Wyatt
The morning air has a chill to it, the grass has a touch of white frosting on the tips, winter is very much on its way.
Weeks have passed by in Nu’cov, my days now filled with training, training, and more fucking training. Ronan isrelentless,I swear he doesn’t understand what the word ‘rest’ means. The man never stops, and because he never stops, neither do I—unfortunately.
Every exercise is a life-or-death scenario.
Every morning, I have laps around the valley, and every day I’m pushed further. Don’t get me wrong, I no longer fall to my knees and spew my guts up, so I must be doing something right.
Afternoons are for weapons training, my favourite part of the day. So far, I have learned how to use swords, daggers, and bows. Bows are my strength and probably my favourite. Not that I’m bad at the others, I just find it easier, like an extension of my arm. Ronan grumbles, telling me not to stick with what I’m comfortable with, and I guess he has a point. So, I leave bows until last, where I get to show off, just a little.
Everyone has taken to asking me to aim for certain parts of the target, which I hit without much effort. Caelan decided I should begin working with moving targets, and once I can do that, I can start on smaller patrols.
I’m not worried, the quicker I hit all those targets, the quicker I get to the real work. He knows I want to get out of here and find Nia and Elana, but he stipulates I must pass the trials first.
Evenings are filled with hand-to-hand combat, which is when my growing ego takes a huge hit. I am getting better, but these folks have been training for years, since childhood or younger, depending on where they came from.
Iza and Lilah have been working tirelessly on my second trial, which Arel let slip last night, is an obstacle course. I almost laugh until the others begin chuckling at the mention of it, they know Lilah and Iza better and know what tricks to expect.
Apprehension sinks deep into my bones every day, waiting until they are finally ready. The sun has barely risen from its bed this morning, and I’m eager to start running to build up some heat. At least the mountains block most of the wind.At the training field, there’s a gathering crowdtoday. Even from my hut, I can hear the raised voices. I rush down to see what the commotion is about.
Iza pushes through the crowd when she sees me approach. “It’s time,” she jeers. Arms folded across her chest, armed to the teeth like usual, even within the safety of Nu’cov, she refuses to lay her weapons down.
“Time for…?”I already know the answer, but as far as she knows, I know nothing about the trial.
Kaleb wraps his arm around my neck, walking me away from the training field, to the far left of the valley, past the magical tree. Thankfully.
Iza walks to my right, whispering to Lilah as we near an enormous pitch. Not what I imagine an obstacle course to be, but after the first trial, I’m learning to go with the flow.
Nothing is as it seems, is a good motto to live by here.
Iza motions for me to follow her up a ramp to the edge of a ridge. In front of me stand tall pillars, planted deep within a river below. I don’t think I’ve seen this place at all.
Was it always here? Surely, I would have noticed it on any of my runs.
Iza turns to me. Her dark brown hair whipping in front of her golden-brown face, “This is your second challenge.” She points out to the course before me. “An obstacle course that Lilah and I concocted. The rules are simple: if you fail one part, you’re done. The object of the course is to retrieve a golden chalice at the end.” She smirks, “Simple, right?”
She picks up a basket from the ground, clutching a large piece of meat. I watch her curiously. She tosses it into the ravine below, and before it has a chance to land, large jaws jump from the water and snatch it from the air. I stumble backwards, falling to the ground. I don’t need to see what is in the water, its teeth are enough for me to know what lurks there.
She cocks her head while sneering at me. “I wouldn’t fall in if I were you.”
The stuff of my nightmares.
Zopdil.
Large reptilian beasts, with slimy skin that changes colour to blend into their surroundings, allowing it to hide in the watery depths or on sandy shores. Males and females have different tales, males being a spear and the females being a spiked club. Which one this beast is, I’m not sure yet.
I remember hearing stories of it when I was younger and being attacked by folk pretending to be one. I’m not sure when this happened or how old I was, but it was enough to scar me for life.
This beast, with its long jaws and razor-sharp teeth, is supposed to be able to jump twenty feet in the air. Luckily, it can’t live outside of water for long, only enough to snatch its prey from the shoreline.
How in the veils did Iza find one?
“Ready?” She moves aside, allowing me to step towards the edge. I gulp, looking down at the water below.
Simple, don’t fall.
Don’t die.