Cale's face twisted in disbelief. His voice cracked as he spoke, the cold air making his breath fog. The boy he and his friends once ganged up on, the weakling who went down after a single punch and started bleeding like some helpless rabbit. Was now being called strong? Strong enough that even Zack, one of the sharpest and toughest in the program, admitted it?
"You must be mistaken," Cale objected, his tone halfway between panic and denial. His arms crossed over his chest as though the gesture alone could shield him from the truth.
Zack adjusted his glasses, his voice flat and merciless. "Can you run with an injury on your abdomen while dodging a barrage of arrows aimed right at you?" His words hung in the frozen air, sharp as icicles.
Cale's mouth hung open. He wanted to argue, but nothing came out. Finally, after a beat of silence, he muttered, "…No." His shoulders slumped.
Pamela, who had been fuming just minutes ago, sighed heavily. "Enough. Whether he's strong or not, I've heard enough. I won't go chasing him down unnecessarily." Her tone carried stubborn frustration, but her eyes softened as she turned to Vera. She bowed her head like a guilty child. "And I'm sorry for lashing out on you, Sis Vera."
The corners of Vera's lips curved into something between a smirk and genuine amusement. She tilted her head, black hair swaying as if on purpose. "No problem," she said casually, then flicked her finger against Pamela's forehead.
"Ouch!" Pamela yelped, clutching the spot as her eyes widened in surprise.
"You deserved that," Vera replied, her voice dripping with dry sarcasm. "Now, back to your treatment before you start running around with your skull cracked open next." She nudged Pamela toward the girls tending to her wounds, as if she were shooing away a noisy pet.
Pamela pouted, still holding her forehead. "But Big Sis Vera, I still can't let him go that easily. What should we do now?"
"That's not a problem." Vera folded her arms across her chest, her sharp eyes narrowing. "I'll send the scouts who failed to ambush him to redeem themselves." Her voice was cold, like she was announcing punishment rather than giving an order.
Veda, who had been quietly watching their back-and-forth, finally stepped forward. His presence was calm. "Don't you think that's too harsh?" His voice was gentle, but his words carried weight. "At least they tried."
Vera stopped, then turned her head slowly, her gaze landing on him like a dagger. She held the stare for a long moment before striding toward him with exaggerated drama. "Don't tell your Big Sister what to do." She poked his chest with her finger, her tone mocking yet commanding. "Or do you think you're a better leader than me?"
She spun around sharply, flipping her long hair in a way that deliberately smacked Veda in the face.
He blinked, staggered half a step back, then touched the side of his mouth where her hair had hit. "I was just saying," he chuckled softly, then sighed, shaking his head.
"I'll obviously give them the No Scent Flower mixture to keep them safe from the Silverback Dire Wolves," Vera added, her tone sharp and deliberate, arms still crossed like a queen handing out decrees.
Pamela, still seated, frowned. "I don't trust them enough to even use that chance. Can't you send stronger people instead?"
"No." Vera's reply was immediate, like she had rehearsed it. "We only have two days left after today, which is already ending. I'd rather throw the weakest links to their end than reduce my team's power."
The others stared at her, shocked. This was the same girl who just lectured Pamela for wanting to risk her cousins' lives. Now she sounded completely ruthless, like she had flipped sides in an argument without a second thought.
A heavy silence fell over the camp.
Finally, Veda broke it with his usual calm tone. "It's already afternoon, so I and my group will be leaving."
"Ehn? You guys should stay," Vera shot back, tilting her head with a sly smile.
"Yes, you should," Pamela added, her voice hopeful.
Veda shook his head politely. "No, I don't want to inconvenience Big Sis. And I can't allow Felix to keep causing trouble out there." His voice remained cool, but determined.
"Do you even know where to find him, considering how huge this forest is?" Vera asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Not really." Veda smiled faintly. "But I have good trackers, and I've learned a bit myself."
Vera's dry expression cracked into a mocking smirk. "Oh right, Uncle taught you how to hunt. I almost forgot."
"That's why I'll also help you, Pamela." He turned to her, gently taking her right hand. His eyes softened, but his voice grew serious. "I won't act immediately, since I believe everyone deserves a chance to survive. I don't blame him, not entirely… This cursed program is forcing everyone to become killers. But…" His eyes darkened, a rare sharp edge cutting through his calm. "If he's nothing but a ruthless scumbag like Felix, I'll kill him." His voice was deeper now, colder, and the words sent a chill through Pamela, his group, and Vera's group.
Vera, though, only scorned with a smirk. "Yeah, yeah, you do that. Trying to act cool, huh?" she teased, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Veda chuckled in embarrassment, rubbing his neck before stepping back toward his group. "We'll see you later, Big Sis." He waved casually, then turned to leave with his companions.
Vera exhaled loudly. "Finally gone. Now I can go back to sleep. Pamela, follow me." She walked off without waiting, her steps confident and unhurried.
Pamela and Nina quickly followed. The others scattered back to their duties.
The night passed, and morning arrived, blanketing the forest in icy silence. Only two days remained before the Second Trial ended.
***
Hidden beneath the gnarled roots of a massive tree was a makeshift shelter, its entrance covered by snow. The inside was cold, dim, and cramped, filled with frost that crept over every surface. Beneath the frozen blanket lay Ezra.
His hand shot up suddenly, stiff and pale against the dim light, like something straight out of a zombie movie. He groaned as he forced himself upright, snow falling from his body like shards of ice. His limbs felt heavy, frozen, but his blood still flowed, warm enough to keep him alive. The wound on his abdomen had finally healed.
Dragging himself through the narrow entrance, Ezra squinted as sunlight hit his eyes. For a few seconds, the glare blinded him. The forest around him was quiet, the silence broken only by the occasional crunch of snow dropping from branches.
He pulled out another stimulant herb, the same type he'd taken before fainting and chewed it. The taste was bitter, but he endured it. Then he sat and waited.
It took nearly an hour before the frost on his body fully melted, warmth slowly returning. With sluggish movements, he stood, brushing the snow from his clothes. He dug into the pile of snow, retrieving the hidden No Scent Flowers he had stashed. Carefully, he placed them into a wooden bowl and ground them into powder with his numb fingers.
Leaving the shed, he carried the powder to a nearby stream. The icy water reflected the pale sky. He poured it into the bowl, mixing until the liquid turned milky white, then filled a sack he had made to hold water. Finally, he splashed the rest over his body, shivering as the cold mixture soaked into his clothes.
"This should keep me safe from those dogs till the end of the trial," Ezra muttered, staring at the faint ripples in the stream.
He cleaned the shed mechanically, his movements stiff and slow. His mind wandered as he thought aloud. "How long was I out? I collapsed late in the night… It should have taken a whole day to wake up. Since I didn't wake up at midnight, then maybe two days total." His brows furrowed as he pieced it together. "The stimulant doesn't last more than twenty-four hours and forty-seven minutes, so yeah… two days. Which means only two days remain in this hell."
Ezra sat down heavily; eyes locked on the sun climbing above the forest canopy. His right hand trembled as he lifted it, staring at his palm. "Tsk. I killed another person again." His voice was bitter. He clenched his fist tightly, anger and disgust boiling beneath his calm surface. "Tsk… it's too cold."
The wind howled faintly, carrying his words into the silent forest.