Eldryn Academy Of Elementals

Mira stood at the edge of the craggy shore, the wind whipping at her cloak as she caught her breath. The old lighthouse loomed behind her, its faded stone walls a silent witness to her departure.

And then-

"Mira!"

Before she could react, a familiar figure tackled her into a tight embrace.

Aria.

Mira gasped as she was nearly knocked off balance, but a laugh escaped her lips. "You're crushing me."

Aria pulled back, eyes shining. "You disappeared on me! Three weeks and barely a few phone calls!"

Mira grinned sheepishly. "It was complicated."

Aria huffed. "I'll bet. And I'll demand all the details once we're safely on board." She glanced over her shoulder. "But first, we need to move."

The wind carried an ominous scent of salt and something unnatural. Across the distant waters, near Crescent Bay-the previous docking station- the sea churned in defiance of nature. The storm that had brewed there wasn't moving toward land.

It was waiting. Watching.

"They were expecting us there," Aria muttered, eyes narrowing. "But not here."

Mira followed her gaze. The new location was untouched, hidden beneath layers of enchantments and old magic. For now, they were safe.

Then-a deep horn sounded over the water.

The Tide Skimmer had arrived.

---

The sleek vessel cut through the waves with urgency. Even from a distance, Mira could see the crew moving with tight efficiency. The moment the ship reached the dock, Captain Lysara's voice rang out.

"No time for pleasantries! Get on board, now!"

Students didn't need to be told twice. One by one, they leaped onto the boarding plank, boots thudding against the wooden deck.

Mira and Aria scrambled up as well, scanning the gathered faces. Most were accounted for-except one.

"Where's Riven?" Mira asked, searching the deck.

Aria shook her head. "He's not coming. Elemental-borns don't take the Skimmer."

Right. Mira had nearly forgotten-Riven, like others from elemental families, had his own way of returning to the Academy. He didn't need the ship.

A sharp gust of wind pulled her attention back to the sea. The unnatural storm over Crescent Bay was moving.

Toward them.

Captain Lysara gritted her teeth, adjusting the wheel. "Damn it. Hold on tight!"

The Tide Skimmer lurched forward, cutting away from the shore.

And the storm followed.

---

It wasn't just bad weather.

The storm chased them.

The waves rose unnaturally, pulling at the ship as if trying to drag it off course. The winds howled, twisting around them like invisible hands trying to turn the wheel.

The crew worked relentlessly. Water Elementalists struggled to steady the tides. Wind Elementalists countered the storm's unnatural force. But whatever was controlling this storm-it was stronger than them.

Captain Lysara's voice rang through the storm.

"Secure the hull! Keep the ship steady!"

Mira clung to the railing, watching as the storm clouds pulsed with eerie light.

Something-or someone-was guiding it.

The Captain knew it too. She turned sharply to her First Mate. "Get me a connection to the Academy-now."

A crew member rushed below deck, activating a communication crystal embedded in the ship's core. A moment later, a faint voice crackled through the storm's interference.

"Tide Skimmer, report."

Captain Lysara's grip on the wheel tightened. "We have a situation. An unnatural storm is attempting to reroute us. We're being pulled off course."

A pause. Then-

"Hold position as long as you can. Help is on the way."

But how long would that take?

---

The storm's pressure increased. Waves crashed against the hull, and the ship tilted dangerously.

Then-

A flash of golden light erupted on the main deck.

Two figures stood where there had been empty space just moments before.

Grandmaster Ashen Vail and Grandmaster Elara Tidewell.

Their cloaks barely moved in the unnatural wind, their presence alone forcing back some of the chaotic energy in the air.

Captain Lysara exhaled in relief. "Took your time."

Ashen Vail's gaze swept the storm. "You called. We answered."

Elara Tidewell wasted no time. He stepped forward, raising his hands. The moment he did, the ocean shifted.

The storm pushed.

He pushed back.

The waves trembled under his control, forcing the unnatural current away from the ship. Ashen Vail, meanwhile, lifted a hand toward the sky. The howling winds stopped midair, as if frozen by an unseen force.

Then, with a single motion, he snapped his fingers.

A deep pulse echoed through the air-like reality itself had been corrected.

The storm shattered.

What was once an overwhelming force collapsed, its influence torn apart by sheer elemental power.

The sea stilled. The air cleared. The path to the Academy was safe once more.

---

Far away, in a darkened chamber, Ethan stood motionless.

He stared at the blank screen before him, fists clenched. His men had already reported back.

Mira was gone.

The plan had failed.

A slow, deliberate clap echoed through the room.

Ethan turned stiffly. His employer-the real mastermind-sat in the shadows.

"How predictable," the voice drawled, laced with condescension. "You failed."

Ethan gritted his teeth. "It wasn't my fault. Someone interfered-"

The figure shifted, eyes glinting. "Excuses bore me."

Ethan felt a chill creep down his spine. His employer wasn't just displeased. They were done with him.

"Leave."

Ethan's hands clenched at his sides. He wanted to protest-but he knew better. With one last glance at the screen, he turned and walked out.

This wasn't over.

---

The rest of the journey was smoother, though the tension still lingered.

By the time the Tide Skimmer reached the Academy's harbor, the morning sun was rising, casting golden light over the towering spires.

Mira stepped onto the dock, heart still pounding from the night's chaos.

Aria stretched beside her. "Well, that was dramatic."

Mira huffed a tired laugh. "Welcome back, I guess."

But even as they walked up the winding path toward the Academy, Mira knew-

The danger can be looming over any corner waiting for a slip.