The Battle Mage

Pine

A teacher I've never met who insists he be called Terry fashions a portal in the back yard of the school as we wait nervously. Lisa holds the ferret, her hair tied up and lips pursed. Her eyes are bright and excited, though her thumb nervously strokes the ferrets fur. It sits there, half awake, seemingly apathetic to it's circumstances. Wesley has a small pack with medical supplies hung over his shoulder, though it's pretty much only bandages and cleaning supplies. They wouldn't give him any actual medicine, as that would defeat the purpose of sending a healer. He grips it tightly, like it's his lifeline, despite it's meager holdings. His hair, too, is tied up. Jack has a backpack with a small supply of food and water that we were surprised to receive, as well as a small bag containing broken glass. We weren't sure why they gave it to us, but Gerald insisted. Keanu stands next to me right in front of the portal, a small sword sheathed on his hip and no less than ten daggers stashed on his person. Along with the standard close - fitting clothes that we're all required to wear, he has fingerless leather gloves and extra holsters sewn on to accommodate his knives. I have my personal battle axe gripped in my hands as opposed to on my back, freshly sharpened, along with a throwing axe on my left hip. I, too, have tied up my hair. Sadly, they didn't let us keep the map.

"To reiterate, your task is to bring the ferret, alive, to the other side of Euripta within five days, though its survival is top priority. We'll be monitoring you, but be warned that if we have to interfere it will affect your grade." Terry smiles. "I know you've already heard and read this a thousand times. You all ready?" Beads of sweat have formed on his forehead, either from the heat or from making the portal to Euripta. Keanu nods, and with a sweep of his arms, Terry sends us through. 

Every part of my body turns ice cold for less than a second until suddenly I'm in the hot, sticky environment of the forest. For a few moments, I'm paralyzed from the journey, so I try to take in my surroundings. The trees are taller than I expected, though not blocking out much sun as they're not very dense. The ground is soft and springy, not quite marshy yet but definitely not dry. My neck unfreezes and I swivel around to check on the others. Keanu is shaking out his arms, Lisa whipping her head around. The ferret is not happy, squeaking and squirming around in her grasp, but she holds it tightly. Jack looks dazed, slowly stretching out one arm. Magnus is frozen for a moment more before a tremor goes throughout his body and he stretches out. 

"That was... unpleasant." He says. I nod in agreement, then look around. Finding a small piece of flat wood, I hold a hand out to Keanu. "Knife, please." He hands me a small dagger, and I start carving a map into the wood. As soon as I'd found out we wouldn't have the map, I memorized it and told Keanu that as soon as we went through, I'd carve it out. He'd agreed to lend me a knife beforehand, albeit unwillingly. My carving has never been great like my dads, but my memory is impeccable. 

"Which way, map leader?" Jack asks. "That's a horrible name." I tell him, then turn and nod to Lisa. She hands me the ferret and gives herself claws. She scampers up the nearest tree like a squirrel, and I look down at the animal in my grasp. Its eyes are tiny and it's clearly not happy with it's situation. Lisa returns. "Pond is that way! A long, long way though. At least twenty miles. It gets super marshy first, though." "As expected." I say with a nod. "If they dropped us where they said they did, we have a fifteen mile walk through the marsh before we get there. It shouldn't be that bad if we stick together." "So do we just... start walking?" Wesley asks. I shrug. He shrugs back. 

"Give me a moment." Jack says. He's been staring around the woods for a few minutes now. "What you seeing, Jack?" Keanu asks. Jack frowns. "Nothing except animals, though none magical. It's... weird. I can feel magic, but can't see it. No immediate danger, at least." "Then let's get going!" Lisa says, her claws gone. She reclaims the ferret. She starts to lead the way, but Keanu steps ahead. "No offense, but the rodent shouldn't be at the front. Stay in the middle." Keanu leads the way, forcing a path through the bushes. Jack and Magnus follow behind with Lisa, and I take up the rear, holstering my axe on my back. I hold my small map in one hand and the knife in the other. If we were heading to the pond, we must be going North.