Fighting could be heard twenty feet behind them to their right. The students were also under attack from the stalker beasts. Suddenly, a shadow leapt at them from the shadows. Lucy recognised the threat instantly and hit it as hard as she could. The sound of breaking bones echoed in the labyrinth.
"Squee, shadow foxes, be careful; their bite has a corruption effect. The wounds will bleed profusely and rot in a few minutes."
"Alas, Ting-Ting kill."
Ethan grabbed Lucy with his left arm around Lucy's waist and leapt off his sword. Ethan's leg gave way as he hit the terrain, and he fell over and turned to protect Lucy as he fell. The sound of flesh being cleaved in half and yelps filled the area as Ethan's sword massacred the shadow foxes.
Ethan floated, lying straight with his back to the terrain, making them a tiny target. Lucy was on his pelvis, straddling him as she guided him. Following Wendy's trail, he floated forward, her footprints marked in the soft terrain. Shadow foxes lay dead, cut in half, strewn over their path ahead. His sword was still busy with the massacre.
The fighting had seized behind them, and Ethan knew that purple wand would be on the move again. They exited the labyrinth. Wendy was fifty feet ahead of them, the forest thinning as they neared the village. Fields of vegetables were now the scenery. Wendy ran with Purple Wand and his friends hot on her heels. She was running like a champion.
Students revealed themselves. They were hidden in the vegetable fields, wands at the ready, and they aimed at Wendy. Magic balls of fire formed and shot at Wendy. Zelda acted instantly, and four knives intercepted the balls of fire. As knives zipped through the balls of fire, massive explosions erupted in the air seconds after being pierced with the knives. The village people were in sight, and they gawked at the explosions.
Lara glared at Eldin, the dean, standing on the roof of the main building. The student with the smelly hand ran next to Wendy. They were giving it their all. Lara shouted encouragement at Wendy as she ran with all her might. Ethan had landed, and Lucy was helping him walk. She was his crutch supporting his right leg. They hobbled closer. Eldin had his wand before him, trying to hide his casting of a spell.
A gust of wind hit him from the back, and he stumbled forward. A bolt of ice magic shot forward, freezing four students in place: the student with the smelly hand and the purple wand with two other students. Eldin jumped up and whirled around.
"Who dares to use magic on me."
Eldin's shoulders sag, and he drops his wand as he faces Earl, the dean. Ethan cannot hear what is said, but it is clear that Eldin is being scolded for his shameless behaviour. The student council walks out of the forest, helping wounded students.
Ethan looks to the tables outside the village leaders' house, where all the demi-humans sit, enjoying tea and scones. Wendy reaches Professor Lara and hands her the artefacts, then falls to her knees, exhausted. Ethan and Lucy stand behind her, and Kuno brings them cups of water. The dean holds his wand in the air, and the words appear in italics.
"Professor Lara's team wins."
The students cheered while hoisting their cups of tea in the air. Lara helps Wendy stand and guides her to a chair.
"Come, you deserve this. You have won the day for us."
"Alas, I thought all of you were in the forest."
Lara explains that she had sent them to the city to buy scones, cream, and strawberry jam. The village people set up the tables as a thank-you for hosting the challenge in their forest. It would draw new people and promote their dying economy. Wendy looked at Ethan, and both girls had a sheen of sweat. Lucy helped herself to scones, and Lara plated them for Wendy.
Ethan sipped his tea. It was delicious. He made himself scones and ate happily with his partners. Ultimately, they were the only ones in the forest competing, while Eldin had all the students under his group make traps and choose ambush points. The fact that dangerous beasts and creatures were in the forest had never crossed his mind, as winning was all he was interested in. Ethan was glad his skill regeneration managed the bleeding and pain to a certain degree. But as Sophia warned him, he had to seek out that herbalist today or suffer the consequences. Sophia scolded him again for wasting his essence. Hands clasped over Ethan's eyes.
"Guess who."
Ethan was surprised and overjoyed when he heard Grace's voice, her scent intoxicating.
"Alas, granny, is that you."
Grace clicked her tongue and slapped his left shoulder playfully.
"It is me, silly."
Grace sat beside Lucy, taking a plate and dishing up for herself. She explained that she would take them to the herbalist when they had finished this victory celebration. It is evident to Ethan that Grace and Lara knew each other. He wanted to ask how long they had been friends but decided that was something for another day. Ethan asks Sophia if there is a portal nearby, and she mentions that the portal is near the end of the village.
They talked the day away, everyone eating and celebrating their victory. The time to go home came, and they said goodbye to everyone. They watched them board the train. They enter the abandoned building, and as they enter, the feeling of being watched makes their skin crawl.
Lilly, what is watching us? Please scan it and see if it is dangerous. Three minutes later. Ethan stood like a statue, and the girls behind him looked around. Wendy and Lucy's ears reacted to any slight sound, and Grace was tense like a spring, releasing its tension at any moment, and she did not bring weapons with her. Lara had gone back to the academy with her students.
"Alas, Ethan, there are bats in the ceiling. They are watching us. They pose no threat at all if we leave them alone."
Ethan could see the portal standing in the middle of the building, covered in dust. Broken furniture was strewn about, and the windows were broken. People never came to this side because they felt watched. He would keep this a secret, keeping people away from the portal. Only essence users could use the portal as he did.
A thought struck him: Did the blood sect leader use portals to get around? Ethan touched the portal's side, and it flared to life. Blue script ran down like rain on a virtual screen as Sophia activated and programmed the portal. Ethan stood behind Grace and took Wendy and Lucy's hands.
"Alas, Grace, hold on to me."