Caeden let out a long, relieved sigh. He was seated in one of the odder buildings around campus. A massive greenhouse split into multiple sections containing different environments. Between each section was a small building built into the walls with a beautiful view overlooking the landscapes. It was a week and a day after the faction ranking day, and Caeden was relaxing.

He had his feet kicked up onto a table with an ice-cold lemonade in one hand, a bag of popcorn in the other. Erik had brought the popcorn. On one side of him, through a floor-to-ceiling window, was a dense rainforest. On the other side, a lush meadow. It was peaceful and serene. Exactly what he needed to decompress.

They had only recently been told that they would have this entire week off. It was officially halfway through their first year of school, and they had no class responsibilities until the beginning of next week. So the gang had collectively decided to hang out somewhere…quiet.

Quiet being relative.

"Oh, come on! You can't still be mad about that! She totally had eyes for me!" Erik was leaping about the room, pulled on springs of Stitch as a spectral soldier tried to hit him with a tree branch.

"I wasn't until you brought her back with you!" Cat snapped, directing an assassin to sneak up on the fleeing beanpole.

"Hey, she's the one who wanted more time with me! What can I say? I'm good at what I-Augh!" Halfway through an eyebrow waggle and innuendo, Erik received a flying drop kick from the invisible assassin, knocking him right into the soldier's club. Then it was a mad scrabble as Erik tried to escape, and Cat tried to beat him up.

Lily giggled, watching them along with Caeden. She was sitting on the opposite side of the table from him, hot tea as her beverage. She also had her own bowl of popcorn. "You'd think they would get over it by now. It has been a week."

Caeden laughed lightly. "I think she would have let it go and called it a fair loss if she hadn't caught them going at it like that. Erik's luck strikes again." He felt…good. He'd had a long talk with Lily about everything that happened in the faction battles, the yawning pit that called to him. She hadn't been able to offer much in the way of help, but talking about it had been cathartic on some level. Hopefully, the next time he had to use his full strength, he would be able to do it with a clear head instead of freaking out every time he dealt fatal damage.

He hadn't come to terms with it, but he did feel better.

"Still mulling it over?" He asked.

Lily pouted, puffing her cheeks out. "We still need more information. I was hoping the whole bomb threat would stir something up, but no Forged has heard or seen anything."

Caeden nodded, staring into the jungle on the other side of the glass. "That just makes it more likely this is all one big plan, right?" After the attempted bombing, Lily's interest in discovering the secrets of the Revolution forces on campus had been fully renewed, now with Caeden's full support behind her efforts. Unfortunately, no new clues had magically dropped into their laps. They had a little more insight into how deep this whole conspiracy must go but no better understanding of the actual plan.

"How so?"

"Well, if the revolutionaries we overheard did not know about the bombing, I figure they would be making moves in response. If it was always the plan, they wouldn't be hiding the same as they have been."

Lily nodded, then shook her head. "I see what you're getting at, but it's just as likely that an unexpected bombing would just send them deeper into hiding. I don't think we can take it as definitive proof of anything. We need more information. Everything else is just speculation."

"Fair."

They sat in silence, looking out at the scenery while their friends play-fought in the background.

"You know, I'm starting to understand Erik's love of this stuff." Lily waved a kernel of popcorn. Hers was coated in caramel. "It's more of a delivery medium for whatever you like than anything else."

Caeden shook his head, smiling. He had butter and salt, the only proper toppings for popcorn. "Still, he's a bit over the top, considering he brought that." Caeden gestured toward the bag of corn kernels Erik had brought. A sack Erik himself could easily fit in. "I mean, is he planning to eat it all today?"

"Knowing him, probably. It's amazing how much he can eat while still looking like a bunch of sticks glued together."

Caeden nodded.

"It's been wild, hasn't it?" He said after a few peaceful moments.

"Yeah. I would never have believed half of the things we've done, and it's only been half a year. And that's not even mentioning what happened to you and Erik before you even got to the Academy."

Caeden laughed. "I know! I was blown up twice before I met Erik, so I can't really blame that on him. Though that whole thing with the ancient structure, I will blame that on his luck until the day I die. We got shot at the second he entered the room! Getting Forged Infinity was interesting, to say the least. Then coming here and meeting you, going through orientation."

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

Lily nodded, enjoying their reminiscing, "That was the first time anyone ever tried to stop my brother from doing anything. I thought you were crazy."

"Pretty much," Caeden admitted, "I thought I was crazy too. No regrets, though."

"There was a lot to learn just in that first week. I felt bad for you two. I already had a basic knowledge base. You guys were completely in the dark. I think we caught on pretty quick, all things considered."

Caeden laughed. "Yeah, it wasn't even a day before you peeled apart the entire school and figured out what was going on. I'd say that's pretty fast."

Lily frowned. "Yes, but I wish we'd known about what the factions were doing to other continentals earlier. That was…horrible."

"Yeah, it was. I think we've got most of them out now, though. I'm sure there are still a few being used as IP slaves, but the families can't be as blatant about it anymore, which is all we can really hope for."

"Ugh, starting the Forged. That was painful for a while." Lily groaned.

"Don't forget evolving your shroud; that was probably the biggest thing that happened before we made our own faction."

"Ehh, I think you getting into that fight with Ander and giving me some freedom was more important, but that's a personal opinion." Lily's frown vanished, transitioning into a brilliant smile. "What else have we gotten up to?"

"Well," Caeden thought about it since they were apparently doing a breakdown of their highlights of the last half-year. "There was you all meeting my uncle; that was pretty big to me."

"Oh! And getting my babies." Lily looked lovingly over to the corner of the room, where a now beanbag-sized white bear was sleeping with a falcon-sized Roc resting on its back.

"Yup. Cat joined our group. That was a bit earlier. Let's see…"

"We found out about the Revolution being here and had that fight."

Caeden winced. "Right. That."

"Yup. I hear Erik really laid into you after that." Lily smirked.

"He did."

"Well, then we learned about Ki from Blaine and all that entailed."

"Don't forget about incarnations and embodiments."

"How could I, Mr. Nascent shrouded."

"That wasn't supposed to be a brag."

"I know."

"Well, that was around when I started making all that gear for us. Your gloves, our armor. That was fun." Camden smiled wistfully. Making new things was a joy that never went away. "I should spend some more time in the forge."

"Hmm. You won't have much opportunity soon."

Caeden sighed. Apparently, they had gotten around to talking about the future. "Yes, live training."

The day before this week-long break started, they were informed about what would be happening afterward. The top 100 ranked students were going outside the Academy for practical training. As in fighting monsters on the continents.

"How do you think that's going to go?"

Lily smiled. "We'll be fine. I think it'll be good for you. They're monsters, so you can flex your full power without feeling bad about it. Plus, we'll be back on the continents, so I'm sure you'll enjoy that."

Caeden frowned. "Not really. I don't think you understand how bad it will be if we go out very far. The continents that don't get visited very often or that don't even have resident shrouded don't look on us very kindly. The places that do are usually super religious, which is weird in its own way."

"Well, I'm sure Erik will like it."

Ha! Yeah, he will. Universal truth, everyone loves a healer—especially one that doesn't charge. Erik will receive a warm welcome no matter where he goes. Us, not so much. Although…"

"What?"

Well, you with Cloud and me with Sharp, we could make ourselves pretty welcome by just helping out a bit."

"What do you mean?"

"Ehh, I'll show you when we get there. We're relaxing." Caeden sipped his lemonade.

"Fine, fine. But I'm going to hold you to it."

"Of course."

"...It was a good half a year. A good start. We did a lot of good."

Caeden nodded.

"I'm really glad I met you."

"... I'm glad I met you too."

"Aww, that was so sappy!" Skinny arms dropped around Caeden's neck, nearly choking him.

"Oh, aren't they just adorable?" A tan set of arms strangled Lily.

Caeden reached up and formshifted his hand, grabbing one of the offending appendages in a crushing grip. Lily similarly froze an arm trying to choke her.

"Ow, ow! Ok, I give! Leave my poor arm alone!" Immediately all pressure left his neck.

"Coldcoldcold!" A voice squeaked, and Lily's attacker jumped back.

Caeden and Lily turned to look at their friends, both nursing their injuries. "You know, Lil."

"What's that, Cae?"

"I think these two have been getting a bit uppity lately, wouldn't you agree?"

Lily's face blossomed into a terrifying smile. "I couldn't agree more. Should we teach them a lesson?'

"I think we should." Both leapt from their chairs, snacks and drinks abandoned as cries of mock terror arose from Cat and Erik.

Caeden smiled, taking in a moment of pure carefree fun. Now, this was relaxing.