The smell of blood, disinfectant, and traces of demon energy heavily permeated the infirmary. Trixan watched as doctors attended to the vanquishers. There were all kinds of casualties from mild cuts to grave injuries. Fortunately, none of the casualties had been fatal. She wasn’t sure who had sent her that message about what was happening in her school, but she was glad she had received it. Who knew what might have happened had she not returned? Well, her vanquishers had held their own bravely to the very end.

She couldn’t have been prouder of them. But that pride was completely overshadowed by the absolute rage boiling within her like explosive magma. How did demons find their way into the school? It should be impossible. Her balled fist shook. Blasting those demons into oblivion had not been enough to pacify her rage. She wanted to do it all over again. This time, much slower, so those demons would feel the never-ending anguish.

“Trixan.”

She turned to see Azmel watching her. White bandages firmly wound around his head and torso.

“You should be resting, my dear.”

Azmel, ever so nonchalant, simply shrugged as though his wounds were nothing but a prop. “I’ll do that later. There’s something important I need to tell you.”

Azmel was not one to dwell on small talk so Trixan just went straight to the point. “What is it?”

“Vessels were involved.” He paused, then added thoughtfully. “I think they planned this. I fought two of them with their demons.”

“Hmm, I see.” Trixan nodded. It was no wonder Azmel was in bad shape right now. The more blood pacts a Vessel had with demons, the more powerful they were. Such Vessels could be quite problematic for even skilled vanquishers. “You did well protecting the rookies, my dear. Well, done.”

Azmel nodded. “There’s something else.”

Trixan tilted her head.

“I think they were looking for something,” he said.

“The demons and Vessels?” Trixan raised a bow. “Why do you say that, my dear?”

“They kept talking about how they would make the world whole again once they found what they came for.”

“Hmm, I see.” What could Vessels be possibly looking for in Draghein School? “That was useful information, my dear. Thank you.”

She had been more concerned about her vanquishers getting better and had not yet come around to interrogating any of them about the attack.

“Have you seen Zemeron?” asked Trixan.

“He’s in his room.”

“Alright. You should go back and rest. That’s an order, Azmel.”

“Yes, ma’am.” He nodded before leaving.

Strolling through the infirmary, Trixan stopped by a bed with an unconscious Alana lying on it. Her entire hand had been ripped out of her shoulder. Trixan gripped her knuckles to keep herself calm. Doctor Nish gently cleaned the young woman’s wound.

“Can you reclaim it?” asked Trixan.

“Not unless I treat the infection,” Nish said. “It’s infected with demon energy. But once I purge it, I will begin the reclamation.”

“How long is it going to take?”

“Treating the demon energy infection will take about two weeks.”

“And the arm reclamation?”

“About a month or two.”

Trixan nodded slowly. It was indeed a slow and painful process, but the life of her vanquishers was more important. She was grateful Alana was still alive. The young woman was only a class five vanquisher and had been one of the few rookies who enrolled at Draghein School voluntarily.

“Take care of her, Nish.”

They nodded. “She’ll be fine. I promise.”

Trixan smiled.

She went around looking after the others. Many of them were in pain but their faces lit up when Trixan came around. Trixan shared some encouraging words with them, telling them how she was proud of them for fighting so bravely.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

“Elder.”

The voice came from behind and though she couldn’t see who it was, she knew who. Only one person in Draghein School ever called her Elder to her face.

“Rahalan.” Trixan spun. Servin Rahalan sat up in one of the beds while three familiar faces surrounded him. Rahalan could be serving in Rahalan School. But he chose to be transferred to Draghein School sixteen years ago when almost all the Draghein vanquishers left because they didn’t want Trixan as Elder. For Rahalan’s support, Trixan would always be grateful.

“It’s the Triple Trouble.” She carefully assessed the young vanquishers. A few cuts adorned Yanvirrak’s baby face. Pheera’s head was wrapped in a bandage. While Narvari looked… fine.

Interesting.

“Triple Trouble?” Narvari raised a brow. “That’s the worst squad name ever, no offense, Trixan.”

“At least it’s better than Pheeroofa.” Yanvirrak glared at Rahalan.. “Offence intended, Servin.”

Rahalan grinned. “None taken.”

“How are you all doing, my dears?”

Yanvirrak and Narvari chattered excitedly about how they fought and vanquished greater demons. Yanvirrak reminded Narvari that she didn’t vanquish the greater demon, but Rahalan did to which Narvari glared at him. Then Narvari, of course, asked about Trixan’s Thunder Rage and how she had so easily killed the demons with her mere voice. Always so eager to learn about things way beyond her level. As usual, Trixan told Narvari that someday she might learn everything.

“I unlocked my elema,” said Yanvirrak excitedly. A ball of fire suddenly engulfed his palm.

“Amazing, my dear,” said Trixan. She did not doubt that Yanvirrak would unlock his elema. But he had exceeded her expectations by unlocking it earlier than anticipated. She wasn’t surprised though. She knew from experience how a desperate situation could suddenly trigger a surge in power. Besides, Yanvirrak had been secretly training his elema for a long time.

“So what do you call your elema?” Trixan asked. “You know every elema needs a name to make it uniquely yours.”

“I was thinking of Hanes’s Inferno.”

“Hanes’s Inferno?” Narvari face-palmed, shaking her head.

“I’m still deliberating between Hanes’s Inferno and Hanes Inferno. You know?” Yanvirrak rubbed his chin. “Hmm, I think I like Hanes Inferno better.”

“Whatever you choose, it is still a total rip-off.” Narvari scoffed.

“A rip-off?” Yanvirrak raised his brow. “Of what? I’m freaking original.”

“Of Dante’s. Duh.”

“What’s that?”

“Really?” Narvari narrowed her eyes. “You know what, never mind. Hades Inferno is perfect.”

“It’s Hanes Inferno.” Yanvirrak rolled his eyes. “And yes, it’s perfect.”

Rahalan grinned. “So this is my life now, Elder.” Then nodding at Pheera, he asked, “How have you survived for so long around them?”

“The same way she survived around you and Yanvirrak,” said Narvari.

Pheera chuckled. It was nice seeing Pheera happy after everything she’d been through. Narvari gazed at Pheera like a stargazer would watch a rare star. When Pheera looked back at her, she held the same intensity in her eyes.

Trixan smiled.

“I wasn’t expecting to see you back so soon,” Rahalan said. “But I’m not complaining. At least, I got to see the legendary Thunder Rage for the first time.”

“Your aunt asked about you,” said Trixan. “You should go visit her sometime.”

Rahalan shrugged. “We’ll see.”

Trixan paused, turning her attention to the children. “My dears, are you sure you’re all okay?”

They nodded.

“Get as much rest as possible. All of you.”

They all agreed to do just that.

Checking up on a few more people, Trixan went to find Zemeron. It was time to get to the bottom of this.

----------------------------------------

Trixan’s eyes focused on the blue cast around Zemeron’s arm.

“It’s nothing,” said Zemeron, wiggling his arm. “Nish insisted I wear a cast.”

Trixan nodded. There was no use arguing with Nish.

“I’m sorry, Trixan.” Zemeron sighed, slumping on the fluffy headboard of his bed. “You asked me to look after the school and I couldn’t even do that.”

“What happened was not your fault, my dear.” She sat. “I just don’t understand how those demons got inside the school in the first place. The shield rays should have killed them immediately.”

Zemeron’s eyes wavered ever so slightly. Anyone may have missed it, but Trixan felt the spike in his heartbeat. It was anger.

She narrowed her eyes. “You should tell me what happened, my dear.”

He clenched his jaws, sharpening his chiseled jawline. “Someone took down the shield beam from the inside.”

“What?” She froze, her grip on her knuckles tightening. “Who?”

“Edicles.”

Trixan gaped, her voice eluding her. Finally, when she found her voice, she said, “Was it an accident?”

Zemeron laughed without mirth. “It was not. He was working with those demons and Vessels. I think he’s been spying on us all this time to strike at the right opportunity.”

And the right opportunity presented itself when she went to Rhodine, thought Trixan.

“But how did he get into the High Sepulchre?”

“He had a device that let him hack the lock system.”

Lethal calmness settled over Trixan, her blood cold as ice. “Where is he?”

“In the dungeons.”

“Did he tell you why he did it?”

“No. But…” Zemeron’s words trailed, his blue eyes suddenly becoming uncertain.

“But?”

“Trixan, I-I don’t know.”

Trixan tilted her head, listening carefully to Zemeron’s heartbeat. It was an unusual mix of worry, fear, and anger. But the worry exceeded the others.

“What is it, Zemeron? What happened?”

“I’m not sure yet. But something Edicles said makes me think your life is in danger.” Zemeron inhaled and exhaled slowly, yet that did nothing to calm his troubled heart. “I should have seen this coming.” He shook his head. “Sometimes I sensed I was being watched, you know. But I didn’t think much about it. If only I had been more serious about it and — ”

“My dear,” Trixan smiled, “this was not your fault but mine. I knew someone had been spying on us yet I did nothing. Do not blame yourself.”

She had assumed it was a spy sent by some people in the Draghein Family. Those people had been obsessed with her, searching for anything to oust her as Elder. She had simply allowed the spy to be since she knew they would find nothing to sabotage her with. Never had she anticipated that the spy would be Edicles Hogmen, one of her very own vanquishers.

If anyone should be feeling sorry right now, it was Edicles, not Zemeron.

“I’m going to have a little chat with Edicles.” Trixan’s eyes steeled, the rage slowly coursing through her. This time, she wouldn’t hold it back.