As the sun painted the sky with its morning glow, Kalsie and his companions bid farewell to their secure mini-island and left the place toward what they deemed a place where they would find answers of their situation.
Since time was a luxury they couldn't afford, they maintained a quick pace. Their enhanced bodies, thanks to the mysterious orbs they had absorbed, allowed them to constantly move with a swiftness that matched the sprint of an average person, if not faster.
As they moved fast enough, their watchful eyes scanned the surroundings, not for the lurking monsters that haunted their nightmares, but for fellow survivors like themselves—particularly of Peter and his group.
In addition to vigilance, their gazes frequently went over the trees, hoping to stumble upon those strange yet miraculous fruits once more.
However, many hours passed, and their search remained fruitless.
The exhausting walk, coupled with the relentless heat, soaked their bodies in sweat, and their breaths were becoming shallow. When exhaustion once again threatened to overcome them, they collectively decided to pause and replenish their strength.
This marked their fourth break since setting out.
Fred, panting heavily and thoroughly drained, plopped onto the ground.
"Hah Hah HAH... I didn't think… it would be… this tiring..." he gasped for air.
"Don't complain, and eat this," Kalsie offered a dried fish wrapped in leaves from his pocket, extending it to Fred.
They had wrapped the fish they had caught earlier in leaves and stowed them in the pockets of their trekking shirts. While the taste was bland and the fish cold, it provided them with the sustenance they needed.
"Eating this fish won't quench my thirst. I wish we had something to store water," Fred lamented as he chewed the fish.
However, not just his but their collective regret centered on their lack of water.
Despite their journey deep into the forest, they had yet to find a water source. Their thirst, though bearable for now, was a concern they couldn't ignore. But it wasn't easy to find one.
"I know! You've said that four times already! So, stop complaining!" Kalsie's patience was wearing thin as he too bit on a piece of fish.
"Let's move on!" After five minutes of rest, they rose to their feet and resumed their journey.
As they traveled along, the relentless passage of time slowly brought the sun down from its height, casting long shadows beneath the towering trees. These shadows indicated the urgency of their situation, which was becoming more pressing.
Night was approaching fast, and they knew they had to quicken their pace.
Hours rolled by, and fatigue settled upon them like a suffocating blanket.
Fred, in particular, struggled to maintain his pace, his voice labored as he gasped, "Kalsie... how...hah...much...more? I... don't... think... I can run... anymore."
Fred's sentiments resonated with the others, all equally drained from the relentless pace.
Nick's condition was the most dire, his body barely responding to his will and was supported by Job and Jack.
Kalsie, his own body pushed to the brink, pointed ahead through the dense forest. "We're close, can't you see it?"
"I don't...hah... see anything...." Jack narrowed his exhausted eyes but saw nothing beyond the seemingly endless trees.
Unbeknownst to them, the trees were thinning out, and a clearing lay just ahead.
"We're there! I can see it!!" Kalsie exclaimed as he ran toward it.
"Wait for me!" Wendy followed behind him.
Fuels by their words, the rest of the group summoned their remaining strength and sprinted at full. And as they entered the clearing, they spotted Kalsie and Wendy standing stock still, their eyes fixed on something ahead.
"Why did you both stop—" they began to question, but their words faded as their gaze fell upon the unexpected sight.
Before them stood a modest huge wall with an aged, yet imposing metal gate at its center.
It bore a grand sign reading that seemed rusted, [Welcome to the Bellworth Academy.]
"What is this place? A school in such a location!?" Kalsie's mind raced with disbelief.
Their initial expectations of finding a settlement had been wildly off the mark. Instead, they now faced the presence of an academy.
"The gate is slightly open..." Wendy pointed out as she wiped the sweat from her face.
"Everyone, stay alert! We're going in." Without hesitation, Kalsie rallied the group.
They took out their weapons and felt tense, getting ready for whatever might be inside. Time was running out, and finding shelter was important.
Led by Kalsie, they went carefully through the partly open gate.
As they cautiously stepped further into the mysterious place, their eyes widened in astonishment at the scene unfolding before them.
Gasps and startled exclamations filled the air.
"OH, look!! More are coming!!"
"Sigh... How many of us were captured anyways? Why do we have to go through this nightmare..."
"Look how tired they are. I wonder how long they traveled to reach here."
"Sniff!!! Just let me out here… I don't think I will be able to survive any longer…"
In front of Kalsie and the others, a feeling of sadness and tiredness filled the unknown crowd. They stood in groups, talking or resting. But tears and worry were visible on their faces, like they had been in a never-ending terror.
The bewildering sight left Kalsie and his companions utterly confounded.
"What the heck is going on here!?" Kalsie muttered under his breath.
Ahead of them stretched out a vast playing field, filled with people dressed just like them. It was obvious that these individuals had been through something similar. But what really surprised Kalsie's group was the huge number of people there. It wasn't just a regular gathering of thirty or forty. Instead, there were hundreds of them spread across the field.
Amidst their disbelief, Fred expressed, "Hey, Kalsie... am I tired that I am seeing this many people in front of me, or there are this many?"