The whole course was a race, so speed and endurance were important. Immediately, Lance, Jaylin and Alana pulled ahead of the group. Lance was the fastest of them all even in his normal form, but when he morphed into his Chimera form in a flash of light, his speed increased greatly. Lance streaked ahead, covered in fur.

He sprang into the mud pit, fangs flashing. Because his Chimera form was fairly large, he was slower in the mud, so that was the weakness that Jaylin could try to use. He needed to beat Lance in the pit.

Jaylin waded through the mud, stepping carefully. One of the mechanical jaws could snap at any moment. They wouldn't injure him, but he would be trapped until it released him, creating a time penalty. Caution was needed if he wanted a shot at winning this thing.

Suddenly, Alana screamed behind him. He turned to see her tugging at her leg. It was completely stuck and wouldn't budge. One of the mechanisms had gotten her!

Jaylin sped up, moving quickly (or as quickly as it's possible to go when wading through an ooze-pit filled with traps). He was catching up to Lance, who was moving slowly in his wolf form so as to avoid the traps, his fur full of grime.

He's being too cautious, Jaylin thought, that will be his downfall.

Indeed, Jaylin was already passing his friend. He advanced quickly through the pit, his strides becoming more confident. Soon, Lance was far behind. Jaylin turned to look over his shoulder.

"Lance, come on, hurry up-"

Jaylin was cut off as something closed around his foot. It was one of the snapping mechanisms! In a wild attempt to avoid the artificial jaw, he lunged backwards and the trap closed on empty mud. He had escaped a time penalty! But it was not without a price. The momentum from throwing his whole body backwards caused him to fall flat on his back, on the surface of the mud. Suddenly, he was beneath the surface of the mud, sinking down.

Jaylin didn't dare open his eyes or mouth. Panic threatened to set in, but he calmed himself. If he did something wild in his fear and stood on a jaw while under the mud, he could die in the pit. Jaylin gathered his feet under him and gently stretched them out until they touched solid ground. He hadn't touched a jaw! He was safe!

Jaylin pushed himself off the ground as if he was jumping, though he couldn't see anything in the murk. The mud rushed around him until he broke the surface, sputtering for air. He had made it! Jaylin wanted to cheer, but he was afraid that he would accidentally inhale the sludge that clung to his lips, so he celebrated inwardly. He had successfully avoided a time penalty, but his heart sank as he realised that Lance had passed him while he was under the mud. His friend was already out of the pit and shaking the mud from his fur. When he was relatively clean, he started sprinting over to the copse of trees.

Jaylin waded the last couple of steps through the mud pit, then pulled himself onto solid ground. He sucked in big gasps of air. His lungs burned, but he forced himself up. It was time for the second part of the obstacle course.

Jaylin clambered up a tree grabbed a branch, adjusting his hand until he felt like he had a secure hold. He pushed off the trunk of the tree and swung, letting go of the branch. He glided through the air for a second and then stretched out his hands to clutch the branch of the next tree. Soon, Jaylin had built up some speed. He had to think fast, judging each distance between branches so he could move smoothly through the treetops.

That was when the arrows started flying. They lacked arrowheads and were instead topped with sticky sap, so they weren't deadly. But if they hit him anywhere on his body, they would stick no matter what, and that was another time penalty. Jaylin moved as swiftly as he could through the foliage. The faster he was, the harder a target he was to hit with an arrow.

Behind him, Alana was only just hauling herself out of the mud pit. She was too far behind to catch up with him. All Jaylin needed to do was beat Lance.

Jaylin was fast from all of his tree climbing as a young child, when he had been addicted to scampering up oaks and clambering through their branches. He was barrelling through the trees, gaining on Lance with every swing. But a wave of weariness hit him, as if the struggle in the mud pit had just caught up with him and was steadily draining his energy levels. Lance, on the other hand, was swinging smoothly and easily. He wasn't going exceptionally fast, but Jaylin knew that was saving his energy for the upcoming battle simulation, the last stage of the obstacle course.

Soon, Lance reached the last tree and jumped to the ground. An arrow whistled past his ear as he fell, but the boy didn't even pause. Jaylin knew Lance's most skilled weapon, the one that he used every single training. He watched as the boy grabbed his sabre from the sword rack, and then ran off the face the sentries.

A few seconds later, Jaylin dropped from the trees. As he landed on the ground, crunching on a carpet of leaf litter, an arrow hit him right on the chest.

"Ten second time penalty," Coach shouted. Jaylin groaned. He could only watch as Lance fought on ahead.

His friend morphed into his Chimera form and dove into the fray.

"You may go now!" Coach yelled. Jaylin smiled. He was back in business.

Jaylin's weapon of choice was a spear. Sharp, easy to handle, long enough to strike enemies from a distance... what was not to love about the weapon? He pulled his spear from the weapon rack and charged into the fray.

A young sentry in a red cloak came at him, his hood flicking back to reveal sandy hair and dark eyes. He sprang forward, wielding a rapier. In a flash of light, the sentry turned into a creature with thick beige fur covered in brown spots, large, dark eyes, and rows of jagged fangs that rested in a immensely powerful jaw. The creature let out a ghostly cackle. He was a hyena Chimera! The sentry lunged and jabbed at Jaylin, as his cloak flared around him like an ethereal, crimson aura. Jaylin deflected the jab of the rapier with a swipe of his spear. The defensive movement sent the sword downwards, where the tip of the blade embedded itself in the ground. Just as Jaylin was about to counterattack, a sentry suddenly struck from behind. He spun to see another flash of light as a woman transformed into a sleek squirrel with smooth black fur. She moved fluidly as she swung a dagger at his head. Jaylin dropped to his knees just in time. The knife sliced through the air directly where he had been, clipping off some of his hair.

While Jaylin was on the ground, the two sentries rounded on him. The hyena Chimera had freed his broadsword from the ground and was creeping forward with it. The squirrel Chimera, her fierce little ivory incisors bared, brandished her dagger. Jaylin raised his spear protectively above his head, though he didn't know what good that would do against two opponents.

Suddenly, the clang of metal on metal filled his ears. Lance had come to his aid! His friend was locked in battle with the hyena Chimera, using his saber to parry the rapier's attacks, thrusting forward towards the sentry's head, chest, stomach.

"Thanks," Jaylin exclaimed, getting quickly to his feet.

"Don't mention it," Lance smiled, sending the rapier flying away with an expert strike of his saber. The hyena slashed at Lance with his claws, leaving a scratch on his arm, before turning and scampering out of reach.

The squirrel Chimera dove towards the two, her long, fluffy tail flashing, and they began to battle. She was an amazing fighter, using her dagger adeptly and smoothly, twirling it in her paws, stabbing and slashing and blocking in quick succession. To top it off, her squirrel form was supple and willowy. She bent and turned with ease, spinning through the air, twisting her upper body at the last moment to jab with her dagger, slinking just out of range of their blades.

But soon Alana joined them, flourishing her gleaming broadsword. They outnumbered the solo squirrel three to one and with spear, saber and broadsword combined, they eventually disarmed her, sending the dagger skidding across the ground.

"That's enough. You three are just too good!" Coach congratulated, evidently pleased. Jaylin was almost taken aback by the unexpected compliment. It wasn't everyday that Coach handed out kind words.

"Mr Jaylin Lewis, Mr Lance Esposito and Miss Alana Rousseau? I think you all deserve a well earned break."

"Thank y-" Jaylin was cut off from expressing his gratitude as Coach pulled a dart from her pocket and in one quick movement of her arm, she threw it straight at him. Just in time, he raised his spear. The dart skewered itself on the spear, the point of the weapon poking out the other side of the feathered dart.

"Well done, Jaylin," Coach smiled, "you always need to be ready for anything in battle."

Jaylin smiled back, but remained wary, just in case another dart was randomly thrown at his face.

The last sentry to be defeated was a towering bear Chimera. Once all of the kids had completed the obstacle course, they were free to leave. He walked with Lance, the adrenaline still rushing through his body. As they streamed out of the training field, Jaylin found it hard to concentrate. He stumbled and nearly fell. His spear clattered to the ground. He felt dizzy. The world was disappearing in front of him-

"Jaylin! Jaylin Lewis, are you OK?" Coach was saying. But her voice was fading along with everything else.

In a second, Jaylin saw everything even more clear than before. He felt like he could do anything. A burst of energy exploded in his chest.

Before his eyes, Jaylin's arms elongated and were covered in velvety fur, smooth and sleek and shining. Small, slick claws curled out from his fingers.

He was transforming! Transforming into a otter! He was a Chimera!

A wave of thoughts consumed his mind at once. He had finally transformed! He was stronger, faster! He could match Lance again! But most importantly, he would have power that would help him outside the wall.

"Jaylin! You did it! You morphed!" Lance cheered.

Alana beaming next to him.

"Well done. You're a Chimera now," Coach said, smiling.

Jaylin smiled too. He was a Chimera!