~The mist
(Pov narrator)
The snowstorm continued its relentless assault, but the boys remained resolute. They improvised a primitive fire to provide warmth in the cave, a necessity for melting snow into drinkable water and cooking the meat.
After being trapped for two days by the unforgiving snowstorm, the temperature unexpectedly began to rise. Despite the heat, the boys decided to return to school today. The week was over and the planned excursion was coming to an end.
With sweat beads on their foreheads, Flinn and Jhonatan walked briskly back towards the school. The two boys engaged in playful banter, having developed a close bond over the past few days. Jhonatan kicked off with a classic joke, eliciting loud laughter from Flinn. The tone was set and soon they engaged in a series of hilarious improvisations and comical observations. They made puns about the surrounding nature and imitated animal sounds. They even coined funny nicknames for natural phenomena. The forest became their stage and every step was an opportunity for a new humorous exchange.
Upon reaching the gathering place from the first day, the boys decided to take a break. The mood was cheerful as they lay down in the grass next to each other. "Jhon, thanks for this week. I've genuinely learned a lot from you and these are definitely things that will be useful for the future," Flinn expressed his gratitude. Jhonatan felt a sense of pride, realizing that Flinn was becoming a true friend. Although he didn't admit it aloud, the compliment meant a lot to him.
Before Jhonatan could respond, the weather unexpectedly changed again. Dense fog surrounded the boys and in an instant, they lost sight of each other.
***
(Pov Jhonatan)
Suddenly, a magical mist envelops me, and Flinn disappears on the spot. My eyes grow heavier and I see a figure hovering above me. I try to muster strength into my body, but it's futile.
----
Slowly, I open my eyes and see myself swaying back and forth in a strange cage. My heart pounds in my throat as the situation dawns on me. I find myself in a room illuminated by soft blue light, giving it a mysterious appearance. Due to the cold in the room, the vapor of my warm breath is visible.
Soft sounds emanate from all the walls and become increasingly louder. It becomes so loud that my ears start bleeding and the pain courses through my entire body. Suddenly, the noise seems to have disappeared, but near one painting, I hear a creak. The colors of the painting become more vibrant as a shadow emerges from the hues.
'How was it to hallucinate about your freedom, Jonathan? You didn't really think you could escape from me, did you?' A calm feeling spreads through my body. All muscles relax and I see the shadow slowly fading. I know it can't be real because Greed would never leave me alive, even for a second. The room around me dissolves into mist and a bright light shines in my eyes. I close my eyes and focus on my breathing.
----
The sound of the forest breaks the silence and I open my eyes again. Flinn is still sound asleep beside me. Just as I attempt to stand up to help, I feel a strange, invisible force pushing me to the ground. My arms, legs, and even fingers feel like lead. There's no possibility of moving a single muscle in my body. 'There's no use struggling and how is it possible for you to regain consciousness so quickly? Even arch-mages have some difficulty escaping my spell.'
In amazement, I listen to the voice and Leah's face appears a little way from me. Without me being able to do anything, I float through the air towards her. She looks at me thoughtfully and places me beside her on the ground. "Is it wise to wake Flinn now?" Leah ignores my question and compliments us. I'm told that we are among the few who have endured this week over the years. She explains that all weather conditions were created by spells to showcase our abilities. Meanwhile, she hands me a coin.
The coin has a silvery sheen and is polished to perfection. The edges are rugged but perfectly complement the coin's design. The back features an intricate depiction of the school. The material of the coin is platinum, making it invaluable.
"Why have I received this coin?" Leah only says it's handy to keep the coin safe. With a smile on her face, she looks back at Flinn. I wonder how long we're going to wait here for Flinn.
After a few hours, I see Flinn starting to tremble. Foam comes out of his mouth and his ears, eyes, and mouth begin to bleed. I look at Leah in shock, already moving towards Flinn. She places the palms of her hands on Flinn's temples. A few moments later, Flinn opens his eyes with a panicked look and looks around confused.
'Both of you need to walk back to school on your own. Jhonatan, later in the week, I'd like to talk to you.' Leah turns around and dissolves into mist. It happens so quickly that we can't ask any more questions. I quickly put the coin in my pocket and walk behind Flinn, who is heading towards a river. While I ask about Flinn's hallucination, he's already washing all the blood off his face. 'I'll tell you what I've been through later, but for now, let's go back to school.'
As we walk through the last trees, we see a whole camp with tents in the open field. There are too many tents to count and we see military personnel everywhere. They have the same emblem on their uniforms and wear the same clothing. For now, I decide to walk into the school with Flinn. It's already evening, and we're exhausted. I say goodbye and walk towards my room. Let me investigate tomorrow why there's so much chaos at school.