Chapter 37: Stickdyer
The bus cruised steadily toward the forest, covering the 70-kilometre distance in less than two hours. Athar, seated beside the window, enjoyed the passing scenery a little too much. Though Ryler occasionally tried to spark conversation, Athar remained largely unresponsive, content to keep to himself. He was engrossed in the view outside- firstly the tall, large and elite buildings of the inner portion of the city, then the slightly impoverished outer part of the city which gave way to crop planted plain land and finally shrubs and grasslands just before the forest.
Eventually, the buses came to a halt, about two kilometres away from the forest’s edge.
The students disembarked, gathering in small groups. Ahead of them, the towering expanse of the forest loomed into view. The outer perimeter was relatively sparse, with thinly scattered trees and open clearings. But as the eye ventured deeper, the foliage thickened, becoming darker and denser- a wilderness where light would struggle to pass through.
The bus compartments were then opened, revealing piles of supplies.
"For every student, there is a magical tent," announced Sankul, stepping forward. "Pick one and handle it carefully. This tent will be your home for the next five days. If you damage your tent, you will have to sleep under open sky."
Each tent was packed in a small enchanted bag, compact and lightweight. To activate it, one simply had to infuse it with a bit of mana.
Apart from the magical tent, there were few dozens of axes and shovels in each compartment which were to come into handy during the camp. Few of the students took hold of these tools too.
Soon, every student had claimed their magical tent. With their gear ready, the six batches began their march toward the forest.
The massive group of nearly 300 students, divided into six sub groups, had just walked a few meters into the outer zone of the forest when a sudden movement caught their attention.
From behind one of the nearby trees, a beast emerged.
It was spider like in shape, with a strange mix of blue and black colouring. The creature stood around three feet long and slightly taller in height. Its body was divided into two parts. The first was its head and the second was its main torso. It had six thin and sharp legs emerging from its torso which it used to crawl, moving with a jerky motion.