War Zone

As I ran from Melody I could feel the smile radiating off of her pure white skin. She helped me realize that not all people are mischievous and malicious. I want to keep her locked away from the world so that she will be able to keep that innocence, that smile.

I bit my lower lip in aggravation. I'm not strong enough. There will always be someone stronger than me and it terrifies me. All I can do is stand by her side and be there for her. Is that enough though?

I broke out from my thoughts and saw an unprecedented sight.

I stuttered, "This..."

Lionel looked at me with anger in his eyes. I returned his gaze with sympathy.

The ground was littered with the dead, mangled bodies of spirit animals. The air polluted with the horrendous stench of rotting flesh and fresh blood. Such cruelty, such malice. Who would do this?

The thought crossed my mind and I thought of who was capable of such actions. It wasn't Melody, Crystal or Terra since they don't seem like those to harm someone unprecedentedly. It couldn't be Cynthia since I knocked her out a while back and without her orders, Aaron and Andrew would not make any moves. That left Michael, Jack and Warren. I don't know much about these three considering they shut themselves off from the rest of the class but Warren seemed the shadiest.

Lionel forced me back to the real world, "I'm going to maul whoever did this to death!"

I refuted his statement, "Lionel, If anything, you will be the one mauled to death. Whoever did this is not ordinary."

I thought back to my childhood days where everyone was out to get one another. I was always three steps ahead, I had to be. The battlefield of society could never have prepared me for an actual battle field. It was frightening how brutal someone could be.

I realized something was off. Why kill them and not take their bodies to the barrier? Why leave them? Unless...

I mumbled swears under my breath, "Lionel, gather as many of your people as you can and head back to my barrier! This is a trap!"

But it was too late. Arrows made of only fire clouded the sky, raining down in countless numbers. Lionel had already dashed off to gather more of his people so I was on my own.

I reached my hand to the sky and spoke jaggedly, "Water Fortress!"

Instantly a current of water rushed around my body, blocking and extinguishing the projectiles aimed at my location. This was a water spell I had learned during my training from Atlas. Water Fortress was not a very powerful defense spell but it was enough to block this attack.

I looked in the direction of where the arrows came and saw a black figure in the distance.

I couldn't make out who it was but I could sense an ominous air radiating from them.

The figure sprinted in the opposite direction.

I called after them, "Stop!"

I ran through the thick alcove of trees, weaving left and right to dodge them all. I followed the figure for a while but to no avail. They were too fast!

I saw an open field in front of me, the figure nowhere to be seen.

Who was that? Why did they run?

I mumbled under my breath, "Theres no time left..."

Did they want to stall for time? but then wouldn't they also lose time to gather the animals?

It didn't make any sense so I pushed these thoughts to the back of my mind.

"Fweeeeee"

A loud whistle sounded throughout the forest which meant time was up. I dashed through the forest back to my area.

When I got back to my area there were even more spirit animals than the last time. They all crowded into the barrier, squishing each other in the process. Soon after I arrived a figure popped out from the bushes. It was Mr Willows.

He looked slightly surprised, "I see you worked very hard for this test. Your score is 400, with 200 spirit beasts alive in your barrier. Well done, Nova."

I responded, "Thank you teacher, I will continue to work hard."

After I finished speaking Mr Willows went to the next area to grade. I slumped to the ground, sighing in relief.

"Lionel I know your still here, come on out."

Lionel appeared from the bushes to my left. He came up next to me and sat down.

Lionel was grateful, "I am in your debt. What can I do to repay your kindness?"

I replied to him, "I will be in the school near the forest for a while. If I need you for anything I will call you but I didn't do this for you, it was for myself so there is nothing for you to be thankful for. Many of your people died and I am sorry for not being able to save them."

Lionel frowned, " Yes, many of my people died but many more would have if you did not help. We will grieve for our own but still, I am grateful."

Lionel bowed and then left with his people that were in my barrier. It was funny. I could help others but I couldn't help the one person that meant something. No matter what world i'm in I will always be the same. Somethings never change.

I thought that being reborn would change everything. However, I was mistaken. I may be in a different body but I am still me, and I may be in a different world but society was the same. If I want things to change I have to change them.

I looked up as I laid on my back and reached my hand up.

I was determined, "I wont make the same mistake as before. I wont let her die."

Somethings never change unless you change them.