The Fight

CHAPTER THIRTY

Hazel’s POV




As we entered the stone forest, it was as if we had stepped into another world. The air grew thick and heavy, and the sunlight struggled to penetrate the dense canopy of trees.

The forest itself was made of jagged rocks, twisted and shaped like gnarled fingers reaching towards the sky. The stones seemed to shift and move on their own, creating an eerie sensation of being watched.

But the true horror lay in the creatures that lurked within the shadows. Trolls with skin as hard as rocks, eyes glowing like embers, and teeth sharp as daggers. They waited patiently for their next meal, ready to strike at any moment.

I tried to avoid them, but it was impossible to cover every angle. I found myself face-to-face with a troll, its breath hot against my skin, and its eyes filled with hunger.

When a troll blocked my path, I decided to change directions. But just as I turned around, one of the classmates who had bullied me stopped me in my tracks.

A cruel smirk on their face. "Leaving so soon?" they taunted, blocking my retreat.

My heart raced as I realized that escaping the forest unscathed would be harder than I thought.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" the girl taunted, blocking my way.

I tried to ignore her and stepped to the side, but the girl moved with her, still blocking my path.

"What's wrong, Hazel? Scared of a little adventure?" the girl teased, smirking at me.

I felt my blood boil at her taunting words, but I fought to keep my composure. "Just leave me alone," I hissed back, trying to step around her.

But the bully wasn't finished with me yet. She pushed me roughly, causing me to stumble backward. "Oh no, we're not done with you yet," she said ominously, her friends closing in around me.

The rest of the bullies chimed in, their words venomous and cutting. They called me names, mocked my appearance and belittled my abilities. They even went as far as to push me around, shoving me from one to the other like a ragdoll.

I was completely overwhelmed and terrified, feeling like there was no escape from their torment. My heart raced as they closed in on me, preparing to inflict even more pain and humiliation.

Feeling anxious and outnumbered, I was taken aback when the bullies began taunting me, shouting that they would get revenge on me.

"Leave her alone!" Elisa loudly shouted as she rushed towards us.

I noticed that Elisa had wounds on her body as if she had just fought a battle.

The bullies turned to face her, their expressions turning from anger to surprise. "Elisa? What are you doing here?" one of them asked, clearly caught off guard.

"I just experienced a battle," Elisa replied, wincing in pain. "But that's not important now. I want to remind all of you that this exam is not a place for you to take advantage of the opportunity to bully others."

"What are you going to do about it?" one of the bullies sneered, taking a step forward.

Elisa's eyes blazed with power. "You don't want to find out," she said coldly.

The bullies hesitated for a moment before backing off, muttering under their breath. Elisa stepped forward to stand between me and the bullies.

I approached Elisa, gratitude filling me up. "Thank you for standing up for me back there!" I said.

"It wasn't just for you," Elisa replied. "I couldn't bear to see people bullying the weak. Your friend was right - I need to do things that fit my identity, rather than bullying others."

She looked me straight in the eye. "But don't think that means I won't use proper means to defeat you. I want to show you how powerful I am."

There was a pause before Elisa continued. "And by the way, I still don't like you. So don't bother thanking me."

Just then, the ground began to shake and the sky seemed to be falling. The group that had just left were unfortunate enough to have caught the attention of a giant troll. Their lack of strength caused them to run back towards the others, but now they were being surrounded by the troll, blocking their way.

As they ran back towards the others, there was a moment of relief - until they realized that they were now trapped with the troll blocking their way. Panic set in as they scrambled to find a way out, but it was clear they were surrounded.

"Quickly, we need to move!" someone shouted, their voice filled with desperation. But no matter which direction they turned, the troll was always there, ready to strike.

"We have to fight!" another voice yelled, trying to rally the group. But their words were cut short as the troll took a step forward, causing the ground to quake beneath them.