Chuck heard steady footsteps. He felt himself moving, yet his legs weren't.
His eyelids were heavy, but they fluttered open anyway. He was moving-only, not by his own strength.
Jay had him slung across his back, carrying him firmly through the forest. When Jay noticed he was awake, he didn't slow or stop. Instead, his voice came steady and low, offering quiet praise for Chuck's fight. praise him for his actions.
"That was awesome, bro." Jay grinned at him.
"Yeah, we'd have been toast without you. Thanks, man." Flu gave him a playful punch on the arm as they walked.
The light tap lit up every nerve in Chuck's body with pain, but he kept his face steady. They knew what his Talent did to him-how it burned his blood into mist, how it chewed at his insides afterward. They just didn't say it out loud. Chuck hated when people worried, and they hated making him feel weak.
So they smiled, joked, and walked on like nothing was wrong. And Chuck was grateful for that, even if he'd never admit it.
A sudden realization hit him once the pain dulled-did they even know where they were going?
He tried to speak, but all that came out were weak, muffled groans.
"Don't worry, we know what we're doing," Jay said, shifting Chuck higher on his back so he wouldn't slip.
"Yeah, we saw the arrow," Flu added quickly.
When they had woken up, they'd found Chuck passed out beside the mangled corpse of the snake. It hadn't taken long to piece things together-what he had done, and the price it had cost him. They had planned to move him before another snake showed up, but that's when they noticed it: a red, gooey arrow melted into the dirt, pointing the way forward.
And so, without asking questions, they followed.
"We can only assume Captain Bumi sent the arrow. And even if he didn't... we've got no other clues to follow," Jay said grimly. "So we're stuck with this."
Chuck gave a faint nod, agreeing. His gaze drifted up to the sky - it was glowing orange. They had been in this forest nearly all day.
"What happens if we run into another snake like that?" Flu asked suddenly, his voice shaky. "None of us are in any condition to fight."
"And even when we were, that thing picked us apart like nothing," Jay muttered. His eyes flicked to Chuck, slumped across his back. "And we can't count on him to fight again. He looks half-dead. No offense."
Chuck managed the faintest smirk, but he knew Jay wasn't wrong. They were all battered and bruised - he worst of all. If another beast like that came for them, they wouldn't stand a chance. And if Bumi really had set this up, then one thing was clear: he wasn't going soft on them.
Chuck mumbled something into Jay's ear - a slur of words that barely made sense.
"You're right," Jay nodded.
Flu frowned. "...Right about what? You two gonna let me in on the secret, or am I supposed to read minds now?"
Jay smirked at Flu's glare. "Relax. He said Bumi probably has something in store for us. That's why he wants us to find him. If he knows we're hurt and running on fumes, he'll probably let us rest up before we face him."
Flu raised a brow. "That's what he said? Sounded more like dying-guy gibberish to me."
Flu nodded as he concurred. Chuck was probably right. They all knew Bumi could see them somehow-that's how he kept sending snakes at them whenever he wanted. If he could see that they needed rest, he'd probably hold off... for now.
"But we still have another problem," Jay spoke up. "He showed us an arrow, but how do we know when we're close to him? What if we run into him before we've recovered?"
"Hmm." Flu rubbed his chin. "Then I suggest we rest somewhere before moving forward. Like you said, we won't know how close we are, so it's better to be prepared for that surprise than walk straight into it half-dead."
Jay agreed almost immediately, and even Chuck gave a weak nod. They had all pushed their Talents further than they would've liked during that fight with the snake, and now they needed time-time to rest, time to let their Chi recover.
With the plan decided, they stopped beneath the shade of a tall tree. Jay carefully set Chuck down, and the three of them sat together, doing their best to rest. Still, the lingering fear of what Bumi might try next clung to their minds like a shadow.
Elsewhere, deep within the forest, Bumi hadn't moved an inch since the trial began. He remained seated on the ground, only shifting his posture now and then, as though this entire ordeal was little more than a waiting game.
He had heard every word the trio spoke, still watching them through the eyes of one of his snakes.
Bumi's excitement only grew. After witnessing Chuck stand against one of his Naga serpents, the smile etched across his face refused to fade.
The boys had come a long way-especially Chuck.
When they first joined, Chuck could barely wield his Talent. He couldn't manage more than three slashes before exhaustion overtook him. Yet now, he had single-handedly taken down one of Bumi's Naga-no small feat, even for high-ranking hunters within the faction. Bumi had only sent it to bully the boys, never expecting them to actually defeat it.
The kid had grown stronger in just a year. Bumi couldn't help but wonder how much further Chuck would rise under his training. Perhaps strong enough to face all of Craven's bastards one day.
By then, the sky had darkened. Night had fully settled, and the trio stirred from their rest. They weren't back to full strength, but confidence returned to their eyes. Whatever they came across next, they believed they could handle it.
They stood and prepared to leave. Earlier, one of Bumi's snakes had slithered down from the branches above their resting spot. The sudden drop startled them, and they had braced themselves for another fight-only for the serpent to remain still. Instead of striking, it flicked its tail forward, as though signaling for them to follow.
With no better path to take, they obeyed, though caution never left their steps. Each boy moved warily, ready for an ambush at any moment.
As they trailed behind the snake, Chuck glanced down at his right arm. The skin was still scorched and marked from his earlier battle. He clenched his fist, feeling the dull sting ripple through his nerves. The pain lingered, but he had already decided-it wasn't going to stop him.
He remembered his deal with Bumi-if he passed this trial, he would become the man's student.
Chuck had heard the stories. Some of the Viper generals-the faction's most elite fighters-had been forged under Bumi's hand. Their strength was legendary, not something to laugh at.
If he could earn that same training, then there was no telling how far his power would reach. And if there was even the slightest chance to return and make that girl pay for what she did to his friends... he would take it, no matter the cost.
'And that other kid too, for touching Taffy... I think his name was Wyatt.'
The small snake that was leading them slithered calmly on the ground, unbothered by the pitch darkness of the night. Its glowing eyes flickered faintly as it expertly navigated the forest, leading them somewhere none of them could guess.
"Damn, Captain really doesn't play with his punishments." Flu gave a tired sigh. They were drained, body and mind, and this trial was turning out to be far worse than they imagined.
"I hear you." Jay huffed. "I just wanna go home and sleep for a week."
"What do you think will happen once we find Bumi?" Chuck suddenly asked. The original goal had been to locate him, but now they were being led to him. That could only mean he had another purpose for them.
"He'll probably have us do more squats." Jay's face twisted in dread.
"What? No! No more squats!" Flu nearly shouted. He could still feel the ones from yesterday.
"He wouldn't drag us all the way out here just for squats, idiot," Chuck muttered, though Flu still looked relieved.
But then a darker thought crept into Jay's mind.
"You don't think... he wants us to fight him, do you?" His voice cracked, horror etched across his face.
The other two froze. It was possible.
"No! That's worse than squats! I'll take the squats!" Flu cried, panicking.
So that's his game, Chuck thought grimly. Bumi was far too strong, and he knew it. It had taken everything they had just to survive one of his lesser snakes. Against him, they wouldn't stand a chance.
Chuck smiled bitterly.
'He doesn't want us to fight him. He wants to beat the sh*t out of us.'
The little snake suddenly stopped and turned back, coiling in silence. The boys exchanged nervous glances.
"Where's it going?" Flu asked. "Don't tell me Captain's plan was to strand us in the middle of the forest..."
Before anyone could answer, the sound hit them.
A low, deep hiss-like the growl of a monster-rolled through the trees. It vibrated in their chests, making the hairs on their skin rise.
And then they saw it.
A massive serpent slid out from the shadows, at least four times larger than the one they had fought earlier. Its scales were pitch black, its glowing blue eyes burning like embers in the dark. The moonlight disappeared behind its bulk.
The size alone was terrifying enough-but worse was the figure sitting casually atop its head, smiling down at them.
"I assure you," Bumi said, his grin sharp and sinister, "that wasn't my plan."