The deserving candidates are teleported suddenly. The twenty-six candidates are dispersed into various Wild Ether Zones within their assigned squads.
Sayan, Elyria and Kaelen are transported to rugged, gusty highlands snow-covered. The perpetual snow means the visibility is scant.
The snowy, rock-filled road and surrounding hills are the only things that can be seen, as far as the eye can reach. The existence of desire radiating is clear-cut and piercing, leaving the members of the squad to remain on their guard and nervous.
Sayan fell to the snow with a hard thud, struggling to keep his balance. The chill in the air appeared to seep into his marrow making him shiver down his spine. He steadied himself, his breath fogging around him. He tightens his fist and the silvery runners pulsed on his azure gloves, the Tier 1 Relic, Bastion.
A few steps away, Kaelen came down on the rock with a thick blanket of snow over it. He had unruly, ash-black hair that fell across a stoic brow, accentuating a face defined by a sharp jawline and a firm, somber mouth. The broad-shouldered youth hadn't stumbled; he had landed in a low crouch, a hunter's posture, his hand already resting on the hilt of a dark dagger at his waist. His deep, shadowed eyes were already scanning the jagged rocks, completely ignoring the swirling snow that bit at Sayan's own skin. Sayan realized in that instant that this was not another terrified Initiate, but a predator who had just been released into his hunting ground.
He positioned himself and sat there like a hunter and watched his surroundings along with his friends using his animal-like eyes. He pulled out two apparently translucent black daggers from the sides of his waist. A gray fog instantly wrapped around the blades of Tier 1 Relic, Dread Bane.
Sayan and Kaelen were dressed in their regular survival wear issued by the stronghold. The attire consisted of Feralborne Velcryn beasts. They consisted of blackish-blue military wear, overlaid with a layer of leather from killed Velcryn beasts for enhanced insulation, resistance and protection. They wore also wore a white vest over the survival wear. It was a one-time use defensive trinket given by the fortress, which would be taken into the body of the user and recover them in a fatal state.
They both gazed at Elyria. She stood elegantly poised, as if she had not been brutally teleported but had merely decided to be there. Snow melted an inch away from her flawless, black metallic armor. Sayan identified the workmanship of the Tier 2 Relic, Stormshield; an item well outside an Initiate's, even a prodigy's, capabilities.
Her palm was on the hilt of the curved sword at her hip. She drew it with a whisper of steel. The air about the blade, Glacient Fang, cooled at once, a light frost spreading along its hammered surface.
Sayan looked from her Tier 3 weapon to his gloved hands. The Thalvyn clan had prepared their daughter to win, not just to last. His issue relic now seemed weak by comparison.
Sayan swung around to the other two, his voice carrying above the wind, firm but clear. "We must find shelter before sundown". He points down a ridgeline of jagged stone to the west, towards the neighbouring hill. "That's the closest place that might be safe, because it's further from the woods and the high ground offers good defense and sighting. Kaelen, you guard the perimeter. Keep our backs covered. Elyria, you come with me."
Kaelen said nothing. He merely gave a curt single nod, his dark and deep eyes staring off into the distance. He pulled out one of his daggers and stood at a certain distance. Low and quick he crept forward, always watching their environment.
Elyria returned Sayan's regard, her cold eyes flashing with a glimmer of assessment. She performed a minute, courteous nod of the head. She unsheathed the Glacient Fang, its icy presence a dramatic contrast to the churning snow. She stood with it in flawless defensive position, knuckles pale, shoulders tense against the strain and force of a weapon she was still mastering.
With his companions on the move, Sayan led the way, his own blue gloves at the ready. He did not know how he knew the path, but a new sense directed him. It was a weak, geometric tug towards the ridge, a sense of spatial security amidst a landscape of threat. He followed it and kept going.
---
Zavian, Riven and Hera were transported to an island surrounded by reddish water. The island was bustling with its strange flora and towering moss-covered trees. But there was a strange stillness in the surrounding as if they are inside an illusion.
Zayan gently lands on the sand near the water; the crimson tides made a splashing sound. He observes a strange faint, bioluminescent glow deep withing the island's heart. There was a long, stout obsidian arrow, inscribed with runes on Zavian's back. Sayan closed his eyes as the ring on his index finger glowed and the larger arrow quivered.
This was the Tier 1 Relic, Mindshaft.
A few steps behind him Zavian witnessed another boy plunge down into the shallow, red water along the beach. Rather than panicking, the young man stood up with a radiant, carefree laugh, pushing back his soaked, star-shining hair from his eyes with a melodramatic gesture. He had a frenetic energy that refused to be conquered by their dismal circumstances, and his eyes, as pale as the early evening sky, sparkled with a mad wonder. Zavian immediately sensed that this was not a man of discipline who obeyed commands.
Riven's clothes were drenched, but he stood up in an unhurried manner, not bothered by his soaked clothes. He possessed a heavy, reinforced staff made from meteorite core his hands. Suddenly one of the gems on top of the staff glowed and Riven phased into a bundle of stars in front of Zavian, leaving behind the water soaked in his clothes.
This was the Tier 1 Relic, StellarBind.
Zavian was surprised by these actions of Riven.
Riven smiled wilfully, "Our last companion is late."
At this moment, A silhouette outlined at the end of the forest. This figure was already present, resting against a very tall tree as if she had stood there for hours. She was of medium height with dark, practical clothes that seemed to suck in the gloomy, unnatural light. Her face was distinct but somehow hard to remember, her whole presence exuding a still, purposeful quiet. This was neither noticed by Zavian nor Riven. As both of them turned towards the forest, they notice Hera standing there. Her presence was faint but her will was sharp as a dagger. She moved towards Riven and Zavian. Slow, poised and calm Hera said, "I am not late. You both are." Indicating that she was the first to arrive.
Zavian was not surprised, because even if he didn't notice Hera when she was at the edge of the Forest. But when she starting moving towards them, Zavian sensed a ripple in the information around him. It was as if a new variable had been added to the equation.
Riven was surprised but didn't show any reaction, instead he looked towards Zavian, and raised his eyebrows.
Hera observes Zavian and Riven. She speaks in her calm and dependable voice, "I sensed danger in the inner regions of the forest. Its best if we don't venture too deep inside. But staying near this abnormal red water body could be dangerous as well. I advise that we head to the outer forest regions and circle around to find a way to leave this island."
She looked towards Zavian and continued, "You have good instincts. Stay at the front and observe carefully."
She shot her gaze towards riven and instructed, "You Stay behind with me and cover him. I will look out for ambush and attacks from rear."
"Alright" Riven said in an amiable tone. Zavian nodded and took his position as instructed by Hera.
It's late afternoon and the Beta squad reached the outer periphery of the forest. The stillness is magnified here, but at the same time there are hidden movements within this enveloping stillness.
Zavian senses something at the periphery of his vision, but he wasn't able to see what it was. Zavian halts near the trunk of a towering tree. Hera and Riven also stop and observe their surroundings.
Zavian focuses on the branch of the trees and notice some discrepancies. The tress and the flora were very artificial. They seemed to be present only at a sensory level and lacked substance.
Zavian observes more intently and sees a vision for split-second. His eyes narrow, his facial muscles tense up and blood start oozing out from the corner of his eyes He swiftly turns towards his companions and shouts, "Don't look directly at the trees. They are casting an illusion, Look at the ground."
Hera and Riven immediately retract their vision from the surroundings and look at their feet. But Zavian had already probed into the illusion. Zavian eyes become white, as if a layer of illusionary mirrors had formed in front of his pupils.
Seeing Zavian freeze, Hera rapidly approaches him, while averting her vision from the trees. Riven follows her lead. A bracelet on her right hand's wrist materializes and releases a fog cloud, surrounding Zavian, Hera and Riven.
The clouds envelopes them and their senses are cutoff from whatever is outside the cloud. It forms a barrier shielding them from the illusion.
Zavian regains his consciousness and recalls that he was momentarily thinking of his childhood memory of him and his father. He snaps back to reality and composes his mind. The ring on his finger glows faintly and the large obsidian arrow on his back begins to float. Zavian recalls the information about his surroundings and focuses his intent and uses it to shape the trajectory of the arrow.
The arrow shoots forward at incredible speeds, exiting the fog barrier. The sturdy and sharp arrow quickly impales through all the three illusion trees near them. The backlash of channelling so much focused intent hits Zavian a moment later, and he stumbles, his breath catching in his throat. His Ether pool was nearly empty from that single, perfect shot.
The illusion weakens but the tree monsters are still not dead. Hela's bracelet once again materializes as she absorbs the fog barrier and makes it into the shape of a large foggy axe. She straightens her back, tightens her grip and slashes horizontally towards the damaged section of the tree nearest to them. The illusion tree is cut in half.
The rest of trees start protruding sharp vines towards them. Hera reforms her fog into a shield but few of the vines pierced through the fog shield and continue moving towards them.
At this moment thanks to Hera's shield, Riven finally gains an opportunity to use his staff. Three of the gems on the staff light up and the squad turns into a blizzard of stars and is teleported back to the edge of forest.
The three of them are slammed to the ground. Hera and Riven catch their breath and slowly stand up.
Zavian tries to stand up, but his nearly depleted Ether Pool causes him to lose strength in his legs. Riven and Hera support him as they exit the forest and come to the shore.
Zavian sits on the sand. His hand trembles dues to over exertion of his strength and his mind trembles due to the backlash of prying into the psyche-piercing illusion.
Riven rummages through his backpack and produces a flask of water.
This was not an ordinary flask. It was a relic that could store enough water to last fifteen days. But it needs to be refilled once emptied out.
The Tier 1 relic was named Flask of Serenity.
Riven offers the flask to Zavian. Zavian takes the flask and drinks plentiful of water without wasting a single drop. After Zavian gives it back to Riven, he says while panting slowly, "Your teleport ability saved us back there. Otherwise, we would have been trapped in the illusion as our consciousness would be slowly consumed by those monsters."
"If we would have been any further away from the forest's edge. I would not have been able to teleport us back to the edge. We would still be running towards the shore. Also, this was the first time I teleported three people at once, it required huge amount of ether expenditure and to travel such distance I had to be mindful of the astral coordinates of each of us, or else the teleportation would not have been successful." Riven smiles and says in a self-depreciating manner.
Hera looks towards Zavian. "If you hadn't warned us beforehand, we would not have the opportunity to fight back and escape." Hera comments in an uneven but calm tone.
Riven nodded in agreement.
Riven enquires out of curiosity to Hera, "How does the Mist Relic work?
It is very versatile and unique. It also has the ability to isolate and form a pocket space inside the area it envelops."
Hera exhaled and answered, "This is a Tier 2 Relic called Mist Cuff. It has the ability of a portion of Veil path. I can use it to form different forms of weapons, shields and barriers. I can also use it for stealth by enveloping myself. The problem is that excessive use of the relic's stealth ability would cause the user to lose a portion of their memories or thoughts and the Ether expenditure of using the fog isolation is substantial."
"Those trees used illusions to attack us. They are most likely Stage 2 Velcryn creatures, Whispers. Let's call them Mirewood for now. Based on the observation from out previous fight with them, it can be inferred that they influence their surroundings lure their prey into illusions. They can attack using their vines and branches. They also spew out poisonous pollen if the prey is not completely entrapped." Hera Continued.
Zavian, still shaking slightly, says, "There's more. When I was in the illusion I felt a warning. The Sentry's briefing said something about 'tempering.' I think the first time we completely drain ourselves; the Ether returns stronger. Uncontrolled. We want to be secure before that happens... I think that is how the Mark is born."
Upon hearing this Hera and Riven fell silent for a moment and then Hera started briefing them about their plan to survive the night.
After discussing and factoring in all factors they decided that it was neither safe near the water nor inside the forest. So, Hera devised that they should go the periphery of forest and dig an underground chamber. This would allow them to be safe from the forest monsters as they were outside the forest and if something happens on the beach at night they would be hidden safely and could continue their advancement.
After recovering some Ether, Zavian used Mindshaft to strike at the ground and form a crater. Then Hera formed digging tools using her Mistcuff. Using these tools the three of them prepared an underground chamber beneath the surface and illuminated them using makeshift torches. Then Riven used StellarBind to teleport dirt, sand and rocks forming the roof of the chamber and packing them inside.
After all necessary preparations, they sat and meditated to maintain a stable state of mind and try to tame the rampant flow of Ether to prepare for the origination of their mark.