Chapter 2

Emma and Jake struggled out of the vines as they watched it wrap around them. Their blades swing left and right cutting down the vines that reached out to grab them.

The greenish vines laid on the floor all over the forest. Emma and Jake ran out as the vines had begun to regrow.

Despite leaving the area while the vines did not follow them the smell did. The dark yellow substance had sprayed all over them, it smelt like ashes dipped in a years old trash. Nothing nice should be expected of the Flesh devour Vines.

Their guts juice was disgusting.

"Ewww.....ugh.. " Emma shrieked; She had just been hit by the odour of the juice. Her nostrils seemed to burn and so did her skin.

While it might have been their carelessness, she could not help but despise Aliza even more. Emma wondered why Aliza had become selfish, she should have gone with them to the light cave to get a fire stone. Emma needed a fire stone to aid her spell cast.

Tears dripped out of her eyes and she burned with more rage.

She swore she was going to make Aliza pay.

Jake could easily depict Emma's feelings despite her silence, he was also going crazy with anger. He had no idea when Aliza became so cruel to her teammates.

Aliza had no idea what they were thinking and she probably will not care.

On a small human sized shaped tree Aliza laid all her worries at rest though the forest were extremely dangerous at least she had no need to look over her shoulders.

While they might not attack her their is no reason to stop sabotage. If she dies then it becomes unfortunate but they won't let her die.

Her feelings towards that thought was high.

Aliza had no idea how right she was or how deep she was in it.

A small blast hit the tree. With a thud Aliza hit the ground. Her face thankfully protected from slapping a pile of dirt. She grunted and got up.

She glared at June whose hands were folded in her back with an innocent expression.

"Really I thought we used words "

June shrugged off Aliza words and walked away.

Speechless Aliza just followed, she might be pissed with these annoying teammates but she was better than the pretenders that called themselves her friends.

A strict June and an uncaring Aliza walked side by side.

The moist ground stank of decayed animals as bones and flesh could be seen protruding from the ground. The burial method was shallow.

The air stained with the smell of blood the trees all coloured Ruby red. Among these trees was a Queen and in it's heart a Ruby heart. Whether it glowed on not could not be determined until the queen is killed.

The weather was warm and suffocating. The trees all gave off an eerie feeling if one focused for to long. The trees seemed to move closer.

Skeletons carvings could be seen on the back of the tree numbering according to the height of the tree.

Wrapped with a blue coloured blindfold June's eyes were covered up. Her feet wriggled as her face turned pale with nervousness. Being blind was not easy and it took a toll on one's mental stability but being blind in a scary magical forest were the everything could kill including trees was suffocating.

It was even worse when your life was in the hands of someone you do not trust. June shuddered as she thought 'What if she decides to push me ' her heart skipped as she had thoughts that did not match her cool collected nature.

"Aliza.... Hmm I need to take of my mask. "

" Sure If you are pulled by the unseen melody or charmed away am not going to help you. " Aliza rolled her eyes. She did understand what she was talking about.

"Ugh... June I am not going to push you. if I wanted to I could pretend not to know about the dangers or pretend I was also affected. You would be dead without realising. I won't deliberately push you we are a team remember.... "

"Just breathe we will be fine as long as you hold my hand you can be rest assured I will not let it go. "

This was the plain truth. June lips quivered as she those words. These was why Aliza was such a great leader.

June suddenly wondered why Aliza was friends with people who treated her like they were doing her a favor.

Everyone including herself felt that Aliza was always relying on her friends.

Still not comfortable with the blind she was slowly dragged through the forest. Her mind tried to remain calm as she paid attention to the surrounding noise rather than the absence of sight.

Aliza heart thumped. Being responsible for your self was no big deal but being responsible for others was not good. Even though it was not the first time she was leading someone through a dangerous path.

Her heart skipped a beat every time she thought of the dangers.

With sweaty palms she held June's wrist. The cold bloody air grew thicker as she moved farther into the forest. The air tainted with red she was on the look out for ferocious animals every animal who became stayed in the red air. Soon becomes berserk and even humans were no exception.

Their sight soon becomes distorted and coupled with the smell and incessant ringing of the forest trees all singing a melody of blood.

Even the purest animals became wild. It had been long written in history that the bloody air be avoided by all cost, a few centuries back all the ever did was avoid it as only those with high powers could control themselves.

Or those who recited holy scriptures. While holy scriptures and spells were more accessible. They chose their owner and not the other way around.

Having many scriptures hidden did not mean you could use any of them.

It was said to be in the dark time the great blind man passed through the bloody red air. With an ancient path finder spell cast on him he journeyed into a thick air of red blood.

After a week or a few months it was said that his berserk nature soon faded away.

Soon after every one begun to use such a method but it was called to a stop as the ancient method of path finder spell was lost in the great battle.

Most used simple method or avoided places with bloody air. Clearing it out was easier as though the ancient spell was soon vanishing new spell were appearing.

Red stone like eyes moved fast like a glowing ruby it jumped towards and away from her some remained in place like predictors tracking their prey.

Fear crawled up her back and her hand tightened around June's wrist. Aliza silently hoped that the animals hiding were cute animals and not the jungle cats.

June heart paused and as she sensed her hand being held tighter.

Before she could think to deep to panic she was pulled to flee with Aliza.

Heart beating fast in her chest she was unsure how long they had been running for.

More Ruby red eyes pooped out from the shadows. Each eye seemed bigger than the next. The sounds of the animals grew louder.

'Roar '

Their heart sunk with the same thought in their mind.

" Wild cat "

'Rrroooaaaarrr'

This time it sounded louder than ever.

The other animals were also frozen in place.

The distance was no longer far just a little more and she would be fine. Frozen in place would her teacher approve.

With these thoughts she ran not forgetting to pull June who ran along though still blind.

' Rooaaaarrr'

They ran faster not wasting another second like they had. Their legs seems to have merged with the air.

A huge blast of wind follow the next roar blasting them into the tree.

Smashing into the tree June's blind fold fell off.

Blood seeped from her mouth as she soon lost consciousness.

It was getting near. Aliza could feel it pushing her self up she carried June up and began to run as fast as she could.

Another roar echoed through her ears.

With blood seeping through her ears she staggered out of the forest.

'Rrrrooooaaaarr' the sound wave shot her right out of the forest into the cave above of them.

Her eyes fell on June who was still unconscious. She looked back at the bloody forest. A tall dark shadow rose her eyes blurred and all she saw were it's evil eyes.

Slowly her eyes closed.

'Risk again 'She thought as she fainted.

Emma and Jake grumbled their way into the river as they hurried to rid themselves of the smell of the Flesh devour vines.

They tossed of their armour and set up screen to take a nice bath by the river.

The wind blew gently as it seemed to be a peaceful day.

Cold air soon ran along their skin causing goosebumps to rise. As magicians and warriors. They had never been easy to scare and a feel of ordinary cold air was not going to do that but something in that air was filled with chills.

Emma and Jake hurriedly took their bath and hurriedly put on their cleaned armour.

They followed the colour crystals and ran far away from that spot.

It had not been a minute since they escaped from the river. A large crocodile suddenly emerged from the forest. In its mouth held a lion that seemed to big to be true.

It's neck was covered with thick black scales. Its elongated body and we'll definitely muscles showed it was an adept runner. On its sides were thin fins.

Apart from these weird features it was looked like an appropriate crocodile. If one of ignored the abnormally sized lion then it was normal.

It crawled to the river and slowly sank to it's bottom. The river was completely still like a giant creature had not moved into it.

A huge growl rang through the forest. Something was angry and it was something big. The still river soon gave continuous ripples. Whatever it was had scared the giant crocodile so much it had not stopped vibrating.

With wet hair all over the their face and legs still moving as fast as it could in their moment of panic they had forgotten about the existence of their magic and soon fell into a pit.

Huddled together in the ground, they shivered in fear. Hoping to disappear for if the chills that led to goosebumps rise was not enough to freak them out then the growl did the trick. With their eyes closed they slowly hoped for days to pass by.

Falling asleep a thought ran through their minds 'they should never have followed Aliza '.

"The Trial has been set up and will open on a Monday of the full moon.".

A head raised, dark long frizzly hair falling back she stared at person who delivered the news.

"Get all the materials ready "

As soon as the instruction was given she immediately continued what she was doing.

The guard clothed in white and black suit immediately set off the their next destination.

" Do we allow the trial to take place."

"Yes " It was an irritation to be as it was a burden to have stupid subordinate.

"The girl and her team are in the magical forest shall we have them out. "

Her hand stroked her forehead slowly.

"No, Maybe she can manifest under danger. "

A slight hesitation crossed the guards eyes " But the da....."

" ENOUGH do as i have instructed, no more questions. " She waved her hand immediately dismissing the subordinate.

The guard sighed heavily the dangers in the forest was much more dangerous than before. 'Hopefully they would be safe'.

While the guards mind was on safety. She had other thoughts. If she remembered correctly Aliza had been at the academy for ten years and in those years. She had never used magic.

The lady smiled and hoped it was true that would make her plan easier.

for 'a flightless bird was useless.'

An evil smile creeped on her face.