It was Monday afternoon and the first-years had arrived at the meeting place for their survival class. They were at the wall that separated the Academy grounds from the wilds of the forest. It was the only point where the city of Laserath had people living with only one wall between them and the Legends.
The students claimed the seats at the tables in the gatehouse classroom. This week their whole class was present. Most of them had missed last week's survival class as the result of their booldings – their first fight with a legend ending badly. The only five students to sit down, Ren's team, had attended the last survival class.
A quirky tiny professor entered the room. His skin was tinged green. His ears were large and pointed out sideways. He was two feet tall. A golden ring hung from his left ear and a chunk was missing from his right. Their Professor jumped on a chair, then on to one of the tables spread about the classroom.
Professor Hogswell smiled as he said, "I'm professor Hogswell and I am in charge of teaching you how to survive beyond the walls of a city. In this class will learn how to survive in deserts, tundra's, caves, mounts, and valleys. You learn how to hide and how to find food. You'll be utilizing those herbology classes of yours so I hope you remember them. I've been informed that your first mission is coming up and to get there you'll be going through the woods as such we'll be focusing on the vitals."
He jumped off the table and walked to a cupboard. It was off to the side of the classroom. He continued to speak as he walked. "Now don't get too comfortable." Professor Hogswell opened the cupboard and pulled out a medium-sized bag that he held up for his students to see. "I usually save this trip for after your first test. But time is short, so we'll be going outside the walls and gathering safe things to eat." Professor Hogswell lowered the bag as he said, "If you don't remember your herbology in this class you will end up dead, or worse."
Professor Hogswell paused as he watched some of his more forgetful students shift uncomfortably. Eventually, he continued, "Come, grab a bag, then we'll leave."
♢ ♢ ♢
"This is the gate room. The only people that can operate the gates here are the Combat Professors, Advanced Survivalists, and of course Headmaster Raven Clof." Professor Hogswell paused next to the interior gate.
There were two gates hidden inside the gatehouse. Both the location and the number was unusual for the exit from Laserath's farms. A mechanism prevented both gates from opening at the same time and an illusion kept the gate hidden to those outside the wall.
"Stay with your teams and do not go in the forest more than 160 feet. We'll meet back up at the tree line in fifteen minutes." Professor Hogswell paused as he surveyed his class. Some of his students were grasping their bags with shaking hands. Other were watching the gates in anticipation. Fewer still were waiting calmly. "Get ready. We're leaving."
Professor Hogswell reached out and placed his hand on the authentication tablet. It flashed from blue to green and the first gate started to open.
The students walked through, and Professor Hogswell closed the first gate. As they waited Professor Hogswell felt the need to remind his students of a very important point, "Do not eat anything you've gathered until after I have checked it. That includes things you think you've gathered and received an okay on before. Many plants look similar to an edible one but aren't edible. So don't eat them."
Professor Hogswell glanced at his students, maybe he'd get lucky this year. Then his eyes landed on a pair of students who were nudging each other in the ribs. Nope, he'd definitely be using some of his anti-toxins this afternoon. Professor Hogswell turned and placed a hand on another tablet next to the outer gate. It flashed green and began to open.
♢ ♢ ♢
Kyrie picked a red-tinted and ribbed berry from a bush. He rubbed it clean and popped it into his mouth. "Yum." Kyrie reached back to the plant and picked a few more of the delicious red berries.
Liza and Centra watched with shock and worry. Did Kyrie really just eat that? It hadn't even been five minutes since Professor Hogswell had told them not to eat what they'd gathered.
"DJ don't eat them," Centra said with a stern look and a shake of her head. She wasn't going to let DJ risk dying over a few stupid barriers when they'd just had lunch.
DJ's cheeks warmed as he sheepishly put the berries in his bag. He could wait to eat them until after Professor Hogswell checked them.
Kyrie ate several more of the red berries as they wandered through and studied different plants. He picked a glimmering blue berry; it might be fun to eat later. Kyrie only grabbed the one as they were a fairly strong aphrodisiac.
There had been no attacks or poisonings. But some of the day labors were nearby clearing the trees ready for harvest. There were only five guards to keep the twenty labors safe. The city had hoped to use the Tries to increase protection for those working near the city, but instead many people had been killed by them. So, the guards were spread even thinner than before the drill.
Kyrie paused as he looked towards a teen the same age as him. The teen's muscles had the bulk of one who moved heavy things regularly. The youth paused in his work to glair at Kyrie. He spat on the ground and mumbled, "Damn hero, hasn't done a thing for us." Before he moved on to the next area.
Kyrie hadn't looked in the youth's direction to watch him. He'd looked that way because he'd sensed something moving quickly. With its speed and aura it could be a person, or a young Jacualus. A winged serpent that lived in the trees being felled.
Kyrie turned around and looked for the closest person he knew would look after his teammates. He saw James near a suspicious looking ivy plant. "James, can you watch over the others?"
James's voice broke with nervousness as he said, "Yep!"
Kyrie paused as he went to turn around. "Did you?"
James nodded. It might not've been his smartest move, but he'd gathered some poison ivy. It'd make for one hell of an itchy attack.
Kyrie quickly turned around. He'd just have to remind himself to stay far – far away from James's vines. They wouldn't be a threat if he kept his aura up until after he showered. That and if he didn't give James the chance to break through his aura. But the second one was never really a choice.
Syra watched as Kyrie left the group to go further into the forest, trouble and injures always seemed to follow Kyrie. She wasn't going to leave people alone in Kyrie's care. Centra, Liza, Ana, Amity, Caleb they had all been badly injured the last time she'd left them in his care.
♢ ♢ ♢
Snap. Crack.
Kyrie took a quick right around a tree.
Someone was following him.
He took a left around another and waited.
The footsteps grew louder. Crack! Snap!
Then the person paused at the same tree Kyrie had.
Kyrie circled around and stood behind his stalker. Why was she following him?
Kyrie moved forward and placed a hand on Syra's shoulder. "What do you think you're doing?"
Syra jumped and spun. Her baton headed for Kyrie's stomach.
Kyrie slipped past her guard and grasped her wrist.
"Seriously, why are you following me?"
Syra yanked her hand back as she said, "You were acting weird." She swept her hands out towards the lush forest surrounding them. "Sneaking out here when we're supposed to stay together."
Syra dropped her arms. "You usually listen to our Profs. So, what are you doing out here?"
Kyrie's eyes widened and he spoke in a small voice, "You know that much about me?"
Syra rolled her eyes. "Of course. James associates with you more than I'd like." After all the hurt Kyrie had caused him. After Kyrie's failure to save James's family and the injuries to their friends. James and the others should stay away from Kyrie because being around him was hurting those Syra cared about.
Kyrie's eyes narrowed. Of course, she was only watching him closely because of James. It wasn't because she wanted to be his friend as he had hoped. Wait a moment Syra cared about James enough to keep tabs on Kyrie. He relaxed and smiled as he said, "Do you have a thing for James?"
Syra's eyes widened. "What?! I do –"
"Ahhgh!"
"Shit!" Kyrie spun and ran towards the scream. He'd screwed up and let himself get distracted.
Kyrie's pounding steps shattered branches under his feet as he moved unnaturally fast through the trees. He'd left Syra behind. But he also left a clear trail. Hopefully, Syra'd follow or head back. Just, please let her stay safe.
Kyrie didn't want to have to tell James he'd left Syra alone. That she'd died because he'd left her alone in a forest where something was attacking.
Syra tried to keep up but she quickly fell behind. She was following Kyrie. Someone was hurt and in need of her – their help deeper in the Legend filled woods.