Chapter 18 – The Second Trial
As They made their way through the forest towards the lake, they noticed more faces up in the air of those from the other schools with either trophies next to their faces with a number which told everyone how many trials they had currently successfully completed, or a cannon to say they were eliminated.
"Hope the others are coping and are ok". Cobain wondered out loud.
"They have trained hard; they should be fine". Verity responded.
As they were discussing the others Worrick, Melody, Ember, Ambros and Klaus's group had just come up in the sky with a trophy next to it. They all whooped with delight that two out of three of their groups had managed at least one trial and were still in the game.
Hecate was sharp eyed as Mildred's group came up to the lake. She like the Weatherley's teacher was paying close attention. So far, she hadn't had any of her students yet. Mildred's group would be the first to take her trial.
The four students stood in front of the lake it was a mesmerising sight, with a stunningly high waterfall to the right-hand side in the near distance. The water was clear and felt soothing. As the students turned around and went to walk off. the lake rose up behind them like a tsunami. If it wasn't for the sunlight and the lakes shadow, they would have been in a very sticky situation.
The four of them turned around and found themselves being surrounded by the lake water and they were being forced to walk backwards into the lakebed. They had trained for this over the last few days. Zack tried to part the waters so they could jump through, though this did not work, it flowed back together and became thicker. They were stumped.
"What if we turned into seaweed?" Millie asked.
"Wrong type of water, we wouldn't make it". Verity answered. "There is also no way to fly out". She mused to herself.
"That's it, Verity you're a legend". Cobain stated.
"How exactly?"
"We fly out".
"How, there is nothing here to even make a broom with?"
"We levitate, weren't we taught a spell for it?"
"Errrmmmm".
"Honestly". Cobain said in the best imitation of Miss Rein's sarcastic voice.
They all gripped each other's hands.
"Make sure to really think of us going up and landing somewhere around the waterfall". Cobain stated.
They all did so and then they spoke an incantation many times to be able to get the height they needed.
"I ask the air
To send us up
Help us fly
And keep us steady"
This had them go up and over and then they spoke the next incantation to lower the group slowly and diagonally so they would land near the waterfall.
"I ask the air
To lower us down
Slowly but surely
Help us land
And keep us steady"
Unfortunately, Zacks nerves got the better of him. They landed at the top of the waterfall in the running water and the current was sending them towards the drop of the waterfall, they tried to swim across to the bank, though it was futile.
A bat flew above them. Hecate was getting concerned though she waited to see if they could get themselves out, they were after all, not giving up.
Luckily, they could all swim, unfortunately that skill would not help them, and they needed a way out of this situation and fast.
"I'm coming".
The group turned their heads whilst flailing to keep their heads above water. To their delight they saw Martha running along the bank and behind her was Primrose, Jared, Mia and Tobias.
Worrick flung his arm out to lengthen a nearby thick tree arm to drape over the running water so that the four fighting the current could hang on. Him and three others from his group carefully ran across the tree arm to bend down and grab the helpless swimmers.
The four in the water reached up as they came up to the tree arm. Jared grabbed Cobain, Mia grabbed Verity, Primrose grabbed Zack. By this point Mildred was no where to be seen.
Hecate started to panic and swooped down in bat form at the same time as Martha dived into the strong current. Mildred had become caught in something and was taken under. She managed to dive under and grab her. The hood on her jacket was caught in the rocks. Martha managed to free her hood and they were both hurtled towards the Waterfall edge and the rest of Martha's group grabbed them both and pulled them out between them.
"Millie? Millie?" Zack was panicking.
Martha turned her over and gave her a good thump on the back and she coughed up water.
"Thought we had lost you". Verity stated with a pale complexion.
Miss Hardbroom had transformed herself back into human form and briskly walked up to the group of students. She was ashen faced.
"Is everyone OK?" she said quickly.
They all nodded as Miss Hardbroom then fell to her knees to check on Mildred.
"Are you ok, you were under for a while". Miss Hardbroom stated with clear concern.
"I just need a minute; I don't need pulling out of the trial". Mildred replied.
"At least stay here for half hour so I can give you the all clear to carry on, also, look up" Miss Hardbroom half smiled.
All the students looked up and their nine faces appeared with a trophy next to them with a number two on the trophy. They all breathed a sigh of relief.
"I am so sorry. I panicked on the way down and think that's what caused us to end up in the water". Zack stated with a pale complexion.
"Accidents happen Zack, we are a team, we get through stuff together". Primrose stated.
"Miss Hardbroom, just out of curiosity, how did we all pass that when my small group wasn't technically with theirs?" Martha asked.
"The trial was to make it out of the Aquatic situation. It doesn't state anywhere which Aquatic situation, Mildred's group made it out of two, albeit with help". Miss Hardbroom smiled at the group.
During that half an hour wait Mildred's group was very thankful to Martha's.
Hecate refused to let Mildred carry on until she was satisfied that she had had a drink and something to eat. The other eight refused to carry on until Mildred was given the all clear.
"Your good to go, well done, that was not easy to watch, let alone be in that situation. Now that's what I call teamwork". Miss Hardbroom told them.
Mildred was shocked, Miss Hardbroom very rarely handed out compliments. Coming from her it was very high praise.
"Can we ask were the nearest trial from here is or is it meant to be like a maze?" Verity asked the teacher.
"you can, the nearest one from here is to the east a good few hundred yards from the lake side".
"We have done that one, it's the Wondering Willows isn't it?" Mildred asked. Miss Hardbroom nodded.
"We haven't done that one" Martha pressed.
"Super easy, they are slow, and you just have to get passed them, there is a few of them". Mildred said with confidence. "Just keep an eye out for all the branches near you. So, you don't get hit".
"Appreciate that, Millie". Tobias said.
"The other nearest one is where I believe your friends came from. Straight up, you can't miss it" Miss Hardbroom told them. She then transformed back into her bat form and flew off back to the tree she liked at the lake.
"The one we were in was called right the wrongs. You four should sail through that. It's spells incorrectly written and putting potion ingredients in the right order. Some of the ingredients are under the wrong potion and then you need to put them in the right order". Jared informed them.
They exchanged words of encouragement and both groups headed to the next trial.
"Is it classed as cheating if we help the groups within our team" Mildred asked.
"Technically not as its still our team, it's teamwork. Remember what Barbie said in training? teamwork is everything".
Zack was silent, he was kicking himself. He really liked Millie and he felt like he had put her in direct danger.
"Zack, it's ok. Everyone is fine. I don't blame you. We all get nervous". Millie reassured him. She was in deep discussion with Zack within ten minutes.
After a good half hour walk, they came across a dead end though two of the trees had branches touching each other in the form of a circle. There was a sign in front of it.
Trial this way
The four of them climbed in and they found that they were in a different part of the forest, they continued to walk through the forest until they came across a witch's circle.