Master Zuberi stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. “When I call your names, step forward and receive your task. Once you have your instructions, you will enter the hunting grounds and begin.”
The students stood in tense silence as the pairings were called out. Lifu felt his heart race as he waited to hear his team’s assignment. He knew they were ready, but the uncertainty of the test still weighed heavily on him.
Finally, Master Zuberi called their names. “Lifu Stormborne, Tia Drakenhart, Tumo Kharis and Leila Windhaven.”
The four of them moved to the front, their expressions serious as Master Zuberi handed them two sealed envelopes.
“Remember what you’ve trained for, you have until sunset.”
With that, they opened their envelopes and quickly read through the instructions. They were tasked with retrieving a rare herb known as the Moonshade Lily, which grew deep within a heavily guarded part of the hunting grounds. As well as defeating a Thunderstalker, which had been spotted in the same area.
The group exchanged a quick glance, their minds already racing with strategies.
“This is going to be tough,” Lifu said, his voice low. “The Moonshade Lily is supposed to be well-protected, and the Thunderstalker... well, we all know how dangerous those are.”
Tia nodded, her expression serious. “But we’ve trained for this. We’ll keep in sync, stick to our plan, and we’ll get it done.”
Leila gave a small smile, her calm presence reassuring. “We’ll be fine. We know what we’re capable of, and we know how to work together. Let’s just stay focused.”
Tumo, despite his earlier nerves, was ready to go. “We’ve got this. We’re a team, even if we’re not side by side. Let’s show them what we can do.”
With a final nod, the group split into their pairs and entered the hunting grounds.
***
The second layer of the hunting grounds was a far cry from the first. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, and a low mist clung to the ground, obscuring their path. The trees were ancient and gnarled, their twisted branches forming a canopy that blocked out most of the sunlight, casting the forest in perpetual twilight.
Lifu and Tia moved with practiced caution, their senses attuned to the environment around them. As they moved deeper into the forest, Tia kept her fire magic at the ready, a small flame dancing in her palm to light their way. Lifu, on the other hand, had a bolt of lightning crackling faintly at his fingertips, ready to strike at the first sign of danger.
After what felt like hours of navigating through the dense undergrowth, they finally reached the area described in their instructions. The ground here was soft and uneven, covered in a thick layer of moss that muffled their footsteps. In the centre of a small clearing, surrounded by ancient, twisted trees, was the Moonshade Lily. Its petals were a deep midnight blue, almost black, and they glowed faintly with an otherworldly light.
But as Lifu and Tia drew closer, they saw the creatures that guarded it. They were massive, wolf-like beasts with fur as dark as the forest around them and eyes that gleamed with an unnatural intelligence. There were three of them, each pacing around the clearing, their ears twitching as they caught the scent of intruders.
“Darkfang wolves,” Tia murmured, her voice tense. “They’re not going to let us anywhere near that lily without a fight.”
Lifu’s mind raced as he assessed the situation. They were outnumbered, and these wolves were known for their ferocity and pack tactics. A direct confrontation would be risky, but there was no way they could sneak past them. They had to come up with a plan—and fast.
“Okay,” Lifu whispered, “we need to separate them. If we can lure one of them away, we might have a chance to take it down quickly, then deal with the others one by one.”
Tia’s eyes flicked to the wolves, then back to Lifu. “You want to be the bait, don’t you?”
Lifu nodded. “I’ll draw one of them out. You stay hidden and take it down when it’s isolated. Then we’ll handle the others together.”
Tia frowned but nodded in agreement. “Alright, but be careful. Don’t take any unnecessary risks. We can’t afford to lose you out here.”
Lifu smiled reassuringly. “I’ll be fine. Just be ready.”
With their plan in place, Lifu stepped forward, his lightning crackling more intensely as he prepared to make his move. He let out a sharp, piercing whistle, drawing the attention of the wolves. Their heads snapped up, their glowing eyes locking onto him as they bared their teeth, growling low in their throats.
Lifu didn’t wait for them to charge. He released a bolt of lightning, sending it crashing into the ground near one of the wolves. The flash of light and the crackling energy startled the beast, causing it to snarl and lunge in his direction, its powerful legs propelling it forward with terrifying speed.
Lifu took off, leading the wolf away from the clearing and deeper into the forest. The beast was fast, but Lifu was faster, weaving through the trees as he kept the wolf’s attention on him. He could hear the other wolves howling in the distance, but they hadn’t yet given chase. That was good—Tia would have a chance to take this one down before the others realised what was happening.
Once Lifu was far enough from the clearing, he turned sharply, skidding to a stop as he prepared for the wolf’s attack. The beast lunged at him, its jaws snapping with deadly force, but Lifu was ready. He raised his hand, releasing a concentrated blast of water that struck the wolf square in the chest.
The wolf yelped in pain, its fur drenched by the water, but it wasn’t down yet. It staggered, shaking off the attack, and lunged at Lifu again, this time more enraged.
Before the wolf could reach him, Tia appeared from the shadows, her daggers blazing with fire. She struck quickly and precisely, slashing at the wolf’s side and legs, forcing it to the ground. The beast let out a final, pained howl before collapsing.
Lifu breathed a sigh of relief as he and Tia regrouped, but they knew they couldn’t rest yet. The other two wolves were still guarding the lily, and now they would be on high alert.
“That went smoothly,” Tia said, catching her breath. “But we need to move fast before the others figure out what happened.”
Lifu nodded, already thinking of their next move. “We need to take them out together this time. If we split them up, we’ll be vulnerable. We’ll hit them hard and fast, just like we practiced.”
With their strategy set, they returned to the clearing, where the remaining two wolves were now circling warily, their hackles raised. They had clearly sensed the loss of their pack mate, and their growls were low and menacing.
Lifu and Tia exchanged a quick nod, then launched their attack. Lifu sent a barrage of lightning bolts at the first wolf, forcing it back as Tia rushed in with her fire-coated daggers. The flames illuminated the dark forest as she struck, driving the wolf back with each slash.
The second wolf tried to flank them, but Lifu anticipated the move. He channelled his lightning into his sword, swinging it in a wide arc to create a barrier of crackling energy that kept the beast at bay. The wolf hesitated, snarling in frustration as it tried to find an opening.
Tia, meanwhile, focused on the first wolf, her movements swift and precise. She ducked under its claws, her daggers flashing as she struck at its legs, forcing it to stumble. With a final, powerful strike, she drove her blades into the wolf’s chest, ending the fight.
Lifu quickly shifted his focus to the second wolf, his lightning still crackling around him. The beast growled, sensing that it was outmatched, but it wasn’t ready to give up. It lunged at Lifu, its jaws snapping, but Lifu was ready. He sidestepped the attack, then brought his sword down with a powerful slash, the lightning-infused blade cutting through the wolf’s defences.
The wolf let out a pained yelp as it crumpled to the ground, the fight leaving its eyes as it took its last breath.
Lifu and Tia stood over the fallen wolves, breathing heavily as the adrenaline slowly began to fade. The clearing was quiet once more, the only sound the faint rustle of leaves in the wind.
“We did it,” Tia said, her voice filled with a mix of relief and satisfaction. “The path to the lily is clear.”
Lifu nodded, feeling a deep sense of accomplishment. They had faced the challenge together and come out on top, their teamwork proving to be their greatest strength.
But as they approached the Moonshade Lily, carefully extracting it from the ground, Lifu’s thoughts turned to Tumo and Leila. They had their own task to complete, one that was just as dangerous—if not more so. He hoped they were faring as well as he and Tia had.
“Let’s get this back to the starting point,” Lifu said, carefully placing the lily in a protective pouch. “And let’s hope Tumo and Leila are doing okay. We’ll meet them there.”
Tia nodded in agreement, and the two of them quickly made their way back through the forest, their senses still on high alert.
***
“They should be here by now,” Tia said, concern creeping into her voice as she looked around the empty clearing.
Lifu’s brow furrowed with worry. The task they had been given—tracking and incapacitating a Thunderstalker—was dangerous, even by the standards of the second layer. Thunderstalkers were known for their speed and deadly precision, able to strike with lightning-fast reflexes that could catch even the most skilled fighters off guard.
“We have to trust them,” Lifu said, more to reassure himself than Tia. “They’re strong, and they’ve trained just as hard as we have. They’ll be here.”
Tia nodded, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes. “I know, but... it’s hard not to worry. We’ve always been together, and now...”
Lifu placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “They’ll make it. We just have to give them time.”
They waited in tense silence, their eyes constantly scanning the surrounding forest for any movement. The minutes felt like hours, each one stretching on as the sun continued its slow descent, casting long shadows across the clearing.
Just as the tension began to feel unbearable, they heard the sound of rustling leaves and the soft thud of footsteps approaching from the forest. Lifu and Tia immediately tensed, their hands going to their weapons, but they relaxed when they saw who it was.
Tumo and Leila emerged from the trees, looking exhausted but otherwise unharmed. Tumo had a few scratches and dirt smudges on his face, while Leila’s usually neat hair was slightly dishevelled, but the relief on their faces was clear.
“Took you long enough,” Tia said, a grin breaking through her worry as she walked over to them.
Tumo let out a tired laugh, clearly glad to be reunited with his friends. “Yeah, well, you try taking down a Thunderstalker without breaking a sweat. Those things are vicious.”
Leila nodded, her voice calm but tinged with fatigue. “It was... challenging, but we managed to incapacitate it. The thing was fast, but we were able to set up a trap using a combination of wind and speed. It wasn’t easy, but we got the job done.”
Lifu smiled, the tension in his chest finally easing. “I knew you two could handle it. We took down the Darkfang wolves and got the Moonshade Lily. Now we just need to get back to the academy and report in.”
Leila’s eyes lit up with relief and pride. “You found the lily? That’s great! We were worried when we heard the howls earlier, but it sounds like you both handled things well.”
“Yeah, we made it through,” Lifu said, handing over the protective pouch containing the lily for Leila to inspect. “Let’s get moving before the sun sets completely. The last thing we need is to get caught out here after dark.”
***
When they finally reached the clearing at the entrance, they were greeted by Lady Isolde and Master Zuberi, who were waiting with the other instructors to assess the students’ performance. The instructors’ expressions were stern but not unkind, their eyes carefully evaluating each group as they returned.
Lifu, Tia, Tumo, and Leila stepped forward, presenting the Moonshade Lily and the core of the thunderstalker. Lady Isolde examined the treasures carefully, her sharp eyes taking in every detail before she gave a curt nod of approval.
“Well done,” she said, her tone even. “You’ve successfully completed your task and retrieved the herb without incident. Your ability to handle the Darkfang wolves shows that you’ve developed a strong understanding of your abilities and how to apply them in the field.”
Master Zuberi turned to Tumo and Leila, his expression similarly approving. “And you two managed to incapacitate a Thunderstalker, no small feat for first-year students. Your coordination and use of the environment to set a trap were impressive.”
The group exchanged relieved smiles, the weight of the test finally lifting as they realised they had succeeded.
With that, the instructors dismissed the group, allowing them to return to the academy proper. As they made their way back through the gates, the atmosphere among the students was one of quiet triumph and exhaustion. The test had been gruelling, but they had proven themselves once again.
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