บท 32: Second Trial

It's been over two weeks now, Blake found himself and a few more students in Combat classes, then a dozen few more in sorcery but In Survival class, just him, Tera and Evie. He kept wondering whether Jotham said right or why they avoided survival so much.

Obviously, Jotham was already a Transcendent by status so him saying that you pick survival must have a meaning. But the question now was why no one bothered about it at all.

It Was the last day to stay at Imperial Academy. It was already Autumn Cholie and the main event would be tonight so they still had today to learn all they want and practice more.

Blake sighed, he could feel a terrible slumber clouding his eyes. There were dark circles in it. The gods had decided to use sleep as the main channel into the Underworld Groove because obviously, the body of the humans might not be able to come out ever again that was why slumber was used.

The Imagination Realm was like the Underworld Groove but slightly had it's own difference. And it was designed that way by the god of the earth and skies.

Everything today was done so sluggishly and Blake found it so annoying that he couldn't do a single thing right because of sleep.

And looking around, he could see that it affected not only him, but other students. Even those that prefer using their time bickering and gossiping was so exhausted to do so.

Blake turned back as he headed for the stairs. He would have loved to use the [Darkness Cover] but, the lights were turned on every path plus it was too tiring climbing the stairs.

The worst part now is that, it was only 9:30Am in the morning.

Tera and Evie marched to Blake, their eyes rubbed of all sleep. As though, the nightmare wasn't in anyway affecting them.

His eyes widened.

"Feeling sleepy?"

Blake didn't answer that question because he felt that it was a useless one.

"Have some coffee. It might help eradicate sleep a little from your eyes and you wouldn't be too exhausted to learn." Evie said with a small shrug on her shoulder.

"Coffee? Oh, yeah! I've never had one before. Mom used to say am too young but whatever."

Evie's gaze faltered slightly.

"You learn sorcery? Mind teaching me a little bit of what you know."

Blake's face twisted in disgust.

"Hello, It's my course. You can't just jump in and want me to teach you."

Blake bragged.

Tera Immediately chuckled and made her own statement.

"Evie, the question should be, what have he learnt?"

Blake almost cursed her.

But acting matured, he ignored their topics which was only making him more stressed and tired and he left to find coffee for himself.

FEW MINUTES!

Blake was in the lesson room right now, the hall was obviously empty and it was a fact that it was because of the groove's nightmare. Even Sire Zachery was stunned to have him still come learn although the slumber had Approached.

"Mr. Listerio, you want to Learn? In this condition?"

Blake didn't mind the complement though, he waved his hands frankly in the air to dismiss his thoughts.

"Had a bit of black coffee so I think I would be able to handle the oppression of sleep."

Mr. Zachary smiled and decided anyways to teach him since he is willing.

Later, Blake had completed the necessary and was prepared for the Trial. Plus he gotten the initiative of combat and known a bit about survival.

Survival, mainly about how to save yourself when there's danger ahead. How to pitch a tent, or how to swim etc... He had knowledge of it so.

His wait was finally over.

The Academy had prepared fast and exuberant sleeping pod which would maintain their body as long as it would take them to conquer the second trial. Evie and Tera met Blake one last time because obviously, they would still want to be in each others company.

"Listen guys, it's almost time. We do not want to pass out here. When you are out in the Imagination Realm, Let's locate ourselves by leaving signs of where you are."

Evie sighed.

"Will that even be possible?"

"We might try using runic alphabets. We were taught that by our master." Tera said.

Blake shrugged.

Later they received announcement to climb into their pods. Their pods were numbered according to the number of their room so while Blake's was 56, Tera's is 16 and Evie's is 39 so the trio was separated.

But, lucky Blake, he had a neighbor.

It was Azulu.

'Damnation...'

Azulu jumped out of her pod and opened Blake's.

"What are you doing, it's almost time."

"Can I share a pod with you?"

Blake hissed instantly.

"No, my pod cannot contain two bodies. Please leave."

"I can't believe I found you again after we seeked our freedom at the Vile Castle."

"Oh no...."

"Dessi and I have been talking so much about you. Wait, you're Blake right?"

"Yes I am"

Azulu smiled. "Phew! For a moment, I thought you weren't the one."

Immediately, Blake regretted accepting that he was really Blake. He would have just said No! He wasn't and the pest would be gone. He fucked up.

After making the supervisor talk to Azulu, everyone was made to stay in their pods until the time for the journey Into the Imagination Realm of the Underworld Groove.

Blake felt his eyes lids grow heavy as he memorized what he had learnt these two weeks and some days.

Then all at once, everyone fell asleep.

Before Blake could realize again what was happening now, he discovered that he was... Falling down. Down! Below and deeper, as though the world was endless right now. As though nothing was in it. Actually, he was supposed to wait for nature to take place and build the world back up but no, he was falling deep and never ending. Then out of the blue, the Orthodox Crane spoke:

[Welcome to your second trial Imaginer, Blake. Wait for the changes of the world.]

Blake's eyes widened.

"Wait what, changes of the world?"

Suddenly the golden sun fished past his vision.

Everything suddenly paused. Time froze.

Morning and night stopped, and the wind started to blow. But Blake kept falling.

Mountain rose from the deep surfaces of the sky and then out of the ordinary. The land surface emerged and stood in place and Blake landed with a thud on it.

The strange pain radiated his whole body and Blake sighed.

To his notice, the sun rose from the west, streaked along the Sky and sets in the east. Everything happening in reverse so quickly. Even snowflakes returned into the embrace of clouds and along the line, weathered paved path stretched it's way ahead and Blake saw a man...

"Wait, isn't that the Backward Ichist?"

Blake was stupefied for a moment. Immediately he hid.