Riniock followed his gaze to a modest clearing where several other test participants had gathered. They stood in small clusters, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and quiet anticipation.

He surveyed the group, noting the diversity of their appearances. Some clutched their trophies from the hunt with pride, whilst others bore visible injuries that hinted at close calls.

Noidron motioned for Riniock to follow, his steps light as he led the way towards the group. ‘See? You’re in good company. Looks like everyone had a rough time out there.’

‘Yeah…good company,’ he repeated.

Riniock forced a weak smile, his eyes darting nervously across the clearing. Amongst the faces, he didn’t spot anyone who might’ve witnessed Odrean’s demise. That realisation brought a sliver of comfort, but he still felt the weight of unease clinging to him like a shadow.

As they arrived, another staff member approached Noidron, nodding briskly. ‘Glad you made it back,’ the person said. ‘We’ll begin debriefing shortly.’

‘Excellent,’ Noidron replied, before turning to Riniock with a grin. ‘Relax a bit. You’re almost through the hard part.’

Riniock nodded, though his muscles remained tense. The hard part might’ve been over for most, but for him, the real challenge had only just begun.

Every second spent here felt like an eternity to Riniock – a chance for someone to stumble upon Odrean's corpse and set an investigation into motion. He managed to steady his breathing, but the tension weighed heavily on him.

‘Who’s yet to arrive?’ Noidron asked, turning to one of the other staff members nearby.

‘Three applicants are still unaccounted for,’ the person replied, their expression tense and laced with impatience. ‘Fingal, Jorian, and Hilida are out looking for them.’

Noidron gave a curt nod, his demeanour unfazed. ‘Alrighty then! Let’s wait for them.’

The response unsettled Riniock even more. Time was ticking, and every additional delay felt like a knife’s edge pressing against his neck. He discreetly glanced at the faces of his peers, looking for signs of suspicion or alarm, however they seemed preoccupied with their own struggles and triumphs.

As the minutes dragged on, Riniock couldn't help but silently plead for the others to arrive soon – if only to get them all out of the crimson glades before someone uncovered what he had left behind.

Meanwhile, the applicants that were present all seemed keen on returning to the college – all except a select few.

Riniock watched the scene unfold with growing interest, his earlier fears momentarily overshadowed by the spectacle of Urael’s brazen arrogance. The applicants gathered in the clearing muttered angrily amongst themselves, frustration and hopelessness thick in the air.

‘Urael, you witless prick!’ one of the braver applicants burst out, her voice shaking with outrage. ‘It was 120 lunaris before!’

Urael smirked, unbothered by the outburst and counting the silver he had made from earlier participants. ‘Supply and demand, dear,’ he replied mockingly, brushing an invisible speck of dust from his shoulder. ‘I control the supply, and now the demand is higher. If you don’t like it, you can try your luck without a feather. Let me know how that goes for you.’

‘Supply my ass! You robbed me and several others of our beast materials.’

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One of Urael’s lackeys stepped forward, grinning. ‘Sir Urael is being magnanimous enough to offer you any chance at all. Without this feather, you’re nothing but a failed candidate.’

‘If you are not willing to pay this amount,’ Urael continued, ‘then your future in the college is not even worth mentioning.’

A murmur of despair rippled through the group. Several applicants clenched their fists, clearly weighing their options. Some seemed on the verge of retaliating, but Urael’s gang was visibly better armed and ready for a fight.

Riniock counted three – minus Odrean for obvious reasons.

Each carried themselves with unearned confidence, likely bolstered by the sheer dominance they’d displayed over the course of the test.

‘You’re a despicable thief, Urael!’ shouted another applicant, their anger outweighing their caution.

‘Thief?’ Urael echoed, his smile turning into a scowl.

In a momentary fit of rage, Urael approached the person who spoke and punched him. The man gasped, short of breath, and fell to his knees.

‘Careful with your words,’ he said as he spat over the top of his head. He then turned to the rest. ‘I’m offering you all one more chance to take this deal!’

The tension in the clearing thickened.

Urael’s dominance was evident and it seemed like the college staff, who pleasantly watched this event unfold, were willing to step back. They were actually going to turn a blind eye to this extortion.

‘Don’t interfere,’ one of them cautioned their colleague. ‘The college was built upon the foundation and the laws of the strongest. Let them deal with it on their own.’

Riniock’s mind began spinning with possibilities.

He had this far feigned disinterest in the matter, carefully masking his expression beneath the guise of neutrality. However, Riniock’s smirk grew as the scene unfolded. Urael’s arrogance was laughable, a notion he wouldn’t mind trampling all over.

About nine applicants reluctantly approached Urael, their expressions a mix of shame and frustration. They emptied their pockets of coins, handing over their lunaris in exchange for verdack feathers.

The rest of the group, however, stood firm, their jaws set and their gazes defiant. They chose to preserve their pride, even if it meant failing the test.

‘And the rest?’ Urael looked them over with a sneer, his confidence undeterred. He and his goons chuckled amongst themselves as they counted their earnings. ‘Your loss then…’

Riniock glanced at the defiant applicants who refused to give in. Their frustration was palpable, their collective tension simmering like an ember waiting for a spark.

As Urael strutted away with his lackeys, Riniock made his move. With their situation so desperate, all the leverage was in his favour.

‘I will give you all a feather,’ he announced, his words aimed at the those select four. ‘Your plight, I have witnessed personally. Seeing you stand for yourselves moved my heart, rendering me unable to sit idly by.’

Urael’s face twisted in indignation, his voice laced with venom. ‘Tolgir, what kind of foolishness is this? Do you think you can undercut me with some phony act of charity?’

Riniock turned slowly, locking eyes with Urael, his expression cool and unbothered. ‘That hardly seems any of your business,’ Riniock purposefully said, aiming to do a number on him. ‘Go spit your poison over there.’

Urael tried to warn him but the young man ignored his words thereafter.

‘I will offer each one of you, ten verdack feathers.’

The group did not react swiftly, murmuring amongst themselves. Finally, one of them stepped forward – a young woman with dirt-smudged cheeks and a look of cautious hope in her eyes. ‘If this is a trick, I swear –’

‘It isn’t,’ he assured her, his voice steady and calm. Yet her face showed no signs of trust, which prompted him to reach into his possessions, pulling out a handful of verdack feathers. ‘As you can see, I have more than enough, and I see no reason to hoard them when others are in need.’

The young woman hesitated, the sheer number of feathers displayed was beyond what she and others ever expected. ‘How much would you ask in return?’

Riniock titled his head thoughtfully. ‘Return? I said I would offer the feathers. But if my goodwill brings you doubt, you may all think this a favour, to be redeemed when the time is right.’

The sincerity in his voice seemed to cut through their doubts. One by one, after exchanging eye contact, the four stepped forward, each receiving a bundle of feathers.

‘Thank you!’ they all said, bowing their heads slightly in gratitude. The woman stepped closer, her voice firm. ‘I’ll remember this.’

Urael fumed, his fists clenched tightly, glaring daggers at Riniock.

Riniock held his gaze with calm defiance before turning away, a hint of mockery in his expression. Urael’s silent rage burned behind him, powerless.

‘Watch as I dismantle all your efforts,’ Riniock murmured to himself, a sly smile tugging at his lips. Chaos would soon follow, the news of a murder shaking the college to its core.