*this chapter has been edited*

I threw a black arrow in Aria's direction, which she dodged effectively. She tried to punch me but I grabbed her hand and slid my foot under hers causing her to lose her balance and fall.

"Too predictable." I taunted.

She got up, quickly charging towards me in puffs of rage. I smirked, her anger was going to benefit me.

I grabbed her arms and pushed us down, placing my legs on her stomach to stop her from landing on top, with the energy coursing through me, I pushed my legs upwards and her body fell over my head, she grunted in agony as she landed with a loud thud on her back.

I stood up and watched her pitifully wither on the floor.

"Just surrender. It's no use." I stated confidently.

Before I could get a reply, someone grabbed my hand and flipped my body over. I landed painfully on my back and winced in pain, a foot was now on my stomach and an arrow pointing at my face. Jade stood over me, a challenging smirk on her face. "You're dead."

I quickly twisted her leg causing her to yelp in surprise and I quickly pushed her off me, but the arrow was still pointed in my direction and I knew I had no way out.

She was relentless with those things and that caused my downfall.

I sighed and raised my hands in surrender. "Fine, I give up. You got me."

Jade smiled with triumph, and to give her credit, she didn't lower her arrow.

She knew me well.

Aria angrily strode towards me and punched me painfully on the shoulder, "Ow." I rubbed it, trying to soothe the pain.

"Next time I'm training with Sylvia. You seriously didn't hold back."

I smiled sheepishly at her, "I'm sorry Aria, and Ill try to take it easy next time so please dont change partners." She huffed at my words but I knew she would still battle with me.

Three weeks have passed. Three weeks full of immense training to prepare for our first battle.

I have been training with the leaders of each group, with Miss Gen as our commander and the subordinates have been training in another room with my father.

Miss Gen came forward and nodded at us, "Great tactic Cecile, I see you've improved and amazing counter Jade, your element of surprise is truly exceptional."

She looked to Aria, "Come and train with me, I'll teach you to channel your anger and emotions along with some counter tactics to use in battle." Aria and Miss Gen walked off, immediately starting the battle. They were evenly matched, but I could tell Miss Gen was holding back, taking time for Aria to catch up and showing her some moves.

Jade looked at me, smiling mischievously, "Let's sneak out." She proclaimed.

"What?" I asked perplexed.

"Come on we've been here for four weeks.......well three for you, but the point is, we've been here for a while and don't even know half of this place. Besides, everyone is too busy to notice us slip out."

She had a point we'd hardly seen much of this place, and I looked around to find no one paying us any mind. I looked at her skeptically, but her smile widened and she nodded her head. "Trust me."

It took a few seconds.

"Fine let's go," I gave in reluctantly. If it was possible her smile got wider and we left the training room.

.......

"This place is huge!"

"Shhh, not so loud Jade, do you want to get us caught?" I whispered angrily.

I didn't get dragged to this only to get caught.

She smiled sheepishly, "Oops?"

I rolled my eyes but couldn't help the small smile that slowly etched itself onto my face, she and Aria were a lot similar. It's crazy how I never talked to her in school.

I decided to scan the walls to get my mind off home before my mood could damper.

I was doing this for everyone after all. Protecting them.

Grey walls spread into a small hallway that each lead into another hallway full of doors I hadn't seen before on my arrival here.

Markings and symbols littered the wall and on a right turn we found paintings hung throughout, floors carpeted with a red mat. Getting closer I felt my stomach repulse in anxiety.

Blood red eyes stared hungrily in my direction, midnight black fur with brown strips were all around the creature and you could tell the beast's height from how he stood near the trees.

Jade nudged me, "Are you okay Cecile? You're looking really pale." I snapped out of my stupor upon hearing Jade's concern.

"I-I'm f-fine," I stuttered. Jade didn't buy it.

Her blue eyes pierced through me, trying to find something to hint at my behavior, "What is it Cecile?" She pleaded for me to tell her.

"I can't tell you much now, but....I've seen this creature before." I said in a whisper, afraid that the walls would hear and tell my secret to the world.

Her eyebrows shot up in surprise, I could tell she wanted to know more but she nodded instead and continued on to the next painting, "Take all the time you need, I won't rush you."

Her words brought hope to my heart.

The next painting we studied was even more dreadful.

Eyes haunting, skin a pale grey and a sickly thin body. Black scleras surrounding the eyes in complete darkness and white pupils that would chase the darkness away when engulfing a soul.

I shivered.

Quickly, I moved away from the painting of that grotesque creature and onto a painting of a creature I had never seen.

It had yellow eyes with black slits for pupils, its forked tongue hung tauntingly from its mouth.

A warning.

It was a large snake with arms and legs full of dark grey scales.

I dreaded fighting this one.

The next painting showed a green scenery, I had almost missed it, but hidden in the shrubs was a beautiful creature. All physical appearance seemed to be made of grass, its skin a dark green like the leaves around it. Light green eyes that looked harmless, curious. Playful even.

I stood for a while staring at it, it didn't seem that menacing.

"It's beautiful." A voice spoke, which nearly made me jump out of my skin. I turned to see Jade beside me, I had forgotten she was here with me.

I nodded my head in agreement, getting entranced by this creature's beauty.

Jade shook her head fervently, "It's some sort of enticer." Her jaw ticked in annoyance.

"What do you mean?" I asked, finding it hard to turn from the painting.

Its beauty seems to be its power, putting people in a daze. Like a mermaid serenading ships to their downfall."

Her words caused me to shake my head, evidently breaking the hold the painting had on me.

"These paintings seem to portray some sort of essence that belongs to the creature. No ordinary painting can do that."

She was right.

We'd have to be careful with this one.

I almost laughed at that thought, we had to be careful with all these creatures. They were powerful.

We moved to the next painting.

A loud groan startled the both of us, we turned to see a Bandid staring at us with squinted eyes.

Before I could process my actions I shot an arrow towards it, watching as it was shredded and imploded, mist surrounding the area the creature once stood.

Jade grabbed my arm and started to pull me backwards, "Let's get out of here before we're caught," she rushed out, already starting a sprint.

On our way back I couldn't help but think about the pair of eyes I had seen on a small boy on that next painting. A feeling tugged at my insides, something about his eyes felt familiar.

The many colors that situated his pupils felt like something I'd known before.

The feelings caused confusion to dwell in my being, a variety of questions bounced around in my head.

I took a sharp left and Jade came to a stop, "Where are you going? The training hall isn't over there!" She grabbed me, but I pulled back.

"You go back to the training hall, I just need to get back to the room real quick."

She watched me with curiosity, but her feet moved backwards until she turned and ran towards the hall.

I took a deep breath and ran towards our sleeping chambers.

The leaders shared a room on the Far East, while the subordinates were each situated on the west, or southern region, in different groups according to rank or team.

The north side was uninhabited, which was where Jade and I had gone, that section was off limits and it struck me with curiosity.

I reached the dorm room and hunched over, placing my hands on my knees to catch my breath.

After a few moments, I reached under my bed and pulled out the book that had been sent to me.

The pages were all still blank, even the first two pages were blank. It has been like this for weeks and my frustration was growing by the day.

I needed to know answers, and I knew that this book was the key.

I gave an angry huff. I felt a word make its way to the tip of my tongue before I could even comprehend what it was, Elefthérosi.

My necklace glowed, and I watched as the book turned to life. Words started to form on the pages. The first pages returning to normal, but only two new pages were spread with black ink.

Dangerous creatures lit the forest

But surely safer than what is in your dorm's rest

Memories forgotten do not hide the truth lived

Death and fights have been set

But do not fret

the one to help you will show himself

Memories forgotten are not memories lost

Get ready to defend yourself

the forest cries out in rage

it doesn't matter the age

the forest knows danger and sends for protectors

the inhabitants will kill with no mercy

The Turaps red eyes only accustom to the blood it sheds

Beware of falling on the wrong side

The Turap knows only to protect and kill

It's fur is a symbol of strength

A beast of brute strength

Never minding it's towering length

It's height truly exceptional

Kill or be killed

The Dapión is a foul creature that feeds of the souls of others, a heartless beast that rarely accustoms to second chancers

a feeder for the forest

and a killer that knows no rest

Beware of the eyes that will eat you whole

The Dés is a slithering beast, a hybrid of cold blood that knows no affection

Ruthless and unforgiving

Keep your guard up at all times the forest is its home and never will the anger cease

Watch out for its legs, they can become a dagger in the blink of an eye

Do not get burned

The Corat an enchantress is something of beauty, its voice a whisper that enchants

Beware of the whispers

they speak the voice of the forest

be weary of the sound

The Tambi are one with the forest a creature made entirely of the forest

A beauty that entices people by sight alone

But that is not it's only weapon

Like a striker, it strikes when you least expect it

This is the body of the forest

Beware of beauty

It just might kill you

Listed are some of the inhabitants of the forest

More will be said

Memories forgotten are not memories lost

Now I knew the names of some of the inhabitants.

I closed the book in a daze and grabbed my weapons, running off the academy and going into the midst of the forest.

Something compelled me to go into the forest. I knew going into the forest was a bad idea, but this feeling was like a magnet leading me inside.

A scream sent shivers through my spine.

A Dapión?

No, this was just one voice. A male voice.

I ran towards that direction to find a shocking sight.

Tom being held up by a Turap.

Upon my arrival it turned in my direction, brown fur glistening in the moonlight. This was different from the creature I fought.

Red eyes glowed in my direction and a snarl was directed towards me, but I knew this wasn't the one I battled before.

"Hunter." The creature snarled in distaste.

I aimed my weapon at the creature, "Let him go Beast!"

The creature dropped Tom on the ground and he immediately coughed, trying his hardest to gain air. I shot an arrow that landed on the Turap's shoulder, I directed my gaze towards Tom, "Go Tom, there's a building not far from here, just keep heading south and you'll find it." I instructed.

He got up slowly and jogged, leaving me with the creature, who had dislodged the arrow that formed a wound on his shoulder.

"You'll pay for that hunter."

I fired arrows toward the creature, but it dodged each. Careful not to get hit again.

Before I knew it the creature grabbed my throat and lifted me off the ground. My bow fell of my grip, and I tried to get the arrows that were strapped to my back.

The creature grinned menacingly and tore the straps of my case, throwing the bows far away from reach.

My eyes widened in fear, "Shouldn't have let him escape hunter." The deep voice taunted.

I tried releasing the hand on my neck but it wouldn't budge.

A crash echoed through the forest. I was now on the floor, coughing loudly with the creature mounted on some nearby trees.

I didn't wait for it to get up before standing up and sprinting back to the training academy.

I didn't make it far before I crashed into something.

Looking up, I was met with a pair of multi colored eyes.

×××××××××××××××××

Thank you for reading this chapter.

Thank you also to and you guys are awesome. Your threats and encouragements help me to update. I love you.

This is another edited version, I hope you like it and I apologize for the wait.

Feel free to share, vote and comment.

I will update at least once every week, twice or thrice depending on my schedule.

Thank you for your patience.

Until another day. Loves you. Mwah!

Mercy💜