Later, a group of students, of which included Eran, Ellen and Nier, met a hysterical Cily, who managed to get out a, "Help, Syme, bad".  She led him to an injured Syme, covered in wounds, who warned that the foraging party had been attacked. A few students volunteered to bring him back while the rest moved onwards to the spot where Syme had said the others were. 

There they found the dead bodies of two students, 16 and 17 respectively, named San and Owar. It was a gruesome sight; their bodies were filled with spear wounds, almost to the point of being unrecognizable as human. San in particular had a massive hole through his face. A few of their limbs were torn off and their clothing had been stolen, leaving their corpses uncovered. Little footprints dotted the scene. There was little doubt who the perpetrators were.

The news spread quickly. The entire atmosphere of the school had changed—an oppressive fear now held their hearts in a vice-like grip, controlling every aspect of their lives. Students looked out at the vast desert around them with terror, none daring to venture outside. 

For the pampered children of a prosperous nation, their current situation was unthinkable. None of them had even seen a dead body before, and now they were faced with the possibility that it could be them.

Syme, meanwhile, had fallen deeply ill, with a high fever. He suspected it was a continuation of what had happened when he had killed the boy. If so, then he couldn't have avoided it regardless, but it infuriated him to rendered inactive in such a vital moment. He could only hope the students turned their despair into something useful.

He heard the door open to his side.

"Back," a small voice said. 

"She's too good for you," another feminine voice said.

"Sue...? What are you doing here?" Syme groaned.

She walked over to his side and put something down on the table next to him. "I found Cily stumbling around with a bowl of soup and thought I'd help."

"I see," he said, raising his upper body against the backboard. "What's happening? With the school, I mean." he asked, seeing that she had yet to leave.

"You've become quite popular," she replied. "The stranger who risked his life to save our people."

"It wasn't much," Syme coughed. "Have we have more recruits? How are people taking this?"

"Oh, yes, lots. I think it's up to 223?" Sue said, shrugging. "They're all very eager now." 

"Good, we'll need it," Syme said. Then, he paused for a moment. "I feel your tone is a bit more biting today."

She sighed. "Saul's been speaking to me."

Syme knew he'd be a problem. "About what?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

"Baseless conspiracies," she replied. "He says that you're power hungry. He even implied that you led the two to their demise."

"And what do you think?" Syme said hesitatingly. Apparently not even Saul could imagine that he had killed the two.

"I think he's being paranoid. But listen to enough and it starts seeping into your head." She sighed again. "I'm sorry about Saul. He's a little..." she trailed off, then shook her head. "Anyway, there's a more pressing issue. Though you are heralded as a hero, Ellen and company are under a lot of fire after many students reported that they vetoed your demands to have guards posted. Some of San and Owar's friends have lead a witch-hunt against them. They're being held under some kind of tribunal right now."

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"What?" Syme said in surprise. He stumbled up from bed—this was a pivotal moment. "Where are they? I need to set things straight," he said.

"We had hoped that you would say that," Sue said. "The council would prefer that as few people die as possible. They should be outside."

A mob had bound the four against a desk in the middle of the lot in front of the school. Insults and accusations were thrown, the crowd only stopped from physical objects by their scarcity. Ellen and Nier had their heads down, ashamed, while Ky and Ally grimly faced their fate.

"Hey, hey, what's going on!" Syme yelled hoarsely. Sue stood a little ways behind.

The crowd hushed down. "We're going to make them pay," someone said. "They're murderers," another added.

"How exactly?" Syme asked. His morbid curiosity had gotten to him.

"We'll put 'em in out there, see how they like it!"

Interesting, Syme thought. But now he had to defend them. He coughed, began to speak, all while dramatically waving his arms about. "Everyone, have you all grown insane? I will not deny that their actions may have cost two lives, but we cannot make right a wrong by committing an equally devious crime!"

"We want revenge!" a few yelled.

They're all so damn obstinate. He needs something more dramatic. Syme pushed his way through the crowd and stood in front of the four. "I too sinned that day! Fearing for my life, I ran away, leaving San and Owar to die. If you must exile them, then I will go with them!"

The crowd silenced itself, with members looking hesitatingly at each other. 

"We all make mistakes. But what makes us civilized, what makes us different is that we don't let anger cloud our decisions, we give everyone a chance to repent. These four were chosen by your President for a reason. They are each talented leaders. If we kill them in blind fury, then what will we do when the Imps attack in earnest? Is that San and Owar would want? For their deaths to kill us all?" He nodded towards Ellen. "They all feel deep guilt at their actions," he prompted. He really hoped she said something.

"I-I am unimaginably ashamed," Ellen began. "If... if you would give me the honor of redeeming myself, I would spend every fiber of my being working to prevent something like this from ever happening again. Please, I beg of you."

With her earnest response taking the wind from their sails, the crowd slowly began to dissipate. Sue walked over with a kitchen knife and cut the ropes.

"Good work," she said.

"Sure, but I'm damned tired now," Syme replied.

After they were cut loose, Ellen quickly convinced all of them to somewhat sheepishly apologize and thank him. 

"Only doing what's right," he replied. 

Syme smiled. Though unexpected circumstances had arose, the four of them were well and truly in his pocket now.