The Hidden World of Nitea [2 | The Other Realms Series]

Chapter Five

Eddie held his breath as he maintained his stance. Not a sound escaped from his stationary body. One wrong move would create noise, and noise would be enough to spell the end of him.

It had been almost two hours since their class started and they had spent two-thirds of it sparring against each other. The first fights between them were one-on-one battles, followed by one-on-two battles and three-way clashes. Giorgino toyed with the settings after every fight, making sure each playing field was different from the previous one. He had transformed the room into a snow-capped mountain peak, a rocky beach, and a windy cliffside, among others. Now, the trio was engulfed in complete darkness. They were not told what the terrain was, but judging from the soft-ish floor and relative flatness of it, Eddie supposed that it was a grass lawn.

Eddie remained still as he waited. And waited. And waited. As much as he wanted to start the offense, he could not. He wielded fire and lightning—the two could trace the light back to him, making him an easy target. Eddie exhaled a silent sigh. It was too risky. The only way he could "see" in the dark was through sound or touch.

Touch. Telekinesis is an extension of the sense of touch. His mentor had told him that before. Did that mean he could use it to... see in the dark? He could always try. Eddie extended both arms.

Fwoom. Goosebumps ran across the surface of his skin as he felt all the objects in his proximity. He shuddered. He could feel the grains of fine soil beneath his feet. He could sense every blade of grass. He could even "see" the bare tree that lay several meters from where he stood, its every branch and crevice visible to him. He held back a gasp—if only he learned of it earlier! His mouth curled into a smirk. He knew exactly what to do next.

Eddie waved his hand as he searched for Jon and Stella. It did not take long. Jon was ten meters behind him, on the left side, condensing the water vapor around him. Stella was also behind Eddie, but she was on the right instead of the left, standing completely still. Like him, both of them were reluctant to make the first move.

Now that he had found them, he needed a plan to execute. How should he beat them up? Punch them senseless? Suspend them upside-down? Grab them by the ankle and fling them across the room? Eddie fiddled with his fingers as he formulated a plan. He would grab the two of them, yes, and then throw them at each other. After they collided in midair, he could then send a fireball in their direction. The shock from being grabbed by an invisible force should be enough to delay their reaction times. Eddie rubbed his hands together, the corners of his lips rising. It was time for the execution.

Eddie outstretched his arms to his sides. A funny feeling struck his shoulders as he felt extra limbs sprouting from them, but he did not mind. He curled his fingers as he searched for Jon's and Stella's elbows, wrists, and ankles. If he held them with telekinesis, would they notice? Eddie closed his hands into fists. Neither Jon nor Stella reacted. He grinned, holding back a maniacal laugh; he had his hands on them and they did not even know it.

At once, he swung his hands inward as if he was crashing a cymbal.

"AAAH!"

A pair of screams tore through the air as Jon and Stella were ripped from their spots. Eddie nearly laughed as he saw their faces contort in fear and confusion.

As soon as their bodies touched, Eddie spun his body backward and shot a fireball at them.

Fwoosh!

"AAAAH!"

A blinding fire consumed their figures. The scent of burning fabric and flesh filled the air. Cries erupted from their dry throats. They squirmed and writhed, but they could not escape. He was holding them in place.