Riniock jolted awake, his mind clouded. His vision swam, blurring into indistinct shapes, and the room around him warped into a surreal, incomprehensible haze.

‘Riniock?’ a voice called out, familiar yet heavy with concern.

‘W-Where am I?’ he murmured, struggling to sit upright from his prone position.

Niann was at his side, his hand gently resting on Riniock’s shoulder. ‘You’re in the Healing House,’ he said softly.

Before Riniock could fully process this, the door opened, and a man entered. He was robed in pristine white, a large golden amulet in the shape of a circle resting on his chest. The amulet, inlaid with glimmering blue gemstones, exuded a faint, calming warmth that seemed to fill the room.

Niann stepped back, bowing respectfully. ‘Thank you for your care, Medicar Kurny.’

The medicar approached Riniock’s bedside, paying no heed to Niann’s gratitude. He placed his fingers lightly on Riniock’s neck, and a soft green aura began to glow from his hands.

‘Do you feel any pain when I press here?’ the medicar asked, his touch moving methodically across Riniock’s body.

‘No,’ Riniock winced as the man’s hand brushed over his chest. Despite the sharp ache, he forced himself to lie. ‘I don’t feel a thing.’

The medicar’s gaze lingered on him briefly before nodding. ‘Very well. Rest and recover quickly.’ Without another word, he turned and exited the room.

As the door closed, two men entered. Their sharp, purposeful movements and grave expressions immediately set the tone. Riniock recognised them – they were investigators he had seen near the scene of the arson incident and they interviewed him as well.

‘You,’ one of them addressed Niann. ‘Acolyte, please step out. This matter is sensitive.’

Niann hesitated but eventually complied, his worried eyes lingering on Riniock before he exited the room.

‘We meet again, acolyte,’ one of the investigators began, his tone steady yet probing.

‘Unfortunately, sir,’ Riniock replied coolly. ‘What brings you here, if I may ask?’

‘We’re here to question you about the nature of your injuries,’ the first investigator said. ‘Medicar Kurny informed us before you regained consciousness that you had sustained extensive trauma to your body and face.’

‘Your swollen features seem to have healed remarkably well,’ the other added, scrutinising Riniock closely.

‘If you already know these details, what exactly do you hope to learn from me?’ Riniock countered, his tone even, though he feigned ignorance.

The first investigator unrolled a parchment and prepared to take notes. ‘Let’s start with the basics: how did this happen?’

‘I was attacked,’ Riniock answered without hesitation.

‘By Flonderance and his group? Again?’ the man asked pointedly.

Riniock gave him a sharp glance but shook his head. ‘No.’

‘Then who?’

‘I don’t know. It was too dark to see their faces clearly, but their voices – those weren’t anyone connected to Urael,’ he replied, carefully omitting certain details.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

The investigators diligently recorded everything he said, their quills scratching against the parchment. Riniock, meanwhile, recalled the attack vividly – the voices of his assailants, the blows, and the whispered warning they left him with.

‘Anything else you can tell us, acolyte?’ one of them asked, signalling the end of the questioning.

‘Nothing comes to mind,’ Riniock replied smoothly.

‘Very well,’ the investigator said, rolling up his parchment. ‘If you remember anything further, don’t hesitate to inform us.’

Riniock nodded, a forced smile barely stretching across his face.

As the investigators departed, Niann stepped in, his voice tinged with worry. ‘Did it go well?’

‘Well enough,’ Riniock replied, pushing himself off the bed. ‘Where are my clothes?’

‘Th-They’re here,’ Niann stammered, pointing to a neatly folded pile on a nearby stool. ‘Are you sure you don’t need more rest?’

‘No. I need to get out of here. This place reeks of illness.’

Without another word, Riniock dressed swiftly, his movements purposeful. Niann trailed behind him as they left the room, his concern evident. ‘So…you really don’t know who did this to you?’

‘I don’t,’ Riniock lied effortlessly. Whilst he wasn’t entirely certain, the list of suspects wasn’t long. The clique from Ikshar Academy seemed the most likely culprits, especially after the tension he had stirred with them.

‘I’m glad I found you when I did,’ Niann continued. ‘I went back to check and found you unconscious.’

‘How many people know about this?’ Riniock asked, his tone sharp.

‘Just the medicar, the investigators, and Professor Reginalia – she helped too. But I imagine they’ve informed someone by now.’

‘I see,’ Riniock muttered, his mind already elsewhere. ‘Thank you, Niann. Truly.’

The sun was shining brightly outside, signalling that Riniock had slept through most of the night and into the early morning. Judging by the time, he had likely missed breakfast and his first class.

‘You’ve missed the first lesson, Niann,’ Riniock remarked after piecing it together.

‘That’s alright. Your safety is far more important to me,’ Niann replied without hesitation.

‘In any case, we’ve got some free time now. I’ll see you in class later.’

‘Alright. Be careful,’ Niann said, hesitating slightly as he finally left.

The moment Niann was out of sight, Riniock set off, a clear destination in mind – he was going to find Linry. Most people might have backed down after the attack, but not him. If he wanted to provoke Irgod and his group, to throw them off balance and gain the upper hand, he had to do exactly what they had tried to stop: keep meeting with Linry.

‘Linry!’ Riniock called out as he spotted her sitting on a bench in the centre of the college courtyard, engrossed in a book. The location was ideal – she was in full view of other acolytes and, more importantly, her peers from Ikshar Academy. It was the perfect opportunity to rile Irgod.

‘Riniock!’ Linry greeted him, her voice bright and welcoming. ‘How are you?’

‘I’m well. And you?’

‘Never better,’ she replied, though her eyes narrowed as they focused on his face. The faint yellowish hue on his lip, a remnant of the previous night’s beating, caught her attention. ‘What happened to your lip?’

Riniock instinctively touched his mouth. ‘This? Oh, nothing serious.’

As they chatted, exchanging casual conversation, Riniock kept part of his focus on the group lingering nearby. Each of Irgod’s companions wore a different expression.

Irgod, the leader, appeared irritated, though his demeanour remained controlled. Piddruin, sitting to his right, looked indifferent, almost goofy, as if he didn’t care. Arthian, to Irgod’s left, stared blankly, void of emotion. But the last two – Rodgut and Frisian – glared at him with unrestrained hostility, their eyes sharp with anger and resentment. They had the unmistakable look of those whose warnings had been defied.

If Riniock’s hunch was correct, the latter two were likely the ones who had attacked him the previous night.

‘Linry,’ Riniock said, leaning closer, ‘those peers of yours – what are their names?’

Linry glanced at the group briefly. ‘The one in the middle is Irgod. To his right is Piddruin, and to his left is Arthian. The two on the far sides are Rodgut and Frisian.’

Rodgut and Frisian, he noted, committing the names to memory. Could they be the attackers?

‘If Irgod, who I assume is the leader, needed something done, who would he trust to handle it?’

Linry frowned, her brows knitting in confusion. ‘That’s an odd question. Why do you ask?’

‘Just curious,’ Riniock replied casually. ‘There’s a similar group here, and I’m comparing them to yours, that’s all.’

‘Well,’ Linry began, her tone thoughtful, ‘Arthian’s a coward, so not him. Piddruin is reliable but painfully dim-witted. Rodgut and Frisian, though – they’re aggressive and hot-headed. If Irgod needed something done, he’d trust those two.’

Rodgut and Frisian, Riniock thought again, his suspicion solidifying. They will pay for this…