Chapter 4.

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Here we are, standing in a murky, filthy swamp under the blazing sun. Sweat beads on my forehead as the thick, swampy air clings to my skin. This is a test—Professor Palladium's "Nature of Magic" class field exercise.

Yay.

"Welcome, class, to the Black Mud Swamp and a—ACHOO!" Professor Palladium interrupted himself with a loud sneeze, blinking as he tried to regain his composure. "Right, as you can sneeze—I mean, as you can see—I'm slightly allergic to the igglethord vine sap. Now, this is your first field exercise for the magic of nature." His words tumbled out with a clumsy charm, making it hard for me to take him seriously. His actions were so comically awkward that focusing on his instructions was almost impossible.

"Professor! I'm in the wrong class! I'm from an urban realm!" whined a girl named Dahliah, her voice dripping with exasperation. I scoffed at her bratty behavior.

"Alfea is known for its all-around education," Professor Palladium replied, looking at her with mild confusion. It seemed to baffle him that anyone would think they'd enrolled in the wrong class.

"But a mosquito bit me," she continued, holding up her arm as if we were supposed to feel sorry for her.

"A mosquito? Well, the quicker we bit on with—I mean, get on with—the exomite, uh, exercise," Palladium stuttered, and I couldn't help but snicker.

"For a nature professor, he seems rather squeamish," Bloom whispered with a grin.

"Shut up, Bloom," I whispered back, grinning. "Let him 'bite on with the exomite.'" Bloom stifled a laugh, bursting into fits of laughter as we tried to keep straight faces.

Palladium seemed to shake off his squeamishness and continued, "Now, for this field exercise, we're testing your natural ability to listen to nature. Each group must navigate through the Black Mud Swamp and reach the clearing in Gloomy Wood Forest—without using magic. Remember, listen to the voice of nature and heed its advice." And with that, he vanished into thin air.

"Let's get going!" Flora said brightly, her excitement showing as she stepped into the swamp. I cringed as the muddy water crept up to my knees.

"This is so disgusting," Stella groaned, wrinkling her nose and trying to push her pant legs higher.

"Didn't you say, 'mud does wonders for your skin'?" I teased.

Stella huffed, earning a round of laughter from everyone.

"Just so you know," Tecna began with a serious tone, "these bubbles could indicate that we're standing on the back of a subterranean—and let me tell you, they're not friendly." Her comment did little to calm us. "But don't worry, I'll take care of this." She raised her hands, her aura starting to glow as she prepared a spell.

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