"I am Yuba!" I small and angry-looking gnome introduced himself loudly. "Leader of Forest Group #3." My forest group (that included Hort, Beatrix, Tedros and some other students from bith schools) were standing at one of the Blue Forest's gates. "I've been living here for centuries, and I haven't died once!" the gnome continued proudly. "At least, not as I can remember," he joked, almost losing his breath to laughter. "Gnome humor," he excused.

As the group ventured into the Blue Forest, I felt eyes on me. Not only from the self-claimed prince charming, but also from several Evers and Nevers. If only Hester, Anadil and Dot were here.. I would have been just fi- My thoughts were interrupted by Hort slithering up next to me. Not to my great surprise. I could smell him approach. 

"Hey," he whispered. I debated wether or not to totally ignore him, but I thought of Lady Lesso's wise words. If I ever wanted to transform fully into my dragon, I had to let myself feel. Yuck. "Hello," I whispered back, surprising him with a non-hostile reply. "I saw what you were doing in Special Talents, the way your eyes turned green. Is that a hypnosis thing?" he asked. "No," I hissed in reply, feeling the anger inside me grow. That was probably not what Lesso meant. "No," I sighed. "I was trying to manifest a dragon. Like my mother," I explained. "Oh," Hort uttered. He was about to keep talking, but Yuba interrupted.

"The Blue Forest is but a training forest, but if you can't survive it, you will not be able to survive your fairytale," he yelled so everyone could hear as he ventured into the forest. The forest wasn't called the Blue Forest for nothing. Everything was blue. Leaves, grass, flowers and even the edible vegetables and fruits. It was like another planet.

"Your talent.." I begun, not knowing how to finish the sentance I just started. "..It could use some work," I finally landed. "I'll take that as a compliment," Hort flattered himself. "Men," I mumbled, rolling my eyes. "Why do you hold such a grudge against men anyway?" he asked as we followed Yuba deeper into the forest. "You really want to know?" I sighed. "Uh, yes." "My mother's wings was cut off by the one man she had ever trusted.. and loved for that matter," I explained. "I'm not making the same mistake." He didn't answer this time, for Yuba's walking had stopped.

The entire forest group #3 was now standing in front of a blue pumpkin patch. "This is Yuba's favourite part of the forest," he told happily as he turned to a scarecrow behind him. "That's just a scarecrow," Chaddick, one of Tedros' best mates, laughed. "Things aren't always as they seem," I thought out loud, making heads turn. "Why should I listen to you, Never?" Chaddick scoffed. I hissed as my eyes flared green, making him shut his mouth. "Manon is right. Nothing in fairytale world as always as it seems," Yuba agreed with me. i was beginning to like him more and more. "You will do well to remember this in the Trial by Tale," he added. 

"Trial by Tale? What's that?" someone asked. "A Trial by Tale is held every year, and it's when the same amount of Evers and Nevers enter the Blue Forest at night with no help from teachers or anyone else. These chosen individuals will survive the night on their own, and the last ones standing win," Yuba explained. "Will it be soon?" someone else asked. "You've been here for barely a day, what do you think?" Yuba replied before he changed the subject.

A Trial by Tale, huh? I'm looking forward to it.