Page 73 of Of Blackened Blood (The Blackened Blade #3)

MICAI

T he sun sets above us as Ezra makes his way back from the stream, having washed the blood from his fingers after fighting the last three students who had attacked us.

He took their stract by physical force in just a matter of minutes, making them even bloodier than the students we left scattered around the forest earlier.

I never knew Ezra was this strong. Maybe it’s because he always used his magic before, and Annex and Mallyn seemed like the more physical ones of the group, so I never noticed his strength until now.

He’s feared as one of the Infernal Four for a reason. And I saw a glimpse of it today.

A smile tilts my lips. But I guess it’s the Infernal Five now.

I peer toward Creed and Ezra. Do you think they would be willing to get custom jackets made? All of us could wear the same “Infernal Five” logo. Or I could get a patch made up for my motorbike jacket?

A chuckle leaves my lips with the thought.

“What’s so funny?” asks Ezra as he wipes his wet hands on his navy sweatshirt, having put it back on after the fight. Thankfully it’s clean and free of stains, unlike the white blood-splattered shirt underneath it.

“It’s nothing.” I shake my head glancing around the area of forest we’re standing in. “What’s our plan now? We each have a stract.”

The area is a little higher up than the one we were in before, with good coverage on most sides and a great view of the area below us.

Perfect for keeping watch and defending against attacks.

“We keep our guards up, make it through the night, and destroy anyone who comes at us tomorrow,” answers Creed, taking a seat on a large tree stump as Ezra collects branches and begins making a fire with his magic.

After it’s lit and blazing, he reaches into a small spatial bag he’s brought with him, pulling out a few protein bars and water bottles before throwing them to me and Creed.

“I’ll take the first watch.” He pulls a bar for himself out, taking a bite as he surveys the forest around us. “You and Creed eat and rest.”

I nod, twisting the bottle’s lid before taking a swig and narrowing my eyes at the protein bar in my hand. I guess beggars can’t be choosers.

“I thought it would be a little harder.” I flick my gaze between Ezra and Creed before taking a cautious bite. “Or that we would at least take a longer time finding more of the stracts.”

“That’s because they came to us willingly, thinking that in their joined groups, they could take us out and rob our stract.” Creed takes a large bite of his own protein bar. “It was a stupid move on their part. But we all got our own stracts that much easier because of it.”

“They were fourth and fifth years, right?” I ask, realising that I didn’t recognise any of the faces of the students who had attacked us.

Creed nods. “Yes, and none of them could stand against us even in groups. They basically handed us their stracts.” He peers around the area. “Now we just need to hold on to them.”

“What’s the big deal with these stracts and the Omerta Challenge anyway?

” I ask, meeting his gaze. “I know that there’s some small prize at the end and a guaranteed high grade for the course.

But even without completing it, no one would fail.

” My brows pinch together. “So why is everyone so gung ho about winning, going as far as teaming up with each other to get these?” I take my stract out, twisting it between my fingers, its small sigils instantly glowing on contact.

“It comes with certain privileges,” answers Creed, an amused look taking over his features as he watches me.

“The bragging rights are the main one for most, proving you’re stronger and better than all the others here and even putting the older years in their place.

” He finishes off his protein bar before continuing.

“The faculty also apparently gives a certain leeway for the winners when it comes to other things, preferential treatment and such.” He shrugs.

“Not that I care about what any of those assholes do anyway.”

Preferential treatment? Most of the faculty hand that out to their favourites anyway. I couldn’t care less about that or the bragging rights.

But that doesn’t mean I’ll be handing my stract over to someone who does.

My thoughts fall to the “small prize” mentioned by the dean.

I wonder who the winners were from the last challenge and what kind of prize they got from the dean then?

I look to Creed and Ezra. “Who won it last ti?—”

My words are cut off as movement in the trees a few feet from us has us all freezing and falling quiet.

It was too much noise and movement for a small critter.

I turn toward Ezra as he nods to me and Creed, and we all slowly pull ourselves up, waiting for whatever it is to make its move.

Maybe it is another group of students trying to attack, thinking we might have let our guard down at night?

I summon my blades, their shape forming instantly in my hands as the rustling noise across from us suddenly grows silent.

Just as my eyes narrow in that direction, a magical beast stomps free from the trees and dashes our way. The beast looks about eight or nine feet tall with bright silver eyes. Its hide is black and green in colour and its skin is thick and almost camouflaged when beside the trees and foliage.

It moves on four legs with hooves and strange claws protruding from above them as it gallops closer toward us.

It has a torso and head not unlike a human but with large dark-green pincers instead of arms and small horns trailing down its chest. It reminds me of some mutated minotaur but with eyes that seem devoid of any sense or intelligence as it rushes toward us.

Creed’s black coils and mist seep from him as he steps forward and toward the running beast, coiling around its thick legs, stopping its mad dash toward us.

But the large beast thrashes heavily against its new restraints, fighting and slowly pushing closer to us, snarling and shrieking louder as it moves.

Creed’s coils lash out further, wrapping tightly around the beast’s neck and pincers. But the creature continues to fight, its eyes glowing a crimson red before its strength suddenly grows, breaking it free from Creed’s power.

A loud painful shriek pierces the ear with its release.

“Fuck ...” bites out Creed, forming more mist and coils around him before pushing them toward the creature. He quickly glances toward Ezra. “It might have some enhancing abilities.”

“Nullifying too,” comments Ezra, his brows drawn together while watching the beast. His hands are raised, his eyes focused fully on the creature as his lilac wisps glide back and forth around it before suddenly dissipating.

“My magic isn’t working. It must be some kind of hybrid to have these types of abilities. ”

“Then we just need to use physical strength.” I grip my blades before turning toward Creed. “You restrain it as much as possible and I’ll land the blows to help finish it off.”

But before I can make a dash for the beast and begin my assault, a loud gurgle-like snarl rings out from my side. Suddenly, a large dark scaley beast races toward me in a blur of movement and knocks me down, sending us both tumbling through the forest and down a steep hill beside us.

I hear my name being called, their voices growing more distant as the beast and I roll together until, moments later, we hit flat ground.

I quickly untangle myself from the creature and— once at a safe distance —survey the beast before me.

It unravels its dark grey reptilian-like body, its long scaley tail unfurling around its six-foot frame and thick torso as its glowing green eyes meet mine. Another gurgle-like snarl leaves its leathery maw as its jaw—that’s larger than my head—begins to open.

Large fangs extend from the inside of its mouth, covering the top and bottom of it with razor-sharp teeth, almost half the size of my black blades as thick arm-like limbs appear from the side of its scaley torso.

How are any of these magical beasts ‘low-level’?

It lunges for me, its teeth ready to take my head off in one bloody bite before I swiftly dodge, flipping out of the creature’s way.

I summon my blades again—as they had returned when I tumbled through the forest with the beast.

They form even quicker in my hands than before as I grip them tightly.

I narrow my gaze toward the beast as its green eyes turn to pinpricks watching me; there’s more intelligence in this creature than the one left with Ezra and Creed.

Its large tail coils up behind it, and it uses it as leverage before it pushes itself higher off the ground, its body now sitting at least nine feet tall.

I note a grin stretching its already wide maw as a strange noise vibrates from its dark scaley throat. Almost as if it is laughing at me from its new height.

It rears its head up slightly higher just as I feel an oncoming attack. And as it strikes, I feign to one side, with the beast twisting around and moving quickly to attack again.

I kick off the ground just as it tries for its second strike, leaping above it while throwing my blades into its back. The creature lets out a loud roar as I call my blades back to me, gripping them in my hands as the beast comes speedily slithering toward me once again.

Its jaw widens, its fangs elongating further as it pounces toward me, reaching mere inches from my face.

I drop to the ground, evading the blade-like teeth, and twisting my blades in my grip, I quickly stab one of them down into the beast’s opened maw.

The tip of the blade pierces the bottom of its mouth, slicing through it like butter as I pull it back out and aim for its head.

But the scaley beast shrieks, knocking me away as greenish blood drips from its leathery mouth and the wound I’ve just made.

I slam into a nearby tree trunk before quickly pulling myself up again. Pain sears up my back as I try to ready myself for the creature’s next attack.

Its tail lashes out toward me, its movements wild and frantic as it continues to shriek with pain. I grip my blades and slice outward, managing to land a blow and slice the end of its tail off.

Its green eyes widen, and before it can strike at me again, I rush toward it from below and stab my blades back through the wound I’ve already made, pushing them both inside at once.

I shove them in further as the beast thrashes against me, its arm-like limbs raking down my sides and causing me to grit my teeth through the pain.

But I won’t let the bastard go.

I push my blades in deeper, needing them to reach the creature’s head and pierce through it fully. I imagine the black metal of both blades growing, willing with every fibre of my being that they will form into larger and sharper blades and finish the bastard off.

I feel a pull from inside, and the next thing I know, the creature is falling limply against me, its heavy body weighing me down as we both drop to the ground below.

I call my blades back into me as I free my hands and take a moment to take a deep breath. Hauling the beast’s corpse off me, I push it to one side and slowly crawl out from beneath it, its green blood dripping down my clothes.

I glare down at the scaley grey prick, giving it a small kick with the tip of my foot before glancing around me, finally able to take a moment to look around.

Where the hell did we tumble to?

A bright blue light shimmers a few feet away and has me calling my blades back into my grasp. I take a step toward it, wondering if it is a beast, another group, or a light from one of the neutral zones set up by the faculty.

I’m not sure what it is, but the blue hue seems familiar somehow.

As I take a few steps nearer to the blue light, I can now see a honeycomb pattern; it is the barrier the academy set up for the exam, or at least a part of it that is now visible.

But this part has a large gaping hole in it, with a part of the honeycomb pattern looking like it had melted away.

Is that how that beast had gotten in? Had it attacked the barrier with the other creature and somehow broken it here?

The other beast ... my eyes widen. Creed and Ezra.

I whip around, glancing toward the trees and foliage, realising there is a broken path and messy trail leading toward the hill to my left. Probably from when the beast and I collided and tumbled down here together.

But it will work as a quick guide and path back to the guys.

I take a few steps toward it before a hand reaches out and grips tightly around my arm. Pulling away, I twist around, ready to take on whatever it is, but I am met with a panting and flustered Mrs. Fleur.

“Micai!” she shouts shakily, slightly out of breath.

“Thank the Gods you’re okay. The barrier has been breached.

” Her hands fall to her knees, a look of exhaustion set about her features as she tries to continue.

“A-all the ... faculty members ... w-were called to evacuate the students ... from the forest,” she pants out.

“There are ... dangerous beasts loose in here.” Her eyes flicker around us, a fearful look in them before she quickly fixes herself. “We need to leave.”

She reaches for me, but I pull my arm back again, glancing toward the hill. “Creed and Ezra are back there; they’re fighting one of those beasts.” I turn back to meet her gaze. “I need to go help them.”

She shakes her head. “There are other faculty members in the area, I’m sure they will be okay.

We have to go now before something happens, Micai.

” Her gaze flicks warily around the area again, her tone becoming more rushed.

“I promise they’ll be okay. We can send more help too.

It’s urgent we leave now before more come.

” She places her hand out, asking for my own with the gesture as a soft look forms over her expression.

“You can’t help anyone if you’re hurt, Micai. ”

I can understand her worry and I know that she’s just trying to keep me safe, but I won’t leave here without Ezra and Creed.

I shake my head. “I promise I’ll be okay. I know you’re just trying to keep me safe, but I can’t leave without them, Mrs. Fleur.” I turn back around, passing the beast’s corpse, and head toward the trail.

“I understand, Micai.” She sighs, pulling my gaze back toward her before she nods. “We’ll do anything for the ones we love.” A small smile lifts her lips as she gestures toward the messy trail. “Lead the way.”

I begin to climb up the hill, taking my first few steps before something heavy suddenly hits me from behind. It sends me crashing into the edge of a nearby tree, smacking my head hard before stumbling to the forest floor.

A blurry shadow stands over me before I feel another blow slam into my head, everything fading into darkness as I feel my body fall limply to the ground. A strange sound of laughter fills my ears as I fall unconscious.