Exam (3) - The Forest's Pulsing Heart
The heart of the forest lived and breathed as a single, vibrant ecosystem. Endless trees blotted out the sky, twisting paths into a labyrinth of confusion, while the occasional whisper of wind through the branches amplified the tension. Unidentifiable cries echoing from between the trunks, mingled with the scurry of small creatures, made the woods feel less like a mere work of nature and more like a living entity with its own distinct consciousness.
“Feels kinda different, doesn’t it?” Elisha pressed forward through the forest, eyes scanning her surroundings warily. Delicate spells shimmered at her fingertips, and her strides were firm and unyielding. “Who knew being on my own would feel this refreshing. But I’ve gotta stay sharp. I have to win this bet.”
With her resolve hardened, she pushed on.
“There it is.” After trekking for some time, she finally spotted movement. A bear-like beast with sleek black fur and razor-sharp fangs was lunging at a small animal.
“That one’s within my range.” She steadied her breath and began her incantation. A distracted target was prime for a devastating ambush.
“Goddess of ice, lend your frost to my fingertips. Let cold judgment befall all touched by your breath—” She whispered the words softly, careful not to alert the beast. An ice lance sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, aimed straight at it.
“Kyaek—!” Elisha’s spell struck true, piercing the beast’s flank. Crimson blood gushed from its dark hide, and the single blow—a mortal wound—sent it crashing to the ground, thrashing in agony.
“Kraaa—!” But as the magic burrowed deep into its flesh, a furious roar shook the air. In that instant, Elisha sensed another presence behind her. Before she could whirl around, a colossal shadow loomed over her.
“What? There were two?” She hurled herself sideways, narrowly evading the attack. The newcomer’s shadow was far larger.
“Whew.” Breath ragged, her eyes only grew keener, burning with unyielding determination.
“Fine. Then I’ll bag both and rack up even more points.”
“Being away from Master has me a bit on edge…” In contrast, Eily moved with utmost caution. She crept forward, muffling her footsteps, a longsword as tall as herself gripped in her hands.
“The strongest monsters will be the big ones—bulkier bodies mean slower movements.”
“So if I avoid fights where possible, target the sluggish ones, and strike their weak points, I might just handle them…” She plotted her strategy inwardly as she advanced.
“These are tracks. And massive ones at that.” Eily’s hawk-like gaze scrutinized the ground. They pointed deep into the forest—footprints at least six times the size of a man’s.
“…There!” Keeping low and concealed in the underbrush, she crept forward. At a wide river, she spotted a hulking monster slurping water.
“That’s definitely a Cyclops.” Towering at least five meters, its muscular blue frame clutched a tree-trunk club bigger than any grown man.
“Alright—” She steadied herself and drew her blade. The keen edge targeted its ankle.
“Kraaak?!” The clean hit landed true; the Cyclops reeled with a pained shriek.
“…!” Eily lined up her follow-up, aiming to sever its nape and end it swiftly. But a log-thick arm swung wildly in retaliation, forcing her to dodge and sparing its life.
“Uwaaak!” Like a tantruming child, the Cyclops rampaged. Spotting her, it smashed down with its club-wielding hand.
Thud— She leaped aside nimbly, but the sight that followed made her swallow hard. The ground cratered from its sheer power. A frail girl like her couldn’t survive even one direct hit.
“Not gonna be easy.” Yet confidence radiated from Eily’s face. She reset her stance—calm, precise movements flowing smoothly despite the tension, poised for her next strike.
“Let’s do this.”
“Now, where’s a strong one hiding?” Meanwhile, Melina perched high in the branches, surveying the forest floor. Leveraging elven agility and wind magic, she traversed the canopy for a broad vantage.
“Meow~” Rathus lounged beside her, as always.
“This forest is my home turf, no doubt.” The arrow nocked at her fingertips glowed faintly green, blending seamlessly with the woods.
“There.” She caught a faint twitch far off—imperceptible to ordinary eyes, but crystal clear to elven sight.
“Hoo~” Melina drew a short breath. Her taut bowstring held steady as stone. Releasing, a powerful shaft embedded in a wolf monster.
“Kyaaang—!”
“Hm…” She landed lightly on the ground and approached her kill with graceful steps. A Dire Wolf—not particularly formidable.
Staring at the corpse, Melina pondered. It wasn’t strong enough.
“Shouldn’t linger—maybe push deeper in?” As she scanned around, a new trace caught her eye: a massive serpent’s trail.
“Oh ho.” A intrigued smile curved her lips as she perked her ears. Rathus eyed the mark curiously, like a detective and sidekick on the trail.
“Looks like victory’s mine.”
“Hope all the students are safe…” Deep in the impenetrable woods, an academy instructor conducted his patrol. His duty: ensure student safety and cull overly dangerous threats.
“Hm?” Wandering aimlessly, he stumbled on something odd.
“What’s this?” His gaze fixed on a small, deliberately stacked cairn—like a territorial marker.
Thwip—!
“Guh?!” Sudden pain grazed his shoulder. He turned to see an arrow that had shredded his clothes mid-flight.
“Daring to invade our territory…” From the bushes emerged monsters with human upper bodies and serpentine tails, their predatory eyes locked on him.
“Lamia tribe…!” The instructor gritted his teeth. Lamia: intelligent beasts blending cunning and savagery, notorious for countering human tactics with ruthless precision.
“Tch.” He drew his sword, but their numbers formed an inescapable net. They circled without attacking, intent on capture. He spotted gaps, mind racing with escape plans.
‘That way…!’ As he crouched to spring—
Boom—!!
“Aaaagh!!” Flames engulfed him. Potent magic pierced his body, hurling him to the dirt. Burns seared his flesh; dizziness clouded his mind.
“Ugh…” Through blurring vision, he glimpsed the fire’s source: a red Lamia dwarfing the rest, exuding overwhelming presence. She smirked with insidious cunning.
“Invading our domain? You must not value your life.” Staff in hand, she aimed at him, her laugh laced with cruelty.
“Your Majesty, what shall we do with him?” a subordinate asked.
“Capture him for now. We’ll pry out why he’s here.” At her command, they bound him tight with rope.
“Now, what to do?” The Lamia queen loomed over him with a sinister grin. He glared back in fury.
“Your Majesty.” Another Lamia scout approached, bowing hastily.
“Young humans are swarming the forest in numbers.”
The queen’s eyes sharpened. Noticing the instructor’s shock, a vein pulsed on her forehead.
“Oh? Seems humans are boldly trespassing our turf.”
“Whatever their game, time for a lesson.” Her rage-tinged laugh rang out as she commanded her minions.
“All of you, follow me. Let’s show these intruders what awaits in our forest.”
Her voice echoed through the trees. Her horde mobilized, spreading a veil of vicious cunning and malice through the woods.