Cold air rushed in, carrying the smell of wet earth and strange flowers.
The ground was soft and uneven, covered with moss and roots that caught under their boots.
Above them, two moons hung in the sky. One silver, one green. Their light cut through the tall trees and stretched long shadows across the ground.
The forest was real now. Breathing. Watching.
Behind them, the rest of the students were breaking apart.
People screamed for the Goddess. Some cried. Others just stood still, lost.
It was chaos.
Dante did not look back.
"Move," he said. His voice was calm but firm, carrying through the noise.
His team followed right away. No one argued.
As they walked deeper into the forest, Dante felt the stares on his back. Fear. Envy. Anger.
They were too quiet and too focused, and that made them stand out.
They walked for almost an hour.
Jin guided them using the glowing map, the soft light running over his hand as he moved. The forest stayed silent, except for the crunch of their steps and the faint trickle of water nearby.
Finally, Dante stopped at a clearing between a small rock wall and a stream.
"This will do," he said. "We rest here. It's covered and easy to defend."
The others set down their bags and looked around.
It was as safe as it could get, but fear still hung on their faces.
Dante turned to them. "First, we learn how to use what we have. No one goes alone. We fail here, we fail later."
Masha stepped forward first. "I'll try."
She stood near the stream and lifted her hand. "Cryomancy."
The air cooled. Her breath turned white, and frost crept weakly over a nearby rock. It melted right after.
She tried again. "Cryomancy."
The water rippled but didn't freeze.
"It's there," Masha said quietly. "I can feel it, but I can't hold it."
"Good enough," Dante said. "Control comes first."
Jin went next. He unsheathed his sword and took a stance. "Swordsmanship."
The blade felt lighter in his hand. His swings cut cleanly through the air, but when he struck a tree, the trunk barely chipped.
He frowned. "I can move better, but the power isn't there. Feels like my arms are stronger, but the hits aren't."
"Then focus on control," Dante said. "The strength will follow."
Edgar stepped forward. He looked unsure but determined.
He whispered, "Appraisal," and focused on Jin. His eyes flickered for a moment.
He blinked several times and rubbed his temple. "I saw something," he said. "A few faint words, other than skill names. It vanished before I could read more. The rest looked blurred. I can't see clear details yet."
"That's fine," Dante said. "Even that much can help later. Keep working at it."
Edgar nodded and stepped back.
Then Erica stepped up.
She took a deep breath and stared at her hands. "Fire. Burn. Pyrokinesis."
Her fingers twitched. A faint spark appeared, the same one she had made before, but it flickered out before she could focus on it.
She tried again. "Pyrokinesis."
Nothing.
Her face tightened. She whispered the word again and again, but it was no use. The air grew hot for a second and then cooled again.
Dante watched her quietly. "Erica, stop. Take a break."
She shook her head. "Just one flame. I can do it."
"Erica." His tone stayed calm. "That's enough."
Her body trembled. Her vision blurred. Her knees buckled, and she fell forward before anyone could catch her.
[Erica's POV]
The cold from the ground spread through her body.
She could hear the stream beside her, but it sounded distant.
'I have to be stronger, she thought. I can't be useless again.'
Her sight dimmed, and the forest faded away.
-- -- --
Then she was standing under rain.
Heavy and cold.
It was years ago, outside a small shop near her college.
She was soaked, shivering, holding her bag close.
And then he appeared.
Dante.
He walked up, water dripping from his hair. He looked at her for a moment and said, "You're soaked."
It was blunt and awkward, but his voice was sincere.
Then he frowned. "Do you want to come to my place? You can dry off there."
She froze.
He rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry. That sounded strange. Wait here."
He ran off and came back a minute later with two umbrellas and a towel. "Here," he said, holding them out. "You'll get sick if you stay like that."
He took off his jacket and gave it to her. "There's a storeroom behind my house. You can change there. I'll wait."
His tone wasn't soft or shy. It was matter-of-fact. Simple. Real.
She changed into his jacket. It was large and warm and smelled faintly of rain.
When she came back, he was still standing there under his umbrella.
"It's late," he said. "If you're going home, I'll walk with you. And before you argue, if you refuse, I'll just follow from a distance. So either way, you're not walking alone."
His expression was serious but kind. She couldn't help smiling.
They walked together in silence, umbrellas close.
When they reached her building, she thanked him and went upstairs. From her window, she looked down.
He was still there, standing under the rain.
He didn't leave until her lights turned on.
That was the day she realized he wasn't just quiet. He cared, even when he didn't know how to show it.
-- -- --
Her eyes opened slowly. The forest was back.
The air was cold again.
Dante was kneeling beside her. His voice was calm but steady. "Erica, can you hear me?"
She nodded weakly. "Yeah."
"You pushed too hard," he said. "Rest for now. We'll keep watch."
She wanted to say something, but her eyes closed again. The sound of the stream faded.
Dante stood up and looked around. "We take shifts," he said. "No talking. No fire. This place isn't safe yet."
Everyone nodded.
The forest grew darker.
Insects hissed in the grass. A faint growl echoed somewhere in the distance.
The moons hung over the trees, watching them.
Dante sat beside the stream. The water rippled around his reflection, breaking it into small pieces.
They had power, but no control.
A plan, but no strength to use it.
And the forest was out there, waiting for them to make the first mistake.
He exhaled slowly. "Tomorrow," he said to himself. "Tomorrow we figure this out."