The Hunt Begins

After the Damien problem had been dealt with temporarily, everything seemed to quiet down for Silas for a while. His classes went well. He was achieving high marks in two of his three classes.

Arcane theory was throwing him for a loop. Most of the concepts went way over his head. He was more an action person than an analysis person, he learned.

Tiffany put off the Combat and Magic I outing for a while to give Silas some room to breathe after the duel with Damien. Which was a big deal. Professors didn't generally cater to individual students, but Tiffany was built different.

She cared for every student in her classes like she did a child. That and she didn't want to see her star student wash out. Washing out generally meant you died.

Today was the day of the outing to hunt magical beasts. Silas got up like every other day, put his eyedrops in, petted Steggy, and chatted with Jace until Rowan finally got out of bed.

Before class, they made their way to the dining hall for breakfast. Silas, Rowan and Jace loaded up their plates and sat down.

"I'm so glad they have coffee here. My mom always used to make it in the mornings, and it smelled amazing." Silas said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I still can't get over the fact that all of the new trends, technology and even food were started by your mother," Jace said, pouring an obscene amount of sugar and cream into his coffee.

"I can. These potatoes are great!" Rowan said, stuffing his mouth. "What did you call these? Hash browns?"

"Yeah. My mom always used to make them on special days. Birthdays, holidays, graduations." Silas said.

"I will say that calling them fried potato shavings doesn't have the same ring to it," Jace said.

"Yeah, that just sounds weird," Silas said.

"I don't care what they call them, as long as I get to eat them everyday," Rowan said.

"Is that how you're always packing on more muscle? Potatoes?" Jace said.

"I guess," Rowan shrugged.

"So do you guys have a specific beast you'll be targeting today? Rathgar said he'd be happy to make you guys armor and weapons as soon as you collect the cores," Silas said.

"I was thinking something easy, like giant mole rats," Jace said.

"I'm going after a megapede. Imagine how strong my armor would be!" Rowan said.

"Nice. I'm just going to gather as many mana cores as I can," Silas said.

They finished eating and headed to class.

Silas, Jace, and Rowan entered the Combat and Magic I classroom together, their chatter about the upcoming hunt filling the air. Silas couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension at the prospect of venturing out into the wilds surrounding Arcanium. It would be his first real test of the skills he'd been honing in class.

As they took their seats, Lyra and Nadia walked in, deep in conversation. Silas caught Lyra's eye, and she gave him a quick smile before turning her attention back to Nadia.

Professor Tiffany Umbercrowe strode into the room, her presence commanding instant silence. "Today, we'll be putting your training to the test. We're heading out to the hills around Arcanium to hunt magical beasts."

A murmur of excitement rippled through the room. Tiffany held up a hand for silence. "In future weeks, we'll be venturing further afield, which will require the use of the teleporters in the training rooms. But for today, we'll be staying close to home."

She paused, letting her words sink in. "You'll be splitting up into groups to watch each other's backs. I want you to form your own groups, but choose wisely. Your lives may depend on the people you surround yourself with."

Silas immediately looked to Jace and Rowan, who nodded in unspoken agreement. Lyra and Nadia made their way over to join them, completing their group of five.

"Looks like we've got a solid team," Jace said with a grin.

Nadia nodded, her expression serious. "We'll need to be on our guard out there. The wilds can be unpredictable."

Silas felt a surge of gratitude for his friends. He knew he could count on them to have his back, no matter what challenges they faced.

Silas Blackwood, Jace, Rowan, Lyra, and Nadia ventured into the hills surrounding Arcanium, their horses' hooves clopping against the rocky terrain. The sun beat down on their backs as they rode.

As they reached a clearing, Silas dismounted and tied his horse to a nearby tree. The others followed suit, securing their mounts before gathering their gear.

"Alright, let's see what we can find," Silas said, adjusting his gauntlets.

They set off into the underbrush, their senses heightened and weapons at the ready. The air was thick with the scent of wildflowers and the hum of insects.

Suddenly, a rustling sound caught Silas's attention. He held up a hand, signaling the others to stop. They crept forward, peering through the foliage.

There, in a small glade, was a patch of vibrant flowers, their petals shimmering in the sunlight. But as they watched, the flowers began to move, their stems twisting and writhing.

"Watch out!" Lyra cried as the flowers lunged towards them, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.

Silas leapt back, narrowly avoiding the snapping jaws of a carnivorous bloom. The others scattered, drawing their weapons as the flowers advanced, their petals flaring with predatory intent.

Rowan summoned a group of deer with glowing antlers and spots. The deer charged forward, their antlers glowing with magical energy as they tore into the carnivorous blooms, ripping petals and stems with their teeth.

Jace's daggers flew through the air with precision, each one finding its mark in the center of a carnivorous bloom. The flowers writhed and thrashed as they were pinned to the ground, their deadly petals fluttering uselessly.

With a grim determination, Jace strode forward and crushed each bloom beneath his feet, ensuring they would not rise again. He then retrieved his daggers, wiping the sap from their blades.

Lyra raised her hand, her eyes narrowing in concentration as she focused her magic on the carnivorous blooms. Time seemed to slow, then stop entirely for several of the flowers, their petals frozen mid-lunge.

With a flourish, Lyra drew her rapier and darted forward, the blade flashing as she sliced through the immobilized blooms with surgical precision.

Nadia nocked an arrow to her bow, the tip glowing with a blinding intensity as she infused it with her lumomancy. With a steady hand, she let the arrow fly, watching as it streaked through the air like a miniature comet.

The moment it struck a carnivorous bloom, the flower burst into flames, its petals curling and blackening as the concentrated light incinerated it from within. Nadia continued to fire, each arrow finding its mark with deadly accuracy.

Silas gripped his war hammer tightly, channeling mana into the weapon until it thrummed with power. With a roar, he charged forward, bringing the hammer down on the nearest carnivorous bloom. The flower exploded in a shower of petals and sap, its stem crushed beneath the weight of Silas's blow.

He moved through the glade with practiced ease, smashing the flowers left and right, their remains splattering against his armor. Silas stomped on the fallen blooms, ensuring they would not rise again.