A Witches Home

Chapter 9

Chapter 9: JUST A LITTLE RED HOT RIDING

Previously:

[Congratulations host! You've almost completed 'Tutorial Island'! You just need to ace the exam tomorrow like the pro you are!] Link says with clear excitement.

"Yeah. It'll all be over tomorrow." I say with a hint of relief.

[Host, that's where you're wrong.] Link says with confidence as we walk out of the arena. [This will only be the start of your journey. After you complete your exam you be traveling across the beast world!]

<<My new peaceful life begins tomorrow. I hope the beast world is ready for me because I'm coming in red hot.>> I think with a smirk on my face as I head towards my house with a bounce in my step praying tomorrow can come sooner.

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Astrid POV:

It's the day of the final exam. As I arrive at the arena that I have essentially called home for the past year a sense of pride washes over me. I've never been a lazy person and I wasn't fat by any means before but I did have some pudge here and there. Yet, over this past year, my body has gone through a visible change. I do miss the extra cushion sometimes, (and who doesn't like a bit more to love), but this body that I've built,... I just hope that I'm just as strong mentally.

"Apparently the arena went through an extreme makeover last night," I mumble to myself.

"Yes. This is for your final exam." Cryion says behind me scaring the piss out of me.

"Holy shit!" I breathe in and out, "You have GOT to stop doing that, my guy. Just because you're stronger than me and I can't sense your presence doesn't mean you can just pop up out of nowhere." I scold. <<He does this all the time, but he never listens.>>

"The others are in the viewing area. I will explain the exam. The arena has been divided into four distinct zones. Each represents one of the four skills you will have to demonstrate." Cryion says as he looks down at the arena.

<<Jumping right into it I see>> As I roll my eyes and follow his gaze. Down below I see a dense forest, to the right there's an expansive clearing with what looks like a massive raised platform in the center. Below there's a complex maze and obstacle course with all sorts of traps. Then to my surprise flying in the air are platforms with targets on them slowly moving around.

"Right. So the forest is for my hunting skills, the platform is combat, the maze is for defense, and the floating platforms are for my magic skills. Am I right?" I say looking at Cyrion.

"Correct. First, for hunting, locate the hidden targets and take them down. You'll have 45 minutes to locate them all. Next is defense, you'll go through the maze and obstacle course dodging traps and any attacks. You'll have 45 minutes to get through the course. Then, for magic, you'll be moving between those platforms using your magic to hit the targets and solve problems that may come up. You'll have an hour to solve all the problems and hit all the targets. As for combat, you'll be fighting Obsidian on the platform. Finally, you'll have to use everything you have learned to solve a situation. You'll have an hour to complete that." He pauses letting me absorb all the instructions.

"Okay. Head down. We'll start when you're ready." He says turning and walking away. Before he is completely out of sight he softly yells back "Good Luck." Then disappearing in an instant.

<<Awe. Well, that was nice.>> I think with a smile on my face. <<Not much information but it seems self-explanatory. Okay, let's do this thing.>> I think as determination starts to fill my body.