The Elementiels

The earth quaked as the massive dragon burst from the ground, its gaping jaws descending toward Ben in a blur of terror and shadow. Before he could react, Frank surged forward with the speed of desperation, grabbing Ben by the arm and yanking him out of the dragon's maw just as its teeth snapped shut with a deafening crunch. 

Both boys tumbled to the ground, dust swirling around them. "You alright, Ben?" Frank asked.

Ben blinked, still catching his breath. "Yeah… yeah, I'm good. Thanks for the save." He glanced at the beast now circling them. "How did you know it was coming?" 

Frank hesitated, his gaze lingering on the patch of earth where the dragon had emerged. "I don't know. I just… felt it, like a warning ringing in my head." 

Ben raised an eyebrow as he dusted himself off. "Woah, I didn't realize these new armors came with a built-in sixth sense." 

Frank shook his head, his tone resolute. "It wasn't the armor. It was… something else." 

The ground trembled again, and both of them turned to face the dragon as it prowled closer. Ben gripped his sword tightly and assessed the creature with a practiced eye. "Judging by its energy level, it's a middle-class B dragon. Tough, but manageable." 

Frank smirked, his confidence returning. "Good. Let's take it down." 

With a sharp battle cry, the two raced toward the beast, their movements fluid and synchronized. Ben darted left, slashing at the dragon's flanks, while Frank leapt onto its back, stabbing deep into its head. Their relentless assault overwhelmed the beast, forcing it to collapse with a guttural roar before falling still. 

Elsewhere in the forest, a lightning dragon soared above the treetops, raining bolts of electric fury down on the students below. Victor narrowly dodged a strike that splintered a tree beside him, his armor crackling with residual energy. He exhaled sharply, glancing up at the sky. "If it weren't for this armor, we'd all be fried by now." 

The dragon roared and dived, its talons outstretched. Victor hurled one of his swords with precision, the blade striking the creature's wing and sending it careening to the ground in a violent crash. He smirked, brushing off his hands. "See? That wasn't so—" 

Before he could finish, the dragon rose again, its jaws opening wide to unleash a retaliatory strike. An explosive arrow streaked through the air, embedding itself in the dragon's maw before erupting in a burst of fire and smoke. Victor shielded his face from the blast as the beast collapsed for good. 

When the dust settled, he looked up to see Cynthia approaching, her bow still in hand. She smirked, offering him a hand. "Looks like you're the one who needed saving this time." 

Victor chuckled as he let her help him to his feet. "I had it under control, you know." 

"Sure you did." Cynthia's teasing tone softened as she glanced around, her eyes narrowing when another dragon emerged from the trees, its acidic breath hissing as it sprayed toward them. 

Victor raised his shield, blocking the attack. The acid sizzled on impact, but the reinforced metal held firm. 

"Nice reflexes," Cynthia remarked, nocking another arrow. 

Victor smirked. "Let's take this one down together." 

"Right," Cynthia said, her voice steady as they moved in unison toward the charging beast. 

On another battlefield, Beatrix stood amid a pile of dragon carcasses, her breathing steady despite the chaos around her. Her blade gleamed with blood and sparks of residual lightning as she surveyed her surroundings.

Another dragon, smaller but quicker, shot bolts of lightning towards her. Beatrix sidestepped effortlessly, moving with almost unnatural speed before driving her sword through the creature's neck in a single, fluid motion. 

She exhaled slowly, sitting atop the fallen beast to catch her breath. But before she could fully relax, a shadow fell over her. Another dragon loomed behind her, its jaws wide and ready to strike. 

A flash of silver streaked through the air as Adam's sword pierced the dragon's skull, killing it instantly. Beatrix turned sharply, her eyes narrowing as Adam approached. 

"I didn't need your help," she said flatly, standing and dusting herself off. 

Adam smiled, unbothered by her tone. "I could see that. But working together is kind of the point here." 

Beatrix crossed her arms, her expression unimpressed. "What's the point when it's this easy? With this armor, I could handle every dragon here myself." 

Adam's smile faded slightly, replaced with calm reason. "Maybe. But every dragon we've faced so far has been low or middle class. We haven't run into a high-class dragon yet, and trust me—you don't want to fight one of those alone." 

Beatrix raised an eyebrow, her confidence unwavering. "If it's a high-class dragon, at least the fight will be interesting." 

As if on cue, the trees ahead rustled violently, and a pack of dragons emerged, their glowing eyes locking onto the pair. 

Adam glanced at Beatrix, his grip tightening on his sword. "So… you want to team up for this one?" 

Beatrix sighed, her lips curving into a faint smirk. "Fine. Just don't get in my way." 

With a shared glance, they charged at the approaching dragons, their movements harmonizing as steel clashed against scales and fire illuminated the forest.

From the vantage point atop the hill, Commander Elijah stood tall, his dark cloak billowing slightly in the wind as he observed the battlefield. Beside him, Captain Will peered through a spyglass, scanning the chaos below. "Everything seems to be progressing well so far," Will remarked, lowering the glass and rubbing his beard. 

"Yes, the students have proven themselves once again," Captain Sasha added, her tone proud yet measured. 

Elijah nodded. "I expected no less. Their training has prepared them for this moment. But we must remain vigilant." 

As they continued their conversation, a subtle tremor rippled through the ground behind them. Without turning, Elijah's hand went to the hilt of his sword. In a single, fluid motion, he hurled the blade backward, and the metallic thunk of steel meeting flesh echoed in the air. The massive earth dragon that had crept up on them collapsed in a heap, Elijah's sword buried deep in its skull. 

Captain Will turned, his brow raised as he surveyed the fallen beast. "Show off." 

Elijah smirked faintly, retrieving his weapon with ease. "Focus, Captain." He sheathed the blade and resumed walking, the captains falling into step behind him. 

At ground level, Cynthia perched on the carcass of a defeated dragon, wiping sweat from her brow. Victor crouched nearby, examining the lifeless eyes of another beast. His brows were furrowed, deep in thought. 

"Something wrong, Vic?" Cynthia asked, swinging her legs idly. 

Victor didn't look up. "I don't know. These dragons… there's something strange about them. All of them converging here in the South—it's not random." 

Cynthia tilted her head, considering his words. "Maybe. But for now, our job is to make sure no one gets hurt. We can figure out the why later." 

Victor straightened, his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword. "You're right," he said, though his tone was still uneasy. 

Before Cynthia could respond, Adam appeared from the shadows, his confident stride unmistakable. "Hey, you two. Looks like things are under control here." 

Cynthia jumped to her feet, brushing dirt from her hands and quickly fixing her hair. "Adam! Yeah, everything's fine here. We've got it covered." 

Adam smiled as he approached, his hand reaching up to gently brush a smudge of dirt from her cheek. "You okay?" 

Cynthia froze, her cheeks flooding with color. "Y-yeah… I'm fine."

Victor's eyes flicked between them, his jaw tightening. He stepped closer, resting a hand firmly on Cynthia's shoulder. "We're fine, Adam. You didn't have to come check on us." 

Adam stepped back slightly, a faint look of surprise on his face. "Sorry about that," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "Just thought I'd see if there was anything I could do to help." 

Cynthia's blush deepen more as her gaze lingered on Adam. "He's so… kind," she thought.

Before the tension could thicken further, a shout broke through the moment. "Hey, guys!" 

Frank and Ben emerged from the treeline, the latter looking slightly worse for wear. Cynthia raised an eyebrow. "You two make an unusual pair." 

Frank grinned, clapping Ben on the back. "What can I say? He started sticking to me like glue after I saved his life." 

Ben shrugged, his expression sheepish. "What can I say? He's fast, and I'm not looking to die today." 

Adam approached Ben, his voice calm. "You holding up okay?" 

"I'm fine," Ben replied with a small smile. "Just… a little tensed, I guess." 

The sound of rushing wind cut through the air as Mike descended dramatically from above, landing in a crouch before standing tall and brushing off his armor. He ran a hand through his hair and smirked. "Don't worry, everyone. Your hero is here!" 

The group stared at him, unimpressed. 

Cynthia folded her arms. "Wow. Our savior," she deadpanned, earning laughs from the others. 

"Hey!" Mike huffed, folding his arms. "Don't mock my awesome power!" 

The laughter was interrupted by the rhythmic clatter of hooves. Captain Sasha appeared on horseback, her figure commanding even in the chaos. 

"Captain Sasha!" the students chorused, standing straighter as they saluted. 

"Well done, all of you," she said, her voice firm but tinged with approval. "The commander has requested your presence back at the camp. I've already informed the others. Gather there immediately." 

"Yes, ma'am!" they replied in unison, watching as she rode off toward the hill. 

As the group began walking together, Ben glanced at the others, his brow furrowed. "What do you think this is about?" 

Mike puffed out his chest, grinning. "Obviously, the commander wants to praise me for being amazing out there." 

Cynthia rolled her eyes. "Sure, Mike. That's obviously it." 

Adam chuckled softly, his calm demeanor steadying the group. "Guess we'll just have to wait and see."