Chapter 29 - Combat Training – Babysitting (3)

Desser nodded. He was concerned with his safety and Isla's final "hope" for him. He was also excited to learn by "doing." The prince was never very good at studying, which is why he was shocked to learn that the original owner of his body would read so often. For Desser right now, "trial by fire" was the best way he could learn.
He also had faith that Isla wasn't setting him up for failure or an early grave because of his deal with her. Isla seemed like she needed something from him; obviously, he could not accomplish his side of the bargain if he was dead. He had faith in the deal between them, not so much in Isla.
Desser then asked: "Would they not care about a human joining the battleground? I'm not even a child…."
"Your strength right now is that of a child. They won't see you as a threat to the Playground. Rather, they see you as a perfect toy for their offspring. They can learn to socialize, fight, and defend against other humans. It is a rare but favourable opportunity. So, they actually would be happy with me bringing you there. We'll be placing bets on how long you'll last!" Isla chuckled.
Desser was unafraid of a challenge. He'd grown up in a hostile environment all his life. Also, the prince has a competitive spirit that would shine the most in high-risk and stressful situations.
Arriving at the Playground, he saw very few beasts gathered. Some looked like wolves, and others were the young Ursi like he had fought before, but not all beasts looked carnivorous. There were some that resembled deers with extremely sharp antlers. Although these deer-like beasts seemed harmless, the flesh hanging from their antlers was something out of a nightmare.
However, what surprised Desser was to see so few beasts gathered in one location. He looked up at Isla and inquired, "where are the other species? Or is this it?"
"The Playground is a large area hugging the sea, nestled between a mountain range, with large swaths of forest and grassy patches between the valleys. In other words, the various species enter all kinds of areas to fight or socialize in terrain familiar to them. We are just at one of many entrances." Isla responded.
Isla then raised her head and cawed in a low rumbling tone. The ground shook slightly as the other young beasts ran into the forest. Isla pushed the prince forward:
"Go play now, strange one. And good luck."
The prince's face showed his annoyance at the Aguila's command. He was being treated like a child and sent off to his kindergarten class…except the class was filled with deadly beasts.
Desser rolled into the forest; as he went further in, he could no longer see Isla in the distance. The security he felt disappeared, and his heart began to race. Every sound was like an impending threat to him. He sent an Aero-Blast at a rustling bush, which exploded on the ground sending the bush into the air and severing it from the roots. The force also sent him rolling backwards and almost off his chair.
He knew he needed to calm down. He would have been like a turtle on its back if he had actually fallen, and wasting his energy could also get him into trouble.
Desser used Aero-Gusts to help propel him forward faster than if he was moving the wheel with just his strength. Although his health had recovered a lot, he still didn't have the stamina to move himself with his arms and hands.
The prince knew that he needed to find an excellent place to defend himself and camp out. The survival videos he watched were finally going to be useful to him. He kept moving until he found a stream. A water source was an obvious necessity.
Although camping by the stream would secure water and potentially fish for food, his back would be exposed to any attacks. He remembered that survival guides recommend caves as a place to quickly protect yourself from the elements. But a cave would also serve as a good base to protect yourself. Since he was in a valley, the stream must guide him towards the mountain and potential caves.
Desser kept following the stream up against the current flow. He made sure to walk in the water because he remembers reading that his traces and scent would be harder to follow that way.
He heard another rustle next to him as he journeyed upstream. Instead of attacking like last time, he waited at the ready. If he didn't have a wheelchair, maybe Desser could have held his breath underwater… although that would not guarantee that he'd be able to hide completely.
A beast emerged from the woods. Its scales and webbed feel resembled a lizard. The strangest thing was the eyes that followed its spine all the way to its tail. Half its eyes looked at Desser with disinterest while the others perused the area.
Desser slowly moved away in hopes of not fighting it. His first priority was to secure a safe place and food/water source. Especially since he was at a disadvantage, he had to secure his future success by laying a strong foundation. Because he had a weaker body than the other beasts, he knew even the rain could get him sick. He'd have to master his magic to create a barrier against the elements. Of course, that's assuming such a feat is possible.
The prince continued upstream as the lizard-like beast ignored him. It took one look at Desser and was immediately uninterested. The beast may have hurt Desser's pride, but that was for the beast.
Desser finally made it to a small cave. Two smaller Ursi emerged from it as they heard the slight squeaking from the wheelchair. Their immediate hostility was palpable from the snarling expressions on their faces.