Final test: Part 2 (Sarah's P.O.V)

Chapter: 9

Sarah bounded from tree to tree, her eyes gleaming with excitement as the cool night air whipped past her face. She moved with the agility of a predator, her every movement precise and deliberate. Spotting a clearing ahead, she came to a stop on a sturdy branch, crouching low to observe. Below her, two groups of student hopefuls had gathered, standing in a tense circle around a flag planted firmly in the ground.

A grin spread across Sarah's face, her heart pounding with anticipation. "Perfect." Without hesitation, she launched herself from the branch, landing with a sharp thud on the flagpole itself.

"Why hello there," Sarah said, her voice carrying a teasing lilt as she balanced effortlessly on the pole.

The student hopefuls jumped in surprise, their eyes widening at her sudden appearance.

"Who the hell are you?" one of them demanded, his voice sharp with irritation. "And what do you think you're doing here?"

Sarah placed a hand on her chest, feigning mock hurt. "Oh, come on. You must've heard my name at least once by now." Her grin turned wicked. "As for why I'm here, isn't it obvious? I'm here to take the flag."

A murmur of disbelief rippled through both groups.

"Like hell you will!" a girl from the second team snapped, stepping forward aggressively.

Sarah tilted her head, her grin widening as she hopped down from the flagpole, landing with feline grace. "Really now? Well, let's see if you can stop me." She extended a hand, curling her fingers in a taunting gesture. "Come on. I don't bite… much."

The tension in the clearing thickened, the air heavy with the weight of unspoken doubts. The burly leader of the second team narrowed his eyes, stepping forward with a scowl. "You're out of your mind if you think you can take all of us by yourself."

"Out of my mind?" Sarah repeated, chuckling low and dark. "Oh, sweetie, you have no idea."

Before anyone could react, Sarah vanished from sight. A blur of movement preceded the sharp crack of impact as her fist connected with the chest of a girl from the first team. The force sent the girl hurtling backward into a tree, which splintered on impact. She crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Sarah turned her head, her crimson eyes gleaming like embers in the dim light. "Who's next?"

The burly student roared in fury, charging at her with surprising speed for his size. His massive frame barreled forward, his fists raised to strike. Sarah didn't flinch. Instead, she sidestepped at the last moment, spinning gracefully as her foot lashed out, connecting with his ribs. The dull thud of the impact was followed by his grunt of pain as he staggered, falling to the ground.

Planting her foot on his chest, Sarah leaned down, her smile dripping with mockery. "Poor baby. Did that hurt?"

The remaining students snapped out of their stupor, yelling as they surged toward her.

"Now we're talking!" Sarah said, her grin turning feral.

A boy lunged at her with a wild punch, but Sarah ducked effortlessly, grabbing his wrist. Twisting it sharply, she drove her palm into his chest, sending him stumbling backward, gasping for air. She pivoted smoothly, using his disorientation to fling him into the cluster of his teammates like a ragdoll.

"Is that all you've got?" she taunted, her voice carrying a dangerous edge.

Another girl came at her from the side, her kick aimed at Sarah's head. Without missing a beat, Sarah caught the girl's leg midair, swinging her around like a hammer and sending her crashing into a nearby tree. The bark cracked under the force as the girl slumped to the ground, groaning.

Two others tried to attack her from a distance, launching twin arcs of wind blades in her direction. Sarah jumped nimbly into the air, flipping over the attacks before landing in front of the caster. Her legs coiled like springs as she flipped over him, wrapping her thighs around his neck and slamming him into the dirt.

"Come on, make me work for it," she said, straightening up and brushing imaginary dust off her shoulders.

A vine shot out from the ground suddenly, wrapping around her leg and yanking her off balance. Sarah's eyes widened briefly as she was pulled toward a coordinated attack of fire, lightning, and ice. The combined blasts hit her squarely, a loud boom reverberating as smoke and debris filled the clearing.

The students panted, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction.

"Did… did we get her?" one of them asked, his voice trembling.

A low chuckle cut through the silence. "Oh, you poor things," Sarah's voice came from within the smoke.

As the haze cleared, Sarah emerged, completely unharmed, her crimson eyes glowing faintly. Her hair was slightly tousled, but her expression was one of pure amusement.

"Impossible!" one of the students gasped, his voice breaking.

Sarah tilted her head, her smile unnervingly calm. "You thought that was enough to stop me? Adorable. But now… it's my turn."

The students barely had time to react before Sarah snapped her fingers.

"First up, solid air," she said with a wicked grin.

The air around them seemed to shimmer and harden, forming an invisible box that trapped the teams within.

"Next, liquid fire," she continued.

The ground beneath their feet began to bubble and glow as flames emerged, flowing like molten lava. The students yelped, scrambling away from the heat, only to slam into the unyielding walls of the box.

"Let us out!" they screamed, panic setting in.

Sarah ignored their pleas, her voice almost sing-song. "And finally, my favorite—invisible lightning."

With another snap of her fingers, the students convulsed as unseen currents of electricity coursed through their bodies. Their cries echoed through the clearing, a chaotic symphony of pain and desperation.

After a few agonizing seconds, Sarah clapped her hands, dispelling the elements. The box dissolved, and the remaining students crumpled to the ground, twitching weakly as groans replaced their screams.

"Thanks for the warm-up," Sarah said cheerfully, strolling over to the flag. She yanked it free with a flourish, slinging it over her shoulder.

Hopping onto a nearby branch, she looked back at the unconscious and semi-conscious students, her grin still firmly in place. "You'll live. Probably."

She disappeared into the trees, humming to herself. "Flag down," she murmured. "I wonder if the boys are having this much fun."

The night was far from over, and Sarah was just getting started.

Chapter 9: End