A forest full of questions


It was only a few days later, Avalon and Palladium were out in the forest collecting some samples for Palladium's nature class in the afternoon, while having a chat. The Roccaluce lake right next to them.

"So, what do you think?" Avalon asked his friend.

Palladium currently bewitched a snippy plant to get some sap from it, "A fire wall directly at the finish line? Hmm, sounds dangerous. If we do that we need to swap with Griselda and use the Simulator room. We don't want to burn their wings off. Aren't you taking this evasive training a little bit too serious?"

Avalon laughed, "Well, if it saves their lives later on, I say, we have at it now. You shouldn't underestimate them. Besides no one should fly faster than they can't stop in time. It's a valuable lesson."

"Hmm, I have no doubt that our pandemonium class can handle that. But Aurum's? They aren't half as serious as the others…" Palladium pondered.

"Then it will be a good wake-up call…" Avalon turned his head. There was some faint shouting and the earth trembled.

Palladium just had gotten his sap and stood up, "Yellow boars so far from the swamp?"

"Your connection to nature is on point as always," Avalon was amazed about it every time. He now could also see something yellow shine through the forest. "They are coming this way."

"Indeed, Light Sword, Calcei ala!" Palladium summoned his sabre and winged boots. "That's not just one my friend."

Avalon activated his wings, "Yeah, more like a singular, but what are they doing here?" He spotted something blinking, blue, "Blade…"

"KITTY, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! AHHHHHHHHHH!" Blade yelled. She was dashing through the trees aiming for the lake.

"AHAHAHA! Run FAIRY RUN, FASTER! Answer my call Terror Wolf!" Kitty was laughing so hard and was all fired up.

Blade rolled mid-air to the side and dashed upwards and to the side again. The lead boar simply mowed down the tree.

A loud crack, "TIMBER!" Kitty shouted as she ordered her wolf to pin the slowest boar. "Get that one!"

"Oh, crap, oh, crap, Oh, CRAP!" Blade got halted as more trees whooshed down right in front of her. "KITTY some HELP, Please! Ahhhh, Mana glaive!" Blade summoned her weapon just in time to block one charging boar at its tusks to not completely get squashed against a tree. Yet got pushed into the opening.

"Mana glaive? What is she doing…?" Avalon sighed as the dust cloud grew in front of them. "She should already know that light fairy magic attracts them. They are still in mating season."

"Why isn't she using Shadion? That would solve the problem entirely. If they are that riled up. This is going to b-" Palladium just saw a stripe of blue and white pass right by him.

"Woaah! Watch out!" Blade's warning was a bit too late, but her Professor had evaded her nonetheless. Blade smashed to the ground. "Ouch…" Quickly she catapulted herself to her feet and shook her head staring at the boars racing towards her. Gladly she had come to a hold before getting flung into the water with her bag, which was still slung around her shoulders. She growled and loaded up her glaive. "Oh, those stupid…"

"Blade, don't stop! Into the water!" Professor Palladium called out to her as he readied a wind sickle.

Professor Avalon watched as in the far behind a dark magic circle activated and locked in. Apparently, that Sorceress Kitty had managed to tame one. He could see her jumping around like a maniac filled with pure joy. "Into the water, Blade!" the Professor ordered anew as Blade was not following the instruction. "How did you two even find so many at once?" he summoned his frosted Jian.

"No, I can-" Blade protested vehemently but a vine seized her ankles and hurled her into the lake. "No, no, no," She flailed her arms around but there was no way she could slow down in time. A giant splash.

"Now!" Professor Avalon and Palladium synched their attacks and an icy cold wind blew and froze the ground over. The boars began to slip and crash into each other. The assault was halted.

"Answer my call, Yellow Boar!" Kitty tested out her new summons straight away. "Wahaha, yes! Nice job, Blade!" She had rushed to the front line. "Eh, the General and Angel of death!?…" She turned a bit red there. "Wait, where is Blade?" She was super confused, there was no life sign of Blade.

"Voice of nature! Leave!" Palladium used his nature connection to ordered the boars to leave. Now that Blade was underwater that was possible again. And the group rushed off, scared by the cold temperatures that had blown around their snouts just seconds ago.

"And a good afternoon to you, Chosen One," Professor Avalon landed with a smirk. Palladium looked as red as she did. "Blade's taking a dive in the lake. What were you two exactly trying to do?"

"In the water?! Is she nuts?" Kitty went pale and dashed past him straight to the water, "BLADE YOU IDIOT!"

"Idiot? That's the only way to esc-" Professor Palladium couldn't even finish the sentence as there was a massive magic eruption in the lake and a screeching five-meter-tall Deep Crawler Vine rapidly grew. "What in Magix?..."

"Butt out! You making everything worse!" Blade complained super annoyed as she dangled and was twirled around entrapped in one of its tentacle-like branches. She had collected a seedling for her punishment mission from Griffin among other plants she had carried in her bag. But those rapid movements turned her stomach upside down. "For crying out loud, not this shit again! Kitty! Fairy edge!" Blade cut herself free.

"Ahh, but I wanted to…"

"Kitty!" Blade wouldn't have it.

"Fine," her boar vanished, "Answer my call, Tide Snake! You get the-"

"I know!" Blade dashed upwards to cut off the flower heads, while Kitty helped out with her giant Tide Snake to get that thing out of the water.

Palladium wanted to correct his mistake, yet Avalon laid his hand on his shoulder. "Let them try. I want to see this."

"That thing is way too big by now…" Palladium shook his head. "What does she even want with such a plant? It has no medical or magical value."

"Now!" Blade shouted to Kitty as she cut down the last flower head.

"On it!" She amassed dark magic and a hex trap circle appeared.

"Pierce!" Blade reached out with a free hand and hammered her spear down. The plant was in a wrestling fight with the Tide Snake and was all bunched up. Now the spear cut right through most of it. Blade dashed after the spear.

"Pah, what weak ass shot was that?!" Kitty laughed out loud. She knew, it was more than decent, yet she would not compliment Blade openly of course.

Blade vanished in the entangled mess of snake and plant, "Shut up, it worked!"

Palladium was a bit on edge some vines of his own at the ready, "She's not seriously going for the root core…reckless… she doesn't have enough magic to-"

"CHARMIX!"

"One!" Kitty finished her counting. A rune appeared in her opened hand and the Tide Snake lost its form turning into dark rampaging flames which set the plant on fire, quickly spreading. "Ha, and that's that." She was oh so sure of herself.

Wham! The plant splattered apart. And Blade got catapulted with a geyser to the surface. She was using her light magic to keep the core from growing, "Catch!" She lost her transformation suddenly. "Oh, come on!" Slightly panicked Blade threw the core to Kitty, before she crashed into the water again.

"Woaah, hey, give me a heads up first! Damn it!" Kitty jumped to catch it but it was a bit out of reach and it only hit her finger tips. "No, no, no, no!" She scrambled after it as it was rolling back towards the water, but she stumbled on the wet sand, she was nearly out of magic as well. "Stupid, weak ass MOTH! Answer my call, Halucinga!" She quickly summoned her bee and it grabbed the core just before it hit the shoreline. "Ahhhh… way too close…" She turned around to face the sky.

Blade like a wet dog rose from underwater and swam to the sandbanks, "Oh man… that thing…"

"SO ANNOYING…" They complained in synch.

Blade slumped to the ground right next to Kitty, "What does she even want with that thing?" Her bracelet buzzed.

A Red Fountain student on duty asked, "Everything alright? Are you in need of assistance? Your magic dropped super low there all of the sudden."

"Yeah, yeah, just took a swim, so buzz off, all great, just great…" Blade cancelled the call. She like Kitty was panting heavily.

Palladium dropped the shield and the plant matter splashed down. He and Avalon watched unimpressed as with Kitty's fading concentration the bee disappeared and the core dropped down.

"Oh, shit!", "I thought you had it safe!" Both students feared the worst.

"Hedera," Palladium snatched it away before a slight wave could wash over it. "You shouldn't relax before you're sure that your core is in the dry." He closed the gap with Avalon and scolded the two.

"It was in the dry before you, Professor, threw me into the water!" Blade held against it. "Great… now I am out of magic. Ahhh, not having Shadion sucks. I swear, Griffin knew, when she took it and gave me this mission that I'd be chased by those stupid boars when I duck up that plant. She knew I couldn't simply hide from them in the water afterwards… That, stupid hag…"

Kitty laughed so hard, "I am very sure she actually checked where the boars were and sent you to that cave for that exact reason."

"Wouldn't put it past her… only one trying to kill me is her not the police…That woman has some nerves…" Blade growled displeased yet stopped as she gazed at the lake. As out of the blue another call came in.

"You went into the swamp! I already forbade you that two days ago. Why do you keep dismissing my orders?! There are yellow boars and they are attracted to your light Fairy magic, how is this so hard to understand?" Professor Griselda was super pissed.

"But…" Blade tried to get a word in.

"But, DETENTION! Get back right this instant!" Griselda wouldn't have it. She was really strict with Blade these past days and hang up.

"Uurggghh…are those two in league or something? I swear, I have like triple the detention I should get." Blade moaned and rose up. "How does Cloudyface even know I was in that stupid swa…" Blade remembered that her two professors were standing behind them. "Hehe…shit…" She stared into very unamused faces of her Professors.

"Ha, you're so fucked," Kitty laughed so hard.

"…" Blade glanced to her friend, "Can you hand that core in for me?"

"Do I look like your runner?" Kitty declined. "And why so surprised? Ha! You had a bitch fight with Griffin. And your glitter bucket glow worm mistress got upset with her. Don't think you get out of that abyss any time soon. She'll work you to the bone for that one."

"To the bone? I can open a display garden!" Blade threw her hands into the air, she was at her wits end and really tired, she had not slept much at all. "I had to collect like three tons of plants. She is exploding my nature connection, because all of you can't connect. Have you any idea how long it takes to get a hundred Violas?!"

"Hmm, don't know, sorry…" Kitty jumped up herself.

"Me neither! I am still at it! And the longer I take the more she wants…total bullshit. So, come on, you got a Yellow Boar summons out of this. At least you can - wait, where is it!?" She went pale there for a second.

"Here," Professor Palladium spun it on his finger.

Blade puffed, "May I have it back? - Please…"

"Oh, and what do I get out of that? Favour for a favour, right?" Palladium grinned as he joked half serious. 'That girl, talking like she has no care in the world. Is that how she sounds all the time in Cloud Tower? No decency…'

"Oh, that's going to be expensive…" Professor Avalon was a bit surprised that Palladium would tease her like that but he already knew what had triggered him to do that. 'Blade should be careful choosing her words, even if she is on a Witch mission and rules are looser. We're still her Professors…even if we agreed to ignore certain things…'

Blade gave them both a deadpan stare and moved on, "I'll never get those stupid missions done…urrgh, I want my Shadion back…" Blade wasn't in the mood to haggle with anyone and certainly not Palladium. She just walked passed him. 'World is conspiring against me…'

"Hey, Blade?" Palladium was a bit perplexed. That was so unlike her to just give up.

"And I thought our teachers are evil," Kitty chuckled and stepped in between them giving her friend a quick out blocking that elf's way.

"Evil? I'm not evil. She's just really stretching that we ignore certain things on Cloud Tower missions. She shouldn't speak like that in front of us, or at all, she's a Fairy," the Professor made clear. "I would have handed it to her either way. I am not some Witch. And she'll still receive it."

"Oh really? Interesting," Kitty saw that Blade had her out and was ready to fly off herself, but stopped. Reluctantly she turned around again, "Quick question…"

"Yes?" Professor Avalon encouraged her to speak up since she seemed a bit nervous.

Kitty watched as Blade vanished from sight, "What did Faragonda do to Griffin?"

"What did she do?" Palladium gave a confused side glance to Avalon, "Nothing. She's a Godmother Fairy. We don't do things to other people"

"Really? Hm, but she's in such a good mood…" Kitty pondered. 'I was so sure it was because of Fargonda… she was pissed after Blade's last mission…'

"Why do you ask? Anything particular happened to raise the question?" Professor Avalon stepped in front of her cutting off her direct way to rush off. 'Did Griffin do something stupid…?' He of course had seen through Kitty's intention to give Blade a head start. Not that they had any plans to rush after her or anything, but he liked to return the favour for that nice nickname she had spouted around for Faragonda.

"She gives good grades…" Kitty took a step back, she did feel slightly intimidated, even if that was not the Professors' goal per se. But their fight had left a bad aftertaste. "She never gives good grades, well, not that many... she's, hm, chipper?"

"Chipper?" Palladium didn't like the sound of that. 'What is she up to?'

"Since when?" Professor Avalon asked intrigued.

"Since eh…two days ago," Kitty scratched her head and with a smooth turn manoeuvred out of the Professors' pincer.

"Two days ago…" Palladium smirked, "Ha, she made such a fuss…complaining like crazy." He was plenty amused.

"He?" Kitty didn't understand at all.

"Headmistress Faragonda invited her to the Fairy Godmother conference for the first time and the rest agreed. They'll discuss how to further improve coworking between Fairy schools and Sorceresses, since the topic is on the rise, nowadays again," Avalon explained shortly.

Kitty jumped into the air. "Aaah… You didn't hear that from me," she flung Avalon a Maggi.

"And what am I to do with that?" Avalon caught the coin.

"Favour for a favour. And you didn't specify the price. I'll not owe you. So, bye," She grinned wildly and dashed off.

Palladium looked at Avalon and shook his head, "That logic…she should have asked for more, that info is much more valuable for us." He snorted.

"At least they are consequent," Avalon shrugged. "What else do we need to get?"

Councillor Aithlin was sitting in his office he was currently checking the list for the guards going on the camping trip with the Red Fountain students as it knocked on his door. "Come in!"

"Master Aithlin," Iolas and his guard team greeted him.

Aithlin looked up from the papers his team looked a bit ruffed up, "Ah, already back? How did it go? Did Councillor Votzaak work you overtime?"

"Ha, if it only was that… Those red crystals are a real pain…" Thallan complained.

"Hm, indeed," the elven Order Master sighed deeply, "Did you catch Vulmaro?"

Ararel shook his head, "No, he escaped yet again. He is moving really quickly."

"Well, till he pops up in a different Kingdom not much we can do," Aithlin wasn't so happy about this news.

Virion spotted the list, "Oh, are those the teams for this year?" He took a copy from the desk.

"Yes, here," Everyone took a copy. "As always you have first serve, being the best Council Guard team. Should give you a few days to relax as well. There are truly some promising third years this time. Choose whoever you deem worthy."

Iolas skipped the pages quickly, "That one." He used his magic to sign his name and it appeared on the other copies as well.

"That was fast, did someone catch your eye on a mission?" Aithlin never had seen him be that fast. "You didn't even have time to check the team's summaries."

Virion snorted, "Figures, I'll take the other one." He signed as well. "Cahagan has all the mission files of theirs, right? Like every year? Have to do some read up…"

Eroan was super confused, "What are you doing? Those aren't even third years, if it's that way back in the list… Oh." He as well had found the teams their head healer and group leader had subscribed to babysit.

"Team E and A, second years…Ah, Desertia hearing… but both of you complained so much about that job," Sarlen laughed, "Oh, that Fairy is coming too?" The Paladin was a bit surprised. "Not fair, I had liked to see her progress as well…"

"Yeah, that one had some spark. Wow, she is officially listed in their team, even if it's a stand-in position," Zhoron checked the roster more closely. "Makes sense…"

"You two sure? They are second years," Master Aithlin asked ones more. "With them there is no combat fighting other teams. It's basically a hang out in the forest."

"They deserve it," Iolas bowed to his master and left to change.

Virion smirked, "Have to agree, there. But don't you dare drop that girl half dead into my camp, because you miscalculated some of your training stunts with them, Iolas!" He meant it. "Ahh…oh, well gonna enjoy my holidays…"

"Oh, those poor second years…" Ararel shook his head, he knew what probably was coming for them with Iolas as their shepherd.

"Oh, I can't wait, this will be sooo awesome…" Kai was a ball of energy as always.

Julius was fiercely checking the list, "Are you sure you all packed the rope and rations and… and … who got the pegs?"

"I do," Dean smiled, "You should relax, Julius. We're just hanging out in the forest."

"Uhh, what is that?" Keith snatched a book away from Blades backpack.

Blade hectically turned around, "Hey, give that back! I need that!"

"Pretty sure a massive ten-ton book was not on the list," Keith went for a sprint with it and Blade chased straight after him.

Julius couldn't believe the two, "HEY! Cut it out!" He was so nervous. Their team had been recalled early from their last mission because apparently their Council Guard member had been insisting on that. 'Man, that dude found something he didn't like and now we're paying for it with overtime.'

Mercury checked Blade's backpack as it was his duties to double check with Julius, "Blade, where is your tent?"

"Ahhh, come on!" Blade tackled Keith yet the book got hurled first to Michael. "The stupid tent didn't fit anymore!"

"Run!" Keith shouted out to Michael, who promptly ran in a wild zig zag to evade Blade.

"What? Does that mean you'll sleep in my tent, Sis? Finally, my prayers have be-" Kai got gut punched.

"In your dreams buddy," Mercury towered above him.

"Uuuh, someone's jealous," Dean chuckled. "Want Sis to join your tent then?"

Mercury went a bit red, "I'm not jealous! If Codatorta hears that shit, we'll run laps for hours again!" He raged on. "And you still owe us, Blade!"

Julius was at his nerves end, "GUYS! Discipline! Blade you can't leave without a tent, put the book into our locker room and get a tent."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll save your ass next mission, don't worry. And I'll use magic to connect with nature, don't worry, I'm sure I'll find a good spot," Blade was trying to reach the book as Michael kept it from her pressing her back with one hand. "Now, give it here!" She wildly flailed her arms around. "Besides, you heard Kai, he gladly shares his tent with me." She snorted.

Suddenly the book got ripped out of Michael's hands and floated away, "There will be no tent sharing between anyone in any constellation and no late-night visits, if you want to spent the night, do that on your own time. This is a mission not a holiday trip." A firm voice resounded. An elven Council Guard Member appeared out of thin air. He turned the book around, 'A plant compendium? Ah, right… Cloud Tower punishment missions… Faragonda paused the once from Alfea for them in fact… but only because Blade has not understood the true purpose. Otherwise she'll collapse. Well, gotta say at least a smart idea to layer missions.'

"Attention!" Julius with haste brought the group in line. Everyone scrambled to their backpacks. 'Since when was he here!?'

Iolas chuckled amused, "So, you do hold some authority. Amazing…" He stepped past as he inspected the group. The guys were in their Paladin Training armour as requested all besides Blade of course. He stopped in front of her, "Here, don't come running when you're freezing cold." He gave the book back to her.

"Are you like a spy master?" Kai asked out of the blue.

"Did I say you can speak?" Iolas raised an eyebrow, 'Kids, no discipline. Well, with anyone but me this would have been a chill out, ha.'

Promptly Kai got Michaels elbow in the side.

"No, I'm not a spy master," Iolas smirked, "But since no one noticed me at all, not even your Wizard or Fairy, I doubt anyone would sent someone so skilled to spy on you lot. Amazing that you even managed to keep that Princess debacle a secret as long as you did."

"Ha! You are that, that Guard from back then," Blade blurted out. Elves were hard to tell a part. They mostly looked alike besides eye colour, stature and their blonde hair colour variations. Basically, they all looked like Palladium, or Palladium like them…?

"Iolas," he stated deadpan.

"Gesundheit," Kai muttered in response and got scared as he noticed everyone had heard him. "Ouch!"

"He? Where did he goo-ooh," Mercury noticed only seconds later that Iolas was standing behind Kai and had given him a slap upside the head.

Dean got startled like the rest when he noticed the Elf behind him, "So fast! When did he?"

'Oh…' Iolas noticed that only Blade had at least somehow kept up tracing his lightning step. "Well, if you lot have time to bullshit, it's time to go. Move out." He pointed at an Owl in the hangar.

"But, Sir Iolas, we haven't finished double checking," Julius tried to smooth things over again.

"It's, Eques Iolas, and that's not my problem, we're moving out," He stepped on towards the Owl. "Anyone not in the ship in two minutes, stays behind."

Everyone picked up what they had and rushed inside the Owl. A few minutes later they were all seated and ready to go. "Alright, let's go, where to Eques Iolas?" Julius ask ready to input the coordinates.

"48394.41233.21092," Iolas simply stated.

Michael was utterly confused even before the coordinates were put in by Julius, "But that's not on Magix."

"Indeed, because were not camping out in Magix. We're going to Laciport Edge," Iolas smirked, "It has many tropical islands. Who needs a lame old forest after all."

"YEAH, Score!" Kai rejoiced as did the other boys.

Blade leaned back, "Great… and I hoped to find some plants from the list…ahhh…"

"Oh, come now, surely with a jungle and islands you'll find something to get that Headmistress back onto your good side," Mercury tried to cheer her up.

"Or simply tell her what you were up to, Sis, I mean how bad could it have been?" Dean chuckled as he stretched and relaxed on his chair.

Iolas glanced to the Fairy. 'She didn't tell them what happened?' Yet she pretended to simply ignore the question entirely, 'I thought they were close… hmm… maybe a safety precaution…' The flight was a breeze the guys were super excited, while Blade kept checking her plant compendium for possible targets of her list.

The planet came to sight a perfect sea blue, white sand beaches, rich green forests a planet brimming with life a few storm clouds here and there over the ocean. But mostly the sun glistening on the water surface as they dived down into the planet's atmosphere.

Iolas had halted the Owl as they were short before the shore of one of the bigger islands. They all had gone topside standing on the red roof of the Owl bathing in the warm sun beams. Everyone super psyched the view was truly marvellous.

"Welcome to Laciport Edge," Iolas greeted them kindly as he crossed his arms on his back. "I very much hope you enjoy the view and the fresh sea air." He took a deep breath, smiling finding his centre. "As you know this camp is for you to figure out where you want to go, find new strengths, ask questions about real world missions, basically to prepare you for what comes after school. So, before such missions, I like to say, that this is for your best, an opportunity to learn and grow, to see what you can do and to have a special bonding time with each other. Value it, there will be other days in the future for sure."

"And I thought we did something wrong…" Michael chuckled.

Mercury laughed, "Well, I wouldn't have put it past Master Codatorta."

"Well then, here is the map, Julius. I expect you all to follow your team leader on this mission," He winked his eye as he gave the rolled-up map to them. "It will be a long way, but there is no doubt in my mind that you can make it if you stick together."

"Me the leader? I thought youuuu, woah, hey!" Everyone was glancing at the map as without warning the Owl flipped over. Dean, Michael and Kai fell straight off cursing in shock. Julius had the map in his hands and nearly lost it as he held on to a vertical stabiliser and had to let go before it flew into the wind. Mercury, Keith and Blade had reacted in time to get a solid grip.

"HEY! KAI, you asshole what did you program?!" Mercury couldn't believe it that he would pull such a prank with a Council Guard present. He hung on tight but the Owl was built aero dynamically and there was no way to get up top for him.

"Winx, Fairy of blades!" Blade transformed ready to fly into the hangar, yet halted perplexed.

Keith dashed to Mercury, "Hang on!"

"Keith, watch out!" Blade shouted as she got hit by a harsh gust and got pushed back.

Iolas grinned amused and slightly disappointed at the same time, "Just three out of seven? Well, two now…" He had blown Mercury off no problem.

Keith just barely had stabilised his flight he had gotten better at it after all, "What the heck!?" He stared at the Council Guard who had still his arms crossed behind his back. He stood there in the air as if he was on the ground a slight breeze around him. The Owl pulled upwards and came around behind him.

"Fairy edge!" Blade didn't wait a second, 'Is he a traitor?!' She was ready to fight.

"No, wait! Barrier of Light!" Keith shielded her.

Unimpressed Iolas vanished from sight as Blade had charged him and came down with an axe kick from behind her. The shield blocked the blow but still she got projected downwards into the water and with a huge splash the shield bubble crashed into the water, "Got to do better than that, people." Iolas commented as he menacingly looked back to Keith. "Your shield has many fluctuating areas, if I would use a weapon I would have cut it like butter. Placidus Ventus!" He wiped through the air with his hand and a massive gust blew Keith into the water as well.

Blade came back to the surface, "Oh, just you wait!" Ready to have another go at Iolas.

"Blade, stop!" Julius called out to her, "You can't beat him like that."

"But, we didn't even try," Blade complained as she hovered over the sea again.

Mercury shook his head, "Come on, it's just about five miles to swim or fly. You're not seriously considering being blown all the way there." He laughed, that elf had got them good.

"Oh come on, we at least could try, you're all no fun, fine…" She glared up at the elf guard.

"Well, see you at the shore, team. Be glad I fly your backpacks," Iolas laughed. 'She's overly cautious…and aggressive' He watched Blade flew backwards for a bit longer before dropping into the water. Iolas entered and flew up ahead with the Owl.

"I'm soo dead…" Kai wringed his cloak out. Those paladin armours were heavier than their normal first year training suits. Yet also dried quickly and enhanced the magic they all had to use to swim to shore.

Dean rubbed through his hair quickly to get it all dry, "Well at least it's just the cloak that gets soaked a bit, its actually cool that it helps one keep afloat it's not just a heavy weight to drag one down. Plus, the armour is decently protected against the elements."

"Yeah, for you…" Blade puffed her wet dreadlocks out of her face.

"You can come close to me Sis, I'll hold you warm at nigh…wooaaah, what the, where? Who turned out the lights!" Kai's voice got muffled as Michael flung his cape over his head. Everyone laughed so hard.

"Well then, decant time for second years. Could be better but energy management is a thing," Iolas greeted them with their backpacks.

"That was not cool," Keith complained. "At least give us a heads up."

Iolas raised an eyebrow, "Heads up? You are soldiers you should be ready to handle anything at any time. A black magic user won't knock at your door first."

"Eh? And I thought you are after my King of the jokes title…This's supposed to be a chill hang out for a few days, where we can ask questions…Is this payback for the hearing?" Kai asked confused.

"You still can ask questions any time. But from sitting around all day you won't improve. Well then, fearless leader where to? This is your team and your job to get everyone to the finish line. I'm just an observer so I can give you feedback at the end," Iolas looked to Julius.

"Eh, ehm… oh, right the map…" Julius was still trying to figure that elf out. "Everyone, grab your backpacks," He like the rest of the boys had a hard time to switch modes from relaxing to mission mode. 'Man, I hoped for once I could see a pro in the leading position and learn something…ahhh, stuck with that position again.'

Blade already had hers and checked the time on her bracelet, "Let's go. We can do this. Let's show that Council Guard. We do this stupid challenge quickly. And then we can hang out at the beach afterwards." She smiled at them to cheer them up, which worked astonishingly well.

"Hear, hear," Mercury stepped up to Julius checking the map with him and after two minutes of discussion they had decided on a route and were on their way.

The first hour was exhausting already that forest was super dense and they had to cut through. Dean had taken the lead position since he was the strongest and with a sword from Blade anything was really easy to cut through, yet still there was so much undergrowth, it was more like a parkour going up and under. And to everyone's' annoyance it started to shower and kept showering. After a good three hours they reached an open field leading up to some steep cliffs in the distance.

"Finally, some open field…" Michael breathed out.

Dean chuckled, "Oh, come now, you didn't even have to cut everything down."

Julius nodded, "Yes, you are our best man, Dean. Well then, ten minutes and then we get to the cliffs. Blade how is your magic?"

"Blade?" Mercury looked back, "You okay?" Confused why she was sitting down and breathing deeply.

"Pssh," Keith stopped them. "She's meditating. I'm pretty sure two swords are not enough to knock her out." Keith sat down and leaned against a tree himself.

"This rain is so annoying; how can she even meditate here?" Kai shook himself as he sat down on a tree stomp. "I thought this is a tropical paradise."

"It is for flora and fauna. Are you already giving up?" Iolas asked challengingly. "I don't hear the girl complaining you know."

"Oh, just you wait," Julius glared at him. That elf had been so nimble in the forest he hadn't even walked their cut-out path. He wasn't out of breath either. Sometimes he had vanished into thin air, 'Stupid challenge, as if we would falter from some rain. Ahhh, this was supposed to be a time out…man…'

The break went by in a fly, "Well, if you lot want to make it before sundown you should hurry. With the pace you are going I'd be amazed you'll get to the finish line. Well, Your Wizard and Fairy might, they can fly after all." Iolas stepped onwards walking over the muddy flat lands, the group had chosen as their path.

"Oh that…" Mercury balled his fists. "Let's go…" He growled. 'If all of us had wings we'd be done already…'

Blade stood up, "What are the long faces for? We had worse with Coda," Blade boxed them into the shoulder. The rain was cold and there was no end in sight gladly the Paladin armour kept them mostly warm. "Remember breath out slowly and let the magic circulate that way you won't freeze so quickly," She reminded them all, she had to do it anyways since she had no paladin armour and the training suit was less resistant to the continuing on pour.

"Yeah, yeah," Kai exhaled loudly and stepped onwards. "If we aim good we might sink the elf with a mud ball."

Iolas looked over his head, 'Wonderful,' He sighed deeply, "they are triggered so easily. This is child's play. Ten minutes is not enough of a break for what's up ahead. At least he could have sent the Fairy or Wizard to scout…'

And as predicted quickly it came clear that the way they had chosen was way worse than they had thought. The Elf simply had walked over the mud in the start and had given them a false security. The rain had turned the flat lands into one huge mud puddle they now were stuck in. The further they got the deeper they sank, knee high in a brown soup they waded through. There was barely a way through this. It was tiring with every step.

Even Dean was panting heavily, "How is that Guard so fast?..."

Kai nearly fell over but somehow managed to keep standing as he held on to Julius, "Wah, sorry."

Julius gave ab annoyed glance back, "Watch it. I'm not keen on eating mud…"

"First, we swim forever, run through a forest so thick you could use it as a city wall now this?! Blade what did you do to that guy that he is so pissed?" Michael complained loudly he was in no mood at all for some shitty survival training or whatever this was.

'Don't ask me, ask him…' Blade tempered herself. She was exhausted too, but they had only a few days with that elf at best a week. So, compared to Phere-Moan this was nothing. Instead she smiled, "Well, once we get out of this dump, how about we fill his sleeping bag with some mud. There probably are also some itchy plants around as well."

"Oh, that's a thought that warms me up," Keith grinned.

Kai laughed, "Oh, you're on, found something special in that compendium of yours?"

Iolas had waited further along, the group was nearly stuck hip deep sometimes. They didn't manage to distribute their weight correctly for crawling and sank in half panicking. The rain had stopped eventually yet the next dark clouds were on the horizon in the far again. 'Oh boy… with that rate they'll be hit by the storm still stuck here…maybe I overestimated them. They're already agitated no less.'

"Oh, that stupid shitty mud!" Michael splashed some to the side as he had sunken in again. "How does he just walk over it, like it's nothing?!"

"Hey, watch it!" Julius hissed back, "Ahhh… Dean a hand, please?"

Dean was still flat on his stomach, "And how am I supposed to help? I already am carrying three backpacks…"

"I'm so sick of this. I told you Julius we should have let Keith flown them over with Blade," Mercury used his phanto axe to reach over to Julius. "Here hold on."

"We can't fix everything with their magic," Julius countered. "You heard that damn elf laugh, he's still giving us that stupid look. He thinks we are washouts."

"I know, but … anything is better than being stuck with all that shit on our backs," Michael butted in.

Kai was way back taking a breather, "Blade! I'm stuck again…"

Blade let her head sink and transformed yet again. It was hard to pull one out completely. But they couldn't just leave him behind, "Julius wait up with the others."

"Wait? We'll never get out and that storm up ahead will doom us. Kai stop fooling around!" Julius ignored the request and moved on.

Blade shook her head and flew back to carry Kai up ahead of the group to give him a head start this time around, "You need to really try Kai. Stay close to the surface don't forget to use your body enhancement magic, let the armour take some load off you. And if you sink in don't just flail around, you need to calm down."

"Easy for you to say. You have wings!" Kai was super tired his magic pool was the worst in the group. "Besides, why should we even do this crap. It's supposed to be a camp out with fireplace and marshmallows. And hot babes." A slight grin hushed over his lips. "How are you still so chirpy as if this was nothing?"

"Nothing about this is easy for me, Kai… Your armour is heavy, you know," She saw as he looked a bit guilty. "Ah, not to worry, I'll never leave my favourite brother behind. I enjoy your company after all, we need you," she winked at him, which was compensated by a tired yet genuine smile on his part. Blade set him down and flew to help Mercury and Julius. They were deeply stuck and had dragged each other deeper.

Keith was right behind the two, "Wait, I have an idea! Barrier of light!" He cast.

"No, no, no, no, no!" Blade let go of their hands as a mud tsunami hit her right in the face and she crashed into the mud herself. She spit out some mud. Now she was completely covered looking like a Horror Mud, "I'm going to swallow you whole, once we get out!" Blade pretended to be a Horror mud and laughed out loud to ease the tension and shook her arms and wings free.

"You can eat me up any time, sis!" Kai had to chuckled there himself from the front. Everyone had a quick laugh.

"Keith… way to drown our fairy," Mercury looked back chuckling. But at least they were out of the mud, the shield had pushed it away as it had formed around them. "Ehm, quick question what happens if the shield collapses and we still stand here…"

"Well, I can hold on to you, sorry, I didn't quite think this through. You two were sinking super-fast," Keith defended his decision as he scratched the back of his head. 'Ahhh, at least it worked better than his axe.'

Julius sighed deeply, "Keith can you just take the backpacks and fly them to the cliffs?" He was so tired and that storm was growing. 'Ah shit, should have listened to Mercury…' He looked forward to get an estimate, "Blade, carry Kai over so he can set up the tents in a sheltered spot and come back yourself."

Blade checked, they were maybe about half way through the muddy flat lands, deepest point probably. "Alright..." She nodded, 'This is still far… oh, well, I managed Avalon…' Her gaze hit Iolas. He was basically chilling, which was so vexing. He could seemingly stand on the mud and walk on it, which had tricked them and before they knew they were in too deep and unwilling to turn around. His mud-walking reminded Blade so much about Shanna. 'He is flying or using some other magic spell… he is triggering them on purpose. But why?'

Iolas watched with a raised eyebrow as Blade picked up Kai and Keith rushed past her with backpacks. 'So, they did decide to use their magic for flying after all, amazing, bit late for that, boys were too stubborn and proud. They are all still so easily triggered… Carrying a person should be a two-man job, she'll be exhausted.' He shook his head and used his winged boots to fly past the two up ahead.

It took them another hour to get through, everyone was just done for. Blade had actually made another trip with Michael until he could stand knee deep gain. At least the camp was set up underneath the cliffs. Everyone was out of breath and the map revealed their next go to location. Yet everyone was so tired that all decided to sleep a few hours in their tents. Well, all besides Blade, since she had taken the compendium instead. She simply camped out in a tree, since it was not raining she used some magic to dry her suit. It didn't take five minutes and all were fast asleep. Before Blade's eyes fell shut she watched Iolas walking around seemingly randomly. 'What is he doing…?'

Not three hours later it started to pour again, which woke Blade of course, "Oh shit." There was a wind blowing at the cliffs as well and she fell from the tree as another gust hit her and the bark had gotten slippery. She landed on all fours like a cat. "Yikes." She saw one of the tents strings a bit loosened in the light of a campfire. 'Did one of the boys set that up? Wait, no, it's not out…magical campfire…Iolas…' She stepped closer and fixed the wiring of the tent first. But the Elf was nowhere to be found. "Weird, voice of nature…" She nearly was thrown of her feet. There was a massive amount of wildlife in that muddy flat land they had crossed. "Where did they all come from?" She muttered to herself and rushed to the edge. Since it was dark she couldn't quite clearly see but there were some snake-like fish swirling around in that mud soup. "What are those…? There is no way they randomly showed up here. Were they always in that mud…? Shit, I never used voice of nature to check," Blade wanted to get a good photo yet a hand pulled her back rapidly.

"Don't go near them," Iolas warned her firmly.

Blade brushed the hand off quickly and was ready to defend herself. He had startled her, "What the!?" she breathed out, "Don't scare me like that, I could have…"

"He, you're not fast enough, Fairy. Still a long way to go," Iolas glanced at the lake. "Promise me you stay on land? No flying over them or going in for a swim?"

"Sure…" Blade was super confused. She looked back to those worms. Somehow, they gave her the creeps. "Are they burrowing through the earth… Oh, holy electron we waded straight through a monster den…" Her eyes widened but as she turned around the Council Guard was already gone again. 'Where did he go?! He's so fast…damn it.' Blade decided to sit at the campfire and meditate. They had not met one monster, animal or magical creature so far and now that she thought about it, that was weird. Of course, they had heard some but none had crossed their paths.