The following day at Golden Crest Academy dawned bright and clear. Lucas woke up with renewed energy, ready to tackle whatever challenges awaited him and his friends. As he got dressed, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation for the day ahead.
“Hey, Lucas! Are you ready?” Aveline called from the doorway, her hair pulled back and her eyes sparkling with excitement.
“Almost! Just need to grab my gear,” Lucas replied, quickly putting on his boots.
“Don’t forget your training staff! You’re going to need it for today’s practice,” Aveline reminded him.
“I won’t! I’ll be right there!” he said, grabbing the staff and heading out.
As they walked together to the training grounds, Lucas could feel the energy in the air. Students rushed past them, talking and laughing, the academy alive with enthusiasm.
“I heard today’s practice is going to focus on teamwork,” Aveline said, glancing at him. “It’s important for our upcoming missions.”
“I can’t wait! I’ve been wanting to improve my coordination with everyone,” Lucas replied. “It’ll be fun to see how we all work together.”
When they arrived at the training grounds, they found Nephy and Rael already waiting for them. Nephy was practicing her wind spells while Rael was doing some stretches.
“Morning, guys!” Nephy greeted, her voice bright. “You’re just in time to see my latest technique.”
“Show us what you’ve got!” Aveline encouraged.
Nephy concentrated, her hands weaving intricate patterns in the air. Suddenly, a gust of wind spiraled around her, lifting leaves off the ground and sending them swirling into a vortex.
“Wow! That’s impressive!” Lucas exclaimed, clapping.
“I’ve been working on it,” Nephy said, grinning. “But I need to master it better before I can use it in combat.”
“Don’t worry; you’ll get there!” Rael assured her, his tone encouraging. “We all have our strengths and weaknesses.”
“Speaking of strengths, I need to practice my swordplay. How about we set up some sparring matches?” Aveline suggested, looking around for a good spot.
“Great idea! Let’s see how well we can support each other during our fights,” Lucas said, feeling excited at the thought.
They began to arrange the training dummies into a makeshift arena. Once set, they decided to pair off and take turns sparring.
“I’ll spar with you first, Rael,” Aveline said, stepping forward with determination.
“Bring it on! I hope you’re ready,” Rael replied, drawing his sword with a grin.
As they sparred, Lucas watched closely, taking notes on their techniques. Aveline was swift and graceful, while Rael utilized his strength to hold his ground. It was clear they had improved since they first met.
“Keep your guard up!” Lucas shouted, seeing Aveline leave herself open for an attack.
“I know! I’m just trying to find an opening!” Aveline retorted, dodging Rael’s swing with a spin.
“Focus on your footing!” Nephy added, watching intently.
After several minutes, the spar ended with Aveline gracefully sidestepping Rael’s final strike and disarming him. 
“Nice move!” Lucas cheered, clapping as Rael pouted playfully.
“Alright, alright! You win this round,” Rael admitted, laughing. “But next time, I’ll get you!”
“Let’s see about that! Who’s up next?” Aveline called out, ready for another match.
“I’ll go! I want to show you what I’ve been working on,” Nephy said, stepping forward.
The training continued with Nephy and Aveline sparring next. Nephy’s agility and wind magic complemented her swordsmanship beautifully. Lucas marveled at how well they worked together, each anticipating the other’s moves.
“Excellent footwork, Nephy! Use that speed to your advantage!” Lucas encouraged.
“Thanks, Lucas! I’m trying to think a few steps ahead,” Nephy replied, dodging Aveline’s thrusts with ease.
When their match concluded, the two girls took a breather, and Lucas stepped forward. “Alright, time for me to get in the mix. Who’s up for a challenge?”
“I’ll take you on!” Rael said, stepping forward with renewed enthusiasm.
As they squared off, Lucas could feel his heart racing. “Just remember, no holding back!”
Rael laughed, “Wouldn’t dream of it!”
Their spar began with both of them testing the waters, circling each other cautiously. Lucas summoned shadows to envelop his staff, enhancing his reach and attack potential.
“Nice trick! But you’ll need more than shadows to defeat me!” Rael taunted, lunging forward.
Lucas blocked the strike, feeling the impact resonate through his staff. “Maybe so, but I’m not just shadows anymore!” he exclaimed, countering with a quick strike aimed at Rael’s side.
Rael parried and swung again, pushing Lucas back a step. The two of them exchanged blows, each one more intense than the last, until Lucas saw an opening and utilized a shadow burst to stagger Rael.
“Gotcha!” Lucas shouted, but Rael recovered quickly, using his momentum to close the gap.
“Not so fast!” Rael yelled, disarming Lucas in a fluid motion.
“Well played,” Lucas admitted, panting lightly. “You’ve really improved!”
“Thanks! Your shadow techniques are pretty impressive too!” Rael replied, breathing heavily.
As they wrapped up their sparring, Aveline clapped her hands together. “Alright, that was awesome, everyone! Now, let’s regroup and discuss what we learned.”
They gathered in a circle, exchanging thoughts on their matches. Lucas felt a sense of camaraderie wash over him as they each reflected on their strengths and weaknesses.
“I think we did really well today, but we need to work on our coordination,” Aveline suggested. “When we fight as a team, we can cover each other’s weaknesses.”
“Agreed,” Nephy added. “We should practice more team drills to build synergy.”
“Good point! It’ll make us stronger,” Rael said. “We can’t always rely on our individual skills. We have to act as one unit.”
Lucas nodded. “Let’s set aside time for team practices. We can develop strategies and techniques that play to our strengths.”
As they continued discussing their training, a voice interrupted them. “What are you all plotting over here?”
The group turned to see a tall figure approaching them. It was the instructor from their Combat Techniques class, Instructor Garrick.
“We’re just going over our practice and how to improve teamwork,” Aveline replied, standing a little straighter.
“Excellent! Teamwork is essential, especially for the upcoming missions,” Garrick said, crossing his arms. “Make sure you all work together. It’ll save your lives out there.”
“We’re planning to,” Lucas assured him, feeling a newfound determination.
“Good to hear! Now, I have something for you all.” Garrick produced a small pouch from his belt. “Inside are combat tokens. You can use them to challenge other students or to receive special training from me. Consider them your first step in becoming better fighters.”
“Thank you, Instructor Garrick!” Nephy said, her eyes wide with surprise.
“Use them wisely. I expect to see significant improvement next time we meet,” Garrick replied, turning to leave.
As he walked away, excitement buzzed through the group.
“Tokens? This is amazing!” Rael exclaimed, holding up the pouch. “We should definitely use these to challenge some of the upperclassmen!”
“Or we can use them to work on team strategies,” Aveline suggested, her mind racing with ideas. “Imagine what we could learn from them!”
“Let’s do both!” Lucas added, feeling invigorated. “We have the chance to learn from the best. We should take advantage of it.”
The group exchanged ideas, discussing potential training sessions and challenges. Lucas felt a sense of purpose as they plotted their next steps.
As the sun began to set, they made their way back to the dormitory, tired but exhilarated from the day’s training.
“Today was fantastic,” Aveline said, walking alongside Lucas. “I can’t wait to see how far we’ll go together.”
“Me too,” Lucas replied, a smile spreading across his face. “This is just the beginning.”
With a renewed sense of determination, the friends headed into the night, ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead at Golden Crest Academy. Their journey was just beginning, and together, they would forge their path to greatness.