The jungle was alive with the sounds of rustling leaves, distant roars, and the shuffle of footsteps. Zeke, Eliza, and Luca moved cautiously, their eyes scanning the dense foliage, alert to every sound. The air was thick with tension. This was no longer just a test. It was a battle for survival.
Zeke's heart raced as his mind kept replaying Mr. Alden's words about the teleportation devices—devices that were now useless because of the sabotage by the espers. If they were injured beyond a certain point, the only thing that could save them was a quick teleportation to the healing ward.
But that was no longer something they could rely on.
"Stay sharp," Luca murmured, his eyes flicking around, and for once, there was no grin on his face—just pure focus.
Eliza kept close, her staff at the ready, her magic a constant hum of energy around her. She had prepared herself mentally for this, but Zeke could sense the uncertainty in her eyes. They all knew this wasn't a simple training exercise.
Suddenly, a low, guttural growl rippled through the air, and then came the deafening roar. It was close—too close. Zeke froze.
Luca motioned for them to take cover, but it was already too late. The monster emerged from the underbrush. It was massive—lizard-like, with scales as hard as steel and claws that gleamed in the sunlight. The creature's eyes were an unnatural shade of yellow, burning with predatory hunger.
Before they could react, the monster lunged forward with terrifying speed, its claws slashing through the air. Students from nearby teams, who had been fighting other creatures, quickly joined in to help. But the creature was fast—far too fast for most of them.
Eliza was the first to act. She raised her staff, muttering a quick incantation as energy swirled around her. A bright flash of light shot from her staff, striking the creature in the face. But it barely flinched.
"Luca!" Zeke shouted, his voice tense, his mind racing. "Get back!"
Luca, ever the fighter, had already charged in, aiming his daggers for the monster's throat. But the creature twisted with lightning speed, its tail sweeping through the air and knocking Luca back into the dirt.
"Luca!" Eliza cried out in alarm as she rushed forward, her magic already charging for another strike.
But Zeke's eyes were drawn to something else.
Another student, a member of another group, had been knocked down by the creature's swipe. His body was bloodied, and the creature was preparing for the fatal blow.
Zeke's heart stopped.
I can't let this happen again. Not again.
Without thinking, Zeke quickly shut his eyes.
Time stopped.
He moved.
In an instant, he was there, rushing toward the monster. But in his haste and desperation, Zeke opened his eyes just for a brief second to assess the situation.
The world resumed.
The creature's claws came down with deadly force, landing squarely on the student's chest. Zeke's breath caught in his throat as he saw the life drain from the student's body. Blood splattered across the ground, the creature's claws still embedded in his torso as he crumpled.
Zeke froze, the weight of what he had just witnessed crashing down on him.
He had failed.
The student—one of his own classmates—had just died because of his momentary lapse in control. The student's body went still as the creature tore through him, his cries of pain silenced.
The battle around him continued. Eliza and Luca were fighting fiercely, still holding their ground against the monster, but Zeke couldn't look away from the body of the fallen student.
I opened my eyes. I failed him.
His hands shook as he watched the others desperately try to fight the creature back. But the damage was done. Another life was lost because of his hesitation.
"Zeke, what are you doing?" Luca shouted as he ducked under the creature's swinging tail, narrowly avoiding a hit. "We need you now!"
Zeke's heart hammered in his chest, and for a moment, he didn't know what to do. His mind was clouded with guilt, with self-loathing. He couldn't shake the image of the student's lifeless body.
Finally, Eliza's voice broke through his haze. "Zeke!" she cried, her eyes desperate. "Don't freeze now! Please!"
Zeke felt the weight of her words as if they were a lifeline. Slowly, his hands unclenched, his body trembling as he realized there was still time to act. He couldn't change the past, but he could still fight. He had to keep going.
With a shaky breath, he raised his sword and charged forward, his mind now focused on the battle ahead.
He closed his eyes tightly, focusing on the image of the battlefield in his mind. The chaos, the sounds, the shifting movements of students and monsters alike—everything was etched into his memory. Zeke moved through the frozen world, relying only on what he had seen and felt in the moments before everything came to a halt. His steps were precise, navigating around the bodies of fallen students, the lifeless monsters, and the trees that seemed suspended in time.
When he reached the lizard-like monster, he felt his anger surge, like a tide crashing over him. His memories of the student who had died, the feeling of helplessness, and the rage at his own inability to stop it—all of it poured into him in that moment.
With a deep, shaky breath, he let it all out. He swung his sword, decapitating the creature with one fluid motion. The force of the strike was so overwhelming that the monster's body seemed to break apart, its head flying off and disintegrating beyond recognition. The beast's blood splattered against the ground, but in the frozen world, it hung in the air, unmoving.
Zeke stood there for a moment, breathing hard, the echoes of his own fury ringing in his ears. He had done it. He had ended the monster's life. But the question lingered—was it enough?
The air was thick with tension after the battle with the monster. The jungle around them was eerily quiet, save for the heavy breaths of Zeke, Luca, and Eliza. The weight of the fallen student's death still lingered, but Zeke's focus was now entirely on the present moment. He couldn't afford to dwell on his failure to act sooner.
"We need to keep moving," Luca said, breaking the silence as he scanned the surroundings, alert for any more threats. His eyes flickered toward Zeke. "You good, man?"
Zeke nodded slowly. He was fine—for now. But in the pit of his stomach, he couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get much worse.
Just as he opened his mouth to respond, the ground trembled beneath their feet. The trees rustled in the distance, and the unmistakable sound of monstrous growls filled the air.
Another creature. Bigger, stronger.
Eliza was already readying her magic, but Zeke could tell she was on edge. She was still shaken, and so was he. But there was no time for hesitation this time. They had to act fast.
"I'll hold it off! You guys keep moving!" Luca shouted, charging toward the new threat without waiting for a response.
Zeke turned to Eliza, but before he could say anything, she was already conjuring a shield of energy to block the monster's initial attack. "Stay close, we can't risk getting separated," she said, her voice steady despite the fear creeping into her eyes.
But Zeke wasn't listening. He was already stepping forward, sword in hand, his mind racing with the thought of the previous student's death. He had to protect them—he couldn't let it happen again.
Just as the creature lunged toward them, claws extended, time froze.
Everything around Zeke went still—the sounds of the jungle, the shifting of the trees, the battle cries of his classmates—everything was silent and motionless. Only Zeke, with his eyes shut tight, was able to move.
His sword gleamed as he approached the frozen monster. It had been poised to strike, but now it was nothing more than a statue in mid-lunge. Zeke's movements were calculated, precise. He didn't waste any time. One strike. Two strikes. The beast's body was shredded, falling apart in frozen time.
Zeke didn't pause to watch the monster disappear. He couldn't. Not when he had a chance to save them. He turned toward Luca and Eliza, who were both frozen, oblivious to his actions.
With a deep breath, Zeke opened his eyes, and time resumed.
The world snapped back into motion.
The creature's body crumpled to the ground, its form disintegrating as if it had never been there.
Luca, still in mid-swing, froze in confusion. His eyes darted around, trying to make sense of the sudden shift. "What happened?" he muttered under his breath. "Where did it go?"
Eliza, still with her magic raised, looked around, wide-eyed and confused. "Was it... just me, or did it disappear?"
Zeke didn't answer. He couldn't. There were too many questions, too much uncertainty. His heart raced, but he forced himself to remain calm. Something wasn't right. And the teachers—especially Mr. Alden—had no idea what was really happening on this island. They were all relying too much on the devices they had given the students.
But Zeke knew the truth now. These devices They wouldn't save them all.