This chapter continues from Green's perspective.
The four scouts climbed the stairs at a decent pace for a scout, which was closer to a sprint for most other people and it only took them a few seconds to correct their mistake. Now that they had reached the top, the starting line was very clear. Once at the top there was a small hurdle separating the two halves of the starting platform with boxes for each contestant to stand in.
The four got into their previous positions and waited. Green started to hold her mana just short of connecting with the haste enchantment she had. *Just gotta start first. I can't collide with anyone in the air, I'm the smallest and likely the lightest so I'll be the one to be cast aside.* Green found herself shivering slightly. Despite knowing she was almost certainly the fastest taking the risk of starting first was still not something she really wanted to do. *But I have to prove I'm capable. Everyone thinks we have this one already and I can't betray that.*
Without warning the bar in front of them lowered. Green despite her worries was ready for any starting sign and pushed her mana into the haste rune. Green took off, already ahead of the pack practically bouncing from platform to platform. They started off flat but as she continued they were getting more angled and further apart but Green didn't slow down in the slightest, this much was easy for a scout, especially one like her.
Quickly clearing the suspended platforms Green was face to face with a wall and some ropes intended for assisting the scouts in their climb. Green didn't even stop, simply racing up the near 80° angle. Right as Green cleared the edge she could feel the haste she had enacted starting to fade. *Ok, I've gotten myself a lead, probably… Um,* Glancing ahead she saw that the course took a turn and whatever obstacle was next was hidden from her view.
*Recharge spell, don't recharge spell, recharge spell, don't recharge spell* Green continued her debate until she rounded the corner and saw the wall lined with holes. *Oh great, dart traps, well, this is fine… I've got practice right?* Deciding to head forward without renewing her haste rune Green kept an even pace going into the tunnel.
The hall of darts was a simple construction, with two walls a roof and floor, all made out of a plain looking beige wood that Green could already tell based on how it reacted to her running was much tougher than it looked. *So it's darts right? Definitely darts… I mean, you wouldn't use slits like that for poison gas right… or um, knives? Could be knives I guess? Feels like an arrow trap though.*
Green searched for some indicator as to what would trigger the darts but her eyes couldn't make anything out. Empowering her eyes once again she examined the room but was disappointed to find that other than a large pressure plate that seemed to cover the entire floor and a bit before and beyond there wasn't anything to trigger specific traps. *Ok, so this is all or nothing. I can trigger the darts and try to dodge them, or I can try and wind walk or wall walk all the way across…*
*But that is silly, this tournament is supposed to be impartial. Just because I'm a wind attributed scout doesn't mean the rest are… None of the other school would be able to cleanly avoid a trap like this… And it will take up so much mana…* Green's indecision had slowed her slightly and it was at this moment Grace came charging past Green, wind mana swirling around her. Clive was hot on her heels but without the tell-tale signs of wind magic it was hard to know how he was keeping up.
*Oh no, they are just going to charge in…Ok maybe I should wait and see how well they deal with it.* Stopping on the edge of the trap to watch the others Green saw Grace power a wind enchantment likely in her boots and sail across the whole platform without triggering it. Clive on the other hand continued his made dash. As soon as he stepped foot on the platform Green could hear the whirring of gears and darts started to fly from the crevices. There were gaps Green could see, tight pockets of arrowless ground to step in between shots.
Clive didn't care though he simply sprinted forward nocking any arrow that came close to him out of the air with some sort of barrier surrounding his hand. As Clive cleared the obstacle Green came to the realisation she had wasted too much time. *This is a race and I'm worrying about safety… This is safe, it is fine, there are no deaths in the tournament…* Psyching herself up Green decided to copy Grace and jump the whole thing. The loss of extra mana pained her a bit but it wasn't really that much when she thought about it.
Rounding the corner Green found herself faced now with a series of hanging vines. They were thick, healthy specimens and laid out a clear path across the next area if one had the courage to swing between them without fail. Green's quick clearing of the arrows left her just a moment behind Clive but a few steps behind Grace. They had both already taking to the vines and as such they left vines swinging in their wake as they left each purchase.
Green took a deep breath and calmed herself. *I'm panicking, I'm making a fool of myself.* Green started gathering wind mana around her. *I've trained for this my whole life. I know how to hide, I know how to move, and I will not lose to such a pitiful obstacle course.*
Green started emitting a strong green mist, her eyes glowed and the mana visibly pooled at her hands and feet. The light grew in intensity before she leaped. Green sored through the air landing high at the very top of the vines near where they connected to the trees that made up the ceiling of this section of the course. As soon as she made contact with the vine she flung herself to the next.
As Green moved across the vines she almost seamed to shift a little, like she wasn't truly there. When she touched a vine it stayed in place and drifted only slightly as Green launched herself through the course.
Quickly she passed Clive who didn't even notice her blurred figure as it passed above him. Grace however noticed as soon as she'd been passed. Her eyes locking onto the strangely ethereal figure of Green as she flittered through the vines. In response Grace pooled her mana in her hands and used it to launch herself from vine to vine.
Grace had gotten much faster, but she was burning even more resources. The vines she left swung wildly and the ones she grabbed tried to slip from her grasp as the intense wind currents nocked them aside. Despite this Grace was skilled enough to keep on track chasing desperately after Green as she tried to keep pace.
Despite this though, Green simply continued to gain speed. Whatever technique she was using was far superior to Grace's and showed no signs of slowing down. Just as Green reached for the next vine though she sensed something amiss. Glancing over her shoulder she saw a compressed wind blade heading her way. *Wait, what? But but, isn't that's against the rules?*
Green watched as the blade went past her fading form and instead cut into the vine she was reaching for. Green increased the amount of mana circulating her and jumped off the falling vine to the next mostly unhindered.
Grace however, was now falling. She too had been reaching for that vine and unlike Green she had no way to jump from falling foliage. Green noticed this too and decided to help a little. As she reached the vine after that she flung it far behind her towards Grace.
Noticing the lifeline she had been thrown Grace grabbed for the vine. Just barely hanging on the end much lower than intended. Grace felt herself jerk as she pulled the vine down instead of forward and the momentum she had was killed.
Green had no more time to worry about Grace. She'd already jumped two vines ahead and was trying to figure out what was going on. *I can't believe Clive did that… I mean it had to have been Clive right? Is that allowed? Why was that allowed? *
A few more vines and Green managed to reach another platform to rest upon. Dismissing the mana around her Green felt a wave of fatigue wash over her as she glanced back. Grace was still struggling with the vines climbing back up under her own power, but it was slow going.. Clive was fast approaching but still a moment off and John was nowhere to be seen.