Chapter 50: Into the Thousand Mountain Forest

Inside lay countless chunky slate grey metallic wristbands. Lucian picked one up. It was cold and heavier than one might expect, with a little red crystal on its center and three intricate defensive rune inscribed around it.

’Put it on your left wrist right now.’ General Thorne ordered

Lucian fastened the watch.

’The device has three utilities. The first, is to register your kill verification tokens via near field scanning. The second is its regional designation functionality, it will alert you if you are nearing the border of the Core Basin.’

General Thorne opened his left wrist to reveal a similar timepiece.

’The third, and arguably most important function is an emergency escape protocol.’

He grew serious.

’In the event that you are mortally injured, cornered or facing an enemy you cannot defeat, you press the red crystal core.’

He tapped on the red crystal on his watch

’Immediately a grade two mana shield will activate, able to withstand three consecutive blows from a peak first-order beast.’

A few students exchanged uneasy glances.

’Furthermore, the watch will simultaneously emit a high frequency distress call to our hovering skiffs and a rescue team will arrive at your position within eight minutes.’

A wave of relaxation spread across the weaker students

’however,’ General Thorne barked, eyes narrowing, ’should the shield ever activate, your accumulated point tally shall be reset to zero.

You will be disqualified from high-ranking awards, your teams accumulated points will be reset as well, and a failure mark will be registered on your military files.’

He let the words sink in.

’Decide for yourself between your ego and your life.’

Lucian fastened the slate grey watch on his wrist, a tingling sensation crawled along his skin as the rune matrix synced to his pulse.

A masterstroke psychological ploy.

He twisted his fingers, inspecting the watch.

By punishing survival, students would be inclined to activate the shield at the last possible moment. In a real battle within the forest, hesitation was often the cause of death.

’This is it all you stalling bastards! Assemble your five man squads or sign up as solo combatants at the gate!’

The platoons sergeant roared above the cacophony of the staging ground.

’The gate will open in five minutes!’

Immediately the platoons began to disperse toward the great iron gates.

Lucian walked toward the soloist sign up queue.

He had only taken three steps when a shadow fell across him.

’Lucian,’ she called gently, her voice cutting through the din of the staging grounds.

Lucian turned to regard her. The moment their eyes met, the tension in his facial muscles eased slightly.

’Evelyn, I thought you had already gone ahead’

’I was waiting for you.’

He raised an eyebrow.

’For me?’

She crept closer, lowering her voice. ’Come with me.’

Lucian’s expression changed ever so slightly.

’The Inner Sector is likely to be quite dangerous,’ Evelyn continued. ’you needn’t go it alone. Walk with me, we can hunt together.’

For a moment, Lucian simply looked at her.

Then he shook his head.

’No.’

Evelyn’s eyebrow’s twitched. ’you rejected me that quickly?’

A tiny smile played on his lips.

’It’s not you I’m rejecting.’

’What?’

’I don’t want to take your points.’

She stared at him for a second, before understanding dawned upon her.

’’If we’re to hunt together,’

Lucian continued, ’we’ll be have to split the kills.’

meaning lower points for both of them

’I’d rather hunt on my own and let you take everything.’

Evelyn crossed her arms.

’Are you really that selfish?’

’No,’

’Why then..?’

Lucian’s smile vanished.

’Because I know myself. If your by my side, I’ll find myself worrying about you rather than the beasts.’

Evelyn fell silent.

For the first time, the mask of icy composure slipped from her face.

’You’re an idiot

She muttered.

’I’ve been told.

’Then at least promise me you’ll stay out of the Core Basin.

Lucian met her amber eyes.

’I promise.

Evelyn held his gaze for a moment, then finally turned to leave.

’Come back in one piece.’

he offered her a quiet smile.

’And you.’

Neither of them voiced the thoughts that lingered between them.

They scarcely needed to. Their relationship had never required much conversation.

Lucian turned and left Evelyn.

As he disappeared in the distance, she watched him vanish in the growing throng of students, her fingers tightening ever so slightly around the hilt of her rapier.

’Still as reckless as ever,’

she breathed.

But a faint smile graced her lips.

’Evelyn,’

a new voice echoed from behind her.

A tall student by the name of Seth stood several paces back, his expression one of mild shock

’you’re seriously intending to go in solo?’

Evelyn spared a glance at him. ’So it would seem.’

Seth turned toward the distant forest, only to let out a soft scoff.

’Going straight for the Inner Sector alone? the other schools strongest students are even going to take it slow.’

’I know,’

’And Lucian?’

her gaze briefly followed where Lucian had disappeared to

’he’s doing the same.’

Seth’s brow furrowed. ’that commoner? ’

Without a word, Evelyn’s eyes darkened

’Don’t say that.’

At the warning in her voice, Seth wisely kept silent.

Evelyn turned toward the forest again.

’Everyone has their own method of hunting. I needn’t a team, nor does he

Seth studied her for a moment before shrugging.

’Fine,

just don’t come crying to me if the Inner Sector proves you wrong.’

A faint smile touched her lips.

’I won’t.’

Across the parade grounds, the registration process raged on in a rising cacophony. Hundreds of students filtered past the military checkpoints, armed personnel scrutinized the student’s identification seal and handed out emergency equipment. Yet three hundred yards away, concealed behind the towering tents of the logistics division, five students gathered in a loose circle.

They looked like any other group of nervous students.

Grey and blue uniform.

Uneasy expressions.

Hunched backs.

The tell-tale signs of students about to enter a deadly wilderness for the first time.

Roy

Dan

Ben

Lucas

Mia.

Five nondescript names. Five nondescript faces. Just as they were supposed to be.

And then, without anyone watching

the tension left their features.

’Gate Two has equipped standard Mana-Resonance Arcs.’ Roy murmured.

There wasn’t a trace of uncertainty in his voice, not at all what one might expect from an eighteen year old.

Mia turned toward the military checkpoints.

’Our disguises will not be discovered.’