Everyone stood on the deck of the ark. In the distance behind Scathach, the island was quickly coming in to view as they slid through the water towards it.
The island was ten miles wide with a massive border wall that bisected the land mass going from east to west right through the middle. It was forested, but not heavily. The leaves of the trees a deep mosaic of gold and amber, as the tall oaks, maples, and elms stretch across the land, their branches heavy with tree-top huts and shacks, connected by bridges strung together with thick, living vines that would glow faintly at night.
Scathach was explaining what she wanted them all to do. At this point, none of them had eaten for over twenty-four hours. "For your final bit of training, you will be surviving here for five days. That's the main goal. Since we are coming from the east, on the fifth day, I will park this boat on the west point of this island—yes, that means you will have to cross the big wall in the middle. Right now, there are eighteen of you. Hidden across the island are fifteen artifacts, each crafted from the trunks of trees with spiraling bark and are imbued with energy so you'll know what they are when you see them. You pass by handing your artifact to me at the end of this."
Pearson looked around at all the other trainees, a bit bewildered, holding his hand up, "What happens if all the artifacts are gone, and I don't pass?"
"The goal of this final course is for you to use everything you've learned and built thus far. If you can't make it, then you clearly aren't ready." Scathach continued, "This is not team-based, but if you want to you can get with others, but you better hope there's enough artifacts to go around."
When the boat landed, Taber and Pearson began calling everyone together.
"Look guys," Pearson started once enough were in earshot. "Imagine if we all work together to do this!"
"I was thinking it over as well," Taber said, "And I think that might be the wisest course of action." As they spoke, the ark pushed back off into the ocean with Scathach on board, their mission already starting.
"You all may be thinking: Bro! Pearson! There's eighteen of us as fifteen artifacts. If we team up, there's not enough for all of us. That's an unfortunate reality, and there's no way around that. But if we go by an MVP system, I think that would be best. We can cross that bridge when we get there, though."
"We need to survive for almost a week, so we can have different shifts and jobs mapped out for everyone. I truly believe we can make this efficient!"
There was a universal mumbling of agreement within the crowd.
"Another brutal reality: There were thirty of us, and we're down twelve people. Knowing Scathach, this island is gonna be very dangerous- Hey! Where you goin?!" Pearson yelled out.
Everyone turned, watching Ivy and Kaly walking away together. The crowd murmured uncertainties.
"Yo!" he called after them.
Ivy turned, smiled, and waved, "Yeah, sorry, I'd rather not do that. But good luck!"
"Hey! Other girl!...Purple girl!" Pearson said. "What about you?"
Kaly gritted her teeth, taking a sharp inhale through her nose, letting out a shaky breath. Not turning around, and still walking, she flatly said, "I'm with her."
"I-" Pearson started, but looking around at all his peers, he cleared his throat, not letting his frustration show. 'Maybe it's for the best. I don't trust either of 'em. Especially the one with weird skin.'
"Good luck to them," Taber muttered sarcastically, turning back to the group, "Well, unlike those two, we have a plan!"
Kaly's stomach grumbled loudly, as she held up the dead woodland creature by its tail. The sun was beginning to set over the treeline, casting orange rays across the sky.
"Alright, I think I got it!" Ivy said, as smoke began to billow from the small pit in the ground. She had taken a ziplock bag which was given to her by Scathach, and filled it halfway with water. After Ivy had twisted the bag so it made a 'ball of water' at the bottom, she placed powder made of dry wood that Kaly had ground up on a tree log, and placed the ziplock over it, making sure the sunlight shined through it. Her makeshift magnifying glass finally worked, and she placed the smoking log in a small pit they had dug to contain the fire. Using her other arms, Kaly tossed dried moss and sticks into the hole to keep the ember going.
After a few minutes, they had a full fire going.
"How'd you know that would work?" Kaly asked, impressed.
"I dunno exactly," Ivy shrugged. "I've always been kinda outdoorsy, and before I came here and met you, I was by myself for a long time, so I had to figure a lot of ways to start a fire from scratch."
Kaly made quick work of the woodland creature and skinning it. Next to them was a large thin rock that she placed over the pit so it would heat up and act as a 'pan.' As the animal's carcass filled the area with a sweet smell, she asked, "Do you actually have a plan to find these artifacts or did you just not like those people?"
"It's not that I don't like them…I don't think Pearson likes me, but I don't really have an opinion on any of them."
"Do you know him?"
"Yeah, he's the brother of a friend from when I lived in Crater."
"How long were you there for before you were kicked out?"
"Not very long at all. When I first arrived, I wasn't so sure about the place, but after I got to know some people, I really thought I was going to be there forever." She didn't make eye contact but just stared forward, the fire casting an angry flicker across her face. Her voice was barely above a whisper, "It is what it is."
Both of their heads snapped upwards simultaneously as they heard a rustling in the branches above them. Large red leaves slowly floated down.
Ivy's voice was calm, but her body was tense, ready to spring at a moment's notice, "Scathach did mention something about people living in the trees…"
"Did she? Well, just because we're unnative here doesn't mean we won't defend ourselves if things get weird!" she said, loudly.
Their heads snapped in a different direction, hearing a different movement in the trees.
"Maybe they're just seeing what the smoke is about…" Ivy said cautiously.
They sat, listening, and waiting.
The silhouette of a figure dropped behind them. The sound making them both jump, and whirl around.
In the shadows, the man looked like he had long dangling claws, as he almost bear-crawled toward them at an unimaginable speed.
"What the-" Kaly jumped up from her crouched position as Ivy got to her feet, extending her trident, pointing it at the man.
As he got into the light of the fire, they saw he was wearing a tan-colored body-suit that covered him from his head to his ankles, leaving his bare feet exposed. There was a slit in the suit for his eyes, and one for his mouth. His black lips curled, revealing sharp teeth. Almost as sharp as the large T-handle metal hooks he had in both of his hands, each over a foot long.
Ivy launched her trident at him, and sparks flew as he deflected it with his hooks, tossing the trident away into the woods before scurrying across the ground to a tree, shimmying up the trunk using the hooks.
Before disappearing into the leaves, his head turned almost 180-degrees, staring at them before continuing up into the branches.
Seconds later, Kaly jumped out of the way as he swung down, using a rope from the branches above, slashing at her with the hook.
Before she had a chance to retaliate, he had already disappeared into the leaves above.
Bubbles began to form from Ivy's skin as her energy activated, and Kaly did the same.
If not for one mistake, if he hadn't stepped on that twig, both of the girls wouldn't have known he was there.
He had climbed to the ground, out of sight for either of them, and silently sprinted toward them, with their backs turned, but he had gotten a bit too excited, not paying attention to his footing, and stepped on a stick—alerting them.
His hooks glowed hot with energy, as he swiped wildly at them, grazing Kaly's stomach. She fell to the ground, he jumped on her, ready to cut her open.
Wincing, she crawled back. The small wound felt like it was burning, as if someone was pressing hot coals against her skin.
Ivy jumped on the man's back, wrestling to get her arm around his neck, attempting to choke him.
The man stretched back, swiping at her, but she scrambled quickly, avoiding the hooks, as he wasn't flexible enough to reach her.
As Kaly started to get to her feet, she fell back, doubling over, holding her stomach, trying not to cry out in pain. 'What is this? Like a weight was added under my skin!'
As Ivy began to squeeze the man's neck, a green aura surrounded him.
Kaly gritted her teeth, forcing herself upward to her feet.
The man was too distracted with Ivy to notice Kaly moving toward him.
"AAAGH!" he screamed, as Kaly plunge her hand into his stomach. Her wild grin turned sour as she pulled her hand from him, doubling over, gasping in pain.
"What is…wrong with me?" Kaly coughed violently.
"What did you do?" Ivy screamed into his ear.
The man's grin was wide, and a high-pitched giggle escaped from between his jagged teeth.