The forest loomed ahead like a wall of endless green, dense with shadows and the occasional rustle of unseen creatures. Wedelia Forest was no stranger to me now, but stepping into it as part of a team brought a different kind of tension. This wasn’t a solo endeavor where I could rely solely on my instincts. Now, every decision, every misstep, could affect four lives instead of one.
Lieutenant Garven’s voice rang out behind us as we ventured deeper into the forest. “You’re being graded on your ability to complete the objectives, not just survive. Stay sharp, stay together, and remember—communication is key.”
I glanced at my team, already feeling the cracks in our fragile cohesion. Tristan Hale had taken the lead, striding confidently ahead with his sword drawn. His swagger might have been reassuring if it weren’t for his complete disregard for the group’s pace. Alisha, ever the pragmatist, stayed close to Kalden, who was nervously clutching his bow like it might vanish from his hands. I brought up the rear, my senses on high alert.
“This way,” Tristan announced, slashing at a low-hanging branch. “I can feel it—there’s got to be a trail here.”
Alisha sighed audibly. “Tristan, you’re cutting through foliage at random. You’ll leave a trail wide enough for anything to follow us.”
“Oh, come on,” he shot back, glancing over his shoulder. “You’re welcome to lead if you think you can do better.”
“I’m not interested in pissing contests,” she said, her voice cold. “Just don’t get us all killed.”
I stepped forward before the argument could escalate. “Tristan, ease up. We don’t need to announce our position to everything in the forest. Let’s move more carefully.”
He huffed but grudgingly slowed his pace. “Fine, but when we’re stuck wandering in circles, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
The tension was palpable, but at least we were moving as a unit now. I kept my eyes scanning the surroundings, noting broken branches and faint tracks in the soft earth. The forest was alive with the sounds of chirping birds and the occasional snap of twigs, but nothing indicated immediate danger.
Kalden suddenly froze, his eyes wide. “D-did you hear that?”
We all halted, every sense heightened. A faint rustling came from the bushes to our left. I gripped the hilt of my sword, ready to draw it at a moment’s notice.
“Kalden, keep your bow ready,” I whispered. “Alisha, stay close to him.”
Tristan moved ahead, his sword raised. “Probably just a squirrel,” he muttered, though his stance betrayed his own unease.
The rustling grew louder, and my muscles tensed. The air seemed to grow thicker, the sounds of the forest fading as we focused on that single point of disturbance. Suddenly, a small, harmless-looking fox darted out, scurrying past us without a second glance.
Tristan let out a laugh. “See? Nothing to—”
“Quiet,” I snapped, cutting him off. The fox wasn’t the cause of the noise—it was running from something.
That’s when the ground trembled, a faint vibration that sent a chill down my spine. A low growl echoed through the trees, and out of the shadows emerged a creature twice the size of any beast we were meant to face. Its fur bristled with spines, and its glowing yellow eyes locked onto us.
A Thornhide Wolf.
“What the hell is that doing here?” Alisha hissed, positioning herself in front of Kalden.
I didn’t answer. This beast wasn’t part of the exercise—its presence here meant something was wrong. The instructors wouldn’t have let this thing roam freely. My grip tightened on my sword, my mind racing for a strategy.
Tristan stepped forward, grinning. “Well, this just got interesting.”
“Don’t be an idiot!” Alisha barked. “This thing is beyond our level!”
“Not if we work together,” I said firmly. “Stay focused. Kalden, aim for its eyes if you get a shot. Alisha, protect him. Tristan, cover me—I’ll draw its attention.”
Tristan gave me a skeptical look. “You sure about that?”
“No time to argue,” I replied, already moving. “We either fight smart, or we don’t survive.”
The wolf growled again, its body coiled like a spring ready to pounce. I met its gaze, my heart pounding, and prepared for the fight of our lives.
**
Malicious Intent
The Thornhide Wolf lunged with terrifying speed, its spines gleaming under the dappled sunlight that pierced the canopy. I sidestepped just in time, my sword slashing toward its flank. The blade struck true but barely scratched its thick hide. This wasn’t going to be an easy fight.
“Kalden, now!” I shouted.
Kalden let an arrow fly, the shaft whistling through the air. It hit the wolf’s shoulder, but the beast barely flinched. Instead, it turned its glowing eyes toward him, lips curling back to reveal rows of sharp teeth.
“No!” Alisha stepped forward, raising her shield as the wolf charged. Its weight slammed into her, forcing her to the ground with a yelp. Tristan darted in from the side, his sword striking a glancing blow off one of the spines. The wolf snarled, turning its attention to him.
“Get back, Alisha!” I barked, rushing toward the wolf’s exposed side. With a quick movement, I activated my Aura, channeling it into my blade. The faint glow wrapped around the steel, giving it an edge that could pierce tougher defenses. I swung with all my might, aiming for the creature’s hind leg.
This time, the blade cut deeper, and the wolf howled in pain. It whirled around, its tail whipping toward me. The impact sent me staggering back, the wind knocked out of me.
“Tristan, focus on its movements!” I called, regaining my footing.
“I’m trying!” he snapped, slashing wildly at the beast.
The wolf’s spines bristled, and it leapt again, this time toward Kalden. Alisha threw herself in front of him, her shield raised, but the impact sent her sprawling. Kalden stumbled back, his bow slipping from his hands.
“Damn it!” I rushed in, using my Aura-enhanced strength to push the beast off Alisha. Its claws raked across my arm in the process, the pain sharp and immediate, but I gritted my teeth and held firm.
“Kalden, regroup!” Alisha yelled as she scrambled to her feet. Blood ran down her temple, but her focus was unbroken.
The wolf spun to face me, its eyes filled with primal fury. I knew we couldn’t keep this up much longer. We needed to end this fight, and fast.
“Tristan, together!” I shouted, charging toward the beast.
He hesitated for a split second before nodding, his Aura flaring to life around his blade. We struck in unison, my sword slicing toward its neck while his aimed for its exposed flank. The wolf tried to dodge, but our combined attack landed. It howled in agony, blood spurting from the wounds.
Kalden, seizing his moment, nocked another arrow and let it fly. This time, it found its mark, piercing the wolf’s eye. The beast reared back, thrashing wildly before collapsing to the ground with a heavy thud.
Silence fell, broken only by our ragged breathing. The wolf twitched once, then lay still.
“Is it… dead?” Kalden asked, his voice trembling.
I nodded, though my legs felt like they might give out at any moment. “It’s over.”
Alisha leaned against her shield, blood trickling down her cheek. “That wasn’t supposed to happen. What the hell is a D-Rank beast doing here?”
“We’ll figure that out later,” I said, glancing at the others. “Is everyone all right?”
Kalden nodded shakily, and Tristan grunted in affirmation, though his arm hung at an awkward angle. Alisha winced but managed a faint smile.
I let out a breath, exhaustion washing over me. The instructors would have to answer for this, but for now, survival was the only thing that mattered.
**
Sorting Things Out
The aftermath of the fight left us all in a fragile state, physically and mentally. Blood from the Thornhide Wolf seeped into the forest floor, staining the earth a deep crimson. Its lifeless eyes, still glowing faintly, stared into the void—a grim reminder of how close we had been to disaster.
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Alisha pulled herself to her feet, wincing as she pressed a hand against her side. “That thing wasn’t just tough—it was hunting us. D-Rank beasts don’t behave like that unless…”
“Unless they’re provoked,” I finished grimly, scanning the surroundings. My arm throbbed where its claws had raked me, but I pushed the pain aside. “This doesn’t make sense. The academy guarantees the training zones are clear of anything above E-Rank.”
“They missed one,” Tristan muttered darkly, cradling his dislocated shoulder. His face was pale, and his usual sharp demeanor was replaced with a hollow, shaken look. “Or someone brought it here.”
The implication hung in the air, heavy and suffocating. My gaze shifted to the red powder still clinging to the edges of my tunic. The pungent scent it gave off was unmistakable now—this was no accident.
Kalden’s voice trembled as he spoke. “You think… someone set us up? That powder—it wasn’t just to attract beasts. It was like a beacon for something this strong.”
“Derren,” Alisha hissed, her hand tightening into a fist. “It has to be. He’s the only one with a grudge this deep.”
“Maybe,” I said, though my mind raced with other possibilities. Derren was impulsive and petty, but summoning a D-Rank beast into a training zone? That required not just malice but knowledge and preparation. He wasn’t smart enough to pull this off alone.
The forest seemed to close in around us, the silence oppressive. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig felt like a potential threat.
“We need to get out of here,” I said, breaking the tension. “The instructors will have heard that commotion. If there are more of these things out here…”
Kalden visibly shuddered but nodded. Alisha grimaced as she hefted her shield, using it for support. Tristan stumbled slightly but gritted his teeth and fell into step behind me. We began moving, every step a painful reminder of the injuries we’d sustained.
The path back to the clearing seemed longer than it had before. The dense canopy above turned the sunlight into fractured patterns on the forest floor, each shadow playing tricks on my eyes. I kept my Aura senses active, straining to detect any movement nearby, but the forest was eerily still now. Even the smaller creatures seemed to have vanished.
Finally, the sound of distant voices reached my ears. Relief surged through me as we stumbled into a group of instructors, their faces a mix of alarm and relief when they saw us. Lt. Garven, at the forefront, immediately stepped forward.
“What in the bloody hell happened?” he demanded, his sharp eyes scanning our injuries and the blood-soaked state of our gear.
“A D-Rank Thornhide Wolf,” I replied, my voice steady despite the fatigue threatening to pull me under. “We killed it.”
His eyes widened in disbelief, then narrowed. “A D-Rank? In this zone? That’s impossible. These forests were swept thoroughly.”
“Tell that to the wolf,” Alisha muttered bitterly.
Lt. Garven’s gaze lingered on me, his expression unreadable. “We’ll talk later. For now, medics!” he barked, and several instructors rushed forward to support us.
As they tended to our wounds, I caught snippets of hushed conversations among the instructors. Words like “security breach” and “external tampering” floated through the air.
Even as the medics loaded us onto stretchers to transport us back to the academy, my mind refused to settle. Someone wanted us dead, and this was no random act of cruelty. It was calculated.
I glanced at the others as they were being treated, noting their grim, determined expressions. Turns out various D-Rank beasts infiltrated the area and attacked the other groups, majorly the commoners. This wasn’t over—not by a long shot.
The instructors’ voices were sharp but controlled as they ordered the medics to stabilize us. I barely registered the sting of antiseptics or the firm hands pressing bandages against my wounds. My mind was still trapped in the forest, replaying every agonizing second of the fight against the Thornhide Wolf.
Lt. Garven crouched beside me, his expression like chiseled stone. “Illiad, tell me everything.”
I took a breath, wincing as pain lanced through my ribs. “It came out of nowhere. Fast and relentless. There was no warning, no sign. The creature was already on us before we had a chance to regroup.”
“And the powder?” His eyes flicked to the faint red residue still clinging to my uniform.
“It was no accident,” I said flatly. “Someone spread it. That powder attracted the wolf—stronger than an E-Rank beast. It couldn’t have entered the zone otherwise.”
Garven’s eyes darkened, and for a brief moment, I thought I saw something flash across his face—anger, frustration, or maybe both. “Do you have any suspects?”
“Derren,” Alisha interjected, her voice sharp despite her weakened state. “That little snake has been after Illiad since day one.”
“It’s not just Derren,” I added, my voice low. “He’s not smart enough to pull this off alone. Someone is backing him—or orchestrating this from the shadows.”
Garven straightened, his sharp eyes scanning the forest as if trying to catch a glimpse of the perpetrator. “If you’re right, this goes beyond simple bullying. Tampering with a training zone—endangering cadets—is treasonous. Someone’s going to answer for this.”
The weight of his words hung in the air as the medics finished securing us. The stretchers were sturdy but felt like cages as we were lifted, the jolting motion aggravating my injuries. Every bump on the path back to the academy sent fresh waves of pain coursing through my body, but I gritted my teeth and endured it.
Kalden, on the stretcher beside me, whispered, “Illiad, do you think... this was really just Derren?”
I turned my head slightly to meet his gaze. The doubt and fear in his eyes mirrored my own. “No,” I replied quietly. “It’s bigger than him. And if we don’t figure out who’s behind this, they’ll come for us again.”
The words hung between us, unspoken fears taking root in the silence. The academy, once a place of order and discipline, now felt tainted, its sanctity eroded by unseen threats.
As we broke through the edge of the forest and the academy came into view, I felt a strange mixture of relief and dread. Relief that we’d survived—barely. Dread at the thought of what awaited us next.
The med bay was bustling when we arrived. Rows of cots lined the room, each one a temporary refuge for injured cadets. The clean, sterile smell of medicinal herbs mixed with the coppery tang of blood.
Lorian—Gwen—was already being treated on the far side of the room. The sight of her unconscious form, pale and fragile, sent a fresh surge of anger through me. Her arm was bound in a sling, and a deep gash on her leg had been stitched up, the skin around it swollen and bruised. She had been the first to fall during the battle, and I hadn’t been able to protect her.
I clenched my fists, ignoring the sharp sting as the medics worked on my own wounds. My body screamed for rest, but my mind refused to let go.
“Rest,” one of the medics urged, her tone firm but kind. “Your body won’t heal if you keep fighting it.”
Fighting it? If only it were that simple. The real battle wasn’t over—it had just begun.
Later, after the medics had finished their work, Lt. Garven returned, his expression as hard as ever. “I’ll need detailed reports from all of you when you’re able. For now, focus on recovering.”
His gaze lingered on me for a moment longer than the others. Was it suspicion? Or trust? I couldn’t tell.
As he turned to leave, I forced myself to sit up, ignoring the sharp protest from my ribs. “Lt. Garven,” I called out.
He stopped but didn’t turn around. “What is it?”
“Whoever’s behind this—they’re not done,” I said, my voice steady despite the fatigue weighing me down. “This was a warning. A test.”
He nodded once, almost imperceptibly, before walking away. His silence was more telling than words.
That night, as the med bay lights dimmed and the room grew quiet, I lay awake, my thoughts spinning. The battle with the Thornhide Wolf had shaken me to my core, but it wasn’t just the beast that haunted me. It was the realization that someone wanted us gone—someone willing to break every rule to do it.
And they had made a mistake by letting us live.
**
Foreshadowing Trouble Ahead
The day’s events had left me drained, both physically and mentally. The exercise was grueling, yet I found myself more concerned with the simmering unease that seemed to linger in the air. Back in the med bay, I sat on the edge of my bunk, carefully inspecting my Aura Flow and physical body. The rhythmic flow of Aura being manipulated was soothing, though my mind was far from calm.
Kalden, ever precise and methodical, was meticulously cleaning his bow at the desk near the window. Alisha leaned against the wall, running an inspections on her Aura as well with practiced ease. Her expression, as always, was calm, though there was a subtle crease in her brow that betrayed her thoughts.
"That was… unexpected," Alisha said, finally breaking the silence.
She didn’t need to elaborate; we all knew what she meant. The way the training exercise had shifted so suddenly, as if designed to test our limits in ways that felt far too calculated.
"Unexpected? More like rigged," Tristan said from his corner of the room. He was sprawled across his bed, his tunic slightly unbuttoned, and his sword resting against the headboard. His usual boisterous demeanor was tempered tonight, replaced by a rare hint of seriousness.
Kalden nodded, his sharp eyes flicking toward Tristan. "It’s hard to believe the timing of those ‘unexpected’ challenges was coincidental."
"Someone wanted to see us fail," I said, my voice low but firm. "And not just us. The entire exercise felt… off."
We lapsed into silence again, each of us lost in our thoughts. I glanced toward the window, where the moonlight spilled into the room, casting long shadows. Shadows that seemed to dance with hidden meaning.
Elsewhere in the academy, a different kind of shadow moved.
Master Fennor stood in the dim light of a secluded hallway, his arms crossed as he spoke in hushed tones with an unknown figure cloaked in darkness. The faint glow of a lantern flickered, casting their silhouettes against the stone walls.
"The plan is proceeding as expected," Fennor murmured. His voice, always calm and composed, carried a chilling undertone. "The academy needs a spark, something to shake its foundations."
The cloaked figure shifted slightly, their face obscured. "And you’re certain these… disruptions will suffice? The balance must tip far enough to force their hand."
Fennor’s lips curled into a faint smirk. "Trust me. The seeds of chaos have already been sown. The rest will take care of itself."
I had no idea what was being plotted in the shadows, but something about that night felt ominous. My unease only grew when I returned to my bunk after a quick wash and found a folded piece of parchment tucked beneath my pillow.
Frowning, I unfolded it, the faint scent of wax and ink wafting up as I read the hastily scrawled message:
“Prepare for betrayal.”
The words sent a chill down my spine. I folded the note quickly and stuffed it into my pocket, my mind racing. Who had left it? And what betrayal did it warn of?
"Illiad?" Kalden’s voice broke through my thoughts. He was watching me with his usual sharp gaze, though there was a flicker of concern in his eyes.
"Just thinking," I replied, forcing a calm tone.
Alisha looked up, her expression unreadable. "We can’t let our guard down. Whatever this is, it’s only just beginning."
Tristan sat up in his bed, his characteristic smirk returning, though it lacked its usual bravado. "Let them come. Whoever’s pulling the strings will regret messing with us."
His confidence was a thin veneer over the same unease we all shared. The tension in the room was palpable, yet there was an unspoken agreement between us. Whatever was coming, we would face it together.
As the night stretched on, I found myself staring at the moon through the narrow dormitory window. The cryptic message played over and over in my mind, intertwining with the memory of Derren’s smirk, Master Fennor’s unreadable expressions, and the shifting dynamics within the academy.
Something was coming. Something that threatened to shatter the fragile stability we had worked so hard to maintain. And somehow, I knew the warning was just the beginning.