did you, country boy? Let’s see how well you do when it’s not official.”

Rael sighed. “Do we really have to do this?”

The noble with the spear sneered. “Oh, we’re doing this.”

Rael shook his head, rolling his shoulders. “Your funerals.”

The spear-wielding noble lunged first, thrusting toward Rael’s midsection. Rael sidestepped easily, grabbing the spear and yanking it out of the guy’s hands. The noble staggered forward, and Rael smashed the butt of the spear into his stomach, sending him crashing to the ground.

The one with the rapier was faster, darting in with quick, precise strikes. Rael saw the prismatic patterns in the air, predicting the movements before they happened. He dodged each thrust, sidestepped a feint, and caught the rapier mid-strike. With a twist of his wrist, he disarmed the noble and threw the rapier aside.

The last noble, the mage, had been preparing his spell this whole time, and now he released it—a bolt of crackling lightning aimed directly at Rael’s chest. Rael saw the elemental energy shifting in the air, the bright blue and white patterns swirling toward him.

With a flick of his hand, Rael redirected the lightning into the ground. The mage’s eyes went wide with panic, but before he could react, Rael was on him. A quick punch to the jaw sent the mage sprawling to the dirt.

Rael dusted off his hands, looking down at the three groaning nobles. “That was pathetic.”

He turned to leave, but the sound of slow clapping stopped him. Standing in the shadows near the entrance to the barracks was a figure dressed in dark, elegant robes. Rael couldn’t make out the person’s face, but their voice was smooth and amused.

“Impressive,” the figure said. “You handle yourself well.”

Rael frowned. “Who the hell are you?”

The figure stepped forward, revealing themselves to be a woman with sharp features and piercing blue eyes. “Someone who’s been watching you closely. You’ve caught the attention of certain… individuals.”

Rael crossed his arms. “What kind of individuals?”

“Powerful ones,” she said, her smile cold. “People who see potential in you, Rael Phaze. And not just here at the academy. We have interests far beyond these walls.”

Rael narrowed his eyes. “What do you want?”

The woman took a step closer. “We want you to join us. To become part of something greater. The academy is just the beginning, Rael. There’s a much larger game being played, and we believe you could be a key player.”

Rael’s mind raced. He wasn’t stupid. This was no ordinary recruitment. This woman represented something dangerous, something beyond the academy’s politics. But he couldn’t deny that it intrigued him.

“I’ll think about it,” Rael said cautiously.

The woman smiled again, a dangerous glint in her eyes. “Do that. But don’t take too long. Opportunities like this don’t come around often.”

She turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Rael standing there, his thoughts spinning.