I took it without hesitation, letting him guide me to the vine mats Finn had made. I unstrapped my swords, placing them next to my mat and laying down. Orion was on the mat to my left, his arms behind his head and his eyes closed. I didn't think he'd rest too, but he did look tired.
I looked back to find Arielle sitting on Hunter's lap. He was petting her while talking to Finn and Caio. I grinned, glancing at Theo who was perfectly still which made me assume he'd fallen asleep.
Hey Magnor. I met a group of people who don't think I'm weird. Is this what acceptance feels like? To have people who don't ask questions, but simply trust you? If so, it’s the best feeling I've ever experienced. I hope it stays this way.
* * *
~SIA~
I opened my eyes; the starry sky above greeted me. I frowned, taking a moment to figure out how I'd gotten here, or should I say, how Celestia got us here.
Written exam, Team M, Vamp bully, forest, must survive forest, campfire, friends...
It was always an interesting experience when we switched back and forth; we had the ability to see a fast-forward version of what had occurred when the other was resting. I sat up, pulling the hair tie out of my hair. I hated when my hair was up unless I was mid-battle. All it did was give me headaches.
I glanced to my right, the guy named Orion. It only took me five seconds to know exactly what he was; a small grin formed on my lips.Interesting. Now, that's a rarity.
I looked over to my left. Hunter and Arielle weren't where they'd been before Celestia went to sleep. Theo was still in his spot, but had turned over to lay on his left side. His face wore a peaceful expression and he breathed in and out slowly.
I looked over to see Finn sitting on the ground, his head rested back on the log. Lastly, Caio was lying down on his side and was asleep. I strapped on our dual swords, making sure both bracelets were on their designated wrists and used my stealth to move away from the camp to look around. Celestia had kept track of our path until this point. Even though Hunter left marks and drew us a map, anything could have caused those hints to disappear or be moved due to sabotage. Having a photographic memory would aid us if those running this exam decided to interfere. Adding our skills to navigate through the forest, it wasn't hard for me to know what parts hadn't been ventured in.
I took my time through the forest, unsure how this could possibly be an exam to prove ourselves worthy of becoming a hunter or huntress when we hadn't encountered any animals. Survival wasn't difficult for our group, but from Celestia's memories, not everyone would have been trained like us to survive the wild.
I reached a clearing; the open space was filled with tall grass that swayed from the passing warm breeze. I couldn't tell if this was a simulation or if we'd been teleported elsewhere, but it felt real and I could sense life within the trees and the ground below.
I turned around, lifting my foot to take a step forward when I froze. Thanks to the passing breeze, my nose caught the scent in time; my body grew rigid.How did it reach me without making a sound?
I felt the hot breath of the animal that had managed to sneak up on me, recalling from one of Magnor's teachings that this special breed was called a Rhinroy. It was a beast that could walk on its two back legs to hide its presence and was vicious in nature. They would sneak up on their prey, but could only attack if their prey made a sound.
I inhaled slowly and closed my eyes, concentrating on the ground below. Just because I couldn't chant a spell, didn't mean I was a sitting duck.
Vinasso Wrapondo.I knew the spell was working from the shift of magic in the air, creating an image in my mind of the beast’s two legs being wrapped with vines. I had to execute the spell slowly to prevent the beast from catching on. Their race tended to focus on their prey rather than their surroundings, giving me the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack. If I moved fast enough I could avoid a slash or two, but I doubted it. They were known to be fast and I was still at risk, due to its proximity.
I opened my eyes, ready to duck forward with the intention of cartwheeling away and making a run for it. I'd have to lead it away from the camp, or the guys would get hurt.Let's do th—
"BRU-REEEEE."
I flinched at the loud noise that came behind me; the Rhinroy cried out. I immediately cartwheeled forward, using the momentum from the action to leap up into the nearest tree while calling on the vines to tighten their hold. I turned around to view the seven foot animal who began thrashing the ground, attempting to escape the vines’ hold on it.
My eyes scanned around for Arielle; I spotted her flaming wings hovering over the guy named Hunter, who was pulling back an arrow. It was the first time I’d seen him other than the image in Celestia’s memories. Three seconds passed and he let the silver arrow go; it went straight through the back of the beast. It roared in agony, lifting up onto its back legs to scream into the night. I could see the tip of the arrow poking out of its chest. It fell to the ground, still fighting to free itself from the vines. After a minute, it stopped thrashing, twitching from time to time until it laid lifeless.
I sighed, dropping to the ground and making my way to inspect the dead beast. Hunter stayed where he was, lowering his bow and arrow.
I pulled out my swords, letting the magic flow through me. I had to be cautious in the event this beast was a smart ass and was playing dead.
"Wrapondo!" I chanted; the vines tightened once more around the beast. I lowered my swords to my side, walking around the beast twice.
"Bru?"
I looked up to Arielle who hovered above me, tilting her head.
"It's dead. I think we're in the—"
"CELESTIA!" Hunter shouted.
"GRAAEEEEEE!"
I pushed myself off the ground; my legs just missing the horns of another Rhinroy who charged toward Hunter. He lifted his bow, shooting arrow after arrow, but it didn’t slow the beast down. I twisted my body in the air, calling upon my magic and aimed it a few inches in front of Hunter.