"Why do you think we're here." A man asked in a low voice.
"I don't know. But I know is it part of our training." A middle-aged man replied with his eyes darting from one position.
A group of young men and women and perhaps few middle-aged among them roam amid the outskirt of the deadly forest in apprehension. The Long Fall forest. No one knew how dangerous, deep and wide it is.
But one thing is assured. No one goes deeper into the forest returned alive.
Dressed in forest green cloth, the group blended with the forest and bushes. They looked their and surrounding and whispered to another one.
"Are we going to be left inside this dangerous forest with nothing to defend ourselves." A young female complained.
"Just trust the prince decision. I know he had something in package for us. If he want any bad for us. He won't have spend time training us that bizarre tactic." Another female replied slapping off a flies from her shoulder.
"Yeah… That strange exercise worked like charm. Almost everyone rank up." She smiled.
Creak!
A sound of feint step crack on a dry twig and the group turned their eyes toward the sound direction. Suddenly, a young man handsome with blue over flowing robe appeared in their sight. And beside him was a middle-aged with a stiff smile.
"Attention!" Someone shouted.
Bang!
Everyone one int the forest stump their foot and salute. Their leisure behavior had long. Their heart miss a beat and their gaze fixed on the young man in blue overflowing robe.
Al Casendra waves his hand casually and the soldier return to 'at ease.' Their eyes glowed wondering what the hell they're doing inside the forest.
Al Casendra looked at Tami and his skull tinge while standing beside the prince. Tami swallow the lumps in his throat and nodded with a force smile. He brought out a scroll and unfold it and cough.
"This is the final training from his highness to us. We're to survive in the forest and—" Tami paused and took a deep breath and looked at his comrade with the corner of his eyes.
'Guys, you don't know what we got ourselves into. I hope all us return in one piece.'
"Everyone of you must capture a wolf alive and bring it back to the city. If you don't catch a wolf, you are not to return to the city. You have a week to complete the mission." Tami exhaled deeply and looked at the face of his group.
At the first the group didn't register what just happen. Suddenly, their brain process what they just heard. Their eyes widened and their mouth avast. Their blood runs and the cool breeze became a sharp needle tingling on their faces. They sweats inside out.
They wanted to shout and question the prince. But, according to military rule, they dare not. They palm together and their palm sweaty. 'Why?'
Al Casendra fished out another scroll from pocket and gave it to Tami. With a trembling hands, Tami collected the scroll and read.
"You can work together to capture the wolves. And also, the wolf you be rank 1 only."
Hearing this, a lot of sigh escape from the mouth of the soldiers. And a slight smile appeared on the face of some. This, they can still handle if they work together.
Al Casendra didn't dillydally, he left the group and took another direction. The soldier looked at the back of the prince and sighed.
"Suit up! We need have work to do." Tami shouted. 'Now, I'm the leader of this team. I can't let them fail. This may be a test from his highness. I must do my best. Damie, let see how you fair compare to me.' A wild grin crept on to his face.
"Captain, do you know why the prince ask us to do such dangerous mission." A young lady named Rosa asked. She's the vice captain of the team.
"I don't know— but I know the prince won't like accept failure." Tami replied confidently and looked at his team member. "How many are we"
"125!" A young man shouted.
Bang!
A series of change chain was dropped behind Tami, catching him unprepared. He gasped and jumped back taking a battle stance. Immediately, his squad form a defensive formation and search their vicinity for the intruder.
Nevertheless, after waiting for a couple of minute and nothing happened. Tami voice echoed.
"Check that thing."
"Weapon and chains" A voice replied after checking.
In another area of the forest, another group of soldiers stood under a giant tree and talked in a low voice. Their face ashen and bead of sweat dripped from their foreheads.
"Captain, what are we going to do?" A young man named Cairo asked.
"What do you mean what are we going to do?" Damie raised her brow and looked at her vice. "We complete the mission of course."
Cairo rolled his eyes their socket and open his mouth to talk but was interrupted by Damie.
"I don't want a sissy as my vice. If you don't get the balls to handle this simple. How can you handle the plans the prince have for us in the future."
Cairo quickly shook his head. "Not that I'm being sissy. I just want us to plan how to accomplish the mission without losing anyone."
"Oh, so that what you mean." She creased her brow and relaxed. It'd be a headache if her vice was a coward.
"We're not tasked to kill the eagles. But to capture them. Besides, they are only rank 1. And don't forget, we have lower rank and peak rank 1. We go for the lower rank with traps."
Hearing this, the square nodded and face brightened. They finally saw a small light at the end of the tunnel.
"Nice idea Captain!" Cairo shouted.
"Let get on to it. We don't have all day." Damie waves her hand proudly. 'Those idiot, I wonder how they're fairing. I must show that fool who is the best.'
Inside a renovated building, some few older men and young men were working ceaselessly with fire and the thundering sound of hammer reverberated throughout the building.
"Master, we're done with the prototype." A middle-aged man said to Old James.
"I can't understand where his highness learn all this intricate design and combination of chemical." Old James chuckled, sweats stripping from his bald head to his bare chest.
"But how is this bow compare to the normal bow?"
****