The wind howled through silver trees. The sky above the Sacred Land of Wind shimmered with floating islands and spinning blades of air. The ground beneath them was soft, almost alive.
As they walked further, a magical stone tablet floated in front of them:
> "To pass this trial, the eight must become one. Trade strengths, trust blindly, and find the Eye of the Wind."
They looked at each other.
> "What does that even mean?" Shane crossed her arms. "Sounds like teamwork," said Sheha calmly. "No problem then," Rio grinned, "we've fought together before."
But Hansol stepped forward, serious for once.
> "We've fought side-by-side… but have we ever trained as one?"
Everyone paused.
> "We need to learn each other's tricks. Shane's strength, Luna's illusions, Rio's healing, Xin's defenses… if we copy pieces of each other, we become unpredictable, powerful, united."
> "So, sword-boy wants to learn martial arts?" Shane raised an eyebrow. "Only if you're ready to learn how to glow," Hansol smirked.
They all agreed.
Each pair took turns practicing:
Shane taught Hansol a spinning kick.
Luna and Yen Yu sat under a tree sharing how to blend illusions with moon magic.
Rio and Sheha experimented with healing spells and sharp focus skills.
Xin tried to mimic Selen's stealthy fighting techniques.
Even laughter filled the air as they tripped, teased, and grew closer.
But the sky darkened suddenly.
A shadow figure appeared, a Wind Spirit Guardian.
> "You seek unity… show me."
The team formed a circle. Powers began to sync:
Shane boosted Hansol's sword with her inner strength.
Luna cast an illusion over Selen who disappeared mid-fight.
Rio healed them mid-battle without pausing.
Xin raised a barrier just in time to block a deadly gust.
Together, they broke the Wind Guardian's illusion and touched the Eye of Wind.
Victory.
> "You've passed. True warriors trade pride for trust," said the spirit before vanishing into golden wind.
They all collapsed on the soft grass, exhausted but smiling.
> "Not bad, team," Shane said. "Only seven more trials to go," Hansol added.
And the wind carried their laughter away.
To Be Continued…