After they finished eating, they attempted to rest for a moment but remained vigilant. The forest, bathed in the eerie glow of the moon, seemed to close in around them, the shadows dancing like specters.

"This does feel like déjà vu, doesn't it, Kyren?" Hiro remarked, his eyes tracing the intricate patterns of the stars against the velvet night sky.

"Yeah," Kyren replied softly, his gaze lost in thought as the flickering moonlight cast deep shadows across his face.

"We find ourselves back in the forest once more, facing uncertainties and challenges," Hiro mused, his tone reflecting the weight of their situation. "But it feels different somehow, doesn’t it?"

They shared a moment of quiet reflection, their breaths forming small clouds in the chilly night air.

...

"Kyren," Hiro began again, breaking the silence, "when you stabbed that prisoner earlier, did you feel any hesitation?"

"At first, no. But as I saw his blood spill onto the ground, I couldn’t shake off the feeling of remorse," Kyren admitted, his voice heavy with regret. "Yet, in that moment, I felt it was necessary."

"I understand. So, you also felt that level of anxiety too?" Hiro noted, his expression softening with understanding.

"Yes, Hiro. It wasn’t an easy decision," Kyren affirmed, his gaze distant and troubled.

"You know, I still struggle to grasp the reasons behind all of this. Despite Patricia’s warnings about the path of a warrior, it’s still difficult to comprehend," Hiro confessed, his brow furrowed with uncertainty and confusion.

"Well, Hiro, I believe there’s more to their motives than what we see on the surface," Kyren suggested, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.

"But what could drive them to find satisfaction in such violence?" Hiro pondered aloud, disbelief evident in his voice.

...

Their peaceful conversation was abruptly shattered by the sudden chaos that unfolded around them. A flying arrow whizzed through the air, narrowly missing Hiro but leaving a stinging wound on his arm.

"Arrgh!" Hiro exclaimed, clutching his bleeding arm and struggling in pain.

"Hiro!" Kyren shouted, his eyes darting around desperately for any sign of their attacker. "We’re being ambushed. We need to get out of here!"

They sprinted through the forest, their breaths ragged and hearts pounding, but their escape was abruptly halted when a massive stone wall materialized out of nowhere, towering above them and cutting off their path.

"Shit! We’re trapped, Kyren," Hiro said, panic evident in his voice as he slammed his fist against the wall in frustration.

"Stay alert, Hiro. Our enemy is powerful, likely an earth root wielder, like the one before" Kyren replied, his eyes locked on the top of the wall, where three attackers appeared, glaring down at them with hostile intent.

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"What do you want?" Kyren demanded, his voice steady despite the rising tension.

The attackers showed no inclination to engage in conversation. Instead, they readied their bows, preparing to unleash a deadly barrage of arrows.

"Kyren, they’re going to kill us," Hiro said, his voice trembling with fear as he watched the arrows being nocked and drawn.

As the arrows flew towards them, Kyren and Hiro moved with desperate agility, evading the projectiles as they circled each other for protection. The shooters’ relentless precision forced them to remain on the defensive.

To make matters worse, the attacker who had summoned the walls began infusing the arrows with fire, turning the already dangerous situation into a fiery field of death.

"This is bad, Hiro. With each fire arrow, our options become more limited," Kyren said, his brow furrowing deeply as he struggled to keep up with the relentless assault.

...

"Wait!" Kyren suddenly dropped his weapon and grabbed his button, holding it up for the attackers to see. "Are you guys prisoneers, not students? Is this what you want?" he demanded, pointing to the button.

The earth-wielder made a gesture, signaling the archers to cease fire.

"If you keep attacking us, we will push this button. We know this is all you need," Kyren stated firmly, his voice carrying a mix of resolve and desperation.

Meanwhile, Hiro stood silent, finally understanding Kyren's risky plan.

"I know this isn’t enough, but we can help you find more. We’ll cooperate," Kyren offered, his eyes never leaving the earth-wielder.

"Alright, clever boy, hand over your buttons, and we’ll use you as bait," the earth root wielder prisoneer commanded, his voice dripping with menace.

"How many more do you need?" Kyren asked, his voice steady despite the tension.

"We need two more," the prisoner replied, his gaze cold and calculating.

"Two? But there are only three of you," Kyren pointed out, confusion flashing across his face.

"Our boss is waiting outside. Don’t ask questions, just hand over that button," the prisoner insisted, his tone leaving no room for argument.

"Hiro, give me your button," Kyren said, walking over to Hiro and whispering cryptically, "Trust… I attack… you attack."

Kyren tossed their buttons to the earth wielder. After catching them, the earth-wielder began dismantling the wall. "We will introduce you to our boss, and don’t ask unnecessary questions. I will kill both of you if you upset him."

"Alright, we’re here to help you guys escape this forest. We understand your mission," Kyren assured them, his voice carrying a mix of sincerity and hidden strategy.

After the wall was removed, their boss appeared—a formidable figure with a commanding presence. "How can we be sure we can trust these guys?"

"Boss, they’re weak, and I can handle them if they betray us," the prisoner with earth-root powers reassured, handing one button to their boss while keeping the other.

"So, where can we get more of these?" the boss inquired, his eyes narrowing with calculation.

"Follow us. We know someone nearby," Kyren improvised, his mind racing with plans.

Meanwhile, Hiro pondered their precarious situation, contemplating how they could possibly defeat their captors or escape from their grasp without weapons.

As they followed the random path led by Kyren, Hiro strategically positioned himself between the boss and the two shooters, ready to react at a moment’s notice.

Kyren, drenched in sweat and trembling with nerves, mentally prepared for their escape plan.

But the earth-wielder grew increasingly impatient. "How far are they? Are you fooling around?"

"We’re almost there," Kyren assured, his voice tight with anxiety.

However, the earth-wielder pushed Kyren roughly, causing him to stumble. "Go faster. We don’t have time for this slow walk."

"Okay," Kyren said, regaining his balance and quickening his pace, his mind racing to formulate their next move.

...

After a minute, the prisoners grew suspicious of Kyren, realizing there were no students around and no buttons to be found.

"You’re really leading us into some traps, aren’t you?" the earth root wielder accused, his voice filled with anger.

Kyren remained silent, sweat dripping from his forehead, while Hiro’s anxiety peaked as he saw Kyren’s troubled expression. The tension was palpable as they all awaited the next move in their precarious game of survival.