Chapter 31

We then see the three of team North Winchester walk out of a portal. They all stood proud as Patricia got the serpent in a small crystal orb that fit in her hand as it was shrunk down to the size of an earthworm. Alastair looked proud of his students as Clair looked the other way, ignoring him as Jorge just smiled uncomfortable. They then saw the slots spin again as the next school and portal was being chosen again.

"Now for the next school to participate!" Said Merlin.

The slots stopped as it was team Thunderbird as they got portal number 1 as their school cheered for their school. Hunter Martin, Colton White and Logan Smith stepped up as they would be participating in the challenge.

"Hmm, this challenge should be over in three minutes. Four tops." Said Clair.

"And why is that?" Alastair asked.

"As you can see, the leader has stepped up in the challenge. And he has the title of Nanook, which mean Bear Master." Said Clair.

"And your point?" Alastair asked.

"Yes, I don't know what that means either." Said Jorge.

"That title is given to those who have killed a bear on their own." Said Clair.

"Oh, wow." Alastair replied sarcastically.

"He did it at the age of 7 with just a spear. Hunter, just like his name, is the best at handling beast since it's his specialty." Said Clair, confidently.

The three stepped through the portal as they arrive at baron land, the land was brimstone as they were near a volcano.

"Whoa, the air is kind of hard to breath. My throat's burning." Said Logan.

"I think we're in Muspelheim from the looks of it." Said Colton as he looked around.

Hunter was already looking at the ground and saw tracks on the ground. He looked up and noticed claw mark on some rocks as he approached them. He sniffed the rock and quickly flinched away, while waving the air away.

"Let me guess, piss?" Logan asked.

"Yes, definitely a male and full grown. A challenge, but nothing I can't handle." Said Hunter confidently.

"What do you want us to do?" Colton asked.

"Set up a barrier if you can, Colton. If not, you and Logan make sure it doesn't get away." Said Hunter.

They then heard heavy footsteps heading towards them as they all saw a large drake walking towards them as it looked like it's been through a lot of fights. Hunter smiled as he took off his coat, shirt and tie, while having a rod in his hand. His body showed many scars all over his body, while his rod extended into a spear as he stood ready.

"C'mon, beast. Show me what you can do!" Said Hunter.

Hunter stood in front of the drake as it snorted to intimidate. Hunter humped as Colton held his hands out as his hands glowed with a blue aura. But nothing happened as he lowered his hands, while Logan was next to him.

"No moisture?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, so no barrier." Said Colton.

"Now worries. Hunter's got this." Said Logan.

The drake scrapped one of its back feet on the ground like a bull, while Hunter waited. But the drake charged towards Hunter at full speed. Hunter stood still for a second as the drake drew closer to him, until the drake threw itself at Hunter. But he quickly took a step forward and rammed his fist into its face. He knocked it away as it flew into a boulder and showed that it was already knocked out. The audience were speechless as Jorge was shocked and Alastair has his mouth open, while Clair had the biggest smile on her face.

"Yeah, that's my student." Said Clair.

"Yeah, Hunter!" A student from Thunderbird screamed.

The students of Thunderbird cheered wildly as Hunter stepped on the unconscious drake.

"I kind of expected more." Said Hunter.

"Are you sure you didn't kill it?" Colton asked, concern.

"Yeah, I made sure my punch wasn't too much." Said Hunter.

"I just hope it's concussion." Said Logan.

Team Thunderbird walked arrive back to the arena as they were chanting Hunter's name as he was bashful.

"Awesome job, Hunter! You guys did great standing around." Said Ava.

"Thanks." Said Colton.

"Um, team Thunderbird clocks in at a minute and 42 seconds." Said Merlin.

"Already in the lead." Said Logan.

"Look at the Thunderbird's leader's body." Said Julia, seriously.

"Oh, I'm looking." Said Brooke with binoculars.

"Where did you get that?" Felicity asked.

"Not that you pervert. He's seen a lot of actions. I'm trying to imagine what kind of strength he has." Said Julia.

"Oh, I'm sure he's seen action with that kind of body." Said Brooke.

"Makes you wonder what the other students can do, right?" Said Sabrina.

"Now, for the next school!" Said Merlin.

The slots spun again as it was Team San Teresa and they had portal 2. The three students stepped up as it was Cadmael and Xoc Canul and Esteban Morales as their school cheered for them.

"Esteban, are you going to be good?" Enrique asked.

"Yeah, I got this. As long as the sun isn't around I should be good." Said Esteban.

"But the sun is out." Said Enrique.

"I know. You can obvious guess how I am." Esteban replied.

"Alright! You ready, hermana?" Cadmael asked.

"You know it, hermano! Esteban, you ready?" Xoc asked as she and Cadmael butted fists.

"Vamanos. So I can sleep." Said Esteban.

The portal appeared in front of them as the three of them walked through. They all arrived at Japanese forest as it was night, while there was a thunderstorm going on. The wind was strong as lighting flashed and thunder raved loudly as they were in the middle of the storm.

"Damn, this is going be challenging." Said Xoc.

"Esteban, I think we're going to rely on your night vision. Esteban?" Said Cadmael.

Esteban was silent, but his eyes turned bloodshot as he was watching something in the sky. His eyes were following something as Xoc and Cadmael approached him as they were on guard.

"You see something?" Cadmael asked.

"Yes, but it's hard to follow or see what it is. It's cloud like for some reason." Said Enrique.

They then heard a bird call similar to a White's thrush as they all stood back-to-back. They heard something running around the forest at a fast speed as Esteban had his eyes on it, while Xoc and Cadmael pulled their left sleeves up as they had metal bracelets that opened up and turned into shields. Esteban looked around as the lighting flashes, lighting up the place for Xoc and Cadmael as they only had a second to see everything. And in a flash, the beast attack as the twins blocked the beast together, but it jumped away quickly.

"Esteban, do you see what it is?" Xoc asked.

"No, the damn thing moves fast. But I think I can match it." Said Esteban.

He took off his coat and shirt as he groaned, while his body morphed. He took on a humanoid bat form as his wings were part of his arms. He stood on all fours as the beast quickly attacked him. But Esteban throw it over his shoulder as it landed and slid back a few feet. Xoc and Cadmael then saw how it looked as the flash of the lightning showed its appearance. It was a Nue, Japanese yokai that has the head of monkey, body of a tanuki, limbs of a tiger and a snake for a tail as it screeched at them.

"Yeah, I don't know what that is." Said Xoc.

"Same." Said Cadmael.

"I know what it is. But I forgot its name. It's a rare Japanese yokai and it's known to be a pain." Said Esteban.

"What is that?" Felicity asked.

"A chimera?" Brooke asked.

"Though similar, no. It's a nue, well known notorious Japanese yokai. Or monster if you don't know." Said Sabrina.

"So why not just say monster?" Julia asked.

"Well, why not call that thing a chimera? Because it is its own race.

The nue quickly flew up in the air and tried fleeing as it turned into a cloud, but Esteban flew right after it.

"Serious!? That coward of a beast!" Said Xoc as she and Cadmael ran after them.

"Should we use it?" Cadmael asked.

"Might as well." Said Xoc.

Xoc summoned a jaguar headdress and Cadmael summoned an eagle headdress as their eyes changed like the animal they wore. Xoc bolted off on all fours, while Cadmael grew wings and flew after above the tree line. Xoc moved fast and agile, while Esteban was following the nue as he flew up and dove downs to the nue. He tackled into it as they both fell towards the ground. But while in the air, the nue's snake tail bit Esteban on the side. They crashed onto the ground as Esteban rolled on the ground and tossed the nue against a tree. It crashed against a tree as we see Xoc and Cadmael bolt or fly towards the nue and pinning it against the tree as it tried clawing its way out. It tried using its tail, but Esteban grabbed it with his bare hand. And with his other free hand, he place it on the nue's face as he then bit into its neck and quickly drunk its blood.

"What is he doing!?" Brooke asked.

"Don't ask me." Said Julia.

"He's pretty smart." Said Isaac.

"H-How?" Felicity asked.

"The nue is a rare creature. Even now and days, little is known about the yokai. So it's deemed dangerous to even deal with. I'm surprised they even found one for this challenge. So when it comes to knocking it unconscious. Brute strength won't do, because of it's speed. Drinking its blood, until it faints isn't a bad idea." Said Isaac.

The nue started to lose strength as Xoc and Cadmael removed their shields. The nue fell onto the ground as Esteban removed his fangs as his mouth was covered in blood as he licked it off.

"I will never get used to that." Said Xoc.

"And you didn't kill it, did you?" Cadmael asked.

"No. And I have restraint. Plus, this things blood tastes weird so I wasn't interested." Said Esteban.

Their school cheered them on as they came through the portal, while Esteban hissed at the sun as he was in the middle of putting his shirt and coat on.

"Team San Teresa clocked in at 3 minutes and 57 seconds." Said Merlin.

"That was smart, but a bit odd." Said Clair.

"Yes, my students like doing things different." Said Jorge.

"Looks like our schools are ahead, huh, Al?" Said Clair with a smirk on her face.

"That's probably because my students were given a large and difficult beast to deal with." Said Alastair.

"You sure about that?" Clair responded as he was angry.

"Now for my school, Team Salem! And I have one more thing to announce. Portal 3 holds a dangerous monster, possibly more than the last three we've seen. Team Salem, for you to pass this challenge, you must kill this beast. It is one that shouldn't be left alive at all. So I ask of you to think critically and act with caution." Said Merlin.

And the three that stepped forward were Ana Van Helsing, Zoe and Lucy Stone as they stood ready for the challenge.