The forest swallowed sound quickly.
Within a few steps, the shouts of other candidates faded into something distant and indistinct, but those who were left stood in a loose circle.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Rina was the first to move. She pulled her card out without ceremony and held it up. One by one, the others followed.
Five cards.
Five different plants.
Someone let out a quiet whistle. "Well. That's convenient."
The tall woman spoke next.
"Rina."
That was all she said.
She stood solidly, shoulders squared, in sleeveless combat gear. Old scars marked her skin, including one that split her left eyebrow, giving her face a hardened edge. Yet the way she positioned herself—half a step ahead of the others—felt protective rather than aggressive.
A hooded man inclined his head slightly.
"Toma."
Lean, sharp-eyed, and quiet. His movements were economical, almost restrained, as if every step was measured before it was taken. He analysed all of the other ones one by one while he stood next to the giant woman Rina, it seemed like they were at least acquaintances.
The nervous girl hesitated before speaking.
"M-Mira."
She clutched the strap of her satchel, fingers stained faintly with ink and dried sap. Slender, physically unimposing, with glasses that kept slipping down her nose, she looked out of place among armed candidates. Yet her eyes lingered on leaves and roots with careful attention.
A boy hopped down from a rock with a grin.
"Kell Ardrin."
Short and constantly in motion, he carried himself like nothing in the world could pin him down. His smile came easily—too easily—and his bright eyes darted between faces, always searching for reactions. The energy around him was light, almost careless.
Last was the pale man leaning against a tree.
"Cael."
His voice was calm, detached. Long silver-gray hair framed a face marked by exhaustion rather than age, with dark circles. He looked fragile, almost breakable—he had an unsettling presence like a reaper.
Rina looked at the cards once, then lowered hers. "We don't need to fight," she said. Her voice was slightly too deep for a woman.
She glanced at the others, measuring them.
"Let's form a team."
No one argued.
Her gaze shifted to Mira. It softened.
"Join the team," Rina added, more quietly. "I can help you."
Startled, Mira looked at Rina.
She hesitated for half a second, fingers curling against her satchel, then nodded and moved forward in a small, nervous sprint—stopping just short of Rina's side.
Up close, Rina's face was scarred, angular, and undeniably intimidating.
And yet… Mira didn't feel afraid.
Toma said nothing. He simply stayed where he was, eyes already scanning the forest. His silence was his answer.
Kell, meanwhile, without skipping a beat. "Yeah, sure," he said cheerfully. "Team sounds great. Love teams."
Cael tilted his head slightly. "And if someone's plant is unreachable?"
The question cut through the moment.
Rina answered without hesitation. "Then I take responsibility."
She met his eyes.
"If it's too dangerous, I'll handle it. And if it truly can't be done—" she paused, then continued, "—I'll give my card and plant to whoever needs it."
Kell snorted. "You're serious?"
Rina didn't react, she just kept looking at him.
Kell raised both hands. "Hey, hey. Just checking." He nodded, still smiling.
Toma watched him closely. Filed it away.
Mira's hands trembled slightly. She hugged her satchel closer, hoping—quietly—that she could safely pass.
Rina turned toward the trees. "Alright."
She stepped forward, then stopped and reached back, lifting Mira effortlessly onto her shoulder.
Mira gasped. "W—!"
"Relax," Rina said calmly. "I'm strong."
After a moment, Mira did relax.
The others followed.
They walked for nearly fifteen minutes.
Nothing.
Kell broke the silence. "Kind of hoping we run into someone with a plant."
No one responded.
They were all thinking the same thing.
After another half hour, the ground softened.
The trees thinned, giving way to a wide, stagnant swamp. In the center, partially submerged, grew one of the plants from their cards.
Rina stepped forward.
The moment her foot touched the surface, it sank—far deeper than expected.
Her weight shifted.
The water pulled.
"Tch—!"
The ground gave way entirely.
Rina dropped.
Toma reacted instantly. Kell and Cael moved with him. Hands grabbed arms. The suction tightened.
Mira cried out.
Together, they hauled her back.
Rina emerged dripping, mud streaked across her boots. She took a breath and stepped back onto solid ground.
Kell bent over, gasping. "You are—way—heavier than you look."
Rina flexed an arm. "That's what muscle does."
She struck a pose showing off her physique.
Cael, watching the swamp, said flatly, "That isn't water. It behaves like quicksand. Weak suction, but continuous."
Toma nodded. "Agreed."
They tested it.
A stick landed on the surface.
Five seconds.
Then it sank.
"Five seconds," Toma muttered.
"We need another way," Cael said.
Kell snapped his fingers. "Distance from the edge to the plant is about thirty meters. What if Rina throws someone most of the way, and we bridge the rest?"
Rina frowned. "And how do they get back?"
Kell grinned and pulled down a vine, yanking hard. "Rope."
He tugged again, showing its strength.
They nodded.
Work began immediately.
While Rina stretched and rolled her shoulders, Mira gathered bark and flat stones. Kell twisted the vine into a thick rope. Toma and Cael stood apart.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Toma sighed. "Let's keep it simple."
Cael nodded. "Fine."
They faced each other.
"Rock," Toma said.
"Paper," Cael replied.
"Scissors."
They raised their hands.
Cael won.
Toma didn't react. "Congratulations."
He turned and walked toward Rina.
Cael stood still.
Something felt… off.
But Kell was already shouting that the rope was ready, and Mira returned with what she could carry.
There was no time to think.
Kell tied the vine securely around Cael's torso. "Try not to die."
Rina stepped in front of him, crouched slightly, and grabbed him firmly by the chest.
"Three," she said.
Cael inhaled.
"Two."
The forest seemed to hold its breath.
"One."
And she threw him.
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Author's Note:
Hey everyone, hope you're doing well.
There won't be a new chapter for a short while. The characters introduced here are original and will play an important role later in the story, so I'm taking some time to properly develop their backgrounds.
Updates will be a bit slower for now, but the groundwork being laid here will pay off.
Let me know which of the new characters caught your interest — I'm curious to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for sticking with the story.
If you're enjoying the story so far, any support means a lot.