29 ISLAND OF ADVANTAGE

The trio spent the rest of the early morning traveling. Less swimming, more walking, thanks to the waters being in lower tide. Not that Claude could be bothered to willingly enter. 

The ocean had become a personification of his worldview. The surface seemed so flat and simple. Reflecting the skies clarity and tranquil blue spread. But the plunge was endless and full of ice cold uncertainty. Things slipped through the shadows he couldn't understand. 

Despite this, his spirits were lifted, if only slightly. He just had to remind himself where he was. He was Reborn. He was at the University of the Phoenix. Despite what Ursula and her jaded worldview thought, he could become the hero he wanted to be. He wasn't a beast driven by instinct. He was human. He was capable of living as he desired…..

Besides, there was a new mystery afoot. One he felt could be solved without bone-chilling revelations he still couldn't accept as fact. 

The island they currently occupied was titled False-seal Island according to their mana-maps. The name was as on the nose as the rest. The island stood above most of the others surrounding. A high hill of sand and forestry at the halfway point across the whole of the Glorian Islands to the east. At its low points, jagged and smooth rock formations cut up the ocean tide approaching. 

From where he stood at the edge of the island, he could see animal droppings collected between the rocks and the island like a natural toilet for creatures with at least half a brain. 

He only knew to look there from the drag marks in the sand. He ran his fingers through them, imagining the object once pulled up out of the low point of the island edges and across the surface. 

He stopped, finding stiff greasy blades of fur mixed in with the sand. They were dark in color. Like a silvery deep blue.

"You're still playing detective to find these animals?" Ursula questioned as she approached from behind, eating a bundle of bananas. Peel and all. "What makes you think they haven't just died from one of the massive hurricanes?" 

"Animals know how to avoid and survive routine natural disasters. Frogs can sense earth quakes. Bears have electromagnetic sensors to detect incoming lightning storms. Sharks have something similar…" He fought off a shiver at the mention of the animal he now couldn't view regularly. "They aren't dead… at least not all." 

Claude pulled a claw out of the sand. 

"Woah! Souvenir." Finn yelled as Claude tossed it to him. 

"Evidence." Claude mumbled as he stood up and pointed to the drop off at the edge of the island. 

Ursula and Finn walked over, looking down to find what Claude was pointing to at the bottom of the island cliff. 

It was easily missed. Broken and blended in with the metallic colored rocks. Weathered and beaten by the ocean. But still, it stood out just enough. 

A broken metal cage, at its backside a rope dangled in the water and wrapped around the rocks. 

"Poachers use a similar design to catch animals. Usually smaller quadrapedal creatures—"

"Like a coyote?" Finn asked. 

Claude remembered Tai calling him one and cringed, "Yea. Like a coyote." 

"So one of the students on this island is capturing possibly all the animals? For what?" 

"It could be for any reason. He could be trying to set up trade?"

"I didn't see any warmer clothes in the supply drop— maybe they're harvesting pelts!" Finn concluded. 

Claude shrugged as he chewed on the thought. It didn't taste right, "I don't know…. why leave the animal alive to fight then?"

"Claude….?" Ursula looked knowingly at him. "Are you going to ask us to help you find and save some ….. possibly, captured animals?" 

"No, I'm not going to ask. We're all heroes in training. This is a no brainer." Claude stood taller in his university uniform. The cold waters left it a bit tighter than before. 

"Oh… we're back to that?" Ursula rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. Her bicep veins could strangle an orc. 

"Out of spite." Claude reminded. 

"Hey! I'm in anyway. I had a dog back home. Randy... he was dumb as dirt. But that boy could run forever. I miss him. Maybe I'll find a new one here. Lead the way, baldy." 

"Don't call me that." Claude said as he headed off island. 

"How come!? Ursula calls you that!" 

"I bought his trust. Like a real nepo-baby. What did you do?" 

"I cooked breakfast!" 

"Your breakfast traumatized him." 

"Ugh. True."

***

After leaving the island to continue moving— as they had to since everyone knew everyone else's location every hour, the plan was solidified. 

"We're freeing the enslaved students." Ursula stated, "I want Samuel's little fake empire to eat the dirt. Tai too, I'm sure he's abusing the guild-maker garbage as well." 

"That's fair. I owe Trey, and the others. But before that, I need my power." Claude replied as they crouched under a pine tree to avoid the light drizzle. 

"The animals!" Finn assumed. 

"Yes. I'm the only one here without my full kit. Once I get it we'll have a better chance. If I get the right ones, even better." 

"So, locate the animals, do beast-tamer stuff, free the captured students, win the island-gauntlet?" Ursula surmised. 

"Yea."

"We have one month to kill more monsters than Samuel, Tai, and this Nasreen person if we want the reward. That could set us up for permanent success here. House selection and high-ranking weapons? Pshhhh. That's a cake walk into the second year and silver-rank."

***

The plan was simple on paper. But then the hordes came. 

As Claude and the others traveled the islands, fast approaching Tai's domain, they could see the fires of combat flare all around them. Nothing but small scale skirmishes— but even those held a new level of gravity following their run in with the fish-men. And his own with the dryads.

Samuel's dark-fire raged in explosive plumes. Lizard and fish-men came from the sea and went to war with the clusters of students. 

Claude didn't like the idea but Ursula said it kept the island-lords occupied, and allowed them to approach without being noticed. 

Otherwise their entrance was painfully obvious. 

Three tick marks moving alone directly towards Vantage-Island. One of the more northward islands.

After two hours of travel, it started to feel like real progress was being made. 

"I see it, guys!" Finn jumped and pointed. 

They only just passed the University of the Phoenix completely. It stretched well beyond Center-Island with snaking stone walkways that led to floating platforms that functioned like islands of their own. Some held bleachers while others were completely flat. The spires still drew his eyes. He wondered what he'd learn behind those walls. If it was as much of a letdown as the island-gauntlet was so far…

"Focus." He told himself. 

Vantage-Island was different from the rest. It stood the tallest. From the sea, it was a hill, going at least two hundred feet up to give way to the actual forest island. Sharp stones both surrounded it and functioned as the core of the island, making it seem like a cliff. 

The rest of the islands surrounding were abandoned. Covered in lush forestry, massive stone colonies and jungle climates that shifted in the wind. 

Sometimes Claude swore he saw things move in the darkness. Just his peripherals. But then he remembered how anxious he was. 

And how literal monsters and students were fighting to the death all across the island. 

"Let's start staying hidden." Ursula commented. "Vantage-Island is the most on the nose naming so far. I wouldn't be surprised if the supply drops had snipers and Tai's got his guild slaves holding angles." 

"You think they'd let students use ac—"

"Yes. Hell yes." Ursula said assuredly as they stepped off their island walk path and began moving through the island forestry. 

In ten minutes, they covered the rest of their distance. No more than two islands. 

On the last, they left land and took to the waters. Since it was well into mid-day, the glacial edge had grown dull. The sun was beaming and the tide was keeping them close to the island, hidden from any snipers or bowmen guarding the island edges. 

Claude was quick in the water. He wasn't as big as Finn or Ursula. And despite Finn's insane strength, he lacked stamina and technique. 

His breath sat firm in his lungs as he swiped through the water. 

The sun illuminated the surface, highlighting the feathers that floated and spun with the ocean debris.

Another sign that the animals were stolen. That they were on Vantage-Island. 

Claude reached the island. Rising to the surface to suck in a mouth full of air as he clung to the rocks making up the bulk of the island. 

It wasn't quiet. 

Even beyond the ocean, he could hear people talking, moving, positioning as others barked orders. 

He couldn't hear any animals. His spirits waned but he pushed on anyway. There was evidence everywhere. They were somewhere. 

One after the other, they began climbing the island, using the stones that jutted out of the earth as hand and foot holds. 

The student commotion grew louder. 

"You didn't see anything." 

Claude brought a finger to his lips, pointing to the top of the island for Finn and Ursula to listen as they climbed below him.

"I- I did! They were down in that jungle. It was huge!"

Claude's mind rambled, going over jungle preferring monsters of unnatural size. There were many. Laughing-spiders, dino-men, jungle giants, dryads, wild-elves, displacer-felines….. too many. He needed more info. 

"Well, they're gone. Now shut up! If you irritate Tai he's gonna trade you with Samuel. I hear he beats all his guild members into submission before admitting them. Like some sort of demented initiation process."

"Makes sense. At least they wouldn't doubt his leadership. All we've been doing is hogging goods and capturing animals. The hell is the point?"

"Getting a good word in to Ronin, obviously? Use your brain. That's the golden ticket. It's not like we have any other choice. There's no other children of The Nine here."

"Jackpot." Ursula whispered. 

"Beast-taming time!" Finn danced— causing himself to accidentally slip on the rocks before regaining his composure. 

Not that Claude noticed. He was already on the move. 

The top welcomed him with greater noise and the smells of cooked meats, leathers, metals and excrement. It was an awful mixture. The meats were unseasoned, the wood was past burnt. And bowmen stalked the perimeter in the most unserious fashion he'd ever seen. 

They haven't faced the monsters. They've been playing dress up on a camping trip for weeks while trying to keep their prince pleased. 

Claude climbed alongside the island, inching his way towards the young male bowmen taking a piss off the island cliff edge. 

The student hummed a tune as he urinated, completely oblivious to Claude standing just barely under the orange stream. He was around the same weight as Claude, only taller. And…

"Not very hydrated. They're staying away from the waters." 

Claude grabbed his leg and pulled. 

The student went back first into the ground, stunned from losing his wind and smacking his skull against hard earth. 

In a rush, Claude pulled him completely off the island to lower the risk of being seen. 

Before he could slip out of Claude's one handed grip, he was dropped. 

Ursula caught him by the collar and held him out to Finn who stood, hanging onto the rocks next to her. 

"Wha- what are you doing?!?" 

"Finn! Attack!" Ursula shook the frail archer in front of him, sticking his flailing body in Finn's face. 

"Oh— sorry!" Finn reached out and backhanded the student so hard a tooth flew out and fell into the ocean below. 

He was out cold. 

Claude climbed up onto the island after scanning the area. A low wall of bushes and canopy-cast shadows split them off from the rest of the group. 

He stayed in a low crouch, waiting for Ursula and Finn to join him. 

They made it up soon after with Ursula climbing up, now with a student slumped over her shoulder. 

She set him down softly and tore off his university blouse, using it to tie up his arms. Then she used his belt to tie over his mouth.

Finn cursed as he turned the student over and found an empty quiver. "Should've took those first." Right at that moment, a coconut fell onto his head. 

Ursula's hand was around his mouth from behind in a flash as a student marched by deeper into the island. 

"Ouch!" Finn whispered as he left. Casually, he picked up the coconut, "I have been given an idea."

"Cool. I think I found where they're keeping the animals." Claude whispered before pointing to the crappy shack made of cut down trees tied together by twine and leather. A tarp hung over it, hiding both the sun and weathering elements. It sat at the back of the island, just behind the massive bonfire where they cooked and slept. Even now they collected around it. 

At least twenty students. 

Plus the one on the other side of the island, patrolling the edge, just as their restrained student once did. 

"We didn't plan this far ahead…" Ursula whispered from beside Claude. 

"Yes we did, you were just napping." Claude replied. 

"What's the plan then?" 

"Distraction." Claude replied. 

His hands were already interwoven with the grass. Blades lengthened and braided around his fingers, forming natural gloves. Nature spread and mirrored the image in his mind until he was fully encased in the light breathable green armor. 

At the same time, Finn reached out for the bonfire, dark earthy aura spiking as he called to the elements beneath it. 

The rumbles came like an earthquake. Like a prelude to chaos. 

Quickly afterwards, the earth surrounding the bonfire shot straight out of the ground like a firing piston. Flaming sticks and charred materials flew. Only barely, though. They weren't even first years officially. 

Claude planned for it. He assumed their weakness as fifth-wavers. 

Vines and roots coiled around the risen earth like snakes climbing a tree. Claude raised his arms above his head. Nature followed. The vines and roots shot out of the earth column and into the airborne bonfire. He opened his fists. Natures tendrils frayed and flung the flaming materials everywhere. 

Fire rained on Vantage-Island. 

"Haha! It's like fireworks!" Ursula commented.

Students fled the madness, screaming and flailing as flaming logs and sticks littered the ground and lit it ablaze.

Finn keeled over in the jungle coverage, beads of sweat covered his forehead as he gagged with exhaustion. 

Claude was already on the move, running through the forest to approach the shack at the end of the island from behind. 

He made it in no time. Fires bloomed across the barren landscape. Thankfully the tarp was fireproof. Double thankfully there was a back window for air flow. 

The smell of urine and fecal matter was so strong he fought off a gag. 

Inside creatures whined and howled. 

"Everyone calm down." 

Claude cringed at the sound of Tai's voice. He deflated at the realization of his class. 

Through the back window and opened front door, he watched as the students got up, walking through fire casually with armored auras all powered by Tai. 

"Cleric?…. That doesn't even make sense." Claude thought.

Suddenly his short time was even shorter. 

"GET UP! Before I send the bulk of you to my brother. Or leave you on an empty island for the fish-freaks. We're here to do business and win. Everyone get the perimeters and find who the hell tried to spook us." Tai pulled people to their feet and shoved them towards the ends of the island. 

Towards Ursula and Finn. 

Ursula came out swinging, not even attempting to hide. Finn followed close behind, throwing his coconut into a students stomach with so much force that he threw up his breakfast. 

Claude moved to jump into the shack of captured animals when the first rock hit. 

It was a boulder. 

It hit the ground so hard it split the earth, mere inches from Claude. 

He flew forward and smashed into the window frame, knocking the wind from his lungs as students from the right side of the island screamed. 

"GOBLINS!!"