Reflections

Chapter 5

"On account of last night's game. I want to congratulate the robbers team who managed to evade most of the capturing," Anna said as she dragged the attention of most of the people in the mess hall during lunch.

"So, you've had a nice sleep, a few trust exercises-" The bruises and bumps from falling over and knocking into things were large indicators for the lack of concentration or trust within people in the grade. "-and now comes the fun part of the day!" Anna continued as she grinned way too enthusiastically for everyone's liking.

"Today's afternoon activity will be a scavenger hunt."

~

"I cordially invite you to shove your opinion up my-"

"Alright!" Xenia slapped her hand over Callisto's mouth as they wandered through the thick trees of the forest.

"How did you even get us lost?" Callisto rasped, removing Xenia's hand from her face.

They had been walking around for hours now, no food, no water and no way to find their way back. How that was possible was beyond them.

"It wasn't me. I didn't suddenly walk off." AJ protested as Xenia moved to observe a gecko who was soaking up the last hours of sunlight.

"You just followed her like a puppy." Max tried to laugh, but his throat was so dry he only ended up coughing.

"Shut it." Kaiden groaned.

"Are you ok?" AJ asked Xenia, who watched as the gecko scurried away.

"Hmm." She hummed as she took a seat and pressed her back against the rock she once admired the gecko on.

"Since when did they become friends?" Kaiden asked as he stood next to Callisto who only stared at the trees around them.

"I don't know Kaiden, maybe last night in the cops and robbers game. He was hiding with us." Callisto said as she lifted her arms over her head and suddenly jolted up with a gag. Kaiden looked at her weirdly as she dropped her arms and walked away while the other girl in their group, Zoya, spoke to Kaiden.

Walking a few paces into the trees, she slowly lifted her shirt and took a whiff of her body odor. And closed her eyes painfully at the smell she was emitting.

Maybe it was the smell that awoke her senses but it was as if the trees, but they called to her. The wind seemed to sing as it rushed past her and the grass at her feet brushed her sneakers.

'Back there. Behind you.' it told her and she followed.

Walking back out the trees towards her group, she walked through them all and towards Max who looked at her funny. Her head was fogged and her thoughts were muddled, she could see their faces and their mouths moving but she couldn't hear them.

"Callis-" Max's voice stopped as she slammed her shoulder into his and continued to walk away.

"What? Where are you going? We can't just split up!" he shouted as her back began to move further away from them.

"Dammit. Come on guys quickly." Max shouted as he ran after Callisto who was walking with a mission.

He jogged after her as she walked through the forest and guided him through the trees and shrubs, as everyone finally caught up to them and she guided them all until they reached a clearing. It wasn't the same clearing they had all been, the night before. This clearing was at the precipice of the cliff.

Max stared in awe of the place Callisto had led him to. He could see the sunset in front of them over the sea surrounding them. But his head turned to Callisto when he saw her move.

It was only then he noticed, he noticed the 6 stones on the ground. They all differed in slight size and height but were generally similar and for some reason the rocks had swords coming out the center of all but one.

One rock was a white stone that contained a curved sword, another almost glowed in the sunlight with two small twin daggers in the rock. And the rock to its right was broken in half and didn't have a sword, another was covered in green reeds with a straight long green sword and the one next to it was surrounded with blue Forget-Me-Not flowers, holding a blue steeled sword. The last was a dark rock of sorts and the blade that came out of it was a long black sword, with a small purple cloth wrapped along the hilt.

"Wow." Kaiden stared at the sharp objects protruding from each of the rocks. The white stone drew his attention the most, his eyes burned as the rock reflected the light. Yet he still moved forward and tried to grab the hitl.

"Wait. Don't touch it. We don't know what this is." Zoya said as she grabbed his arm and yanked him back.

"Don't tell me what to do." Kaiden rolled his eyes and grabbed the hilt before yanking at the sword.

"Even the sword doesn't want you to touch it. Imagine repelling inanimate objects." Zoya laughed as she walked away from him and back in the direction they came.

"Must be props, you know. To see if anyone would actually come here." Max tried to comfort his friend who was feeling the blows to his masculinity, or lack thereof.

Most agreed to leave the place, and they turned to leave, everyone but Callisto. Her back still remained towards them as she stared at the object in her hand. The onyx sword she managed to pull out of the rock.

"Callisto? You ok?" Xenia asked and Callisto jolted into reality.

"Ya. I'm good. I'll just be a second." Callisto said as she hid the sword in her shadow and slightly turned to look at her friend.

With a smile of reassurance, Xenia nodded and turned. Leaving Callisto to finish her business and meet them within a minute.

The sword, the onyx blade in her hand, was light. It was very light for what it should have been. It felt like it was thrumming in power, it felt as if someone had connected a power source to the sword and was funneling energy into her body.

'Welcome home.' The sword sang to her and in fear, she dropped the sword and ran.