Insanity

Welcome back: I missed you...

As we stood our ground, Emily and Kyle started for us by sensing the presence of the creatures surrounding us. Kyle pricked up his giant ears and turned invisible, Emily took snake form, Ricardo had shifted heights so he was practically a size 12'6. We heard rustling from our right and left, we look up to see 2 ginormous Serpent Demons: great. We all split up and speed up to our enemies, Aiden and I take out the eyes of the Serpent on the left, meanwhile Kyle shoots it down to weaken it's speed. On the right however, they take an entirely different plan, Nicolette produces a giant magic circle, and sets the creature on fire. Janelle gets a boost from Ricardo and ties the Serpent's mouth shut with her extended Metal Whip, meanwhile Ricardo makes an opening in the Serpent's thick skin. Emily then poisons the creature in the eyes, which causes it blindness. On our side Kyle pins the Serpent down with the bullets and Aiden starts chanting a short ritual, and I try and make an opening by slashing over and over again through the Serpent's skin. The 2 Serpents howl in pain and fall over on their backs, we all take this to our advantage, each side finishes off the Serpents' in one single blow, one battle cry in perfect harmony among 7 different voices. The Serpents' take one last glare at us and disintegrate into the air, we all fall to our knees very tiredly and with blood running down from everywhere: hey that's how we roll.

As we were tired and we were hungry we decided to stay in the exact same area where we murdered Serpents, as we ate fish from a nearby lake. Once I finished my meal, I noticed Aiden sitting by himself, away from the group so I decided to chat with him to see what was up. I sit next to him and he looks terribly glum. I manage to ask, "What's up?" He shakes his head and that ticked me off, I grab him by the collar and lean him close so he could see my serious face, I repeated my last question in an angrier tone, "What is up?" He just giggles and surrenders himself by showing his hands waving around. He takes a moment and finally replies, "It's just when I saw those people dead and with those horrible expression on their faces, it really got to me, because I felt like I could have done something to help them." I sigh and think about his last reply, and he turns away, I could have sworn I saw tears. I finally state, "You know you couldn't have done anything, you didn't know them and you didn't know that their was gonna be a disgraceful raid like that in this forest." He angrily mentioned, "Yeah but I feel like I should've done something, I feel like it's my fault!" I slap Aiden back to his normal self, and I added on, "Listen, not that I know anything, but I am pretty sure that you didn't demand the Serpent Demons to come and kill those innocent people." I get up and walk away, this conversation is over.

That night as I slept I heard a yowl in Nicolette's direction, I wake up to see her gripping her arm, I asked, "Hey are you ok?" Nicolette nods her head and responds, "Yeah, just a cramp from sleeping on this arm, sorry good night." With that I closed my eyes and passed out. Nicolette massages her hand and in her mind, she questions herself, what could that have been? I felt an unusual sharp pain, maybe it was a cramp. And with that she fell asleep.

A month has passed, and we are nervous, we made it: My God, we survived the test, we have a chance to go back home. We look at the entrance of Camp Demon Hunt, and take a gulp I am the first one to step inside, and I get a major sharp pain in my head. I scream out, "God, what the-" I suddenly gasp and recognize this pain, when I first left the camp for this task, I felt the same pain. I grasp my wrist and see the marking has disappeared-it's gone...  Everyone else behind me, they yell as they go through the same pain. Kyle then mutters out, "This cursed place still hasn't changed one bit." We hear footsteps behind and we all face to see our disgusting leader: General Sentire.

"Oh how good to see you all, you have all matured since we last met, even our cute Janelle." The general speaks out. Emily takes snake form and threatens the general's throat stating, "Listen fool, this stupid-death game is over, and quit talking to us like your our friend-we all hate you, got it?" General stands back and we all take our ground, not knowing what to expect, but he laughs and declares with his hands spread out, "Congratulations Hunters! You have all reached stage 2, which makes you all eligible for this war, but you may die like the 24932 members died in the last month." I look up at the news, with my eyes wide open, the stupid Elf just walks away with us shocked-again.

I took a look around my tent and changed into a clean uniform shirt- man it's been a month and nothing feels like it has changed. I am in my bra and undershirt when Nicolette walks in and scream and turns around apologizing. "What's your problem, I am a girl and I am not naked or anything, it's cool." I asserted. Nicolette replies, "I-I know but your bra can be seen really easily, and don't let boys see you like that, ok?" Ok, I know for a fact that she is flustered for who knows what, so I tease her by hugging her, she yelps and I tease back, "Ok, mom..." After I decide to leave her alone, she laughs along with me and she decides to head back to her tent, tomorrow we start training.

This morning, all members at Demon Hunt were called out with the Siren's alarm, we all changed into our uniforms and left our tents. General Sentire and some other instructors announced that we will start training with the simplest training, the obstacles. We were introduced to the killing machine to our right, we had to pass it in a limited time-10 minutes. When we heard the signal we all went and when a dummy crossed our path , we were suppose to treat it like a Demon. One crossed my path, and I jump up and slash it down with my claw. I run to the next course and climb over the wall, next I swing across a hole of nothing but giant spikes, they're crazy! This is the fun part, we dodge bullets-like actual bullets from tanks ran by instructors, and I almost get hit in the face-twice! As I make it to the given location as a finish line I am tied in first place with a boy Nymph.

I look back to see everyone else, struggling and helpless, which saddens me. I look at the children and decide to run back to help them-but the stupid Nymph boy grips my shoulder and refuses to let go, he quietly explains to me, "This is for their own good, they have to become stronger and learn to grow strong if they want to make it anywhere in this war." I guess I agree, but I threaten him, "You're correct for now, next time you get in my way I won't hesitate to kill you with this." I point my Hand blades and see him gulp and back away.

About an hour later, as we all relax in the mess hall, I remember the general's words right after our obstacle course had been cleared, "Every day you will go through the same course again, and again." I sigh and someone puts their arm around me, I tackle him/her and bend their arm, when he faces me I realize it is Aiden and nervously giggle placing my hand behind my head-I am so stupid. Aiden swings his arm around and remarks, "I see the obstacle course did you some good, especially on me." He laughs and sits down, I shake my head, shouldn't he be mad? I mean I just tackled him, man he is WAY laid-back. I sit down with everyone and we take it easy- for once.

That night as I rest on my bed in my tent, I can't sleep at my scared thought of what could happen during training tomorrow. I tiredly rub my eyes, I can't do this anymore-I basically lost weight during this period of time. I think about how my father could be doing- alone, sick, worried, I am not sure if I can keep my secret from the world forever either. When everyone finds out what I really am, what will happen? I keep questioning myself, and I get frustrated as there is no answer to any of them, I didn't ask for this. I get to exhausted and fall asleep peacefully-finally a bed and not the hard, cold ground in the forest and caves, this might night be home, but it's good enough.