The sun was already high when the students of Sphere Academy gathered at the teleportation stations, a crackling excitement mixed with tension in the air. Zeke, Eliza, and Luca were among the teams lined up, each carrying a limited pack of supplies, lightweight armor, and the small teleportation devices strapped to their wrists, which were supposed to whisk them away if they hit critical danger.
"Alright," Luca muttered, cracking his knuckles. "This is it. A real test on a real island with real monsters."
Eliza smirked. "Just don't try to play hero. We're supposed to last until extraction, not collect trophies."
Zeke gave a silent nod, his gaze fixed somewhere on the horizon. Though he was calm, his mind kept flickering to the dangers lying ahead—and the unsettling feeling that kept tightening his chest. Despite all the reassurance about the safety protocols, something about this felt off.
Mr. Alden's voice echoed over the intercom, final instructions coming through in his usual, strict tone. "Your objective is survival and teamwork. Work together, use your skills wisely, and remember: the teleportation devices will activate if you're critically injured, transporting you back to the healing ward."
Some students around them exchanged uneasy glances, but Luca only grinned. "Piece of cake."
The teleportation stations whirred to life, pulling each team into the designated coordinates on the island. Zeke felt the familiar, nauseating lurch as he was pulled into the warp, reappearing a second later with Luca and Eliza in a dense forest, the smell of damp earth and salt hitting him.
The area around them was silent, filled with thick, tangled underbrush and towering trees. Somewhere in the distance, faint growls and screeches hinted at the monsters lurking around. They were on their own now.
"We need a plan," Zeke said, scanning their surroundings. "If we stick to the edges, we might avoid larger groups of monsters."
Eliza glanced around, instinctively holding her weapon closer. "Agreed. We can't be reckless. Just moving in any direction could lead us right into a nest."
"Hey," Luca said, nudging Zeke with a grin. "You're the cautious one, huh? Thought you'd be teleporting us through this in no time."
Zeke just gave him a sidelong look, saying nothing. He had never explained his powers fully to Luca, and the idea of teleporting in this situation didn't sit well with him, especially when it meant risking the use of his abilities.
As they started moving through the forest, they heard rustling in the distance. Low growls. The team moved in sync, positioning themselves defensively as the first creature appeared—a large, wolf-like beast with dark fur, glowing eyes, and rows of sharp teeth bared in a snarl. It was one of the smaller creatures, but still dangerous enough to be a threat.
Luca moved in first, flashing his daggers as he closed the distance, dodging its lunges and landing a few precise strikes. Eliza followed, her moves swift and calculated as she drew her weapon and drove it through the creature's side, immobilizing it. Zeke watched for a split second before moving in with his longsword, finishing the creature with a clean, practiced slice.
"We're going to be alright if we keep working like this," Luca said, wiping sweat from his forehead, his tone almost relaxed. But Zeke could feel the faint edge of doubt lingering. The forest was quiet now, a quiet that was almost unnatural.
They continued moving forward, Zeke keeping his senses sharp, noting each small shift and noise around them. It was only a few minutes before they heard movement again, this time several beasts moving toward them, each one snarling as it approached.
"They're coming from all directions!" Eliza warned, her voice steady but tense.
Luca took up position beside her, blades ready. "We'll take them as they come. Zeke, you cover the back."
The fight was quick but intense. The monsters were relentless, coming at them in waves. The team fought back with precision, Luca darting around, dodging attacks and striking with his daggers, Eliza landing powerful hits, and Zeke maintaining a steady rhythm, cutting down enemies with calm precision.
But after they took down the last wave, a new, uneasy silence settled over the forest. Zeke was breathing heavily, his grip on his sword tight. He glanced at his teammates, catching the wary look in Eliza's eyes.
"We shouldn't have encountered that many this early," she muttered.
Zeke nodded. "They're supposed to be in scattered groups, not clustering like this."
Luca scoffed, though his expression betrayed a hint of doubt. "Maybe they just decided to welcome us all at once."
Just as he spoke, a blood-curdling screech pierced the air. The three of them froze, glancing around, but before they could react, another monster—a larger, clawed creature with fiery eyes—burst from the bushes, charging straight toward Eliza.
Eliza moved to defend herself, raising her weapon, but the creature was fast—too fast. Zeke felt a surge of panic as he realized she wasn't going to be able to dodge in time. He stepped forward instinctively, but just as he was about to call out, there was a sudden blur of motion. The creature let out a strangled cry, its body suddenly torn apart as if by an invisible force.
Zeke blinked, stunned. The creature lay in pieces on the ground, its body twisted and mutilated. Eliza stared, frozen, her face pale.
"What… what just happened?" Luca breathed, his voice barely above a whisper.
Zeke looked around, heart pounding. There was no sign of what—or who—could have done that.