The Realm Protectors

Chapter 17 - Avani

This week has probably been one of the most intense hellweeks I've ever participated in. Back in the Otherworld, I used to have them all the time. Hellweek, or the first week of practices for sports, always took a lot out of you. There was constant conditioning both physically and mentally to prepare you for learning plays and playing games. Normally I could keep up just fine. But this week was actually hell.

"One more time." Professor Odde commands from the safety box built into the wall of the facility.

"One more time my ass," I huff as I push myself to a standing position. The physical kinesis teachers have been working with the eight of us extra hard to prepare us for anything: surprise battles anywhere. And while I can manage running around and dodging obstacles like some kind of superhero, using my abilities to their full extent at the same time is a whole different ball game. I take a deep breath before running through the course again. Professor Odde used her abilities to create a forest inside the Earth Facility, and currently has three of her best fourth sects chasing after me, trying to attack me in any way they can. I have to use my abilities to stop them.

This is quite difficult, considering the fact that we have the same abilities, and they're three years older and more experienced.

I swing around a tree and tear through the indoor forest. I can hear three pairs of footsteps behind me, two on the ground and one in the trees. I look around and spot a tree that I tore up from the ground earlier. I climb onto its trunk and jump into the boughs of the standing tree next to it. I pause for breath and reach for my ability, searching for the veins of life. Glowing green veins appear and I spot my three attackers.

"Gotcha," I smirk. I shoot my arm out and twist my wrist, pulling down. A branch falls from a tree twenty yards in front of me, and the attacker in the trees falls. I flick my fingers and she's wrapped in thorny vines. Off to my left, my other two attackers make an 'oomph' noise. I hear the shifting of boughs and realize one of them is now in the trees. I reach for the veins of life again, finding her. I take off through the jungle again, swinging from tree to tree like a deranged monkey. My attacker freezes in her place, hugging the bark of a tree. I whistle and birds descend from the ceiling, knocking her off the branch.

Two down, one to go.

I land on a strong-looking branch and reach for those glowing green veins again, only to feel the branch fall from underneath me. I reach my arm up as I fall, catching a vine and stopping myself from hitting the ground. I use my momentum to swing into my last attacker's chest, knocking him to the ground. I unwrap my arm from the vine and straddle his chest, my hands on his throat.

"Game," I pant. "Set, and match."

He huffs and shoves me off of him as the jungle dissipates back into the floor. Professor Odde claps as she walks out to meet us. I wave my hand and the vines and birds disappear.

"Very good, Avani." Professor Odde says. "I'm impressed with how far you've come this week."

"Thank you, Professor." I say between breaths. I dust off my pants as I stand.

"I only have one more piece of advice before I let you go." She says. Odde tilts her chin down and stares at me, her eyes like the sharp edges of a cliff. "Don't let your pride get in your way, Avani. You are strong, but you are cocky. If you don't learn humility, your ego will catch up with you, and it will bite you in the tox. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Professor." I bow my head, cheeks hot.

"You're dismissed. Good luck on your quest." Odde raises her head. I turn on my heel and head back to the locker room. The two fourth sect girls come in a few seconds later, heading right for me.