~ Surviving in icy conditions
(Narrator's POV)
On the fourth day in the lush forest, the sky began to darken and dark clouds gathered above the sleeping quarters. The air became heavy and the wind whispered about the impending turbulence. Shortly afterward, the students heard the sound of thunder. The trees began to sway wildly, a sign that the wind was growing stronger.
Concerned, the students exchanged worried glances, realizing their powerlessness against the forces of nature. Desperately, they tried to salvage their belongings, but the storm was relentless. The surroundings filled with objects carried away like leaves in the wind.
A decision was made to focus on finding a new sleeping place. With determination, they searched for a spot to shelter from the storm. Jonathan had already located a cave and without the others noticing, he led them in that direction. Lightning illuminated the dark sky as they walked.
Deep in the forest, they discovered a cave, a safe refuge from the powerful storm. The students entered their new sleeping quarters and inside the cave, the sound of the storm muffled into a dull hum. Soon, they realized there was not enough food for the upcoming days. While the storm raged outside, the students patiently waited for it to subside.
When the morning of the next day arrived, the students were awakened by a biting wind. The group, originally seeking shelter during the storm, now faced a different challenge: an intense snowstorm had transformed the landscape. Hesitant glances were exchanged and they waited for someone to take the initiative to explore the wilderness.
With cautious steps, Jonathan and Flinn ventured outside. They embarked on an adventurous journey through the snowy forest. As the snowstorm raged on, the footprints of the two boys disappeared under a thick layer of snow. While exploring the forest, the other students remained uncertain.
"How is it possible for the weather to change so drastically overnight?" said Laura. Nigel leaned his head against the cave wall and said, "It's strange that we didn't notice it starting to snow. It suddenly became very cold, waking everyone here. This can't be a normal snowstorm." The rest of the group agreed, but none of them decided to search for survival resources.
After hours of waiting, boredom crept into the group. Uncomfortably, the students shuffled over the cold and damp ground. Just as Laura began to complain again about the terrible conditions, a shadow approached the cave. The students looked on anxiously and curiously as the shadow drew closer.
As the students stood up to greet Flinn or Jonathan, the shadow became clearer in the little light entering the cave. To their surprise, it was Winston. Relieved expressions appeared on the students' faces, but these soon changed after hearing Winston speak.
"It has been decided to bring you back to the school. Unfortunately, you are just sitting here waiting to die or get help. This is not the mindset with which you will survive during the school events. Reflect on yourselves over the past few days. I've seen everything and only Flinn and Jonathan consistently take the initiative, so it's better to come with me."
The students looked at each other in shock and a few students began to complain. "How is it possible to prove ourselves better in these conditions? The sleeping place is destroyed, there is no more food or water and no one sitting here has experience surviving in the wild." Nigel said angrily. The rest of the students were in agreement but found Nigel's outburst against Winston ridiculous.
Before the students could say anything, Winston was already leaving the cave. "I expect you to follow me; otherwise, there will be severe consequences." Winston walked away determinedly and soon, he was barely visible in the snowstorm. The students reluctantly followed Winston's footprints.
Not long after the confrontation with Winston, Flinn and Jonathan returned with the spoils of the hunt. They had a fierce battle with a pack of wolves, but this resolved the group's food problem. To their surprise, only Nigel was in the cave. As they were about to ask what happened, they saw Nigel's furious expression.
"You ruin it for the whole group." Flinn looked at Jonathan with a questioning look. Jonathan shrugged and continued into the cave with the loot. The lifeless bodies of the wolves left a bloody trail. Before Nigel could react more aggressively, he noticed how mutilated the wolves looked. With wide eyes and a fearful face, Nigel asked, "How is it possible to take down so many wolves? We have just started learning spells. It's not possible to achieve this. Someone must have helped you and I will tell the Headmaster."
Jonathan and Flinn stared in disbelief as Nigel walked away. "Jhon, what's going on? We've just survived a dangerous situation and now we're treated like this. Where do they get the nerve!" It was eerily quiet in the cave. Jonathan, still full of adrenaline, looked at Flinn with a cold gaze. "Let the others do as they please. At the moment, it's not feasible to go back to the school. Let's stay in this cave and see what the weather is like tomorrow." Jonathan and Flinn decided to prepare the wolves over a small fire and discuss their adventure.
Flashback~
Deep in the forest, where trees are completely white with snow, the two boys roam. They are looking for something edible because the entire stock has blown away. Snowflakes swirl as witnesses of the upcoming battle.
A pack approaches the boys slowly; their breath is visible in the cold air. The silence in the forest is suddenly broken by the howling of wolves. The wolves spread out in a circle around the two boys and stare with determination into their prey's eyes.
Jonathan calls out to Flinn to activate the adrenaline kick spell, but before Flinn can take action, it is already too late. A wolf runs incredibly fast towards Flinn and with its razor-sharp teeth, the wolf bites towards Flinn's neck. Just as Flinn sees his life flash before his eyes, the wolf flies into the air. Jonathan stands next to him with a mana shield on his arm. Again, there is a shout to activate the adrenaline kick spell because it increases the chance of survival.
In a hurried movement, Jonathan turns around and uses the freezing chaos spell. The snow in the surroundings is drawn to a central point. Fifteen elongated icicles shoot toward the pack. Six wolves are hit and collapse lifelessly. Some of the wolves dodge the icicles and narrowly escape their fate.
On the other side, Flinn has used the mana shield spell. More and more tooth imprints appear in the shield, making it weaker. Flinn must use more mana to stop the wolves. With trembling hands, Flinn tries to protect himself, but he won't last much longer. Behind him, the command is given to quickly dive down. Shortly afterward, Flinn feels a chilling wind over his head. Some wolves succumb, while the remaining members of the pack hastily retreat, their tails between their legs.
End of Flashback~