A bus rolled gently with a steady pace on that winding road, cutting always across huge stretches of fields and rolling landscapes. Rayne sat by the window, fascinated by the unfolding scenery. The sun painted the fields in warm, golden colors, farmers worked hard, movements rhythmic and purposeful in planting grains and tending to their crops. There were streams of clear, sparkling water meandering in between the fields that provided much irrigation to these areas and added brilliance to the landscape. The grazing farm animals—cows and sheep could be seen dotting the lush green pastures—drew Rayne's attention. Her imagination went wild with thoughts of daily life in this idyllic countryside among the farmers and animals. She was so engrossed in the view that time passed unnoticed.
Abruptly, the speakers in the bus PA system crackled and issued a voice, which made Rayne snap out of her thoughts.
"Attention children, we're reaching the destination in half an hour," echoed Heathrine's voice through the speakers.
The sudden interruption made Rayne blink and refocus around her. She glanced at Mikhail, who slumped by her side, almost fast asleep, despite the announcement. Soft snores seemed to come from him but could hardly be detected over the bus' hum. Rayne chuckled softly at his sound sleep. Returning her gaze to the window, Rayne was struck by the sight of the distant mountain range. Its peaks towered majestically above her; they extended their rugged silhouettes over the golden fields that lay in wide carpets below.
"The Dasayamas Fields," Rayne whispered to herself with awe in her voice. The view was not only panoramic but also very picturesque, creating a feeling of amazement and excitement for the forthcoming adventure.
Seated at the back seat of where Rayne sat, Regna was quite visibly displaying a face filled with frustration. She let out a dramatic sigh, obviously too tired of the slow ride.
"30 whole minutes?" she muttered to herself, her tone tinged with frustration.
Nearby, Regna sat with Kassie; she noticed her friend was uneasy. Kassie quickly rummaged through her backpack and found a bright-colored package of candies.
"Hey, want some sweets? It might help pass the time," said Kassie, offering the bag towards Regna.
Regna eyed the candy somewhat disgustedly.
"No, thank you. I don't prefer to have my teeth rot," she replied in a very sarcastic voice.
Kassie's eyes rolled.
"I was just trying to be nice since you said you were bored. No need to be rude," she retorted in a tone lined with just a hint of annoyance.
Regna darkened her expression slightly before huffing and closing her eyes further to try to take a nap. Kassie shrugged, zipping the candies back into the bag and putting it into her backpack with a sigh.
As minutes trickled by, the bus slowly rolled into a small town. The cobblestone streets were feeling the rolling of the tires from the bus, with old-looking buildings lining on either side. Charming facades encrusted the front of these buildings that contributed to the picturesque quality in the town.
A sign at the entrance said "Welcome to Krenkol," signaling their arrival.
Heathrine cleared her throat, her voice carrying a note of authority as she addressed the children once more.
"Alright kids, we've arrived. Get your backpacks and get ready to leave," she commanded in her firm but friendly bus-driver's tone.
As the bus drove along the town, Rayne noticed Mikhail was still asleep beside her. She was quite hesitant then finally built her courage up to tap his shoulder lightly.
"Hey, sleepyhead. Wake up. We're already at our destination.", she whispered into his ear.
Mikhail opened his eyes and stretched, yawning.
"Oh, already there? Did I doze off?" he wondered, rubbing his eyes.
"Uh. yeah?" Rayne replied, a hint of confusion in his voice.
"You didn't know you fell asleep?" she asked.
Mikhail smiled awkwardly.
"Oh, right. I haven't slept well recently," he admitted.
Rayne chuckled lightly and handed him his backpack.
"Here you go. We're almost there."
Mikhail smiled his thanks. "Thanks, Rayne."
BANG!
The bus lurched violently to one side as it hit something. A group of children shrieked with horror as the bus came to a sharp halt.
"Holy fuck!" Heathrine screamed, rising right up from her chair and hurrying off the bus.
Rayne stared out the carriage window, heart pounding. Her eyes widened in shock as she passed by a bar with doors peppered with bullet holes. There, standing outside, was a man in a cowboy hat—the vision wildly out of place within the very proper town of Krenkol. Miss Hearth strode toward him with a fierce determination.
Giving up at the sight of her, the man raised his hands and said something lost to Rayne on the inside of the bus.
Heathrine did not retreat but rather advanced further towards the man, her manner full of ill omen and rage. She hit him so hard in the face that he sprawled on the floor before a word could leave his mouth. He took it in his stride and laughed, but Heathrine wasn't having any of it. She shouted at him with anger and a commanding tone, then turned up her saliva on the ground beside him. The teacher motioned towards the nearby bush, and the man sat still on the ground, still chuckling to himself as he scratched his head. Now with her composure, Heathrine walked back onto the bus with a sigh.
"What happened?" Mikhail asked, his eyes wide with concern.
Rayne shrugged, equally perplexed. "I don't know," she replied as Heathrine re-entered the bus.
Heathrine breathed deep and turned to the children with a strict yet cool head. "Everyone, stay calm; it was just a small accident," she explained, telling them that they would not allow their journey mishap to lower their spirits but instead continue all the same.
The shaken students began to calm down now. Rayne glanced at Mikhail, whose expression bore the same amount of relief as confusion was.
"Who was that man?" Rayne whispered, curiosity etched on her face. Mikhail shook his head.
"No idea. But Miss Hearth sure knows how to handle herself.", he laughed.
Heathrine fired up the engines once more and drove off. Before she could travel very far, the authorities surrounded the bus, their strobing lights an otherworldly glow through the windows. Heathrine released a long sigh and turned around facing the children.
"Everyone, remain seated. It'll just be a moment… or hour. Your backpacks should have meals arranged in them, so you can eat if you'd like." She exited the bus to speak with the authorities.
The children craned their necks to look out the windows as Miss Hearth spoke with the police. She seemed so calm and collected, but there was tension in the air that thrummed. The students gasped as they saw her being cuffed by a policeman. One of them gestured towards the ground, and there coalesced a whirling portal that shimmered with arcane power. The police tugged Heathrine into the portal, which closed behind them with one last deal, ominous flicker.
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"Portal magic?" Regna whispered, her eyes wide with fascination. "Looks like Miss Hearth is in some deep trouble," she added with a giggle.
Kassie smacked her on the back.
"Hey, that's not funny," she scolded firmly in her voice.
"We don't know what's going on."
"What are we going to do?" one of the boys asked, his voice tinged with panic.
Mikhail looked around, sighed, stood up, and took the leader role.
"Everyone, listen up: we should stay inside the bus until Miss Hearth returns. That's the best course for our safety."
Some of the children nodded to accept, but others began to squirm in discomfort. Regna's eyes flashed with defiance.
"Mikhail, it's so boring in here. I'm not staying in this cubicle, and I doubt I'm the only one who feels this way."
Kassie nodded her head, her eyes darting around to their classmates.
"Look, I get it. This situation is weird and scary, but we have got to have a little faith that Miss Hearth will come back for us. She wouldn't just leave us here.", MIkhail replied, his voice daunting.
There was an overall murmur of assent throughout the bus, but Regna crossed her arms over her chest and fixed her face.
"I'm still not sticking around in here. I'm going to explore. Who's up?", she asked the others in the bus.
Some of the boldest of the children looked half willed to try it, their nervous locked-dead stylish glance flicking back and forth between Regna and Mikhail.
Mikhail sucked in a deep breath, fighting for control. "I know how you feel, Regna, but we've got to stick together. If we all run off in different directions, it will be so much harder for Miss Hearth to find us when she catches up."
Regna rolled her eyes. "Fine, sir goody two shoes; but if she doesn't come back soon, I'm out," she muttered, rolling back in her seat with a huff.
Rayne, who had been watching the whole exchange in silence spoke next;
"Le- let's just remain calm and wait a little longer, guys. Miss Hearth knows what she's doing. She'll come back for us."
The children calmed a bit from the first panic and fell silent, tense and uneasy. They dug into their backpacks, drawing out the meals Heathrine had talked about. The food provided small comfort as it reminded them of their teacher's care and foresight. The bus became silent, and the sun deeper in the sky. The children looked at each other apprehensively; it clearly recorded worry and uncertainty in their faces. Mikhail kept a vigilant watch, his eyes flicking towards windows in hopes of catching any glimpse or sign of teacher return.
Hours passed, and the sun sank lower below the horizon; its rays extended tightly across the landscape. Inside the bus, some of the children had fallen asleep; their heads were buried into the soft upholstery. Mikhail was wide awake, however, his eyes scouring outside relentlessly for some sign of their teacher. Rayne sat in her seat, fearful and nervous; her fingers played about at the hem of her shirt.
Regna stood up and stretched, yawning loudly.
"Right, I've said it once and I'll say it again. I. Am. OUT!" she declared, breaking the silence as if she had blasted through it with her voice. She picked up her backpack and strode toward the door of the bus. A few other kids, much in need of a change of scenery themselves, followed behind her. Kassie sighed and got to her feet, too, casting a glance over at Rayne.
Rayne locked eyes off with her; the smile playing on her lips continued to play. She sashayed toward her, her expression nearly predatory.
"Rayne, I know you are so bored and scared in here, too. Come with me. At least it'll be fun out there," she said, stretching her hand to her.
Mikhail grunted, which hinted that he had already been hassled and frustrated, "Regna, leave her be. In case you want to go, then just do it alone," he thundered again, his words laced with hostility.
Regna laughed, eyes thinning.
"Bothered much? Sire Righteousness?" she said, her voice raking at him like fingernails on slate. Rayne had hesitated, unsure whether to stay on the bus or go with Regna's promise of adventure. Her curiosity was piqued along with the urge to make her escape from the escalating tension. She stood up, mind made.
"I'm coming with you," she replied, her voice shaking a bit. She packed up her backpack to leave with Regna.
Mikhail heaved a deep sigh and shook his head at the weight of responsibility and concern. "Well, at least come back before the sun goes down," he heavy-handedly pointed out.
Rayne nodded, touched by his consideration. She joined the others, and they all left the bus to get out into the open fields. The cool evening air welcomed them, much refreshed from the relatively closed environment of the bus. The scenery opened out before them—such a wide and inviting expanse.
As they walked off into the distance, toward the now-approaching fields, the tension of earlier was dispelled by excited chattering. Rayne looked around her at the scenery. The golden fields grew brighter as if glowing in the light that began to fade into night, while the mountains beyond loomed diligently across the horizon. Regna forged ahead with ease, her confidence contagious.
"See? Isn't this better?"
"We'll explore a bit and be back before dark. It is going to be a lot of fun!"
Kassie walked alongside Rayne, lost in thought. "
Let's just make sure we stick together and don't wander too far," she warned.
As the group walked through the fields, a fresh scent of wheat and grains did fill their nostrils, contributing to a peaceful and somehow nostalgic feeling in regard to the atmosphere.
"It's... so beautiful out here." Rayne's voice trailed off as her eyes drew up in wonder.
Regna smiled rather smugly. "Told you so. If you'd stayed with Mister Goody Two Shoes on the bus, you wouldn't be seeing this," she replied, mocking Mikhail.
Birds chirped from above, and the gentle rustle of wind that pushed through fields imbued the atmosphere with a touch of surreality. The golden stalks of wheat swayed in the breeze, and the mountains in the distance loomed like silent sentinels. Every nook and cranny was explored; their laughter mixed with the sounds of nature. Before they knew it, the sun disappeared below the horizon and tinted the sky orange and pink. Crickets and frogs made soft sounds, announcement of night fall.
Rayne tugged at Kassie's shirt, noticing that night is approaching "H-hey," she whispered softly, her voice quivering with fear.
"We should head back. to the bus. It's nearly sundown." she whispered again.
Kassie breathed out, as worried as Rayne. She walked to Regna, who led ahead, ever so confident.
"Hey, Reggy, the sun's nearly gone. Come on, let's head back," she urged.
Regna sighed, rolling her eyes.
"Alright, well. Let us go back," she agreed and turned to lead the group back onto the bus.
As they turned back, the path seemed to disappear. It suddenly dawned on them that they were completely surrounded by wheat.
"Huh?!" Kassie screamed, her voice tinged with horror. "Where- where did the fucking path go?"
The children … panicked, their cacophonous voices high in the night. Lying huddled together, with eyes wide open, they were in a panic. Regna scratched her head, still trying to maintain her composure.
"Well, I suppose we have no choice but to continue along the path," she said, her voice betraying a mix of uncertainty and excitement.
Rayne's heart pounded in her chest, a cold sweat breaking out across her forehead. A real sense of dread began to rise in those fields—something so heavy her stomach felt like it was going to churn with fear. The air seemed to thicken and every shadow to move of its own accord, with malice mostly intended toward her.
"Stay close," Kassie said, wanting to reassure everybody.
"We are going to find our way out of here. Just stick with me." The children clung to one another, each stridden deeper into the fields.
Rayne's inner self screamed at her to hide, but she pushed on, trusting in her friends and hoping they could find some way back to safety. As they walked, the basic darkness seemed to close in on them with the fields that had been so beautiful and now stood menacing and ominous. Her discomfort raised another notch or two with each step; Rayne felt that unseen eyes were trained on them from somewhere.
"Keep an eye out for anything familiar," Regna said, her bravado faltering only a little.
"We just need to find the path again."
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image [https://i.postimg.cc/15KRZWcp/3dc18e7e-4678-4330-9c77-517b2da3da8e.jpg]
Code Name: Kogel
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