Chapter 69: Shadow Fen Marshes Mission 1
The morning sun hung low over Sanctum School, its pale light filtered through a shroud of thick, slate-gray clouds that seemed to press down on the sprawling courtyard.
Kelvin stood at the center of the Tide’s Crest, followed by Lyra and Darius, his pulse was hammering in his chest like a war drum.
Beside him, their beasts waited, restless and alert: Xerion, the End-Tyrant moved like a restless torch, Salaris, the shadow-cloaked raptor and Rhoam, the earth-shaking panther with his iron-plated paws pressed divots into the cobblestones with every subtle shift.
The courtyard was busy with the tamers that gathered, students and instructors alike and they formed a semicircle around the raised dais where Headmaster Torin stood.
His presence was commanding, his silver robes rippled faintly as he raised a hand to silence the crowd. His voice rolled out, deep and resonate.
"A den of zombies has taken root in the Shadowfen Marshes," he announced as his piercing eyes scanned the assembly. "Their numbers swell with dark magic and their hunger grew bolder. The villages beyond our gates are in peril. This mission falls to the Tide’s Crest—Kelvin, Lyra, and Darius."
A ripple of sound swept through the crowd, a tapestry of reactions that is woven from awe and envy. Kelvin felt the weight of every stare, his skin prickled under the scrutiny.
To his left was a younger tamer, a wiry boy with a sparrow-like beast that perched on his shoulder, whispered loudly to his hearing, "The Crest? They are barely out of the pits!"
The words stung, but Kelvin kept his gaze forward, his jaw were tightened. Across the courtyard was a grizzled mentor with a scarred face, and he nodded approvingly and said. "They have got fire in them," he muttered to no one in particular. "Let’s see if it burns bright or burns out."