In an instant, the bustling currents that had once embraced the underwater realm surrendered to stillness. A dazzling radiance, born from the surface above, punctured the frozen veil, streaming through myriad apertures in the ice.
Propelling herself upwards with a burst of determination, Tess breached the water's edge, her senses keenly attuned to the imminent revelation. A symphony of towering water columns thundered down with unfathomable force, inundating the surroundings in a cataclysmic deluge.
As the waters receded into the abyssal depths, her teammates emerged from the soaked ground, their figures dripping with liquid remnants. Gracefully navigating the treacherous frozen terrain, Tess treaded upon fragile cracks, cautiously regrouping with her companions. Strands of their drenched hair clung to their faces, while water cascaded from their chins in shimmering trails.
Perched on the precipice of uncertainty, Zino's voice pierced the air, as she squeezed water from her back-length braid. "What now?" she inquired, seeking guidance amidst the aqueous chaos.
Tess surveyed her surroundings, her eyes keenly aware of the absence of the adversaries they had rescued. Speculating their teleportation, she found solace in the flood's swift cleansing, eradicating any damning remnants of blood. The last thing she desired was unwelcome inquiries.
Curiosity beckoned Lanse's gaze heavenward, where the bound scroll defied gravity, suspended in mid-air, devoid of any visible support. "What's that?" he blurted.
The vast expanse of blue sky served as an awe-inspiring backdrop to this mystifying spectacle.
Zack, his chin held in contemplation, marveled at the scroll's levitation. "Remarkable," he murmured, his voice tinged with admiration. "No strings this time. How does it stay in the air like that?"
Lanse summoned a sword. Observing his instinctive motion, Tess intervened, thwarting his impulsive swing aimed at the scroll. "Great idea, slice the scroll in half," she remarked, her eyes conveying a mixture of urgency and reproach. "What if we need it and end up failing this exam because of you?"
Perplexed, Lanse regarded her with a quizzical expression. "How is damaging a scroll going to cost us the exam?" he questioned, seeking understanding.
Tess offered no immediate response, instead retrieving her final glow stick. With a precise throw, she targeted the suspended scroll, causing it to descend gracefully to the ground, its ethereal suspension shattered in a burst of luminescence.
Tess withheld her response, a determined glint in her eyes as she retrieved her final glow stick, the air crackling with anticipation. With a swift motion, she launched the radiant beacon towards its target, colliding with the suspended scroll, causing it to plummet gracefully to the ground.
A triumphant smile curved her lips. "Now I stand at nine points," she declared, her voice propelled by a surge of adrenaline towards the falling scroll.
"Oh no, you don't!" Driven by equal parts competitiveness and mischief, Lanse, unwilling to accept defeat, pursued her with relentless determination. A spirited chase ensued as he dashed in her wake, the sounds of their footsteps echoing through the air.
Unfazed by the commotion, Zino nonchalantly tossed her dried braid over her shoulder, strolling alongside Zack and Szedra, savoring the moment. Time seemed to stretch, allowing them to leisurely catch up to their eager companions.
As Zino mulled over Zack's earlier inquiry, a glimmer of understanding crossed her eyes. "Maybe it was a locked anti-gravity field as they use in the Sky-Line museum," she responded, her voice carrying a trace of knowledgeable confidence.
Both Zack and Szedra cast furtive glances at Zino, their curiosity piqued. Zack's voice dropped to a hushed tone. "You've been to the Sky-Line museum?" he inquired, his words laced with a mixture of astonishment and intrigue. "Isn't the cost of entry equivalent to a year's tuition for a third level Academy?"
Szedra interjected, her tone tinged with incredulity. "I heard it was triple that amount," she interjected, her words punctuated by a momentary pause.
Zino shrugged her shoulders dismissively, a hint of nonchalance in her demeanor. "My dad paid for it, so I don't know," she admitted, her voice laced with a tinge of mystery.
Amidst their banter, Lanse's triumphant cry pierced the air, "Yes! I got it," drawing their attention to his raised hand, holding the precious scroll tantalizingly out of Tess's reach.
Disappointment washed over Tess, and she averted her gaze, her disappointment evident.
"Now I'm at six points." Lanse said triumphantly. Savoring his moment of victory, slowly lowered his hand, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on Tess. He pointed at her with an air of authority, his words resonating with determination. "And there's no way you're at nine points. Keep your head in the game," he admonished, his tone resolute.
The word "game" echoed in Tess's mind, its weight laden with unspoken implications. She shook her head, dispelling the intrusive image of Beater from her Academy. Memories of an MS-off were the last thing she desired to consume her thoughts.
Passing the scroll to his companions, Lanse ensured they, too, bore witness to the enigmatic pair of shaded circles gracing its surface. As another vortex materialized, Zino deftly folded the scroll before tucking it away in her pouch, preserving its secrets for later exploration.
Gathering around the glowing emerald aperture, the group found themselves staring down into its mesmerizing depths. It was a portal wide enough for all of them to jump through simultaneously, but the notion remained unspoken, overshadowed by an unspoken trepidation that gripped their minds.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Szedra uttered in a detached tone, her words devoid of emotion. "We're going to jump and break our bones."
Szedra's pessimistic words wormed their way into their collective consciousness, sowing seeds of doubt amidst their ranks. Yet, it was Zack who defied the shadow of uncertainty, taking an unexpected leap of faith as he propelled himself forward.
With a practiced motion, he pinched his nose shut, mustering a hint of bravado. "Through the rabbit hole I go!" he exclaimed, vanishing into the ethereal realm beyond.
Embodied by Zack's daring example, Lanse followed suit, and Tess swiftly followed suit, her gaze fixated on the expanse of ice stretching out above her. As she hurtled through the icy expanse, the frozen landscape whizzed past her, miles of crystalline canopy overhead. The gnarled branches of trees grew closer beneath her feet, and she barreled through their grasp. Her feet hit the ground causing a tremor to reverberate through the ground.
Standing upright, unscathed, amidst the aftermath, a sense of awe washed over her. She paid little heed to the exclamations of Zack and Lanse, instead diverting her attention skyward, her gaze piercing the canopy, offering a glimpse of the arboreal world they had infiltrated.
"That drop should have caused major damage, and yet I'm fine," she marveled, her thoughts echoing in a flurry of realization.
Her eyes widened as her focus shifted, catching sight of Zino's descent, and she deftly sidestepped to avoid collision. Above them, the trees released thunderous snaps as both Zino and Szedra landed gracefully, dislodging the remaining dried leaves and exposing the naked earth below. Cracks snaked their way across the exposed ground, imperceptible to the oblivious gazes of the others, Zino and Szedra assuming its preexistence.
Enveloped by towering gray-barked trees, their width reminiscent of stout beer bottles, the expanse beyond their clearing was strewn with a carpet of muted green, yellow, and brown leaves. With each step, the leaves crunched beneath their boots, releasing a symphony of delicate crackles.
As if summoned by their arrival, a potent wind swept through the vicinity, lifting the fallen leaves from the ground. Vision blurred, they squinted, shielding their eyes from the onslaught of airborne particles. The whispers of the wind buffeted them from all directions, caressing their bodies, and filling the air with an earthy aroma.
The raucous cacophony of rustling leaves, borne on the wings of the intensifying wind, reverberated in Tess's ears, threatening to drown out all other sounds. The force of the gusts pressed against her body, making forward movement arduous.
To navigate the tempestuous environment, she extended her hands, groping for the reassuring solidity of nearby trees, hastening her progress. However, a sharp impact against her chin abruptly halted her advance.
"Ouch," she exclaimed, rubbing the stinging area. Her eyes widened in shock as a smudge of blood stained her gloved hand, prompting a frantic scan of her surroundings.
It was then that Szedra's voice penetrated the clamor of the wind, carrying a note of urgency. "We're under attack!" she proclaimed, her words accentuated by the rattling onslaught of leaves.
Tess's grip tightened around the summoned sword, wielding it with precision and readiness. However, the swirling hurdle of leaves proved to be an obstructive shroud, obscuring her vision, making it impossible to discern even the faintest trace of her teammates.
Swiftly evading yet another projectile aimed in her direction, an instinctive impulse surged within her. The memory of her previous successful attack spurred her onwards, guiding her towards the origin of the threat.
The anticipation of the hunt quickened her heartbeat, thudding against her chest with an intensity that resonated in her ears. Abruptly, the swirling sheet of leaves in the wind parted, unveiling the enigmatic opponent standing before her.
Perplexity clouded her thoughts. "How?" she murmured, her voice carried away by the gusts of wind. The opponent's dark green hair, now unveiled amidst the foliage, seamlessly blended with the surrounding leaves, while the symbols adorning their arms emanated an eerie glow. Leaves detached themselves from the tempestuous wind, propelled towards Tess in a swift motion.
Reacting with nimble dexterity, she managed to evade the leaf projectiles, only to collide with a tree, her forehead connecting with a resounding impact. "Ah!" she cried out, her gloved hands slipping off the bark as she instinctively recoiled. Her gaze fell upon the slimy residue left on her gloves, a revolting sight that threatened to provoke her stomach.
A shiver coursed down her spine, the hair on her back standing on end, signaling imminent danger. With keen perception, she dodged another sharp object hurtling towards her, wedging itself firmly into the tree before her. Squinting her eyes against the gusts of wind, she blinked just once, only to witness a fist poised menacingly for her face.
A shroud of darkness enveloped her senses, blocking out the world around her. Pain exploded behind her nose, accompanied by a deafening crack that reverberated within her skull. Her feet scrambled to maintain balance, until finally, she stood rooted in place.
A hesitant hand hovered mid-air, tentatively inching towards her throbbing nose. The recollection of the slime coating the tree's surface halted her movements abruptly, a visceral aversion to the repulsive substance preventing its contact with her skin.
"How did they do that?" she murmured to herself, her voice laced with a hint of bewilderment, as she desperately sought an answer to the enigmatic appearance of the hand. The dagger's teleportation abilities seemed implausible, yet an innate intuition whispered doubts within her, urging her to question the boundaries of possibility.