The training field had become their second home. Every morning, Icarus, Rowan, Selene, and Sir Alaric gathered there, sparring, sweating, and occasionally screaming when things caught fire unexpectedly.
Today was no different. The air buzzed faintly with residual magic as the sun climbed over the horizon.
"Alright, apprentices!" Sir Alaric boomed, standing proudly atop a barrel for extra height. "Today's lesson: elemental control! Yesterday, we tested your affinity. Today, we master it—or at least, try not to burn down the village in the process."
Rowan raised his hand immediately. "Question: if we accidentally burn down the village, does that mean we fail?"
"Yes," Alaric said flatly.
Rowan lowered his hand. "Noted. I'll aim for the river instead."
Icarus's Demonstration
"Moonborn," Alaric said, gesturing dramatically, "you first. Show us fire."
Icarus stepped forward, raising his hand calmly. He whispered a word, barely audible, and a flame bloomed above his palm. Not a wild, raging blaze, but a steady, perfect sphere of fire, pulsing with controlled heat.
Rowan leaned in, eyebrows wiggling. "Of course, Moon-Eyes makes it look easy. I bet he can roast a chicken with just a stare."
Icarus ignored him, shifting his fingers slightly. The fireball elongated into a thin ribbon, curling around his wrist like a bracelet. He flicked it outward, and it shot into the air before dissolving into harmless sparks.
Selene clapped softly. "Beautiful. Like moonlight dancing as flame."
Rowan grumbled, "Yeah, yeah, poetic. Wait until you see my fire."
Rowan's Turn
Rowan stepped up, puffing his chest out. "Behold, the mighty Rowan will now summon a fireball that will put even dragons to shame!"
He closed his eyes, muttering a spell. For a moment, nothing happened. Then—pffft—a tiny puff of smoke escaped his fingertips.
"Ah-ha!" Rowan declared proudly. "The beginning of greatness!"
But then the smoke curled into his sleeve, and a faint ember lit the cloth. His eyes widened. "Uh… is it supposed to do that?"
The sleeve caught fire instantly. Rowan screamed, flailing his arms. "I'M ON FIRE! I'M DYING! TELL MY MOTHER I LOVE HER!"
Selene gasped, about to cast water magic, but Icarus simply raised his hand and snapped his fingers. A cool wave of water splashed over Rowan, dousing the flames.
Rowan stood dripping wet, his hair plastered to his forehead. "…See? Totally under control."
Alaric groaned. "This is going to be a long decade."
Selene's Precision
"Your turn, Princess," Alaric said.
Selene nodded gracefully and lifted her hand. A small orb of water formed, clear and shimmering. She focused, and the water stretched into a thin whip. With one flick of her wrist, she sliced cleanly through a wooden training dummy.
Rowan's jaw dropped. "Remind me never to make you angry."
Selene smirked. "Wise choice."
Her eyes flicked to Icarus, who watched her with quiet approval. He nodded. "Your control is sharp. Refined."
A faint blush colored her cheeks. "Thank you."
Rowan, of course, ruined the moment. "Wow, Selene. Show-off much?"
She flicked the whip again, sending a spray of water directly into Rowan's face. He sputtered, glaring. "I deserved that."
"Yes," Selene said sweetly.
Alaric's Hidden Side
"Now," Alaric said, stretching his arms, "let me remind you children why I'm the Commander."
Rowan muttered, "Because no one else wanted the job?"
Alaric drew his sword in a blur of motion. Before anyone could blink, he slashed at three rune stones simultaneously. Fire, water, and air responded in harmony, creating a dazzling storm of elements that whirled harmlessly around him, controlled with absolute precision.
The display lasted only a moment, but it was enough to silence everyone.
Icarus's eyes narrowed slightly. So beneath all that clumsiness, he truly is a master.
Selene whispered, "Incredible."
Rowan scratched his head. "Huh. I thought he was just a funny guy who eats our food."
Alaric winked at Rowan. "Both can be true."
Bond of Companions
Training dragged into the afternoon. Icarus mastered small applications of each element: flame into light, water into mist, wind into sharp gusts, and earth into shields. Selene practiced precision, striking targets with unfailing accuracy. Rowan… well, Rowan created a cloud of smoke so thick he couldn't see his own hands.
"Victory!" Rowan shouted from within the smoke. "They can't defeat what they can't see!"
"You can't see either," Selene pointed out.
"…Details," Rowan coughed.
Icarus, wiping sweat from his brow, looked at his companions. A princess with sharp wit and sharper talent, a fool with an earnest heart, and a clumsy commander hiding immense power. Strange allies, perhaps—but already, they felt like family.
And as he stood there, silver eyes catching the last rays of sunlight, he thought: This is only the beginning. One day, we'll face more than dummies and flames. One day, the world will need us