In just a few minutes, the big rig reached the bridge that leads from the Tribus mainland to the base of the island's namesake mountain. After nearly twenty minutes down the road, the camp crew finally caught sight of the mass of the unnamed peak, and the truck finally stopped. Here, a jumbled white cloud bank appeared to rise. I was both anxious and eager to get started. I could see the mysterious mountain that had been part of the folk stories since we were in Samaria. This is where the gods once called home. My thoughts were muffled as I relived my dad's tales. As seen from above, Mt. Noah resembled a massive inverted boat. Perhaps it was named after Noah's ark, which provided safety for countless species before the Day of Judgment. All Tribians held the site in the highest regard. Because of this, logging and mining were not allowed there. "The place is not open to all. Only a few are given access to hunt and camp here. We are here with the blessing of the hunter's moon." It w

Every part of our body radiates light constantly. A dazzling brightness overwhelmed the eyes. He gasped for air repeatedly. His chest was so close to my face that I could feel it rise and fall. When he held me, he squeezed me hard. I could feel his body heat and his sweat on my flesh. His snarl was deep and menacing. Because of the agony and rage that had built up in his chest, I thought. Even though he was in constant anguish, his grip on me never loosened. He said, "Go hide somewhere safe." He puffed up his chest, which was perfectly sculpted. It took a moment, but I finally managed to swallow. I just took a fleeting peek at his countenance. His face stared back at me, all glowing and handsome. I saw the terror in his eyes, despite his best efforts to disguise it behind fluttering lids. What was behind him seemed scary, but I couldn't guess his specific worry. Asked, "Are you going to be secure?" To answer, I inhaled deeply of the hazy air and inquired. He clenched his jaw. "I

The holy trinity was cloaked in a smoky energy of many colors. As a group, the three of them were imposing in stature. They crowded all around Chase and me.The dashing man in pajamas exclaimed, "I'm about to sleep! I had already brushed my teeth, and here we are!" His intense blue eyes blinked at me, and he grinned devilishly. He shook his head and refocused on the rivals.The man in the leather jacket who looked like Chase said, "Take her to my place, Chase. We'll take care of it." He looked directly in front of him at the two shadowy sorcerers.The guy sitting next to me remained silent the entire time. His godlike features stared at me, and his silvery eyes showed no emotion.I still can't believe I'm this close to them. In this most inconvenient of situations, the gods of Tribus were with us. The cause of my family and I being in Tribus.The time spent staring up at the Tribus gods was brief. Chase's arms tightened around my waist, and I felt his weight. After bending over slight

Back at the school, everything appeared to be operating normally. We continued our regular classes as if there were no danger. Nothing out of the ordinary has occurred. Top teams only conduct occasional scouting missions.Sandro was still a secret to the deadlocks. The Trinity told them that keeping quiet about where Aragon went was best. This was a terrible secret to keep from them, but I knew that I had to ensure their safety. Innocence, I hoped, would be enough to protect them.Our foraging training has come to an end. Ed Vega taught his students about edible wild plants like mushrooms, moss, and berries. The fact that we could put what we learned to use in the real world made the lesson all the more engaging. The training sessions they've been giving us seemed more like practice for an eventuality in which these abilities would be crucial after reading this.It was almost precisely nine o'clock, and we were still outside. While the deadlock children were ten

"No one's going to be an abyssal demon, kid."Simultaneously, we looked over to where Sir Ferns had been standing, at the garden's wooden gate. His calm, almost startled expression moved from me to Oswin. I could see the rising irritation in his eyes and hear the shallowness of his breath as he attempted to keep the power above his shoulders from crashing.Everyone in the camp rose to greet the camp leader."Sir Ferns," Mauvi, Regina, Martha, and Lux all ran to him. Before returning to us, the camp's leader ruffled Mauvi's hair.We were all gathered inside the cottage garden, waiting for The Drift beyond the rectangle railing. Perhaps they were waiting for Sir Ferns' approval before splitting us into three groups.Our camp's commander cleared his throat. "There will be a still hour today," he said, "and no one knows the precise time save Lyka Millar, who is currently being kept captive by the black sorcerers.""Is she the girl who was colore