We made our way back to the training area, where Zane began to prepare for the next phase of the session. As we waited for the wind god to appear, Zane shared some of his own experiences with facing elemental beings in the forest, offering advice on how to anticipate their attacks and counter them effectively. I listened intently, my mind racing with pretend strategies and tactics.
When the wind god finally appeared, its powerful form swirling around them, Zane signaled for me to begin. The wind god charged at me, his breath destabilizing the ground beneath my feet. I dodged nimbly to the side, using the element of air to deflect some of his attacks. I summoned my own elemental power, focusing it into a shield that protected me from the worst of the wind god's assault.
The battle was intense, with each opponent testing the other's strengths and weaknesses. The wind god's attacks were fast and relentless, seeking to wear me down, while I struggled to maintain my defenses and launch counterattacks. I felt the wind god's power pressing against me, threatening to overwhelm my senses and make it impossible to concentrate.
But I fought through it, drawing upon my own reserves of strength and determination. I focused my energy, summoning a blast of fire that sent the wind god stumbling backward. As the wind god recovered, I countered with a barrage of fire shards, forcing it to retreat once more.
The battle with the fire god was even more intense. The heat was unbearable, the flames licking at my skin and threatening to consume me. I fought back, using the wind to create a wall that shielded me from the worst of the fire god's attacks. My movements were precise and calculated as I danced around the flames, weaving a network of wind that trapped the fire god within its immaterial prison.
As the battle raged on, I felt my energy begin to wane. I could feel the exhaustion creeping up on me, threatening to make my movements sluggish and uncoordinated. I knew that I had to find a way to conserve my strength or risk losing the fight. Drawing upon every ounce of determination I possessed, I focused my energy inward, searching for a way to sustain myself through the battle.
The wind god, sensing my weakness, pressed his attack harder, using his powerful gusts to try and knock me off balance. I fought back with renewed determination, using the wind and fire to deflect the wind god's attacks and creating a protective barrier of both elements to shield myself from the worst of the assault. I summoned a small burst of air, striking the wind god and forcing him to stumble backward.
As the fire god emerged, his blazing form illuminating the training area with an unnatural light, I braced myself for the onslaught. The heat was almost unbearable, but I forced myself to remain calm and focused. I created a wall of wind around myself, using it to deflect the fire god's attacks and protect me from the intense heat. I then began to weave a complex pattern of wind and fire, trapping the fire god again within its immaterial sharp walls.
Niam, sensing the opportunity, attacked me from behind. I felt the chilly breath on my neck and quickly summoned dodged to the side to evade. Turning to face the wind god, I moved with grace. My movements were fluid and precise as I deflected his attacks. Fighting both elemental beings at once, I could feel the strain on my energy mounting. I knew I had to find a way to conserve my strength if I wanted to survive the battle.
As the fire god emerged, his flames dancing menacingly around him, I felt a new surge of determination. Focusing my energy inward, I searched for a way to sustain myself. I channelled my power through my hands, creating a vortex of wind that trapped the wind god within its swirling prison. With the wind god neutralized, I turned my attention to the fire god. My movements were graceful and deliberate, I felt the phoenix stirring within, but I suppressed the elemental force that threatened to consume the remainder of my strength.
The battle raged on, and the air around us was filled with the sounds of clashing elemental forces. I fought with a newfound ferocity, my movements becoming more natural as I found my rhythm. The fire god was relentless, his attacks growing more powerful with each passing moment, but I met each assault with equal determination. I weaved a complex pattern of attacks, forcing Zane backward. I swear that I saw him grin with pride.
The battle began to turn in my favor, and I felt a surge of energy course through my veins. I channeled this newfound strength into a powerful attack, unleashing a torrent of wind at the fire god. The assault caught the elemental being off guard, sending him stumbling backward and allowing me to escape his grasp. Zane mumbled in displeasure.
With the wind god and fire god defeated, I stood panting, my chest heaving. I had survived the training session, but the exhaustion was overwhelming. My limbs felt like lead, and I could feel myself beginning to sway on my feet. As my vision started to blur and my senses grew distant, I knew that I had to find a way to gather my strength or risk fainting. Drawing upon every last reserve of willpower, I closed my eyes and focused on the touch of the wind against my skin.
The wind howled around me, buffeting my body as it swirled and eddied. At first, the sensation was unpleasant, threatening to knock me off balance and send me tumbling to the ground. But as I breathed deeply, I began to feel the wind taking a softer shape, tamed. I imagined the energy flowing through my veins, coursing through my body, and merging with the wind that surrounded me.
I opened her eyes, focusing on the wind god once more. Niam stood before me, his features twisted into a mocking smile. "You think you're ready to face the real enemy?" he taunted. "We only used a bit of our strength against you. The real enemy will be stronger, faster, and more cunning. They will test you in ways you cannot even begin to imagine."
I narrowed her eyes, steeling myself against the wind god's words. "I am ready," I said, my voice strong and steady. "Bring on your strongest opponent." The wind god grinned.
"I am glad that your spirit is not broken." Niam said, hesitant. "We need you to go outside the protective barrier of this forest to the human world to find the young man who claims to be related to you."
"We haven't sensed any magic in him, but he ran away just before he passed the third trial. He passed the first two. There must be a part of himself that he doesn't want to face. If he's a threat to you, then he must be watched." Zane explained, clenching his fists. The idea of throwing me into danger to avoid a bigger threat did not please the fire deity.
"Why can't you?" I asked, "I mean, could you at least come with me, if not on our own?" The only world I knew was the borders of our village and the stories I heard of the world beyond the dense forest. Metropolis and skyscrapers were images I saw in books.
"We can't locate him, even if we go. We figured that a human had a better chance at finding another human." Zane scratched the back of his head, attempting to explain the complexity of the situation in simpler words.
"Jace doesn't want another ice maker going berserk kind of situation." Niam clarified the urge to locate the young man who claimed to be my twin. "Though it pains me to say it, Brod will go with you. Zane is too impulsive, and I need to keep an eye on him."
"What about Jace?" I asked.
"Jace is busy." Niam replied. "Among us, he has the most responsibilities regarding the mortal realm and the immortal kingdom.
"One more round before dinner?" Zane asked to dismiss the silence that threatened to follow Niam's words.
"When do I leave?" I was reluctant to exit the haven that protected me.
"In the morning." Niam replied.
"Guys, are you ready or what?" Zane took a stance, bracing himself for our next round of sparring.