When Silence Speaks Louder: A Game of Trust and Unity
Arvanya's POV:
We walked toward the secret spot behind the academy, the air thick with anticipation. Ryker had told Lila about the place earlier. We spoke in low voices, careful not to attract attention, as our plans for the game took shape.
Kai's green eyes flicked to the walls, his thoughts clearly elsewhere. "Focus on defense in the first round," he said, his voice steady. "They'll tire themselves out."
Nico turned toward him, his fiery red hair catching the sunlight. "If we go too passive, they'll bury us. We need to strike fast — shock them."
Ahead, Lila glanced back over her shoulder, her lips curling into a small, knowing smirk. She tapped her temple twice. We all caught the signal, a silent promise. Our secret language — one we'd invented as kids, a way of communicating without words during games, back when it was all about pride and fun. Now, with magical stakes, that playful language was more vital than ever.
I grinned at Lila's gesture, feeling a surge of nostalgia mixed with the thrill of the game ahead. My mind raced, old strategies colliding with new ideas, all fighting for dominance.
Esme walked beside me, her dark curls bouncing with each step. "If we split into two groups, we could flank them — too many targets for them to handle."
"That could work," Calen's voice was quiet, but his words anchored the group. "But you need perfect timing. One mistake, and you're trapped."
Dante nudged Sofia with a grin. "Or we could charm them into surrendering. Works every time."
Sofia rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "If your charm worked as well as your fire magic, we'd be unbeatable."
We reached the back gate of the academy. Lila raised her hand in a quick, fluid motion — Follow me. Without hesitation, we fell into line behind her, the sunlight dappling through the trees, casting long shadows at our feet. The air smelled fresh, like grass and earth after rain, a sharp contrast to the tension building inside me.
We walked for few minutes, the path narrowing, the trees growing taller, until we broke into a clearing. The ground stretched wide before us, ringed by towering trees, their thick trunks a fortress of silent strength. The earth beneath our feet was hard-packed, with faint, barely noticeable markings on the surface — remnants of past movements, a secret hidden from the untrained eye.
Sofia stepped forward, her breath catching as she took in the scene. "Whoa... this place is perfect."
Nico let out a low whistle, his gaze sweeping the clearing. "It's like a hidden training ground. No one would find us here."
I walked toward the edge of the clearing, my hand brushing the rough bark of a tree, grounding me. The whole place seemed to hum with a subtle, quiet energy, as if the forest itself was watching us. The trees stood like silent sentinels, their branches swaying gently in the breeze, casting soft shadows on the ground. Beneath my fingertips, I felt a faint stir deep within me — my nature dragon shifting, responding to the life pulsing around us. The sensation was soft but powerful, like a quiet promise whispered on the wind.
Lila turned to us, her eyes alight with excitement. "All right, let's start planning. If we're going to win, we need to be ready for anything."
She pointed toward the far end of the clearing, where a faint, barely visible line was etched into the earth. "That line over there—that's where they always set the goal. Ryker told me about it. This place was created by Ryker, Zane and Lucian to work in peace and practice for competitions. After them, only we know about this place now."
There was a moment of silence as everyone took in her words. Then, one by one, murmurs of admiration filled the air.
"They really knew what they were doing," Kai said, his voice low with respect.
"It's so peaceful here... like the forest itself protects the place," Esme added, her gaze sweeping the clearing.
Dante gave a nod, a rare smile flickering across his face. "Perfect spot for training. They built something special."
I shared a look with the others. The spark of excitement that flickered between us felt electric, and in that moment, this place — this secret — felt like ours. Hidden away, safe from the world. A perfect sanctuary.
As we gathered in a circle, I noticed Esme and Calen exchanging puzzled glances whenever Lila or Nico used one of our old hand signals. Esme broke the silence. "What's with the signs?"
I smiled, a warm, fond memory bubbling to the surface. "We used to do this when we were kids — a secret sign language. Just for games like this."
Calen raised an eyebrow. "Why didn't we know about this?"
Kai, always the warm one, shrugged with a smile. "We only met you after we joined the academy. But we can teach you."
Lila clapped her hands together, eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. "Exactly! It'll give us an edge."
Dante, leaning casually against a tree, smirked. "As long as it's not too complicated."
I crossed my arms, eyes twinkling. "First, we need a ball to show you how we used to play."
Nico's expression faltered. "Uh... we don't have one... forgot it."
I raised an eyebrow, a grin tugging at my lips. "Don't worry. I've got an idea."
I stepped toward the edge of the clearing, fingers brushing the moss. Closing my eyes, I let my power stir beneath my fingertips. The earth responded, a ripple of energy flowing through me as my dragon's presence wrapped around me, warm and familiar. I let my power seep into the ground, coaxing it to shape.
Vines unfurled, twisting together to form a perfect, round ball. It hovered gently above the ground, glowing faintly with green energy, before settling into my hand.
The group fell silent. I could feel their eyes on me, especially Esme and Calen, who were unaccustomed to seeing me use my powers so openly.
Esme's voice was barely a whisper. "Your nature dragon is... amazing." She stared at the ball in my hand, wide-eyed. "Sometimes, I'm honestly envious of you. No one else has the nature element."
Calen's gaze flickered from me to the ball, his curiosity piqued. "Can you show us? All your elemental powers, just once?"
Esme leaned forward, eyes bright. "Please? I want to see."
I glanced at the others, a silent exchange passing between us. Nico let out a small snort, arms crossed. "Oh sure, because watching Arvi use her powers every day back in Aquara is such a rare event. A once-in-a-lifetime experience."
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The group chuckled, and I rolled my eyes, trying to hide the grin tugging at my lips.
"Fine." I tossed the ball to Nico, who caught it with ease, his smirk widening. "I'll show you."
Stepping into the center of the clearing, I closed my eyes, steadying my breath. Slowly, I reached deep inside myself — toward the presence of my dragons. One by one, they stirred, their warmth unfurling in response. The familiar surge of energy pulsed through me — cool like water, steady like earth, sharp like air, blazing like fire, and vibrant like nature.
With a breath, I lifted my hand. Water swirled around my fingers, droplets catching the sunlight. The breeze stirred, spiraling around me. The earth trembled beneath my feet as small stones danced. Vines twined around my wrists, blooming with tiny flowers. Finally, with a flick of my fingers, a small flame flickered to life in my palm.
The elements circled me, weaving together in a slow, hypnotic dance — living, breathing extensions of myself. The air thickened with the scent of fresh rain, blooming flowers, and crackling fire — a blend only I could create.
Esme's mouth dropped open, her eyes wide. Calen's usually calm face flickered with awe, his breath catching.
"You're... incredible," Esme whispered.
I let the elements fade, each one retracting back into me. The familiar warmth of my dragons settled like a soft pulse in my chest.
Nico clapped slowly, his smirk returning. "All right, show-off. Now let's win this game."
Esme and Calen stood off to the side, their attention fully on the group as we began to demonstrate our secret sign language. The air around us felt charged with anticipation, and the clearing seemed to grow quieter, as if the trees themselves were watching our movements.
Lila was the first to raise her hand, making a subtle flicking motion with her fingers. "Follow my lead," she instructed, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Without missing a beat, we all mirrored the sign, fingers making sharp, quick movements in the air. A series of fluid gestures — a tap of the fingers, a flick of the wrist, a soft touch to the chest — each one meant something, each one connected to a part of the game. The old sign language we'd created as kids was intricate, but it was second nature to us now.
I moved next, demonstrating the signs that signaled a pass. First, I made a circular motion with my hand, palm open, sending the message of 'ready.' Then I flicked my fingers forward, the sign for 'pass,' directing the ball in my hands toward Lila. Her eyes sparkled as she caught it with a precise gesture of her own, palms open to cradle the ball.
Kai's turn came next. He made a sweeping motion with his hand, signaling that the ball was coming to him, his body turning to match the fluidity of the gesture. Nico added a playful spin as he moved toward Lila to receive the ball. His wrist snapped in the air, a sign of quick attack — "Fast move," it meant.
Esme and Calen observed every movement, their eyes wide with concentration. Esme's gaze was fixed on Lila's hands, her fingers making sharp, controlled gestures as she called out the next pass. Calen, quiet and steady, studied the subtle shifts in our stances, noting how each of us shifted positions almost instinctively.
As we moved around the clearing, the ball passed from hand to hand with practiced precision. Each movement, each gesture was perfectly timed. A sign to move left. A flick to dodge. A tap to indicate a feint. The choreography flowed seamlessly between us, with each of us communicating without ever speaking a word. It was as if the ball, the game, and our bond existed entirely in the language of our bodies.
The game wasn't just about passing the ball anymore. It was about the dance of the elements, the silent understanding, the quiet rhythm we had built together over the years. With each sign, our movements grew sharper, more precise, like a well-rehearsed performance.
Esme leaned in toward Calen, her voice barely above a whisper. "How are they doing that?" she asked, wide-eyed.
Calen's brow furrowed as he watched. "It's like... a language of its own. A way to communicate faster than words."
I caught their gaze as I performed a quick flick of my wrist, signaling a fast pass to Kai, who leapt into action with a quick burst of movement, sending the ball to Nico in a perfect arc. The flow of energy between us was palpable, our powers humming just beneath our skin, adding an unspoken intensity to each motion.
Esme and Calen stood silently, eyes glued to the display of unity and precision. Their curiosity was evident, their expressions a mixture of awe and admiration. Neither of them had ever seen anything like this before — a connection between us that was built not just on magic, but on years of shared experience, trust, and the language we had crafted.
Finally, as we paused for a moment, I glanced over at Esme and Calen, who were still processing the fluid movements.
"Think you're ready to join in?" I asked, a smile tugging at the corner of my lips.
Esme raised her hand to her temple, mimicking the gesture Lila had made earlier, a clear sign of interest.
Calen cracked a rare smile, his eyes flicking between the rest of us. "I think I'm beginning to understand," he said, his voice quiet but full of wonder.
Lila turned to Esme and Calen, her expression thoughtful. "It's all about timing and trust," she said. "We don't just pass the ball. We pass the idea — the intention — before the movement. You'll catch on."
Esme stepped forward, her eyes flickering with uncertainty as she joined the circle. As we resumed the practice, she struggled to keep up. Her hands hesitated, her fingers fumbling through the signs. When Lila signaled a pass to her, Esme missed it entirely, blinking in confusion. The ball sailed past her, bouncing on the ground. Other times, the ball would smack against her hands or hit her shoulder when she misread the signs, drawing winces from the rest of us.
Calen, watching from the side, couldn't resist. "I think I was lucky not to pick that paper. This whole thing looks like a secret code from another world."
Esme shot him a glare, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Lucky? You think you're lucky? Try standing here, watching me play while you're stuck on the sidelines because of that paper."
Calen's smirk widened, but he said nothing, letting Esme wrestle with the unfamiliar language.
We kept moving, demonstrating the same signs over and over — pass, dodge, move left, quick attack. Little by little, Esme's eyes sharpened, her mind catching onto the rhythm. She began to mirror our motions more accurately, though slower than the rest of us.
Nico threw the ball toward her with a flick of his wrist. This time, Esme caught the sign just in time, but the ball still bounced off her hands. She huffed, brushing her hair out of her face, but the spark of determination in her eyes grew stronger.
"Not bad," I said, grinning.
Esme's lips twitched into a smile, but her concentration stayed locked on the signs.
As the minutes passed, our powers began to weave into the practice — small bursts of water, air, and fire crackling along with the passes. When Esme finally caught the rhythm of the signs, she joined in with her powers — her air element stirring faintly around her, a soft breeze swirling near her fingertips.
When she flicked her wrist to pass the ball to Sofia, a light gust accompanied the motion, giving the ball just enough lift to reach its target.
"See?" Lila teased, winking. "You're catching on."
Esme's chest rose with pride, her smile growing.
Calen finally broke the silence, crossing his arms tighter. "Still looks complicated to me."
Esme flicked her wrist at him in mock pass — a perfect sign — and this time, the ball sailed right toward him, making him flinch at the last second.
"Catch up, Calen."
The whole group laughed, the bond between us growing stronger as the practice carried on — one sign at a time.
Sofia clapped her hands, breaking the comfortable buzz of laughter. "Okay, let's start with the team-up thing and try to make some goals."
"Oh well..." Lila smirked, crossing her arms. "It's going to be interesting... but first, I think we should have a different match."
We all looked at her curiously. I raised an eyebrow, sensing that she had something cooking in her mind.
Lila's eyes flicked towards me, her grin widening. "Yesterday, Ryker and Zane said Lucian is a five-elemental, so that's why his team only has three members, and they've still been winning for the last three years. Don't you all want to see if Arvi can do that too? If she..."—she paused dramatically—"is more powerful than Lucian or not?"
A tiny voice whispered in my head. I'd never thought about comparing myself to Lucian — not like that. He was... ruthless, feared, the untouchable fire prince who had been training for years. But the question hung in the air, heavier than any playful challenge. Could I really match him, standing alone against a team, and still come out on top?
I was also practicing since I had gotten my powers. My dad and brothers never went easy on me — always pushing, always testing. Every sparring session, every lesson was designed to break my limits, both physically and magically.
But the truth was... I had no idea who was more powerful between us — or if we were equals.
Nico's grin grew wider, and his eyes sparkled with excitement. "Ohhh... that's a great idea! One side Arvi alone, and on the other, all of us. Let's see if she still wins or not."
Kai's chuckle was low and teasing, but there was something in his voice that made it clear this wouldn't be an easy match. "I kinda like this plan. What do you say, Arvi? Are you up for the challenge?"
I could feel the challenge building inside me, the urge to prove myself rising like a tide. I crossed my arms and let out a small, confident smirk.
"You're on."
The group exchanged glances, and a collective excitement buzzed in the air. Nico cracked his knuckles, ready to face me. Lila's grin widened into a full, daring smile. Kai's stance shifted, his earth dragon energy palpable, and Sofia's eyes narrowed, a spark of competition igniting within her.
Who do you think is more powerful?
