Chapter 25: Academy’s Second Trial: Survival in a Deadly Dimension
Alex and Rina finally came to a stop after half an hour of running.
"Let's take a breath," Alex said, breathing heavily.
"Why were we running?" Rina asked, still catching her breath.
"Let's talk about it later. Let's climb the tree and rest."
Without waiting for a reply, Alex began climbing a massive tree that towered high above the jungle floor.
Rina used her wind element to assist her ascent, soon arriving at a large branch where Alex was already tying a vine-like rope around it.
"Take this and secure yourself," Alex said, tossing her a rope made from thick, flexible plant fibers.
He bound himself to a thick branch and leaned back against the trunk, closing his eyes, letting exhaustion take over.
Rina silently followed his lead, mimicking the way he tied herself to a nearby branch. The air was cool this high up, carrying a gentle whisper through the leaves. Though she tried to close her eyes, the discomfort of this strange, wild life gnawed at her. After some time, she asked softly, "Are you asleep?"
"Yes, I'm sleeping. So quiet down," Alex murmured without opening his eyes.
Rina bit her lip and didn't say anything more. After about half an hour, sleep finally took her, hanging in place with the vine as her only support.