The groups moved out cautiously beneath the canopy of dead trees, their branches clawing at the crimson sky like skeletal fingers. The forest carried no life beyond the strange red-scaled birds that nested above, their cries echoing through the still air.
Kael's group stayed close, moving slowly over the brittle earth. Every snapped twig or crunch of dry bark made the students tense. They all remembered Jorin's words—fast in the air, slow on the ground. It was simple advice, yet the thought of facing a beast that could swoop down from above left everyone glancing nervously skyward.
Feyla walked at Kael's side, her water staff resting against her shoulder. "Stay close," she whispered, her voice calm but edged with worry. "These beasts are quicker than they look."
Kael gave a slight nod, his eyes scanning the branches above. "I'll be fine," he said, though even he wasn't sure if he believed it.
Their group consisted of five: Kael, Feyla, a thin boy named Darian who had sparks of lightning flickering between his fingers, Mira who could harden her skin into stone, and a quiet girl named Lira whose wind ability was barely more than a breeze. It was a mixed set of talents, but Jorin had deliberately kept their groups balanced.
A sudden screech split the air, sharp and piercing. Every head snapped upward as a flash of red scales shot between the branches. The bird-like beast wheeled above them, wings slicing through the air with unnatural speed.
"Down!" Darian shouted, instinctively firing a bolt of lightning upward. The strike snapped against the creature's wing but barely slowed it. The beast dived, talons glinting.
Kael shoved Mira aside as the bird crashed into the ground where they had stood. The impact shook the earth, dust and bark exploding outward. Just as Jorin had said, the moment the beast touched the ground its speed faltered.
"Now!" Feyla called. Water surged from her staff, wrapping around the creature's wings and pinning them to its sides. The beast shrieked and struggled, but she held firm, her arms trembling with the strain.
Mira charged forward, her skin shimmering into hardened stone. She slammed into the beast with all her strength, knocking it sideways. The creature flailed, slowed by the water and pinned by its own weight.
Kael stepped forward, dagger in hand, but hesitated. His instincts urged him to leap, to strike, but Nathan's earlier words still rang in his head—hold back when you can. He clenched his grip but stayed at the edge, letting the others take control.
Darian fired another bolt, searing into the beast's chest. The smell of burnt feathers filled the air as the bird gave one last screech before collapsing against the tree roots. Lira rushed forward hesitantly, using her wind to push back the dust and smoke as the group caught their breath.
Feyla lowered her staff, sweat dripping from her brow. She stepped closer to the creature, her expression firm. "I'll take this one," she said, driving the staff down and finishing the beast. The faint glow of a core pulsed within its chest. She extracted it carefully, holding it in her palm, the red light reflecting in her eyes.
"That's one," she said, glancing back at the others. Her gaze lingered on Kael. "We'll all need one by the end of this hunt."
The group nodded silently. Around them, faint shouts and distant clashes echoed through the forest as the other teams fought their own battles. Jorin's command still hung heavy—every student was expected to return with a core.
Kael tightened his grip on his dagger and looked up at the branches swaying above. He couldn't shake the feeling that their hardest fight was still waiting in the shadows.