It didn’t feel like a test.
The way Trent had been talking, it felt like he was genuinely proud of us. Granted, there had been something in his eye, but I didn’t think he’d do something like this.
“We’ve got to get out of here.” I looked at Oz. "There are some people who look like Bandits that just came from the second floor.”
“A group tried that a few days ago, Mundus handled them.” The black-haired woman looked at the Anubis teacher. "He’s actually pretty cool, just overwhelmed with so many of us. He’s in the thirties, so he can handle most things.”
“Are you..?” My question was cut off by a sword appearing through Mundus’s chest. The brown-haired, golden-skinned man on the other end pulled it out and as the teacher hit his knees the other man beheaded him.
“Not a test.” I pulled Justia and Ren behind me as I stepped in between my group and the dead teacher. “RUN!”
“Heathen!” Gesai stopped yelling at her students and dashed at the brown-haired man. Their swords met and I could see the look on her face. She knew she was outmatched.
I turned around to see a black-haired man with a net standing on the trail. He laughed as we backed up.
“Come now, we only want the Nobles, the rest of you can leave once we’re gone.” He pointed at Oz, then at Ren. "You two are coming with me.”
I glanced behind me. Gesai was on the ground bleeding. The students were running in random directions with three other men chasing them down. The brown-haired man who had taken down Gesai was coming towards us. It was now or never.
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“DASH!” I pulled out my blade, better to not let them know I had magic. I ran at the man.
“MAGIC ARROW!” I heard Aelin try to provide cover.
“QUICKDRAW!” Oz was right beside me
“HONE WEAPON” I felt my sword get warmer after Ren’s buff hit me.
The bandit threw the net at Oz, her sword was stopped by it. I knew this man was at least a Tier One, or he wouldn’t be able to handle a weapon strong enough to block her sword.
Aelin’s arrow did cut him, so his defense was less than twenty. I brought up my blade and he blocked it with a sword of his own. I tried to brace against it, but that resulted in me being driven to my knees.
“Just give up kid, you can’t…” He started to taunt me, then his throat opened up and Rix was behind him. Her Mantle flashed three times, announcing that this man wasn’t getting back up.
“GO!” She screamed as she ran past us towards the other man.
I turned around. She was the only one who could have gotten away. Her opponent had taken down two teachers like they were nothing, but she hadn’t flinched as she charged.
“RIX!” Aelin’s voice was so full of fear that a chill ran down my spine.
“GET OUT OF HERE!” The redhead never stopped moving. "DASH! MARK! SHADOW STEP!” It almost looked like she teleported the remaining distance. Her knife shot out at the man’s neck, where there was a mark.
He caught the knife and yanked the weapon out of her hands.
She stumbled. "SHADOW STEP!” Rix was behind him with her knife in her hands.
The brunette spun around and caught her by the throat. She tried to stab him, but her knife couldn’t penetrate his skin. His defense was simply too high. He slammed her into the ground. I felt her pain.
“MINOR HEAL WOUNDS!” Justia was focused on her friend
“HARDEN!” Aelin was right beside her.
The bandit looked up at us. He let go of Rix and charged.
He moved so fast that I couldn’t follow him. One minute we were all standing and the next the ground was rushing up at my face. Then there was nothing.