The forest grew quieter as they approached the second checkpoint. Not peaceful—never peaceful—but tense, like the trees themselves were holding their breath.
Soren clutched the newly evolved fox to his chest. The little creature's two tails brushed against his arms, warm and steady, grounding him in a way nothing else could.
He needed grounding.
Because the howl they'd heard earlier still echoed in his bones.
Kael slowed first. "We're close."
Lira nodded, frost‑wolf sniffing the air. "Something's ahead."
Aldric scoffed. "Obviously."
Soren whispered, "Can we not walk toward the ominous sound? Just once?"
No one answered.
The fox chirped, which Soren interpreted as cowardice is not an option.
He groaned. "I hate this place."
They stepped into a clearing—and froze.
The second checkpoint stood in the center: a tall stone pillar carved with glowing runes. But that wasn't the problem.
The problem was the team already standing there.
Four students in dark uniforms.
Four beasts.
Four pairs of eyes turning toward them.
And every single one of those eyes looked hungry.
Kael muttered, "Team Blackthorn."
Lira's expression tightened. "Of course it's them."
Aldric smirked. "Good. I wanted a challenge."
Soren whispered, "I didn't."
The opposing team's leader stepped forward—a tall girl with ink‑black hair and a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Well, well," she said. "The famous misfit team."
Soren squeaked. "We're not famous."
"Oh, you are," she said. "Everyone's talking about you. The noble prodigy. The frost princess. The spear boy. And…" Her gaze slid to Soren. "The one with the fox."
Soren hid behind Kael. "I don't like her."
Kael murmured, "No one does."
Her beast stepped forward—a sleek, shadow‑furred wolf with violet eyes and smoke curling from its paws.
Soren's voice cracked. "Why is it made of nightmares?"
The girl smiled. "Shadow wolves tend to have that effect."
Aldric stepped forward, lion cub growling. "Move. We're taking the checkpoint."
She tilted her head. "Are you challenging us?"
Lira's frost‑wolf bristled.
Kael tightened his grip on his spear.
Soren clutched the fox. "Please say no. Please say no. Please say no."
Aldric said, "Yes."
Soren screamed internally.
The girl smiled wider. "Wonderful."
Her team spread out.
Four beasts.
Four tamers.
Perfect formation.
Kael whispered, "Stay behind us."
Soren nodded rapidly. "Gladly."
The fox hopped out of his arms and trotted forward.
Soren panicked. "NO—COME BACK—"
The fox's two tails glowed softly.
The shadow wolf growled.
The girl raised a hand. "Begin."
The clearing erupted into chaos.
Aldric charged first, lion cub blazing with golden fire. The shadow wolf met it head‑on, darkness clashing with light in a burst of sparks.
Lira's frost‑wolf lunged at a massive stone‑jawed badger, freezing its claws mid‑strike.
Kael intercepted a lightning‑winged hawk, spear crackling as he deflected its dive.
Soren ducked behind a tree. "I hate this place!"
The fox flickered.
One moment it was beside Soren.
The next it was in the middle of the battlefield.
It darted between beasts, leaving shimmering afterimages that confused the hawk, tripped the badger, and made the shadow wolf snap at empty air.
The girl narrowed her eyes. "Annoying little thing."
Soren shouted, "He's not annoying! He's—"
The fox vanished.
Reappeared behind the shadow wolf.
And struck.
A burst of light exploded from its tails, blinding the wolf long enough for Aldric's lion cub to slam into it with a roar.
The wolf staggered.
The girl hissed. "Shadow veil!"
Darkness rippled from her hands, swirling around the wolf like smoke.
Soren felt the air shift.
Kael shouted, "Soren! Move!"
He didn't know why.
He moved anyway.
A streak of shadow sliced through the space where he'd been standing.
Soren screamed. "WHAT WAS THAT?!"
Lira answered without looking back. "Shadow wolf's veil strike. Don't get hit."
"I WASN'T TRYING TO!"
The fox reappeared beside him, tails glowing brighter.
Soren knelt. "Buddy… be careful."
The fox chirped.
Then darted forward again.
The shadow wolf lunged, jaws snapping.
The fox slipped sideways—no, through space—and reappeared above the wolf's head, tails flaring.
A burst of light rained down.
The wolf howled, stumbling.
Aldric seized the opening. "Leo! Finish it!"
The lion cub leapt, mane blazing.
The shadow wolf collapsed.
The girl cursed. "Damn it—"
Kael struck the hawk from the air.
Lira froze the badger solid.
The fourth beast—a vine‑covered serpent—slithered forward, but the fox cut it off, tails glowing in a sharp arc of light.
The serpent recoiled.
The girl's team faltered.
And then—
It was over.
The clearing fell silent.
Leaves drifted down.
Soren peeked out from behind a tree. "Did… did we win?"
Aldric smirked. "Obviously."
Lira nodded. "Yes."
Kael lowered his spear. "Good work."
Soren stared at the fox. "You're terrifying."
The fox chirped proudly.
The opposing team's leader glared at them, jaw tight. "This isn't over."
Aldric rolled his eyes. "It is for now."
She turned away, her team limping behind her.
Soren exhaled shakily. "I hate this place."
The fox hopped into his arms.
He hugged it tightly. "Okay. I hate it slightly less."
Kael pointed at the glowing pillar. "Checkpoint Two."
Lira nodded. "One more to go."
Soren groaned. "I hate this place."
The fox chirped.
And they moved on.