Huff!
Kael exhaled sharply, his breath ragged and uneven. His heart thundered in sync with his pounding footsteps.
The midnight wind bit at his face, sending his red hair whipping wildly as he tore through the forest.
Swish!
Kael ducked under a bushy branch, racing through a narrow path that came to sight.
Behind him were flashlights, accompanied by vicious groups of tracking hounds.
"Forget about catching him—shoot that fucking deserter!" an elderly voice growled, brimming with impatience.
Kael gasped, his head whipping around as a bright light revealed his figure.
Bang!
He dove to the side, teeth clenched, but not fast enough. A scorching shard of metal tore into his left shoulder, throwing him off balance.
Bam!
Kael hit the ground hard, his face slamming against a jagged rock.
"G-a-h!" He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out.
A sharp ringing filled his ears, drowning out the growls, gunshots, and pounding footsteps closing in.
"Not... here..." Kael gritted his teeth, his trembling hand grabbing a protruding root for support.
Staying would mean death.
With a ragged breath, he shoved himself off the path, tumbling onto the forest's sloping floor. A groan escaped him as his body curled, rolling uncontrollably down the incline.
"There, down there!" A voice screamed as a blinding light followed Kael's rolling body.
Ratatata-tatatataa!
Deafening rumblings of gunshots shook the forests as hundreds of bullets rained down the slope. However, Lady luck was on Kael's side as all seemed to miss; a few missing by an inch.
Bam!
Kael's vision blurred as he hit the back of his head at the jagged edge of a tree trunk. The force spun him a complete 180° degree, completely losing control of his body.
The risky roll quickly became a deadly tumble down the thorny slope. His face smacked on a rock, his limbs twisting in ways the lips could not describe.
Kael's deadly tumble came to a halt, thirty seconds later, his disfigured form stopping only inches away from the edges of the cliff.
"Get down there." The elderly voice barked. "Finish him off!"
"Damn it!" Kael cursed under his breath.
Kael tried to move, but his body wouldn't respond to his commands. Even now his vision was blurry, the suffocating stench of blood filling his nose.
His limbs were a bloody mess, most twisted so bad he didn't even have the heart to look at them.
"It's over..." Kael sighed heavily.
Rumble!
Suddenly the world quaked violently, the tracking dogs squealing in fear and abandoning their masters. Muffled sounds of soldiers refusing to continue the chase could be heard, it seemed like they knew what was coming.
'What's going on?' Kael couldn't help but wonder.
Using all the energy he could muster, Kael lifted his head once more, his gaze widening with shock. While the figure was distant and hazy, its size was terrifying.
The massive shadowy figure soared through the sky, its eyes revealing a crimson hue. Its gaze was fixated on Kael's figure; he seemed to be its target.
"This vessel, I can use." Its voice boomed like thunder, shattering the entire world.
--- 300 A.R, Drakensoul, 14th Day ---
Kael's eyes fluttered open, the scorching rays of the afternoon sun fixated directly on his face. He winced in discomfort, snapping his face to the opposite side.
"Aah!" Kael yelped in shock as the scene before him changed from the blinding rays of the sun to one of the most beautiful faces he had ever set his eyes on.
He jerked back so suddenly that his chair tilted, sending him crashing to the floor with a loud bang. Silence lingered, but a few seconds before the entire class erupted into laughter.
Kael groaned, his face burning hotter than the sun outside. He remained sprawled on the ground, wondering what hurt the most; the sting on his back or the new blow to his already crippled reputation.
By the time he scrambled back into his seat, the lesson had moved on, but the whispers and snickers refused to fade. Kael buried his face in his arms, wishing the floor would swallow him whole.
An hour later, the bell rang, marking the end of the class. Kael kept his face buried, trying hard to ignore every giggle and whisper that crossed his ears.
"Mystic Resonance is tomorrow, the least you can do is sleep properly so this embarrassing event doesn't repeat itself."
Kael flinched at the cold words of a familiar voice. His face snapped up to see Liora standing, her icy gaze staring down at his figure.
Liora was nicknamed the ice queen even during their younger days in the orphanage. She had unusually pale skin, a stark contrast from her raven black hair, which complimented her small eyes and thin lips.
She leaned toward the petite side, her sex appeal mostly reliant on her cuteness and icy aura that seemed to attract most men.
Who wouldn't want to be the warmth that melts the heart of the ice queen?
"I... I didn't mean to fall asleep." Kael mumbled, his words barely a whisper.
Kael didn't know how to explain the nightmares he had been consistently suffering from since he came to the academy.
"I don't have time for your excuses. Just show up in good condition tomorrow, or you might actually die." Liora said, her voice brimming with contempt.
Kael parted his lips to speak, but she walked away, not bothering to give him the chance to respond.