Death

"Huuuuuh"

"Splash"

Galvar gasped in his lungs full of air. He flailed around his arms and legs drenching his body in the shallow water he laid on. His eyes clenched shut with strain as he erratically took quick breaths. He wondered why his body acted that way only moments later to shiver and crawl into a fetal position. His breaths became quiet and his body still.

Galvar did not want the abomination to notice him. He had to be as un-noticable as a blade of grass in a forest.

Time passed as the sound of splashing and erratic breathing echoed around Galvar. The constant anticipation of a dreadful reunion took its toll on Galvars body.

His body became cold and slow and his mind occupied with never ending fear.

'Don't open my eyes, Don't open my eyes, Don't open my eyes, Don't open my eyes, Don't open my eyes, Don't open my eyes.'

Galvar would rather starve and rot to death than lay his eyes upon the creature.

"Squeak"

Galvar had a lapse in thought as the sound of an old and worn down hinge stung his ears. After a brief pause, the sound of steps taken on hard wood followed.

Galvar paid an unimaginable amount of focus to the source of the sounds. His erratic breathing got louder by the second.

"Acha?"

The sweet and innocent voice of a young girl broke the barriers in Galvar's mind. He did not understand what the girl said but the thought of another human close-by melted his heart.

Galvar's body stopped quaking and he slowly pried his body upright with both of his hands. He shifted his head towards the voice and the thought of freeing his eyelids from suffering popped into his head.

A human came to save Galvar from his suffering. All he wished for was to climb into her arms and be taken away to safety. 'It's trying to trick you.'

Galvar went limp and splashed down into the ground. With great effort he moved his numb limbs and scratched and clawed away from the creature.

'Stay away from me, stay away from me, stay away from me, stay away from me."

"Ne acha ano?"

"Sta ay from mii, tay away om m."

"Splash, splash, tap"

Galvar came to a stop after he felt a touch on his shoulder. The firm grasp of a slim human hand held tight as its warmth seeped into his shoulder.

"A... human?"

The fear of the unknown held Galvar back from opening his eyes yet human curiosity triumphed over his fear. Droplets of water blurred Galvar's vision as he opened his eyes. Amidst the dim blue light of the cavern, the figure of a young girl with white hair became clear.

"Gu..Guenor? Guenor!"

Guenor stood in a flamboyant black and white dress brandishing wet layers of cloth underneath the waist. With a puzzled and surprised look, she tilted her head to the side and stared at Galvar.

"adu acha ano chechi?"

"Yes I'm alive. Everything will be okay now. Come here!"

Lifting his heavy arms and legs up, Galvar motioned for a hug. He had worried for nothing. If Guenor was alive, how could his parents not be?

He trudged his way closer to Guenor. The abuse his body took started to show results. Galvar struggled to keep his balance and vision blurred as Guenor tripled. The world around him became mute as he fell onto Guenor's chest. He wrapped his arms around her as she stared questioningly at the ceiling.

The last thing that filled his vision was the sight of Guenor's cloudy white eyes and blood trickling down her nose.

___

Training grounds of the Black Sorios academy

Amongst the vegetation of the forest, a boy suddenly appeared out of thin air. He cautiously surveyed the area around him before he sighed in relief. He stood still in the exact spot he was teleported into, as if assimilating into nature.

Half an hour later, the immovable boy perked his head towards his right. The ground underneath the boy suddenly parted as he willingly fell into the pit. Dirt converged into the opening of the pit sealing the boy underground. As such the forest remained as it was, now with an unnatural patch of earth exempt from grass.

___

A boy and a girl stood 10 feet apart while staring at each other. Both of their gazes were stern, observing their respective opponents every move.

'Who is he? He is wearing a robe to hide his identity. Tsk, what a coward.' The girl scoffed and her gaze sharpened. 'He did not lay in ambush nor did he run as soon as he spotted me. Is he confident in his ability to fight?'

As the girl took her time studying her enemy, the boy spoke.

"My name is Wayne Everwood. What is yours?"

'Everwood? As in the lesser noble family with the plant sorcerer lineage? Hahaha. The world seems to love me.'

"Trying to make friends during the sand shark trial? How foolish."

The girl, Vicki raised her hands to her shoulder and summoned balls of fire that hovered behind her head. In response thick thorny vines erupted from the earth around Wayne. Vicki pointed her open hands towards Wayne and smirked.

"To think your magic can be used in an upfront battle against me, you will repay your foolishness with your life."

With Vicki's hands as the origin, flame streamed endlessly and collided with the vines that converged in front of Wayne. As the vines wilted, more vines erupted from the ground to replace them.

Vicki commanded the 6 balls of fire above her head to flank Waynes' exposed back. The connection between the balls and Vicki was severed. Using the split focus of her opponent as an opportunity, Vicki raised her left hand and channeled a stream of fire which merged with that on her right. The vines protecting Wayne collapsed unable to withstand the heat.

'It's over.' Vicki looked at the burning Wayne. He laid flat on the ground motionless. His entire body was engulfed in flame.

'I should retrieve the badge and get out of here before someone notices the smoke.' She walked toward Wayne's body. 'I'll find a place to hide until the trial is over. Only a single badge is required to pass. I don't want to fight another battle.'

"Splat, splat, splat."

'Huh?'

"Splat."

Vicki stopped in front of Wayne's body and looked down. She was walking on mushy wet dirt. "Shit." Noticing the oddity of its nature without pause, Vicki channeled fire in her hands and feet and flew away from the burning corpse; however, she was too late.

Water from the moist earth 20 feet around Wayne converged upon Vicki's body and engulfed her in a ball of water. She flailed her arms and legs attempting to move herself out of the water yet wherever she went, the water followed.

"Who is the foolish one now?"

Turning her head she saw Wayne standing, his body unharmed by the fire. Scraps of burnt cloth scattered on the ground besides him. He wore armor made out of light blue scales that had no scorch marks on them.

"Stop struggling. It will be easy for both of us."

Vicky was struggling to breath. With eyes sharp enough to cut metal she stared at Wayne, her face brimming with anger. 'How dare he trick me? How dare he look so pitiful at me while I die? I will not die so easily.'

Holding in her 10 seconds of air, Vicky pointed her open hand at Wayne and channeled fire towards him. Instead of fire, bubbles began rapidly forming in the water engulfing Vicky. The more energy she channeled towards that terrible person, the more pain and agony she felt. Vicky closed her eyes. The water around her boiled. Starting with her eyelids, her skin, groin, ears, nose, every bit of her body was being cooked alive.

"Are you mad?"

'It hurts, It hurts, It hurts, It hurts, It hurts'

Holding in her instinct to scream she poured in all the remaining energy she could muster into her hands. Vicky had never experienced such agony in her life. Being tortured by professor Alfrod was nothing in comparison. Just as hope vanished along with her last breath, the water engulfing her collapsed.

Vicky fell to the ground. With great effort she took a huge breath of air through her bloated nostrils and opened her eyes. The blisters in her eyelids burst open, spraying her eyes with bodily fluids. With clouded vision, she staggered her head upwards and focused on the figure in front of her. She saw Wayne clenching his neck with a sword pierced straight through it from the back.