CHAPTER EIGHT

The forest becomes quieter. The excitement from the beginning of The Hunt has faded, replaced by frustration. Some students have already found Moon Sigils. Others have given up and are simply wandering. Sweat rolled from my forehead.

"We've been walking for almost an hour."

"Welcome to Black Forest. It enjoys wasting people's time." Lila signs.

"This school really needs a hobby," rolling my eyes around the forest

Just then—A horn echoes through the trees.

All students stop.

The instructors appear from different directions, as though they had been watching the entire time.

The lead instructor slowly walks toward me. Students begin whispering.

"She's in trouble again."

"I told you she'd get expelled."

"Poor girl."

The instructor stops directly in front of Lila and me. "Nira Peterson."

"...Me?"

"Unfortunately." A few students laugh.

"You have displayed... unusual behavior since your arrival."

"Is there a better way to describe it?" I said to myself

"You will complete a special task."

The forest immediately falls silent, and Lila's smile disappears. One senior wolf quietly says, "No fresher has ever been given a special task..."

The instructor hands an ancient bronze token engraved with a crescent moon.  "Retrieve the First Bell."

Before anyone can move, another instructor explains. Long ago, Grimhalden's founders created the First Bell. It wasn't meant to test strength; it was meant to test judgment. Many Alphas reached the tower, but most never reached the bell. Some weren't defeated by monsters; they were defeated by themselves.

As everyone leaves, Lila grabs me by the wrist, the second time. "Don't go."

All I could give was a nervous smile. 

"I don't think refusing is on today's schedule."

Lila lowers her voice. "My brother tried this years ago." "He never talks about what he saw." "Promise me something."

"What?"

"If the forest starts talking..."

"Don't believe it."

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The deeper I walk, the stranger the forest becomes. Birds disappear. Wind stops. Even my footsteps sound distant. Immediately, I noticed something impossible. The trees begin moving; they aren't where they were seconds earlier. The forest began to rearrange itself, almost like it were alive. 

I finally reach a clearing. An enormous stone tower rises toward the sky, and ancient vines wrap around it. At its center hangs an old bronze bell. I was surrounded by fear and doubt. I was about to climb when a little girl appeared, barefoot, wearing a white dress, with silver eyes. The girl I saw could not be older than eight. 

The girl smiles. "You're late."

"...Who are you?"

The child ignores the question. Instead, she asks, "Do you miss your father?"

My heartbeat stops for a minute. I never mentioned my father, not to anyone in Grimhalden. The little girl continues. "He misses you too."

I instinctively step forward, moving closer to her. The child smiles wider. Then— She melts into thousands of glowing silver butterflies. They scatter into the air. The clearing becomes empty again.

"...What was that?" I whisper to myself

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As she climbs the tower, enormous transparent wolves begin appearing. Unlike normal wolves...

Their bodies are made of moonlight; their eyes remain closed; they didn't attack, they just watched her. Every step Nira takes, one wolf opens an eye, one after the other. Soon, dozens of glowing eyes are watching her. The atmosphere becomes suffocating. Yet none of them move, almost as though...They are waiting to judge her.

She reaches the rope. Her hands tremble. The instructor never said what would happen after ringing it. She laughs nervously. "I really make terrible decisions."

She pulls the bell. “BOOOOOONG!!” 

The sound isn't loud but ancient and deep. It travels through the forest like a heartbeat. Every wolf at Grimhalden suddenly stops moving. Even the instructors look toward the tower. Adrian slowly lifts his head. For the first time all day...He smiles. "...Interesting."

As the echoes fade...The glowing wolves lower their heads. One by one, in respect, they disappear into silver mist. Nira looks around in confusion. She doesn't understand what just happened. But somewhere far away...

Hidden behind the trees...

A pair of crimson eyes opens.

A voice whispers, "The Hybrid has finally awakened..."

Nira hears nothing. She turns and begins the walk back to meet the others, unaware that Black Forest has recognized her before the wolves ever could.