Gone were the gravestones that melted into searing lava upon contact, and the macabre spectacle of corpses erupting from their graves to launch relentless attacks. Tess couldn't help but think that their fourth test was by far the most peculiar. Whoever orchestrated these trials possessed advanced technology, that much was clear.
Halting her search through her pouches, Tess sighed in frustration, realizing there was nothing to alleviate the burns scarring her face. Like her companions, wisps of smoke lazily rose from her singed locks, her features marred by dark smudges. Their appearance suggested they had weathered a tempest, their hair tousled as if they had indeed been caught in the vortex of a raging tornado.
Lanse's gaze remained fixated on the fourth scroll, his intent scrutiny concealing its contents from her view. Frowning, she wondered what could be holding his attention for so long. All the previous scrolls had adhered to a predictable pattern of shaded circles, and she assumed this one would be no different.
Szedra, seated upon a patch of grass, held her head low, weariness etched upon her features. A wince of discomfort crossed her face as she tended to a painful burn on her leg, carefully wrapping it with a spare bandage. As she finished readjusting her boot, her expression betrayed her growing impatience. She longed for their ordeal to come to an end.
Meanwhile, Zino stood tall, her nimble fingers deftly weaving the ends of her hair into a new plait. With her head turned away, she remained oblivious to the reflection of her own visage.
Tess and Lanse engaged in subdued chatter about their accumulated points, their weary smiles hinting at a peculiar enjoyment derived from the trials. Szedra couldn't help but question if they were genuinely relishing this arduous journey.
With the exception of Tess and Zino, the only ones among them who possessed unique abilities, the group's individual talents remained concealed. Tess possessed a remarkable long-distance vision, while Zino was blessed with remarkable speed.
As Szedra's gaze settled on the wide grin plastered across Zack's face, she couldn't help but wonder what kept him in such a perpetually jubilant state. And then there was Lanse, who seemingly effortlessly delivered devastating blows to their adversaries, single-handedly turning the tide of battle.
"Alright, you two, spill it!" Szedra rose to her feet, her determined strides crushing dried twigs beneath her boots as she closed in on Zack and Lanse. Her gaze darted from left to right, piercing them with a glare that demanded answers.
Zack and Lanse exchanged glances, both realizing that Szedra's piercing eyes were directed at them. Lanse took the lead, speaking for both of them as he deftly crumpled the scroll and stowed it away in one of his pants pockets. Tess couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance; she still hadn't gotten a chance to examine it.
"We don't have any abilities," Lanse declared, his tone tinged with a hint of frustration. He took a step away from Tess, busying himself with scanning the surroundings for any signs of the elusive vortex. "I don't need abilities to survive anyway," he added, a touch of defiance coloring his words.
Tess, folding her arms, couldn't resist a teasing jab. "No ability? That's pretty lame," she chimed in.
Annoyed, Lanse distanced himself from her, engrossed in his quest for the vortex. Meanwhile, Zack, ever the charmer, flashed Szedra a confident smile, arching an eyebrow playfully. "Who needs abilities when I've got charm?" he quipped.
Szedra, visibly creeped out, took a step back, her face contorting with a mix of disgust and amusement. "Gross," she retorted, her tone laced with mock disdain.
Rising from his crouched position, Zack's voice took on a louder tone. "Szedra, instead of focusing on abilities, what you should be asking about is magic."
The group collectively turned their attention to Zack, taken aback by his audacious statement.
Lanse snapped back, his irritation palpable. "Magic doesn't exist," he retorted, a note of dismissiveness tainting his words.
Zack's response was swift and unwavering. "What you mean is, it's extinct. It has become extinct because those who possessed the knowledge of magic, known as Chewletes, were responsible for the second Apocalypse. To prevent history from repeating itself, they were eradicated."
Tess felt a familiar headache creeping in, realizing it was that time of day when Zack's incessant chatter became unavoidable. She decided to lend a hand to Lanse in their search for the vortex, seeking solace in the task at hand.
"I've done some online research," Zack continued, undeterred. "According to my findings, the Chewletes were once masters of magic, wielding unimaginable power. But their destructive actions led to their demise, leaving magic a lost and forbidden art."
The weight of Zack's words hung in the air, filling the group with a mix of curiosity and trepidation. The possibility of magic's existence had ignited a spark of intrigue, intertwining with the challenges they faced, and forever altering the course of their journey.
"All wiped out, huh?" Szedra voiced her doubt, her brows furrowing in skepticism.
Lanse, halting his search, placed his hands firmly on his waist, ready to address her concerns. "No one knows for sure where Jorah came from," he began, his voice tinged with intrigue. "There are theories, speculations, but no concrete evidence."
Tess chimed in, her voice filled with a hint of wonder. "Yes, "Jorah could have come from outer space, like the meteorite that caused Apocalypse Prime."
Zack pondered the possibilities, his mind grappling with the idea. "What if that's not true? What if Jorah was a Chewlete as the Professor said?"
Tess arched an eyebrow, her disbelief evident. "Do you actually believe that?" she asked, her tone laced with incredulity.
Zino turned her attention to Zack. "Hey, Zack, is that why dying your entire hair isn't a thing anymore? Some sort of Chewlete stigma?"
Tess breathed a sigh of relief, grateful for the shift in topic. The last thing she wanted was for Zack to delve deeper into the realms of a mythical guardians' conspiracy.
Zack nodded, a hint of seriousness in his expression. "Yes, that's what I've come across. It seems to be considered taboo, tied to the history and legends surrounding the Chewletes."
"Come to think of it," Zino interjected, her gaze shifting towards Tess, "I've never seen anyone with an entire head of vibrant hair color since being at Primus." She nodded in Tess's direction, silently acknowledging their shared observation.
Tess couldn't help but feel a slight unease at Zino's scrutinizing gaze. She instinctively folded her arms, offering a nonchalant explanation. "Well, aside from the expense, hair dye is wicked expensive," she remarked, implying a practical reason rather than succumbing to irrational mythology.
Tess concealed the truth about Petra's attempts to use hair dye to change her white hair, knowing that revealing the transient nature of reverting back would only raise eyebrows and invite skepticism. After all, it was rooted in scientific reasoning, not magic. Tess silently marveled at the ignorance of those who took their natural hair color for granted.
Zino nodded in agreement, adding her input with rapid-fire delivery. "And in some districts, it's even considered illegal. Can you believe that?" She casually tossed her plaited hair over her shoulder, emphasizing her point.
The conversation veered away from the mysterious Chewletes, veiling the secrets Tess held close to her heart.
"I had a similar experience last month when I visited district seven with my Dad," Zino began, her voice tinged with reminiscence. "They wouldn't even let me inside the hall building because of the red dye in my hair. I had to stay cooped up in the jet the whole time. Districts closer to district zero, Dread-End, are pretty strict when it comes to that kind of stuff."
Tess listened intently, her curiosity piqued.
"I remember when I first arrived here, I couldn't help but wonder about your hair, Tess," she confessed. "But then I realized it couldn't be dyed. I mean, who in their right mind would dye their entire hair, let alone white?"
A brief silence enveloped the group as they processed Zino's revelation. Tess suddenly became aware that Zino had unintentionally complimented her. She awkwardly uttered a quick "Uh, thanks" in response.
Zino, wearing a gentle smile, absentmindedly patted down the short hairs framing her face.
Tess's curiosity got the better of her, and she couldn't resist asking, "Why did you dye your hair, Zino?"
Zino turned to face Tess directly, her expression thoughtful. "I guess you could say it's what people call a..." She formed bunny ears with her fingers and playfully moved them up and down. "A rebel thing."
Their eyes widened in surprise at hearing such a daring statement from the usually saintly Zino.
"I wanted my parents to notice me," she added, her voice tinged with a touch of sadness, as if dispelling any misconceptions.
"Did it work?" Zack interjected, curiosity lacing his words.
Zino shook her head, a hint of melancholy in her eyes. "No," she replied softly. Then, in a sudden burst of chirpy energy that startled the group, she exclaimed, "Anyway, I like it. It's my unique accent."
As the vortex materialized before them, Lanse and Tess wasted no time in rushing toward it, their adrenaline pumping. The absence of human opponents in their next test did not make it any less exhilarating or exhausting than the previous ones.
Zack, now stooped over with his hands pressed against his knees, managed to catch his breath between heavy pants. He stared at his companions and posed the question that plagued his mind, "How do you guys explain that, huh?" He couldn't fathom how the vines moved with such precision, as if controlled just like the water they had encountered before.
Zino's question hung in the air, her voice tinged with a mix of curiosity and intrigue. "Did anyone else see those glowing symbols at any point, or am I the only one?"
Tess felt a surge of annoyance toward Zino, not wanting to entertain Zack's wild theories. "No, it's just you," she snapped, her frustration evident.
But then Zino found support from an expected source.
"I saw them too," Zack admitted, catching his breath as she stood upright. ""I saw them too. What if all this time, this stuff we're witnessing on these tests are from magic?"
"You're right," Tess said as she stood gasping for breath.
Her sudden agreement with Zino caught Lanse off guard, his eyes widening in surprise at the unexpected change in her stance.
"The Professor did mention he was a Chewlete," she gasped out, her words punctuated by labored breaths. "I bet everyone at Primus, including Sensei, are all crazy witches and con-wizards."
Lanse let out a weary sigh, his patience wearing thin as he repeated his earlier statement. "Magic does not exist," he said, his voice tinged with frustration. "How about you focus more on landing actual blows?"
Zack persisted, his voice strained but determined. "It's more accurate to say that magic is no longer in practice. Think about it, Lanse. After all these years, why is there no credible proof that Jorah came from outer space? And not just his arrival, but even his departure remains shrouded in mystery."
"But we all know Jorah was here," he continued, her voice rising. "The proof lies in GeoSaun itself. All major lands on the planet were pulled together by the almighty pull of Jorah. That's why we have districts, Dread-End, in particular, is uninhabitable, and—"
Zack didn't get to complete his sentence when Lanse flung the scroll he had just finished reading, inadvertently hitting Zack on the forehead. Tess burst into laughter at the comical sight, but Szedra shook her head disapprovingly.
Rubbing his sore forehead, Zack shot Lanse an annoyed glare. "Not cool, man. Not cool!"
Zino's voice came as a whisper, filled with caution. She pointed discreetly to the device on her wrist. "Guys, they might be listening."
A dreadful silence enveloped the group, the weight of their words sinking in. And then, right on cue, the next vortex materialized before their eyes, its ominous presence breaking the silence.
Lanse's lips curled into a determined smile. "How about we put an end to all this talking and focus on the mission at hand?" he suggested, his gaze fixed on Zack. With a stern look, he walked off, leaving no room for argument. "We will not fail this exam, not while I'm leading this team."