The next day.
Nothing.
The day after. Nothing.
Two days and there was still no sign of their new instructor. But the children still stood on thin ice as muscles bulged and veins popped all over Ryven's face.
He was in a foul mood.
Because of Eoman's absence. He had to teach them once more, giving them tasks to complete while he went to look for that certain idiot.
The children were already lined up, expecting another drill. But before them was only breeze, sandstone grounds and the trees at the edge
Today was the third. And still no sign of Eoman. Like he has never existed.
The children waited.
'He is not here again' Ryven thought while just arriving. He had guessed as much, that's why he decided to come
With a sigh, he walked towards the platform ready to address the children.
Their eyes followed him the second they saw him. They greeted him then quietly watched him as he stood before them.
"It seems like your teacher is far too occupied to come. Rather than wasting valuable time, continue on with your physical training until you are called—"
_Swoop_
Gone.
Right before his eyes, every single soul had disappeared leaving an empty space and winds that welcomed him.
________
Backs straight, breaths shallow and mouth shut.
They stood, listening to instructor Ryven's voice until it was replaced by earthly vocals. Instructor Ryven and their surroundings were replaced with tall sparse trees.
Fear gripped their hearts.
Were they going to be chased again?
By those monsters. The memory of this forest was still fresh.
Hair stood on end
They were scattered but close. Close enough to see each other.
Should they move? stay?
They were frozen. Stuck in a dilemma till a voice cut through, reverberating around their surroundings, throughout the forest.
"Looks like everyone is here."
"Fret not mortal and don't look so flustered." Cheerful. "I am sure your first instructor has already guessed your possible location."
"That being said, there isn't any need to be frightened. Hehe. It wouldn't help anyways"
Eoman was no where in sight Yet his voice was behind them. Then above. Then gone
"Forget the training grounds you've grown used to. Birds don't learn to fly in a cage."
A pause.
"Though it also means they see another day." He snickered.
Silence.
"So let's begin with our lesson,"
"Reflex. Or as the old tongue calls it... Intuition. The art of not dying."
Leaves rustled all around them. like someone was jumping from branch to branch.
The kids flinched.
Some caught at air. Dancing between the corner of their eyes and their blind spot.
By the time they looked — nothing.
Kira's eyes traveled as she stared at those close to. Three other people were in plain sight but Sapphire and the others were not.
Their eyes met, fear evident as they looked at their surroundings. turning on every noise.
Unbeknownst to them. Spike had begun emerging from, creeping slowly behind Kira.
"First rule of survival," Eoman said. Close. Too close.
"Don't always trust your eyes. The blind perceives more than the seer"
A twig snapped behind Sapphire. He spun. Nothing.
A leaf fell in front of Nirro. He didn't blink
Kealor whispered. "Where are you?" peering through the trees, he was also far from the others.
"Everywhere, little firecracker." A laugh from above. Kealor jumped. He had been heard
"Remember young mortal," Eoman said,
"Today marks your genesis…" His voice echoed seriously,
"Hopefully not your conclusion." Like a whisper into their ear followed by a chuckle then a laughter.
Scared.
A girl in another part of the forest turned to look at the others around then to the one beside her but was horrified. Her legs trembled, stumbling, mouth quivered as she stared at what was before her.
The other girl who had been beside her. Had her back fixed to the trees. While spikes tore through her stomach, chest and one of her eyes, too big that it broke her skull. Other smaller spikes sprulled around her remaining frames.
She was dead.
Screams cut through the forest. Sharp enough it pierced their skin.
They all looked around for where it was coming from.
"Oops, seems like someone is too excited"
They were still fixed to their spot.
Kira slowly retreated.
When,
"Behind you!" A boy shouted, calling out to Kira. Hands pointing at what was behind her.
Kira barely spotted it with the corner of her eyes before it shot forward.
"Duck!" One screamed and Kira was down on the ground barely avoiding the strike at hair's breadth.
And so we're the others.
The spike tore through the air, hitting another tree bark opposite.
"Run!" The kids before her all got up immediately as the words were said and ran in different directions.
The noise of their hurried departure tainting the already living forest.
Echoes of the words reached the others that had yet to move and were still looking around
"Reflex isn't thinking!" Eoman's voice echoed. "It's the space between thought and death!"
_Fwoosh_
Something cut through the air. Fast.
Lucian yelped and ducked. Black spikes stuck in the tree where his head was.
Then another. And another.
The remaining kids scattered.
Kira got up and also ran.
It was chaos.
All of them, running around.
Eoman watched them like ants.
"Second rule of survival… Running is good, only if you know where the danger is coming from" He said
Right on cue, large spikes emerged from the ground, so fast that some of them barely avoided it.
Causing one to be impaled,
"Another unfortunate one." Eoman commented,
Others were scratched and injured from the outburst.
Kealor was among the injured, blood trickling down from his side as he continued running.
He hadn't noticed.
Spikes rained down hazardously. Some got stabbed on their legs and hands.
Nirro narrowly dodged then as they fell, some too fast, they caused injuries against his skin.
Stopping beside a tree to regain some of his energy and ward off falling spikes before running as he couldn't stay in one place for too long.
Eoman watched from a branch. Bored from sights of headless chickens
"Where's our little rose?"
His eyes scanned the whole forest, eventually spotting Kira, his smile curved upwards.
"There you are."