Tess opened her eyes, using her alternate vision to peer beyond the four individuals standing before her. The world whizzed by in a blur, much like the scenery glimpsed through a train window in rapid motion.
As the endless trees stretched out for miles, disappearing into an eerie fog, a glimmer of hope flickered within Tess. She spotted a peculiar section where the trees cleared, a sight that intrigued her curiosity. It had to be something significant worth investigating.
Relinquishing her focus, Tess allowed her vision to return to her, guiding her to determine the direction they should head. Her vision returned at the back of her head, causing a momentary discomfort. That search lasted merely ten minutes, a far cry from the hours she had spent scouring Primus for her escape route.
"What the!" she exclaimed, leaning back onto her arms as she opened her eyes. It wasn't Lanse's close proximity, with his unsettling gaze fixed upon her, that unnerved her the most. It was the reactions of the others standing behind him, quickly averting their gazes as if they hadn't been watching her.
Lanse maintained his composure, coughing lightly as he turned his head away, whispering, "So weird."
Furrowing her brow, Tess stretched her legs and rose to her feet.
Szedra, wearing a wide grin and speaking with an unusually vibrant voice, inquired, "So, did you find anything?"
Tess, aware that they were discussing her despite her diminished sense of hearing while using her ability, nodded. "Yes, there's a vast clearing in that direction," she replied, turning around to point the way. "Trust me, we can't miss it."
All of them turned to face the direction she indicated, their curiosity piqued. Tess added, "There's also something awaiting us," even though all she had seen were the cleared trees.
Zack's arms fell to his sides, his anxiety evident as he questioned, "What? What's waiting for us?"
Intentionally avoiding Zack's gaze, Tess focused on the task at hand.
"We should traverse above ground," Lanse suggested, his gaze fixed upon the towering trees with their massive round bases. "With these colossal trees, moving on the ground would require moving around them. It makes more sense to travel by branches."
Before anyone had a chance to respond, Lanse's black figure swiftly ascended, disappearing into the treetops with a single powerful leap.
"Oh no, you don't!" Tess declared, determined not to be left behind. She propelled herself forward, trailing closely behind Lanse, while the others effortlessly followed suit, leaping from branch to branch with remarkable agility.
Their streamlined forms, hands at their sides, propelled them forward at a rapid pace. Lanse had been right; traveling through the trees proved to be the swiftest way.
Amidst the blur of motion, Lanse's voice carried through the rushing wind. "Zinorra, you should go ahead since you're faster."
Zino nodded in response before vanishing from sight in a flash of speed. In no time, her voice emanated from their wrists. "Guys, where are you already?"
She had reached the destination ahead of them, utilizing her swiftness to not only arrive early but also familiarize herself with the device. It was evident that she had a penchant for technology as well.
As the clearing came into view, they gracefully descended, leaping down to the ground in its proximity. The area devoid of trees formed a circular space, akin to the size of a football stadium field. The ground beneath their feet appeared coated with fine sand, while short logs stood upright, about the width of a gold ball.
Taking in their surroundings, the sudden appearance of Zino from behind a tree startled them. They turned to face her, finding her with an expressionless gaze and a stoic demeanor.
"You guys finally made it," she uttered, awkwardly walking towards them with her hands held behind her back.
"Look!" Tess exclaimed, her eyes fixated on a dark figure in motion. Their attention collectively shifted, revealing a person dressed in a black mantle that enveloped them from head to toe, standing in the center of the field.
"Hello there!" a male voice called out, reaching their ears. "With utmost honor, I do present unto thee, the guardians of our planet, to face the initial trial."
The peculiar accent and the mention of being "guardians of the planet" irked Tess, eliciting a subtle flinch of annoyance. How foolish did these people think they were? Neither she nor the others believed such claims.
"The rules standeth firm. Ye shall labor in unity to vanquish me and procure the sacred scroll, that thou mayest progress forthwith," the figure continued.
"Scroll? Where is it?" Zack blurted out, his curiosity piqued.
Lanse commented with a wry smile, "I'm assuming this guy has the scroll hidden on him, huh?" He clenched his hands into fists, thumbs poised to press down.
Tess grinned mischievously, tugging on the cuff of her right glove. "Five against one? This is too easy."
Lanse summoned a sword, effectively blocking their path. "Wait!"
"Why are we stopping?" Tess hissed, her impatience evident.
Lanse kicked a pebble, watching as it vanished into the sandy ground between two logs.
Szedra gasped, her voice filled with alarm. "Quicksand."
"One point for me," Lanse whispered to Tess, his voice a tantalizing murmur that sent shivers down her spine. A smug smirk adorned his face, adding a mischievous glint to his eyes.
Furrowing her brows, Tess refused to meet his gaze, her attention fully captured by the impending challenge. "Great, we're even," she replied, her voice tinged with determination.
Szedra's eyes darted across the expansive field, observing every nook and cranny. "We have to walk on those precarious logs," she remarked, her voice a mixture of caution and curiosity.
With a blink of her eye, Szedra witnessed the synchronized movement of both Lanse and Tess, gracefully leaping upon the logs, advancing towards their opponent. The blur of motion continued as Zino swiftly joined their pursuit.
No longer preoccupied with planning her escape Tess was excited to do some damage to Lanse's reputation. She was going to make up for her lack of performance in training especially since she no longer got pounding headaches from her ability that had strengthened.
Lanse was in front of her and would reach the opponent first, but she had a feeling the opponent would dodge him and move away leaving her to steal the show.
The opponent's spiked whip sliced through the air, a menacing arc of danger. It collided with Lanse's sword, the clash resonating with a thunderous impact that reverberated through the battlefield. The blade shattered, unable to withstand the ferocity of the assault.
The force of the blow propelled Lanse backward, his body hurtling through the air with an eerie grace. He vanished from Tess's sight, swallowed by the chaotic maelstrom of the battle.
In that fleeting moment, Zino reached Tess, their connection transcending the physical realm. Their minds intertwined, swiftly diverting their attention from Lanse's fate to the imminent threat of a rain of darts looming before them.
Instinctively, they pressed the soles of their feet firmly onto separate logs, grounding themselves against the treacherous current. With remarkable presence of mind, they conjured forth their swords, the gleaming steel materializing in their grasp.
Their blades became a blur of motion, dancing through the air with dazzling speed. With deft precision, they slashed and parried, a symphony of metallic clashes as they deflected the onslaught of sharp darts unleashed by the opponent's second whip.
Fortune favored them in their agile defense, but their victory was not without cost. The darts found their mark, leaving behind stinging lacerations that seared with a fiery pain.
Amidst the chaos, Lanse's hand shot out, desperately grasping the top of a log. His fingers clung to the rough surface, a lifeline preventing the rest of his body from being swallowed by the treacherous quicksand below.
The sharp, solid darts pummeled against Tess and Zino's swords with a jarring impact, akin to stones hurled with relentless force. The metallic resonance echoed through the air, filling their senses with the raw power of the clash. However, not every dart was repelled, and the ones that found their mark carved painful trails across their bodies, leaving behind deep, searing scrapes.
"Auch!" Tess cried out, the sharp pain coursing through her being, a brutal reminder that this perilous encounter was all too real.
Her gaze dropped past her legs, fixating on the separate logs beneath her feet. There, the swallowed darts vanished into the treacherous depths of the quicksand, serving as a stark reminder of the additional peril lurking beneath the surface.
Reluctantly, they shifted their swords from their defensive stance, their eyes scanning the battlefield in search of the elusive opponent. Confusion furrowed their brows as they beheld an empty expanse, with no sign of their foe.
Szedra, mirroring their bewilderment, cast her gaze around the field, her eyes sweeping in every direction, only to be met with the distant trees encircling them, offering no clues to the opponent's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Zack positioned each of his legs atop a log, lending his strength to help lift Lanse back to safety.
As if guided by an uncanny intuition, the fine hairs on their heads stood on end, a primal instinct alerting them to an impending threat. Their collective gaze turned skyward, and their hearts skipped a beat as they beheld the awe-inspiring sight—countless darts descending upon them like a deluge of black rain, a terrifying shower of impending doom.
The sheer magnitude of the assault forced them to flinch in primal terror, their bodies frozen in the face of this overwhelming danger.