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. Every subtle rustle of the leaves, every distant snap of a twig sent shivers through the silence, making them question if they were truly alone.

"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. His voice was soft, almost as if afraid that speaking too loudly would draw out the unseen dangers lurking in the dark.

"Yeah," Kyren replied softly, his gaze lost in thought as the flickering moonlight cast deep shadows across his face. His hand unconsciously tightened around the hilt of his blade, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on him.

"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?"

The wind howled briefly, rustling the tree branches above them. It felt like the forest was alive, watching, waiting for something.

They shared a moment of quiet reflection, their breaths forming small clouds in the chilly night air. The silence between them grew heavier, weighed down by unspoken fears. Even the animals in the forest had gone silent, adding to the eerie atmosphere that seemed to coil around them like a predator waiting to strike.

...

"Kyren," Hiro began again, breaking the silence, "when you stabbed that prisoner earlier, did you feel any hesitation?" His voice was cautious, as if probing a wound that hadn't yet healed.

"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. His eyes flickered with images of the prisoner’s lifeless body, the blade in his hand feeling heavier with the weight of guilt. "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. His own hand trembled slightly as he remembered how close they’d come to being overwhelmed.

"Yes, Hiro. It wasn’t an easy decision," Kyren affirmed, his gaze distant and troubled. The darkness of the forest seemed to close in on them, wrapping them in a suffocating embrace.

"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. His voice wavered slightly, as though admitting this was a breach of the façade of confidence he usually projected.

"Well, Hiro, I believe there’s more to their motives than what we see on the surface," Kyren suggested, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. His mind raced, trying to piece together the puzzle of their enemies' intentions, while a nagging feeling clawed at the back of his mind, warning him that they were being watched.

"But what could drive them to find satisfaction in such violence?" Hiro pondered aloud, disbelief evident in his voice. He glanced around, half-expecting the forest itself to whisper the answer.

...

Their peaceful conversation was abruptly shattered by the sudden chaos that unfolded around them. Without warning, a flying arrow whizzed through the air, narrowly missing Hiro but leaving a stinging wound on his arm. The sound of the arrow slicing through the wind had barely registered before the pain exploded in Hiro’s flesh.

"Arrgh!" Hiro exclaimed, clutching his bleeding arm and struggling in pain. Blood dripped onto the forest floor, staining the earth beneath them.

"Hiro!" Kyren shouted, his eyes darting around desperately for any sign of their attacker. His heart raced as his senses heightened, searching for movement in the shadows. "We’re being ambushed. We need to get out of here!"

They sprinted through the forest, their breaths ragged and hearts pounding, the adrenaline surging through their veins. The trees blurred as they pushed themselves to the limit, the pain in Hiro’s arm slowing him down, but neither of them dared to stop. The sensation of being hunted clung to them like a second skin.

But their escape was abruptly halted when a massive stone wall materialized out of nowhere, towering above them and cutting off their path. It was as if the very earth had risen against them, trapping them with no way out.

"Shit! We’re trapped, Kyren," Hiro said, panic evident in his voice as he slammed his fist against the wall in frustration. His voice echoed in the enclosed space, amplifying the sense of helplessness.

"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. The moonlight gleamed off their weapons, casting eerie reflections that only added to the tension.

"What do you want?" Kyren demanded, his voice steady despite the rising tension. His heart pounded in his chest, but his mind was sharp, calculating their next move.

The attackers showed no inclination to engage in conversation. Instead, they readied their bows, preparing to unleash a deadly barrage of arrows. The air grew thick with anticipation, the promise of violence hanging over them like a storm cloud.

"Kyren, they’re going to kill us," Hiro said, his voice trembling with fear as he watched the arrows being nocked and drawn. His arm throbbed painfully, blood still dripping from the wound.

As the arrows flew towards them, Kyren and Hiro moved with desperate agility, evading the projectiles as they circled each other for protection. The sound of arrows striking the ground around them filled the air, the relentless precision of the shooters forcing them to remain on the defensive. Every breath was a battle, every step a fight for survival.

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. The flames crackled and hissed as they shot through the air, leaving trails of light in their wake.

"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. The heat from the arrows singed the edges of their clothing, making the air around them thick and oppressive.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

...

"Wait!" Kyren suddenly dropped his weapon and grabbed his button, holding it up for the attackers to see. "Are you guys prisoners, 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. The silence that followed was deafening, punctuated only by the crackling of the burning arrows around them.

"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. His mind raced as he calculated their chances, knowing that one wrong move could mean their end.

Meanwhile, Hiro stood silent, finally understanding Kyren's risky plan. His heart raced, but he kept his face neutral, not wanting to give away their true intentions.

"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. The tension in the air was palpable, like a taut rope ready to snap.

"Alright, clever boy, hand over your buttons, and we’ll use you as bait," the earth-root wielder prisoner commanded, his voice dripping with menace. The archers lowered their bows but remained ready, their eyes fixed on Kyren and Hiro with cold calculation.

"How many more do you need?" Kyren asked, his voice steady despite the tension. His fingers itched to reach for his weapon, but he knew it wasn’t the time.

"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.

"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. His voice oozed confidence, but there was a sharpness in his eyes, one that spoke of the readiness to kill if necessary.

"So, where can we get more of these?" the boss inquired, his eyes narrowing with calculation. His gaze lingered on Kyren and Hiro, as if weighing their worth—whether they were truly useful or disposable.

"Follow us. We know someone nearby," Kyren improvised, his mind racing with plans. The words left his mouth faster than he could think through the consequences, but it was the only thing keeping them alive at the moment. His pulse thundered in his ears as he glanced sideways at Hiro, trying to signal his partner that something dangerous was about to happen.

Meanwhile, Hiro pondered their precarious situation, contemplating how they could possibly defeat their captors or escape from their grasp without weapons. His mind wandered over the limited options they had, the dire reality of their situation sinking deeper with each passing second. His eyes flicked to the boss, the dark aura emanating from the man unsettling him further.

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. The air felt thick, suffocating, and with every step, the weight of their captors’ eyes on their backs grew more oppressive. His injured arm throbbed, but he forced himself to stay focused.

Kyren, drenched in sweat and trembling with nerves, mentally prepared for their escape plan. His every sense was on high alert. The weight of his deception bore down on him. One wrong move, one slip of the tongue, and it could all be over. He desperately searched the surrounding area for anything that could aid their escape—anything to give them an edge.

But the earth-wielder grew increasingly impatient. "How far are they? Are you fooling around?" His voice cut through the night like a whip, filled with suspicion. His eyes bore into Kyren, scrutinizing every movement as if daring him to lie.

"We’re almost there," Kyren assured, his voice tight with anxiety. He could feel the pressure mounting, the growing doubts of their captors pressing down on him like a vice. His palms were slick with sweat, his thoughts racing to find a way out before the fragile thread of trust snapped.

However, the earth-wielder pushed Kyren roughly, causing him to stumble. "Go faster. We don’t have time for this slow walk." The force of the shove sent Kyren reeling forward, barely catching himself before he hit the ground. His heart pounded in his chest, but his mind stayed sharp, alert. He could feel Hiro tense beside him, his friend ready to react to the slightest provocation.

"Okay," Kyren said, regaining his balance and quickening his pace, his mind racing to formulate their next move. He could sense the impatience of their captors growing, the realization creeping into their minds that something wasn’t right. They had to act soon, or their ruse would be discovered.

...

After a minute, the prisoners grew suspicious of Kyren, realizing there were no students around and no buttons to be found. The once tenuous patience was now replaced with growing hostility. The shooters exchanged glances, their fingers twitching near their weapons, and the boss’s eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"You’re really leading us into some traps, aren’t you?" the earth-root wielder accused, his voice filled with anger. His fists clenched, and the earth beneath them trembled slightly, responding to his growing rage. The shadows cast by the moonlight seemed to darken as the tension reached a boiling point.

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. Hiro’s gaze flickered between the shooters and the boss, his heart pounding in his chest as his mind raced for a way out.

"I see, so you don’t have anything to show here," the prisoner boss remarked coldly, his voice dripping with condescension. The air between them seemed to thicken with menace, and Hiro could almost feel the impending violence crackling in the air.

But in the meantime, Kyren had grabbed a stone from the ground after stumbling. He had kept it hidden in his palm, his mind calculating the exact moment to act. As the earth-wielder’s attention faltered, Kyren made his move. He aimed the stone at the earth wielder's head and threw it with all the strength he could muster. The stone whizzed through the air, catching the earth-wielder off guard.

The earth-wielder instinctively blocked with his hands, unknowingly holding the button all along. The force of the stone caused the protective case of the button to shatter, and in the chaos, his hand pressed down on the button.

A sudden flash of light enveloped the earth-wielder, and after a split second, he was gone—teleported away in a brilliant burst of energy. The confusion and shock on the faces of the remaining captors were palpable, their confidence shattered in an instant.

"Now!" Kyren shouted, seizing the opportunity. Without hesitation, he lunged at the two shooters. Knowing they were weak in close combat, he moved with precision, his movements a blur as he closed the distance between them. His fists flew, striking with deadly accuracy as he swiftly subdued both shooters before they could even knock another arrow.

"It works!" Kyren thought, feeling a surge of relief. The desperate plan had actually succeeded. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, hope flared in his chest.

But at that moment, the boss’s eyes started to glow a dark red. His once calm demeanor twisted into something far more menacing. The air around him grew thick with dark energy, and a deep, rumbling growl escaped his throat.

The ground beneath them trembled as his power surged, the trees bending and groaning under the force of it. His voice, now guttural and filled with malevolent intent, echoed through the forest.

"You think this is over?" the boss sneered, his dark red eyes locking onto Kyren and Hiro, his body brimming with terrifying power. "You’ve made a grave mistake."

Kyren and Hiro, now standing amidst the fallen bodies of the shooters, locked eyes with the boss, realizing they were far from safe. The ominous glow of his eyes sent a shiver down their spines.