Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey

Lucas took a deep breath, steadying himself.

The challenge ahead seemed daunting, but he knew that he had come too far to back down now. He gripped the rope tightly, feeling its rough texture against his palms.

With a determined push, Lucas swung out over the abyss, his body hanging precariously as he began to move hand over hand along the rope.

Each pull strained his already exhausted muscles, but he kept a steady pace, focusing on his grip and footing.

Below him, the fog obscured the bottom, adding an eerie sense of endless depth to the challenge.

The rope swayed slightly with each movement, but Lucas's intense concentration kept him balanced.

He could hear the faint encouragements from his fellow cadets, their voices a mix of support and shared struggle.

The camaraderie helped him push through the pain, one handhold at a time.

Halfway across, Lucas paused to catch his breath.

His muscles screamed for relief, but he knew that stopping for too long could lead to disaster.

Taking a deep breath, Lucas looked around himself.

Approximately covering 20 feet Lucas could see the other side of the mountain as he stopped to take a breath. He looked to see not many were left and there were around ten to fifteen students around him.

Lucas looked forward to finally spotting Emma, Evelyn, Isabella and beutifull elf Lyra who was moving on the rope effortlessly along with some others who moved with the flawless technique required to climb the ropes, unlike there sluggish movements without glancing at anyone.

Lucas was already moving quite faster than others but the ones before him are all monsters. Adrian would be here if he was at the front line like Lucas was.

Lots of students were moving at a snail's speed while some of them struggled to pull themselves forward on the rope due to fatigue.

" Arghhhh"

After every minute screams can be heard of the students as they fall with their bodies disappearing into the fog below the mountain

Some even lose their grips unable to overcome their fatigue though they were alright, they have to start from the other side again that's why it is better to take sufficient rest to recover before moving onto the ropes.

Some even passed out on the way due to fatigue and fall into the deep abyss below.

Lucas continued moving forward following others trails to make sure he doesn't fall into any traps or pitfalls that might be set along the rope. He was determined to reach the other side, no matter how much his muscles protested. Each movement was deliberate and calculated, ensuring he maintained his grip and balance.

The fog below seemed to shift and swirl, creating an illusion of depth that was both mesmerizing and terrifying. Lucas forced himself to look straight ahead, focusing on the path rather than the abyss beneath him.

As he neared the end of the rope, his strength began to wane.

His hands ached, and his shoulders felt like they were on fire.

But the sight of his goal, just a few feet away, spurred him on. He could see Emma, Evelyn, Isabella, and Lyra already reaching solid ground, their expressions a mix of relief and triumph.

With one final, exhausting pull, Lucas heaved himself onto the ledge, collapsing onto the solid rock with a gasp. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, every muscle in his body trembling from the exertion.

After taking a deep breath for few moments, Lucas stood up and move towards the edge of the mountain and started to running down.

This side wasn't steep as the other side and was quite easy to descend.

"Aahhhh".

Lucas looked around and changed his thoughts and spoke 'It's easy to descend if you are not caught in traps.'

'Just how much time had they wasted on planting all these traps..'Lucas muttered as he marched ahead.

Lucas could see several cadets struggling with hidden snares and obstacles cleverly concealed along the path. The descent, while not as physically demanding as the climb, was a mental challenge. Each step required careful consideration, as the risk of triggering a trap or losing footing was ever-present.

He observed the movements of those ahead, noting their successes and mistakes. Emma, Evelyn, Isabella, and Lyra navigated the descent with grace, their experience and skill evident. Lucas tried to mimic their techniques, placing his feet where they had and avoiding the pitfalls that caught others.

The traps were varied and deceptive: loose rocks that would give way underfoot, hidden snares designed to catch an ankle, and even false paths that led to dead ends or more dangerous terrain. Lucas stayed alert, using his sharpened senses to detect and avoid these hazards.

As he moved cautiously down the slope, Lucas encountered a series of tripwires.

He carefully stepped over each one, his eyes scanning for any sign of danger.

Just as he thought he was in the clear, a sudden movement caught his eye.

A cadet nearby had tripped a wire, and a net shot up, ensnaring him and lifting him off the ground.

"Help!" the cadet cried out, struggling against the net.

Lucas quickly assessed the situation and decided to help. He carefully approached the trapped cadet, avoiding the remaining tripwires.

With a few swift cuts using a small knife he carried, Lucas freed the cadet, who dropped to the ground with a grateful sigh.

"Thanks, Lucas," the cadet said, brushing himself off. "I owe you one."

"Just be more careful," Lucas replied, giving a brief nod before continuing his descent.

***

( Lucas's POV)

I avoided the traps that lay on the path as I followed the route of the ones ahead. It took him around fifteen minutes to reach the foot.

I hadn't kept the account of the time they had been here but he guessed that it may have been more than 3 hours since they started the workout course.

As I reached the foot, I saw that the bottom was cut by a five hundred feet wide river that covered everywhere at the foot of the mountain.

'The instructor must have purposefully kept this part hidden from us or may have entirely forgotten about this place,' I thought, as I ran straight and dived into the river without taking any rest.

Splash.

Some who arrived behind me also jumped into it.

The water of the river was cold like ice, freezing one entire body.

"Huuh" I started to breathe heavily. My body went numb due to the coldness of the water but still, I felt that it was better than hanging on the ropes between the mountains and pushing the boulders to the top.

I started swimming by combining my arm and leg motions in rhythm. My movement was freestyle consisting of strokes with my arm rotating in fixed motion with legs pushing my lower body forward.

The icy water bit into my skin as I swam, my breaths coming in sharp gasps. Each stroke was a struggle, my limbs protesting with every movement, but I pushed forward, determined to reach the other side.

"Focus, Lucas," I told myself, gritting my teeth. "You've come this far."

The river seemed endless, and the cold was sapping my strength faster than I anticipated. I could see cadets ahead of me, their strokes strong and confident. They were clearly more experienced swimmers, their movements fluid and efficient.

I couldn't afford to fall too far behind. Summoning what little energy I had left, I increased my pace, my arms slicing through the water. My muscles burned, but I forced myself to maintain a steady rhythm. I couldn't let the fatigue win.

Ahead, a boy was making impressive progress. His technique was flawless, every stroke propelling him forward with remarkable speed. He had overtaken several cadets and was now leading the pack.

I focused on my own movements, pushing myself harder. The distance between me and the leading group was gradually closing.

The cold water was relentless, but I refused to let it deter me. My strokes became more powerful, my kicks more forceful. I was gaining ground, inch by inch, until I was right behind the leading group. My body screamed in protest, but I ignored the pain. I couldn't afford to stop now.

I was not a professional swimmer nor did I have good swimming experience except knowing the basics of how to swim which allowed him to avoid submerging into water. So I was in a slightly disadvantageous position than others as I was overtaken by others who were behind me.

Still, I increased his strokes to move forward as fast as possible using the strength he could muster.

I started catching up with those who had gone beyond me and slowly closed behind them.

With a final burst of energy, I pushed myself harder, my strokes becoming more desperate. The riverbank was within reach, and I couldn't let this opportunity slip away. My muscles burned, my lungs ached, but I kept going, driven by sheer willpower.

Finally, my hand touched the riverbank. I pulled myself out of the water, collapsing onto the ground with a mix of relief and exhaustion. My body trembled, the cold seeping into my bones, but I had made it. I had crossed the river.