Page 39 of The Blackened Blade

It wasn’t my business what anyone else did, as long as they stayed away from me and my little area, I could train in peace and that's all that mattered.

I watch on from the clearing as a small squirrel makes its way up a large pine tree, a grey owl watching on as it hovers from above.

My brows scrunch together.

From where I was standing they were as clear as day and as detailed as if they were just in front of me, but they stood at least thirty metres in the distance.

It looked like my senses and physical strength were growing stronger by the day. They were developing beyond evenmyexpectations.

I take a deep breath, enjoying the gentle cool of the breeze brushing past me, and the peace of the forest at night.

I roll my shoulders out, basking in the moon's soft light, when suddenly a loud roar bellows from my right. It shakes the surrounding trees, scattering the birds and creatures around there, sending them scurrying along the forest floor.

I turn towards the loud rumble, my eyes searching the dark forest for whatever creature let out such a bone-chilling noise.

Whatever it was had to be big.

Maybe a bear, or some sort of wild magical creature?

I had seen some animal tracks the further in the forest I travelled. There were definitely wild animals around this forest, but I had only seen trails of maybe a wild boar, or wolf or large bobcat. Nothing big enough to make that noise, and thankfully nothing of the magical kind.

A shiver runs up my back.

I grab my hoodie and zip it up to my chin, the cold Autumn air hitting my sweat and making me shiver.

Or was it the creature's howl giving me goosebumps?

I had fought all sorts of creatures in The Facility to ‘test’ my strength, but they were usually mutations of whatever wild magical creatures the guards could catch or breed.

I had learnt, with time, to push past any feelings of fear I had. Survival had become my priority, even against the most terrifying or disgusting of creatures I had fought and lived.

I edge closer to the direction of where the roar came from, keeping close to the trees and shadows, and listening for any unusual noises as I go deeper.

It could just be a trapped animal or one beast fighting another for territory.

But the forest was restricted and off-bounds to students in the academy for a reason. Wild beasts and magical creatures being the number one issue so it wouldn’t be that far fetched to have a few around, especially the deeper in you go.

I could high-tail it out of there if I saw anything I couldn’t handle, but I would need to see if it was something that could be a threat to me and my little training area.

I wouldn’t be able to feel secure knowing there was some large predator lurking in the area where I train every night.

This area, the darkest part of the forest, was the most restricted zone. That meant that wild magical beasts roamed freely here and attacks had occurred when students or even teachers had crossed into the area.

The further in I go, the more eerie and dark it feels.

A colder chill laces the air as a creepy silence surrounds me, not even the wind wanting to blow through the trees in these parts of the woods.

The ground is uneven and dark, even the soil seeming cold and dead. The trees surrounding me flow up and toward the sky, their dark leaves and branches blocking out even the slightest bit of light from the moon shining above.

I push past a large bristly branch and stumble on a mass of tree roots below my feet. I grab onto a nearby branch, trying to steady myself, but my foot catches again. This time I'm unable to balance myself and fall, tumbling down a steep incline.

I cut my hand and scrape my arms as I continue to fall, my hands unable to grasp a hold of anything as I descend to the dark forest area below.

I come to a sudden stop when I smack into something soft, grateful for whatever bush or shrub broke my fall.

I try to pull myself up, only pushing further into the soft shrubbery.

That's when I feel it.

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