Jacob lay in the clinic bed for three days, he wondered why his other self didn't even bother to heal his wound. The doctors who treated him told him that his wound is healing steady and he'll be out in not time. He remembered the fight that took place in Belmont Island, Alex and Susan were by his side as they fought the female hybrid. He even sided with a bunch of other sorcerers he'd never met or seen before. Beatrice, despite being angry at him couldn't help herself but to stop by and check on him every day. She was worried about him. He smiled to himself as he picked the TV remote and started switching channels.
There was a knock on the door, then Susan and Alex entered. They were both tiered. He didn't blame them; they'd spent hours listening to Mr. Windsor's lecture. Alex slumped at the couch near the window and Susan took a seat at a chair beside Jacob's bed.
"How did it go?" Jacob asked.
"Boring," replied Susan and Alex in unison.
Jacob smiled, "I see."
"How about you?" asked Alex.
"They patched me up really good, said that I'll be out in no time."
"Have you heard about the punishment?" Susan asked.
"Yeah," Jacob replied. "We've pissed them off big time."
"I don't know," Alex said. "Surviving in a dark jungle filled with different types of Oscuros is more like a death sentence."
"I bet we can handle it, we defeated a hybrid remember?" Jacob said, adjusting his pillow.
"But still," continued Susan. "THREE DAYS!"
"Whoa," Alex said holding up his hands. "No need to shout, we're in a clinic."
"I know, but three days?" her voice a whisper now.
"Well that's what we get for violating camp's rules," Alex said.
"Fells wrong," replied Susan, her voice back to normal.
Jacob was quiet for a while, switching between channels until he stopped when a show was being broadcasted. They were watching "Friends".
"Do you regret it?" Jacob asked.
Susan and Alex looked at each other, then looked at him.
"Coming with me," he continued. "Do you regret it?"
Alex leaned on Jacob's bed side.
"Are you kidding?" he said, with a huge grin on his face. "We'd do it again."
Jacob turned to Susan, she smiled.
And in that moment, Jacob felt a surge of hope. He was no longer alone.
A hushed silence descended upon the training grounds, the normally boisterous chatter of students replaced by a nervous whisper. All eyes were fixed on the trio walking towards the dark, ominous silhouette of the forest in the west. Jacob, Alex and Susan, walked with a grim determination. The air thrummed with unspoken tension, a palpable sense of dread hanging heavy in the atmosphere.
The dark forest, a forbidden zone, loomed large on the horizon. Its gnarled, twisted trees clawed at the sky, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, obscuring the depths within. Whispers of unimaginable beasts and ancient, malevolent spirits filled the air, the forest's reputation preceding it like a specter. A female teacher, Miss CLARABELLE, her face etched with grim lines, stood before the trio, her hand pressed against her right forearm.
A glowing sigil pulsed on her skin, the light emanating from her flesh a stark contrast to the ominous forest backdrop. A section of the invisible barrier, a powerful ward that kept the creatures of the forest at bay, began to shimmer and fade, revealing a gaping maw of shadows where the trees met the edge of the green field.
"I had never dreamed it will come to this," Clarabelle said. "It's been years since I've seen this punishment."
"We feared this day might come," Miss Melisa said, her voice ringing with authority, despite the tremor in her voice. "For violating the rules of this camp, you will face the consequences of your actions." Her eyes, filled with a mix of sadness and grim resolve, scanned the trio. "If you manage to survive for three days, a sigil inscribed on your forearm will glow, warding off Oscuros and creatures of any kind, long enough for the pick-up crew to come take you."
The trio took a step forward, the ominous shadows of the forest closing in like a hungry maw. The air grew heavy with the scent of damp earth and something else, something primal and unsettling. Jacob, muttered a curse under his breath, but his eyes flickered to Susan, who stood resolute, her face grim but determined. Alex, who'd been quiet since they came here, simply continued forward, his steps measured and silent.
Just then, a ripple of noise broke the tense silence. A few scattered voices, tentative at first, then gaining strength, rose from the students watching.
"Jacob! You did the right thing," came Bernard's voice.
Jacob, caught off guard, looked back at the students, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He couldn't help but grin, a genuine smile that reached his eyes.
"Alex, don't worry man...you got this," shouted another.
Alex didn't turn around to look, instead he gave them the thumbs up as he walked, he couldn't help but sense death that lurk beyond the barrier of the dark forest.
"Don't die," Rubble said, in a lesser but audible tone. Clearly it was meant for Susan.
Susan, blushing, felt a surge of warmth spread through her chest. The cheers, the support, felt like a lifeline in the face of the unknown.
The cheers, initially hesitant, grew louder, more confident. The students, their faces a mix of admiration and fear, started to chant, "Stay alive! Stay alive!" The air pulsed with a new energy, a wave of support washing over the trio.
The dark forest still loomed, a menacing presence, but the support of their fellow students, the knowledge that their actions had saved lives, gave them the strength to face the unknown. The cheers continued, echoing through the green fields, a testament to the courage and bravery of the three students who had dared to defy the rules, to face the darkness and emerge as heroes. It was epic.
Gregory, his face obscured by the shadows of a baseball cap, moved with the quiet precision of a predator stalking its prey. He wasn't a soldier, not in the traditional sense. He was an instrument, a tool sharpened to a razor edge, honed for a single purpose: to eliminate.
The security system at the perimeter of the White-clad headquarters, a labyrinth of lasers, pressure sensors, and motion detectors, was a joke to him. He moved with a ghost-like grace, his movements a silent ballet of evasion, his fingers dancing over the intricate circuitry of the alarm sigils, disabling them with an almost casual flick of his wrist. Really? He thought to himself. "This is the organization that prevented Nightshade from most of their schemes?" He chuckled.
Modern security cameras, their digital eyes scanning for anomalies, were blind to his presence. He'd learned to blend into the background, to walk unnoticed, a phantom slipping through the digital mesh. He'd disguised himself as a janitor, then as a seemingly bored agent, his true identity hidden behind layers of impersonation. It was a game he'd played countless times, a master class in deception.
His map, a meticulously drawn blueprint of the headquarters' defenses, given to him by his client, Samuel, led him to an unlikely location - the men's restroom. He moved with a practiced grace, his footsteps silent, his presence unseen. He approached a seemingly innocuous urinal, his hand resting on the cold, metallic surface. With a gentle pressure, he activated a hidden mechanism, the urinal sliding open to reveal a dark, narrow tunnel.
He took a deep breath, the air thick with the scent of disinfectant and something else, something ancient and unsettling. He crawled into the passage, his movements a symphony of shadows, the darkness closing around him like a welcoming embrace. The tunnel was damp, the walls slick with moisture. He moved with a practiced ease, navigating the twists and turns, his senses alert. He emerged from the tunnel, his eyes adjusting to the darkness, and found himself standing at the edge of a clearing.
He was at the northern entrance of the dark forest, the forbidden zone, the training ground for the most skilled warriors. Or that's what he heard, he knew about the punishment. Those kids are being sent there as a punishment for three days. He planned to eliminate his target before the first day was over, and he'll kill the other two as a bonus.
The trees, gnarled and ancient, loomed over him, their branches like skeletal fingers reaching out to touch the sky. The air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, the forest's menacing presence palpable. He had found it, the weakness in their defenses. A gap in the barrier, a forgotten detail in their meticulous planning. A single, unsealed entrance that lay open, like a gaping wound in their defenses.
He stood there for a moment, thinking about his mission. He is about to enter one of the least places he should be, he was sure that he can eliminate his target, but he wasn't sure if he was going to make it back alive. Even if he did, what will he do if the others find out about the hidden passage or the incomplete seal? He didn't like the sound of that. But still…five million dollars for accepting this mission, and five more if he's successfully eliminated his target, looks like Nightshade really wanted to erase him.
He stood there, the thought of Nightshade, an organization he used to work for, sent memories flooding back. He'd had fun back then, back when he was a Nightshade agent, he'd been the negotiator. Sometimes things would go smoothly, sometimes they won't. But all in all, he had good days. He took another moment to think about his task and the only thing that sound right were the sounds of the "cha'ching!" money, was all he cared about now.
He allowed a slight smile to flicker across his lips, with the money in mind he travelled deep into the woods, ready to hunt.
The hitman hadn't even taken three steps into the clearing before a chilling sensation swept over him, a whisper of cold air against his skin. An Oscuro, and a really big one. He whirled around, his hand instinctively reaching for his silenced pistol. A towering mass of shadow, a grotesque amalgamation of teeth and claws, lunged at him from the darkness of the forest. An Oscuro, a manifestation of the forest's darkest secrets. Its jaws, lined with razor-sharp fangs, snapped shut just inches from his face.
He rolled to one side, his reflexes honed to a razor-sharp edge, narrowly avoiding the creature's deadly bite. He landed on his feet, his eyes locked on the creature, his mind already calculating his next move. He raised his index finger, pointing it directly at the creature's massive, shadowy form. He didn't need a gun, not truly. He had honed his body, his mind, his very essence into a weapon. He channeled his energy, the raw power that flowed through his veins, focusing it on the tip of his finger.
A blinding orange light erupted from the tip of his finger, a searing wave of pure energy. The orange light engulfed it, burning away the darkness as it let out a guttural roar, leaving behind only the horrifying sight of a gaping hole in its torso, a wound that seemed to stretch to the very heart of its being.
The creature, its life force extinguished by the blast, let out a final, desperate shriek before collapsing, its form disintegrating into dust and shadows. The air, heavy with the stench of decay, cleared, leaving behind only the faintest whisper of smoke and the scent of ozone.
Gregory stood amidst the dying embers, his eyes cold and focused. He had dispatched the creature with a practiced ease, his movements as fluid and precise as a surgeon's. He turned back towards the forest, the faint glow of the orange light lingering in his wake. The path to his target was open. He would continue on his mission, his movements as silent as the shadows, his purpose as clear as the orange glow that had just consumed the creature.