The Children Of Thalia

Grassland Fairy

I didn't pay much attention to what happened after that. My back hit the muddy loose ground, another figure that seemed to be the participant holding me above, clutching me firmly while an invisible sword flashed past cutting off a bit of his blonde hair.

In an instant, really just a split second, the thatch land surrounding me was blown away like a sharp scythe. However, a second later, the grass grew up again as usual. Deadly weirdness, why did I forget about this. Written in the rules, I think about page fifty, about the approximate enemies to be faced.

It's all a trap. From the start, everything was an elimination trap. The river, the surrounding citizens, the endless grasslands, the high weeds. Everything was to blur my view and instinct about direction, so that the enemy in front could launch a crushing attack.

The blonde-haired youth who had been pushing me jumped up, immediately wary of the surroundings. His face, I think I've met him, but where?

"It's not over, get up!" He extended his hand to me. The hand was just a little bigger than me. However, when I received his words, it turned out that his palm was rough. Hardworking hands. His grip is strong too. His face looked so young.

"Thank you."

"Don't think. Awake!"

We face each other on the back, guarding each other on the back. The enemy we are facing right now is quite problematic. I also didn't expect to face them so early. There really seems to be no choice for the level of difficulty, huh?

"These grasses have gone up again." Said the young man. "Prepare, the attack is coming."

Focus. Focus is the main weapon against them. The direction of the attack is unknown. A quick and sharp attack, giving a fair amount of injury if it hits. If it is forced to the vital part, it is immediately declared a failure. Therefore, I need to take into account all the information I have received.

Head-high tares, just like before. Muddy paths, strange feeling as if lost, flowing wind ushered in the carefree sounds of the residents.

"DOWN!!!!!!!"

"YES!!!!!!!"

We ducked together, just before the invisible scythe slid again cutting the tall grass. I didn't notice it earlier, but the scythe piece was really neat, like it was swung very quickly by a very strong hand. Immediately I stood up, watching every weed that flew by the attack. A neat cut, right at the point as high as the neck. It's not kidding. They actually lowered the instant elimination weapon in the beginning. The attack could clearly instantly make my head float.

"ALERT!!"

The young man shouted again as soon as he found the grass growing faster. We are facing the back again, careful, focused with the attack to come. The rhythm I've got, the pattern of the attack I already know, stay in the direction. I can, it's readable.

The grass rose as high as the head, the wet muddy ground made the feet set, the sunlight dimmed, the feeling would have been lost far away in the forest came. I closed my eyes, fully focused on the sound. The breeze blew through the grass, the firm steps of the young man behind, the sound of the water flow.

Immediately I opened my eyes, turning around pushing the young man to the side. An attack will emerge from here, I'm sure of it. From the weeds that flew before, I could tell that this invisible scythe attack had only been launched once, in one direction, at a time. Deflect this attack and everything will be clear. Who is my enemy, where is he, how to defeat him.

I spread my right hand forward. Gift-ku active. The glowing ribbons expand, rotating in the arms. The sharp wind began to cut through the grass, rapidly sliding towards my stretched hand. I held my breath, hoping this would work. My power is limited to what I touch, at least that's what I know. Now we see, if I can deflect a light-based attack, the wind should not matter either.

Right after the ribbons disappeared, I felt something hit hard on my right hand. Something strong and sharp, like a spear thrown by a professional athlete. But instead of piercing, this attack was a slash. Like holding down a swing of a sword with bare hands. It's heavy, but if I let it go, my head will be floating.

"YYYYAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Exerting force, I shouted. My right hand glowed for a moment, reflecting anything that attacked me before. I knew it was already reflected when my hand was pushed back by the recoil. The clump at the back was not cut off, but in front of it was cut off twice, another sign that I managed to bounce off the attack. My eyes are looking forward. Even though the side effects of my abilities were beginning to feel, I did not take my eyes off. 

That second is the key. My eyes caught a short figure, jumping away covered in blood. Like a gremlin in mythology, but his body is blue. Ah, to hell with it, I'm sure it's my enemy.

"HEY, OVER THERE!!!!!!!!!!"

But the young man was silent on the spot. "Calm down, I know." Her speech. He stood up, his posture firm with his left hand stretched out and his right hand pulled back like an archer. The air flowed, revolving around his arms, gathering together to form a long arrow. He was aiming, incredible focus. Not a single bit of his eyes flickered even though a strong wind had fluttered his blond hair. The eye is firmly attached to the target, looking for the best point to be ambushed by an arrow ready to shoot out like an eagle flying in a circle eyeing prey.

The arrow was slashed when he felt the target was already locked. The wind made the cut grass fly, turning to follow the path of the arrow. I slightly closed my face when I felt the sharp little grasses piercing my face, but my eyes could not escape staring at the fast slashes of arrows storming the blood-soaked creature helplessly trying to save himself, he said, far ahead. Like a pheasant, it did not take long until the arrow pierced the enemy's chest, causing it to collapse, dying instantly. I didn't see much more clearly what happened after that, and I don't think I'd want to see it either.

My head felt dizzy for a moment, throbbing and spinning like it was going to fever, but it soon disappeared a few seconds later. I raise my head. The clump around turned out to be only chest-high, and nothing was cut off anyway. I see the blue sky. Calm down, as if the feeling of being lost was just a mirage, or not, not a mirage. It's all an illusion.

"Fresher it tastes," I murmured. I rested on both hands, sighing for a moment after finally feeling victorious.

"Garden at the beginning. They're not kidding." Said the young man, taking off his pose and sighing as well as me.

"Yes. Hypnotic ability and air sword," I patted. "It's stupid that I'm stuck, but I already know."

"It's okay, I'm just like you." The young man reached out his hand again. This time, he smiled. "Willard Lucas, Junior High, Leanzea."

Accepting his words, I introduced myself as well. "Theodore Radley, Polaris Junior High, Athem. Nice to meet you, Lucas." I patted my dirty clothes. As I recall earlier I had fallen onto the muddy ground, but my back was not wet. I looked again at the ground, there was no path, no muddy ground at all. All I see is a grassy dry road. Even the highest growing weeds are just a boat.

"Rural... how........" My head suddenly tried to sort through the whole incident and the possibilities. When it was sorted out, I finally got a picture of what was happening, and I couldn't help but laugh. "What's the truth, since we've just been circling around here?"

"Eating I said this sucks." Lucas started walking. "Come, we can't waste time."

Thinking about the time limit, it is true that I can't go around, but walk together? Is it really profitable? Aren't he and I rivals? It would have been easier for him to get rid of me, but he chose to help me, for reasons I didn't know. All right, we have the same goal for now: finding the nearest settlement. I don't think it's okay to walk with him as long as I don't lose my guard.

"Your shift is unique too." Said the young man, perhaps so that the atmosphere would not be awkward. "I've seen a gift that nullifies an attack, but only this time have I seen one like you. Is that like messing up the direction of motion?"

Is it okay to ask like that?

"Answering would only inform the opponent, right?"

The young man smiled at my reaction. "yes too. After all, we are rivals, huh? Then just go this way." He reached for the exam card from his pants pocket. Immediately he turned it on to the riddle window of the clue. "It's my puzzle. Is this information enough?"

This guy.... does he know, or is it just a coincidence? The guess is the same as me. The tube he was looking for was also the same tube.

"Who would want to find someone else's tube at a time like this?"

His expression changed instantly. Pout, but like a person who is just aware of something, which is his own fault.

"Now you say it, it's true too." Lucas kept the card. "It's not fair. My gift you saw earlier. I can compress a certain amount of wind to become a weapon."

That meant, his archery ability was indeed pure his ability without any gifts. Incredible, especially after I saw the look in his eyes while aiming.

"You archery?"

"I've loved arrows since I was a kid. After getting the Gift, my spirit of training grew even more burning. Isn't it cool to use wind arrows like that?"

"Well, you were right about that."

I haven't let go of my suspicions on him, but fine. He's seen my gift, too, and I haven't come close to anyone by DiMichelle's last name so far. Giving him a little information would not be too much of a problem.

"To be fair, I tell you a little bit about me too." I took the test card from my inner jacket pocket, showing him my puzzle. "We're the same, by chance."

The young man's eyes sparkled like a child. "What a coincidence!"

"Yes." Yeah." I turned off the hologram screen again. It was enough for him to know that our situation was the same. "My gift, as you saw earlier, I can reflect the attacking energy that touches my hand. His name is «Reflector»."

The young man's eyes sparkled like a child. "Ooh, that explains why the attack turned to the fairy. What a nice gift!"

"Haha, you also have wind arrows. It's great, it can be used to attack. My powers are hard to use except to hold on. You can attack, are you the Aggressor?"

Lucas shook his head as he shook his hands, "Ah, no-no. I'm Enhancer. I can make wind arrows, but that's it. Must have archery ability first to use."

Beyond a doubt, very beyond a doubt. But he himself is quite expressive character. Like talking to Ansel, but more polite.

"That's good for you." I stopped stepping, pointing to the village that was already close in front. "Now, look, the village is ahead. Find what first?"

"Water." Lucas replied without thinking. He's smarter than I thought.

"Agreed." And we continued on, somewhat twisting to at least be respectful by entering the village through the main gate. "By the way, call me Theo."

"Okee's." He showed me his gesture ok with his finger. A truly expressive young man. "Well, I'm a little weird to call Lucas, too. Maybe Will's enough."

"Alright, Will. We'll have a little cooperation until the exam is over."

"Ready!"

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