The forest was alive with echoes of battle. Every few moments the screech of a skybeast split the air, followed by shouts, bursts of energy, or the crash of a weapon striking home. The once silent grove of dead trees now rang with chaos as Jorin's students put their weapons and abilities to the test.
Kael's group regrouped after Feyla claimed her core. Mira stood with arms crossed, her stone-like skin slowly fading back to flesh, while Darian wiped sweat from his brow, sparks still flickering at his fingertips. Lira hovered near the edge, quiet, her wind currents keeping the heavy dust from choking them.
"Not bad," Darian muttered, glancing at the fallen beast. "But that was only one."
"And there are more," Mira added, eyeing the branches above. "Plenty more."
Feyla slipped the glowing red core into the pouch at her hip and turned to Kael. For a brief moment her hand brushed his. "Stay close, alright? No disappearing."
Kael gave a short nod, though his eyes wandered upward again. The shadows between the branches seemed alive, each one a reminder of Nathan's voice echoing within him—hold back when you can, strike when you must.
Further across the grove, another team engaged their quarry. Bren's laugh cut through the air, harsh and mocking. Kael turned just in time to see the bully rip a skybeast from the air with raw force, slamming it against the earth as though it weighed nothing. The beast shrieked in pain, wings snapping as it tried to recover.
"Pathetic," Bren sneered. He clenched his fist, invisible pressure crushing the creature until its body gave a sickening crack. His weapon—a heavy iron mace he had chosen earlier—slammed down onto the beast's skull. The ground shook, dust rising in a cloud around him. Moments later he held the faintly glowing core aloft.
Students nearby cheered nervously, though their eyes carried unease. Bren was strong—everyone knew it—but there was something in the way he relished the kill that unsettled even his own group.
Kael watched carefully, his grip tightening around his dagger. Something twisted inside him, not fear exactly, but a heavy awareness. Bren's power was overwhelming, yet it lacked control. It was pure dominance, raw and unrestrained.
"Don't look at him," Feyla whispered, as though she could sense his thoughts. "Focus on us."
But Kael couldn't look away. Jorin stood not far from Bren's group, arms folded, expression unreadable. He gave no praise, no scolding—only a faint nod before turning his gaze back to the other students.
A piercing screech snapped Kael's focus back to his own group. Another skybeast swooped low, talons slicing through the air. Lira cried out as it dove straight toward her.
Kael moved without thought. His feet pushed off the earth, and in a blink he was between the girl and the beast. His dagger slashed upward, catching the creature along its wing. Black feathers scattered as the beast faltered and crashed to the ground.
"Go!" he shouted.
Mira didn't hesitate. She charged forward, her stone-covered fists slamming into the beast's skull. Feyla followed, water rushing from her staff to coil around its body, holding it down long enough for Darian's lightning to finish the kill. The forest shook with the beast's last cry before silence settled once more.
Lira stared at Kael, wide-eyed. "You—"
Kael quickly turned away, wiping the blade against his sleeve before anyone else could question him. "It's done. Let's keep moving."
Feyla bent to retrieve the core, slipping it into Lira's hand instead of keeping it herself. "Yours," she said softly. "Don't waste the chance."
The girl nodded, clutching it tightly, her expression torn between fear and awe.
Jorin's voice boomed across the grove then, cutting through the noise. "Two cores down for some, none for others. Remember—every one of you leaves here with a core, or you leave with nothing at all."
The weight of his words settled on the students. The hunt was far from over.
Kael tightened his grip on his dagger once more. Something deep inside told him his real challenge was still waiting among the branches.