First One To get The Dagger Wins

I honestly didn't know what happened after that, it felt like my brain was sent into a reload as we coincidentally found ourselves in a thick forest filled with nothing but tall ancient trees that was starting to look rough with age, I couldn't even make out the top as they disappeared into the sky, the leaves forming a shade to shield us from the sun, the smell of pine trees mixed with the musty earth filled the air. Rays of mellow light filtered through the leaves and over the branches casting a golden color over the ground.

I had no Idea what sort of place this was but the expression on the next disciples face who I've assumed to be Xuan already answered the question.

"We made it to the last portal." He said to himself before darting a glareful gaze towards me.

"You!"

"Don't start with me, it's your fault we're here alone and not with our teammates!" I bit back, letting the annoyance roll out of my tongue. Thanks to him I'm left all alone so he better not lecture me. I snatched the sack from him, hanging it around my waist and he didn't bother to take it back which I cared less about.

"How do we get out of here?" I asked but he only scoffed at me.

"We can't, we just keep moving and by the looks of it, this is the last stage." He uttered even to his own surprise.

"Last stage?"

He kept his annoyance in check by taking a deep breath to calm himself. "We're the lucky ones who made it to the ending of the tournament, this is where the winner will be determined."

"Can you actually speak with words that'll make me understand better?"

"The dagger is here!" He exasperated, sounding a bit offensive but my mind wasn't ready to argue with him on that as I was starting to excogitate on his earlier words, darting a surprising glance around the forest.

"That means we made it to the last stage of the tournament??"

"They opened the portal way too soon, when everyone would be asleep like it was all planned." It seemed more like he was talking to himself than to me and I didn't want to spend any more time with a mount Fuan.

"Then this is where we depart." Wrapping my whip around my waist, I walked away from him but he caught up with me with only a few strides.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"To fetch some firewood and make some roasted meat out of you if you don't let me be!"

Pushing him aside, I continued on my track but he was right beside me again. "You mount Xuandu act so highly of yourself, I'm not following you by the way, we're just heading in the same direction."

I shot him a glare and stopped at my tracks, there must be a reason why he's following me and I'm not ready to spend even a minute with him. "Fine, then you go where you want to go, I'll take the other route."

Turning my back on him, he reached out to me grabbing the sack around my waist once more. I instinctively tried to follow his steps but he leapt backwards with such ease landing on a safer side.

"I'll need this then, either we take this trip together or we fight for the artifact, your choice." He smirked, waiting for me to consider his options and just when I was about to lash offensive words at him, I heard a tiny crack behind me making me go still, I swirled around in a perturbing manner wanting to see what could possibly have caused the sound but there was nothing, although the expression on the unwanted disciple beside me made me grow cautious.

"Did you hear it too?"

He was standing right beside me now and a gasp escaped his lips as he quickly turned around. I heard the crack once more, he didn't let me turn to see what it was this time around and his face grew pale with what seemed like fear.

"No matter what you do, do not turn back!" He cursed and although I argued within myself on why I should listen to someone who put a spell on my teammates, I defeatedly did exactly as he said.

"When I say run, you run!" He whispered cautiously and the birds resting on the tree flew off, his eyes alarmingly glancing at each corner as we redied ourselves and the crack was heard behind us again except it came much louder this time.

"Now!"

We both took to our heels and the ground beneath us began to break, splitting in two and heading right for us, my eyes widened at the sight and we kept running as the crack followed us, heavy rocks were being thrown at us which we evaded, shaking the earth as we avoided harm's way.

"Our flying sword." I spoke up and we summoned our flying sword at the same time, getting atop of it and slicing through the air. The breaking didn't stop even though we had left the ground and more heavy stones kept coming, trees falling and nearly slamming against us.

"What is that?!" I asked but he didn't seem to hear me as he said otherwise.

"It's only ever summoned itself when it feels the energy around it's part has escalated, normally it wouldn't hurt but right now it wants to crush us!"

"What could it be?"

"It safeguards the dagger while it runs on the dagger's energy, if it manages to grab hold of any of us, the years we spent cultivating our powers will be gone too."

I wanted to turn around, at least see what it was but he wouldn't let me.

"Don't turn around, I've heard if you look into its eyes, it'll absorb your powers through it."

Okay now that was the scary part, why would anyone keep such a beast like that around here? How important was that dagger and why would every sect test their students with such dangerous missions?

"We probably can't help each other since we're enemies and opponents." He added while I snapped my fingers feeling annoyed with his words.

"Thanks for stating the obvious but if we don't deal with whatever beast that is, neither of us is getting that dagger!"

He seemed to contemplate my words before opening the sack.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

"Trying to save my life at least." He stated decisively making me roll my eyes.

"How do we use it if we can't even turn around to look at it?!"

"Stop venting your vexation out on me, I'm trapped here too you know so basically we're both toast." He brought out a small blue gem from the bag and placed it against a little hole on the hilt of his blade.

"I've got an idea but I'm not sure if it'll work"

"Tell me."

"Can't believe I'm doing this with a mount Xuandu but what if we combine our powers, sending a powerful ray of light after it, this little thing here." He asked, pointing at the stone he just placed on the hilt of his sword.

"It's energy is based on light but it won't be enough to blind the beast behind us, so I'll combine it with my spiritual powers, use your whip as well let's blind this thing."

Dwelling on his words, if we're able to blind it, we'll at least get to see exactly what we're dealing with and where it's hiding the dagger. I nodded in agreement, drawing my whip and instantly letting my powers flow through it. It glowed in that same purple and golden color but I didn't ponder on it. Xuan also let his spiritual energy flow through the sword and the blue stone glowed brightly I could detect it's positive power.

"Ready?" He asked and I nodded apprehensively, turning around, the lights from both our whip lashed at the beast heading towards us, the intensity of the blinding light was too strong I had to close my eyes shut which also led to me falling off my flying sword and falling to the ground but luckily for me it didn't cause me too much of an impact. A painful growl came next and the light immediately died, getting up to my feet, Xuan was at the other side also waiting for the beast to reveal itself and once the dust also cleared out, a huge beast finally came into view, my eyes widened at the sight I cautiously took a step back. Even Xuan couldn't hide the shock in his eyes at the horrific sight of the beast.

It had four eyes at each side of its head which was actually closed thanks to the blinding of the light, it had a huge dark horn on its forehead, sharp enough to tear whoever it comes in contact with in pieces.

Close to where the horns were fixed, a silver dagger remained glued to it's forehead and I didn't need anyone to binge me with the idea that it was the dagger we were looking for. We could tell the beast had sensed our prescence and an angry growl escaped from it's mouth. Xuan and I exchanged glances.

"Do you know what this means?" He asked and I'd be lying if I said I did.

"Elaborate it for me."

"We just got a competitor, the first one to get the dagger wins."

I goggled my eyes at him and before I could speak, Xuan lunged straight at the beast.