A Week of Preparation

The academy had been alive with anticipation all week, whispers of the Elemental Trials echoing in every corridor.

For Evie, the week had been nothing short of grueling.

Her mornings started before dawn, sweat dripping from her brow as she trained relentlessly under the watchful eyes of the four princes. Each of them pushed her to her limits in their own way, their methods vastly different but equally unforgiving.

Seth made her chase the wind, forcing her to feel the air and move with it rather than against it. He had laughed every time she misstepped, but beneath that teasing grin had been an expectation—she had to master this.

Rowan had her standing in the middle of a blazing inferno, the flames licking at her skin. He had demanded control, power, and precision. He refused to let her fear the fire—it had to become her fire.

Duke had dragged her through water illusions so realistic she had nearly drowned on multiple occasions. He had challenged her to see beyond the deception, to trust herself even when the water threatened to consume her.

And Sol...

Sol had taken her deep into the heart of the earth, blindfolded, barefoot, forcing her to listen. To feel the pulse beneath her feet, the steady, unshakable presence of the land itself.

By the end of the week, Evie was exhausted.

Bruised.

Drained.

But she was ready.

___________________________

Evie stood in the academy's grand arena, surrounded by students whispering excitedly. The towering stone walls seemed to hum with magic, the air charged with anticipation.

She turned to the princes. "Aren't you all competing?"

Seth snorted. "We already won our trials, sweetheart. It wouldn't be fair to the rest if we did it again."

Duke grinned, ruffling her hair. "This is your time to shine, Evie."

"But—"

Rowan cut in sharply, his gold eyes burning into her. "You stay safe. No unnecessary risks."

Sol folded his arms. "We'll be watching over you."

Evie huffed. "I'll be fine."

They all shared a look—one of those silent, wordless conversations that drove her insane.

Then, in unison, they each touched her—a hand on her shoulder, a squeeze of her wrist, a brush of fingers against hers.

A silent promise.

We're here. We won't let anything happen to you.

And then—

The trials began. ____________________________________

Trial 1: Air A shimmering portal opened before her, and as soon as she stepped through—

She was falling.

A shriek tore from her throat as she plummeted through an endless sky, the wind roaring past her ears. Below, jagged cliffs waited like silent executioners, ready to tear her apart on impact.

The force of the wind made it impossible to breathe. It stole the air from her lungs, left her helpless.

Panic clawed at her chest.

"The wind is alive, Evie."

Seth's voice echoed in her mind.

"Don't fight it—command it."

She forced herself to think, to push past the terror gripping her.

She reached out—

And pulled.

The air around her shifted, responding to her magic. She felt it swirl, slow, catch her like an unseen embrace.

Her descent softened.

Her body floated just above the cliffs, weightless, suspended in the sky.

A laugh bubbled up in her throat.

She had done it.

She had mastered the wind.

The trial dissolved into nothingness, and she stepped forward—ready for the next. _____________________________ Trial 2: Fire The second she entered, heat swallowed her whole.

Fire raged in a labyrinth of molten walls, shifting unpredictably, licking at her skin with the promise of destruction.

Above her, a glowing countdown began. Ten minutes.

Panic curled in her stomach.

"Fire is not destruction, Evie. Fire is creation."

"It listens to you. You command it."

Rowan's words echoed in her mind.

She forced herself to stand still.

To breathe.

The fire responded.

It flickered toward her, crackling in anticipation—waiting for her to act.

She stretched out her fingers—her magic humming beneath her skin—and the flames parted.

They obeyed.

A clear path revealed itself.

She ran.

She passed. ______________________________ Trial 3: Water The floor vanished.

Evie barely had time to react before she was plunging into an endless abyss of water, cold as ice.

Salt stung her eyes. The current dragged her downward, deeper and deeper into the suffocating darkness.

Her lungs burned.

Panic surged in her chest.

"Don't fight it, love. Water isn't meant to be controlled—it's meant to be understood."

Duke's voice whispered through her mind.

Evie forced herself to stop struggling.

She let go.

And in that moment—

The water lifted her.

It carried her upward, wrapped around her like a protective cocoon.

She broke the surface, gasping for air, and before she could react—

She was on solid ground again.

Trial complete.

Trial 4: Earth Total darkness.

No sound. No light. No air.

A shuddering breath escaped her lips.

"The earth will always hold you, Evie."

"Feel it. Listen to it."

She knelt.

Placed her palm against the cold rock.

A heartbeat.

The earth shifted, parting beneath her touch.

She escaped. ______________________________ Final Trial The battlefield erupted.

Flames roared around her. Tornadoes ripped through the air. Tidal waves crashed from nowhere. The ground beneath her cracked, threatening to swallow her whole.

Every element attacked at once.

Her magic surged.

She burned. She soared. She swam. She commanded.

For the first time, she wasn't just controlling the elements.

She was one with them.

And she won.

A deafening cheer erupted from the students.

The princes stood at the edge of the arena, their eyes filled with relief, pride—

And something more.

She turned to them, breathless, triumphant- When pain tore through her.

A searing force slammed into her chest. Black smoke swirled around it.

Dark magic—poisonous, ancient—writhing through her veins.

Evie staggered, choking on the taste of iron.

The crowd fell silent.

Her wide, disoriented gaze darted to the edge of the arena.

Professor Alaric.

His hand was raised, his magic still crackling around him.

His expression?

Cold.

Emotionless.

He had attacked her.

Her vision blurred.

Someone screamed her name—

The princes ran.

She barely had time to blink before her knees buckled.

And then—warmth.

A strong, steady chest. Arms wrapping around her, shielding her.

Sol.

His voice was raw with panic. "Stay with me, Evie."

The last thing she saw—

Was Alaric's cold, calculating eyes.

And then—

Darkness.