He became worried, but that didn't slow him down. He knew it must be with one of the boys. And if it wasn't with any of them, then he had to face the challenge of looking for it.
The crowd of students reached a destination where they could no longer go ahead. Before them was a large pit which must have been excavated intentionally. The width and the length were unmatched. No one could dare to cross unless they had wings.
This was the last place to cross into the academy. Mountains of different shapes stood conspicuously before them, and on these hung descriptions of different letters and names. There was a flat and elongated rock which bore a larger and wider name. Everyone suspected this should be the name of the school.
Along the passage of the excavation was water which ran on high tide. It seemed like an angry water body. All the students could hear how it splashed its tide against the rocks below.
The wall of the excavation had on it shrubs that were ages old. They had thick branches and stems. They took their livelihood from the walls and the nutrients.
The students were looking at the entrance into the academy from a far distance, but no one dared to try to cross because it was even crazy for anyone to do so. This was where everyone got stuck. Some of them talked silently while many didn't even bother themselves.
A boy forced his way to the front amidst struggles. His name was Pure. Tall, slender, but bolder.
"What's wrong with this guy?" someone said.
"I don't think he wants to make it. Let him go and die," another person said.
"Maybe he wants to have a look," a third person responded to the one beside him.
The students were saying what they thought. The second student even made his voice louder than the rest.
There was a shrub close by which Pure took advantage of. The tree had its branch extended above the water below. This same water had a link with that which they had travelled through. He was going to climb up to see if he could proffer a solution to the obstacle. He held tight to the bark, and when he was sure he could do it, he added his leg.
"This is madness," a girl shouted.
Akib finally caught up with the students-to-be. They were all standing, not going forward.
"What's going on?" he asked the closest.
"I do not know," he said.
He was at the extreme end, the hind part. He could not have known what was truly happening.
Akib pushed his body into the midst of the people so as to get to the front.
A hand pushed him roughly that he fell on the lady before him.
"You should learn to walk without stepping on people," she said. The lady who pushed him was known as Lumez.
She had a tough look like an unrepentant soldier. Her dressing was like that of military personnel. Both her appearance and her dressing complemented each other.
Akib could have said his apology, but the look of Lumez wasn't friendly. Her character was that of rudeness and arrogance. He looked away from her as she didn't deserve any apology.
Akib had equally offended another lady at the other end. His leg was still on her foot.
"Huh-hun, you're standing on me," he heard from the other girl.
The girl's name was Wench.
"Oh, I'm sorry," he apologized.
"Just be careful," she said, though with a frown.
Wench was a pretty lady of around sixteen like many others. She was neither tall nor short, but she didn't have much flesh on her. With a quick glance, Akib thought she had a disposition. Akib couldn't understand why some village leaders would send a girl to this kind of place.
Aside from water and evil forest to cross, this arena didn't suit the nature of any girl.
Akib continued his onward movement.
Finally, he met Pure on the tree. Shocked, he saw the reason why everyone had decided to stay stagnant. Worst of it, there was a boy dangling at the tip of the branch with his legs attached to the tree.
Pure was busy doing his own thing, not minding the presence of Akib. Akib summoned courage and walked up to him. He needed help to return to land.
"You'll need a help?" Akib suggested.
At that time, Pure was trying to connect himself to the trunk, but somehow he lost a step. He didn't ask for help, but Akib offered it willingly.
"Yeah, but... but... at your risk, boy," Pure said.
"I know. I know you're ready to die, but I won't give you the chance now. Not while I'm here," Akib said with humour.
Pure stretched forward his hands for Akib to catch, but what he heard stopped him. He smirked at him.
"What did you just say?" Pure said.
"Do you really want to die?" he repeated the question in a more clever manner.
Pure let out his hand for him to finally have it. Akib knew he had to be extremely careful at this moment because one of his feet was at the line which could be called 'the boundary between life and death.' Pure could take him down with a little mistake.
Intertwining his hand, he pulled him off towards himself. When Pure was sure he had the advantage, he let off his feet which he twisted. The two fell together, but Pure was on top. Both were partially out of danger, but their legs were stretched out of the land.
"Don't turn, I'm not dying yet," Pure replied to the question he had asked.
A shadow came over and stood above them. It was Wench.
"Let's have a help," she said.
The two boys surrendered themselves for help. Wench was stronger than Akib had thought. She pulled the two out of danger.
"Thanks," Pure said.
Before Akib could say thank you, she was already going. He understood she didn't want his own appreciation.
While she walked back to join the rest of the people, Pony, Boris, and Gawal had witnessed the drama between the two crazy fellows.
"You know her?" Pure wanted to know.
"I don't think so," Akib said.
"I am Pure. What's yours?" Pure was ready for a handshake.
Akib put his hand in his to accept the friendship. "My name's Akib."
The two boys chatted, not caring they were on strange land, nor did they consider other students who watched them with amazement.
"That's the academy, but we have to find a solution on how to make our cross," Pure tried to make him know why he was found on the tree.
Akib and Pure approached the horizontal of the landscape. On getting to the extreme of the land, they found out the land was surrounded by water. The available solid land was where they stood and possibly where all the students passed through.
"We can swim, can't we?" Pure suggested.
Pure was of the opinion that this was the only means he could think of. He wanted to help the weak by carrying them through. Akib would object to that anytime due to what he had known.
"Crocs reside in this water, Pure," Akib said.
Instead of Pure being detracted, Pure's reply was shocking.
"While I take one through, you have to divert the crocodiles."
This guy was truly out of his mind. Pure must be crazy indeed.