Primora Academy

Chapter 17: The Encounter

N/A

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Wednesday, The Path

7:45 am

Nia is desperate to hear her long-time friend's voice. If this was only a prank for when she punched him in the face, then she'd accept it and complain later. Her breathing is erratic and her heart is beating wildly against her ribs, but, even as she looks around, she doesn't see Mik. Another branch snaps to her left. Nia gasps and turns to face the sound.

More branches break all around making her tremble and spin in a circle. Whatever or whoever it is, they're getting closer. She doesn't want to run just in case it's Mikhale, but she doesn't want to wait around much longer. Her muscles are taut and ready to run should the need arise. Nia continues to stand there and listen as leaves skitter and branches crack.

All at once, her eyes widen and fear circulates throughout her body when a sound interrupts the quiet. Birds cry out and flutter away from the deep, rumbling animalistic growl. She sees a pair of yellow predatory eyes glowing through a bush and her face pales with the bone-chilling sight. Before she can even think or register what she's doing, the fight or flight response has her moving. Nia runs in the opposite direction of the creature, gripping the map in her hand.

Heavy pants and shaky breaths echo as she listens to the blood pumping in her ears. She runs with everything she has in her. Her muscles burn and scream for her to stop, but she pushes herself further. Nia doesn't dare look back as that could cause her to trip and be attacked sooner. The path was meant to be safe and had been for centuries. So why had none of the others spoken of a beast like this one?

Her feet pound the earth as she weaves through trees and around bends, still hearing the monster on her tail. She runs further and further away from the last place she had seen Mikhale without a chance to think, but of her own fear. Maybe she could lure it away from him or maybe it had already gotten him? It seems to like the chase, so she hopes that it had left her friend alone. Nia's mind is plagued with thoughts of leaving him to certain death.

After running for ten long minutes, she stops and hides behind a tree. Her body shakes as she looks from side to side, listening for the creature that had been chasing her. When Nia hears nothing she finally drops down to her knees and tries to catch her breath. Once she has, she begins to scan the area to see where she ended up. She looks down at her clenched fist where the map once resided.

To her absolute horror, she finds only tattered remains and looks at the ground where she had been running, but doesn't find even a scrap. Nia's heart races and panic sets in once again. She searches further down the path, but yields no new fragments.

"Fuck!" she shouts with her hands tangling in her hair in exasperation.

"I can't be lost! I have to find as much of the map as I can... Mik... Gods! He won't be able to find me! I should've just stayed in Mother Tree!"

Her panic slowly subsides as she gathers her wits with a whimper, tears threatening to overwhelm and turn to wails of distress.

"Breathe... Just breathe... You've trained for wilderness survival... You know how to track... Just stay focused. You'll find him," Nia firmly states to herself as she takes deep, calculated breaths and starts to go through her pack to set up camp.

As she unpacks some food the snap of a twig alerts her to possible danger.

Quickly putting everything back, she stands with her tired, green eyes staring at where the sound came from. She takes her eyes off the spot and turns to run, but is blinded by a bright light. Her hand comes up to shield her eyes and she squints them to better see. Nia's eyes narrow on a feminine silhouette behind the light.

"What are you doing on these grounds, child? Don't you know it is forbidden to set foot on Primora Academy's land without invitation?" the woman asks of the young Magnorolian.

"Wha-Primora? I've no idea what you are referring to... I was chased here by some sort of animal... I-I didn't get a good look at it," Nia stutters and looks on suspiciously.

The woman steps forward, pointing the source of light to the side, and smiles down at Nia.

The Magnorolian takes in the woman before her. Long hair, the color of healthy grass, is tied up on her head in a braided crown, a few strays blowing in the subtle wind. Adorning her slim frame is a dress of flowing white that connects on her shoulders, but opens around her arms until it connects again at her wrists. It flutters lightly as Nia looks into the woman's pure blue eyes, seeing something not quite right within them. She shudders at the thought and looks down at the smile stretching unnaturally over her lips.

This woman has the type of smile that threatens to eat you whole and it frightens Nia. Her hands tremble and she takes a slow step back, but the woman takes a step forward. Though her eyes and smile are menacing, her face is serene and that leaves the young Magnorolian the most unsettled. Nia's spine tingles with taut muscles and fear running her heart as her breath picks up. Pupils dilated, lips parted, and a shuddering breath beating from her lungs, she looks for an exit, backing into a tree.

"My dear girl... That was no animal," the woman's voice is sickly sweet and holds an innocence that makes Nia feel nauseous.

The terrifying woman holds up her hand and blows a powder into Nia's face. She's startled and gasps, inhaling most of it, but her fight-or-flight instincts have already ordered her feet to move. Nia stumbles as she tries to run away, falling to her knees. The face before her blurs and contorts into an even more horrifying smile as it gets closer.

"You'll do nicely! The Headmistress will be most pleased with your addition. Tests will have to be passed, but I have a feeling about you," the woman says softly, cupping Nia's chin.

She lets her head dip and grins before watching the Magnorolian's body fall forward, unconscious.