"Hell, where are the other two?"
"Just keep searching; we still have some time."
Baldwinn exclaimed in frustration, "Could you have torn them apart any further? I stuck my hands through their insides and filth, but there's nothing here!" He pulled back his hands from the mangled remains and gave them a quick sniff, only to recoil in disgust. "Ugh!" he gagged, realizing that what he had touched was a pile of excrement. The stench was unbearable, and Baldwinn's face twisted in disgust.
As the boys rummaged through the remains of the boars, the girls kept their distance, pinching their noses and wincing at the putrid smell. Elysia, standing among them, felt a twinge of embarrassment, but her pride quickly took over. "What else could I have done?" she retorted. "Thank the gods I was there to save you, and we even completed the task." With a flourish, she produced a boar's ear from her sleeve, proudly displaying a burn mark on its tip.
Baldwinn's face twisted with anger as he accused, "Oh, really? However, we have yet to find our boar's ear; you could have shredded them into pieces for all we know. Who knows what else you destroyed with your magic?!" He paused to catch his breath before continuing, "What are we supposed to give to Master Keiran now? A pile of dung? What a brilliant plan! He'll be so pleased, he might even give us..." He was about to continue with his sarcastic comments when Gawain approached, holding something in his bloodied palms. With a wry smile on his face, he announced, "I have some news, both good and bad."
"What? Did you find the ears?" Asrar emerged from behind a nearby bush, his eyes scanning the area as he spoke with urgency.
Gawain presented two pairs of left ears to the group, his face etched with a self-deprecating smile. "Yes, that's the good news," he announced. "But none of them bear a burn mark." As the reality of the situation sunk in, the group let out a collective sigh of disappointment.
Asrar and Elysia had previously recounted their encounter with the boars to the others, detailing how they were chased and the conclusion that the boars had been attracted by the scent of mating oil. After hearing the small adventure, the group didn't know whether to be amazed at Asrar's concocting abilities or worry that the boars they killed may not be the ones they were assigned to hunt.
Unfortunately, their worries came to fruition, and the mood among the group shifted from joy to disappointment as they inspected the ears they had collected. Only one of the three boars bore the burn mark, which meant only one team could triumph in the trial. The realization hit them hard, and a sense of dejection permeated the air. They had worked so hard, and now their success was cut in half. It was a bitter pill to swallow.
In the midst of the tension and disappointment, Gawain spoke up, breaking the silence. "It was Elysia who took down the boars, so the ear rightfully belongs to the girls," he said, and Asrar nodded in agreement. Surprisingly, Baldwinn, who was known for his hot-headedness, remained silent. The group grew uneasy with his lack of input, but after a few moments, he spoke up. "The girls did contribute more than us, so you're right," he said, earning a shocked reaction from everyone. Baldwinn, who was known for his stubbornness, seemed to have a change of heart, and his unexpected words left everyone feeling both surprised and pleased. and seeing everyone's reaction, he also became embarrassed.
"Why are you all staring at me like that?" Baldwinn snorted, turning his head away. "I'm not that shameless." The group chuckled at his defensive response.
"I wonder about that." Amused by Gawain's jest, everyone burst out laughing. Baldwinn couldn't help but chuckle at his own expense, feeling the tension and frustration of the moment dissipate. Even Asrar, who had been quietly brooding over the mistake, couldn't help but join in the merriment.
Still, the girls couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt, particularly Adela, who apologized to Gawain repeatedly for the unfair outcome. Asrar proposed a solution, suggesting that they take some of the boar meat and have the girls cook it for them as a way of making amends, which the girls readily agreed to.
The sun continued rising, casting a golden glow over the forest as the group gathered around the boar carcasses, or what remained of them. Asrar glanced at the sky and roughly estimated that they had little time left before the trial was over. So they quickly gathered the scattered meat, taking what they could carry. It wasn't much, but it would be enough to make a decent meal for all of them. The boys had no means to preserve the meat, and carrying everything would be a burden. So they only gathered enough meat for the night, which the girls would cook.
With the sound of the bell, the group quickly gathered their belongings and set out on their journey back to the academy. Navigating their way through the unfamiliar forest was challenging, and despite the fact that they'd gone to the forest many times to bathe, they still weren't familiar with the terrain, but they knew that the towering structure of the academy would be their guide. As they made their way out of the dense woods and into the open, they saw the towering structure in the distance. Its walls were adorned with ivy, and its spire reached high into the sky, piercing the clouds above.
Asrar had heard rumors that the towering structure was once a dungeon that held captive ferocious beasts and dangerous creatures, but he couldn't say for certain. After all, the ancient edifice had long been abandoned, its secrets and history lost to time. Regardless, the looming spire served as a beacon for lost students struggling to navigate the treacherous terrain of the dense forest. For newcomers still learning to find their way around, it was a much-needed guidepost that led them back to the safety of the academy.
As they walked back towards the academy, Gawain and Adela found themselves walking a bit farther from the group, lost in conversation about things that seemed to concern young love.
As the group walked in silence, watching Gawain and Adela in the distance, lost in their own little world, they felt a bit left out. Asrar broke the silence first by gesturing towards a ring on Elysia's right hand. The ring, though tarnished and dulled, still held a delicate floral pattern that caught Asrar's attention. "If you don't mind my asking, can you tell me about that ring?" he inquired, curious about its powers.
"This is no secret. The ring on my finger is a magical artifact that, though not very potent, can be used once a day. I did not mean to withhold this information, but after hearing your plan, I thought we could complete the trial without its assistance. It was handed down to me by my father, a relic from his days as a wizard. It may not be a powerful tool, but it has been with me for many years," Elysia explained with a gentle smile, though when she mentioned her father, a sad smile developed on her face.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Asrar sensed Elysia's sadness and decided not to pry any further, turning his attention to their journey back to the academy. Despite the challenging terrain, they eventually found the road back, which was clear of plants and relatively smooth enough for a carriage to pass through. The air was thick with humidity, making it harder to breathe, but they got used to it quickly. Although it was still morning, the forest was chilly, so Asrar had his hood pulled up to keep his head warm.
As they continued walking along the path, they heard rustling from the trees. Suddenly, a group of men appeared, wearing leather masks and cloaks with swords and daggers at their right and left hips. On the side of their cloaks was the emblem of the academy, a golden raven.
The leader of the leather-masked men, with the academy's emblem on their cloaks, reassured Asrar and the others with a calm but stern voice, "Don't worry, we work for the academy. There's been a situation, and we need to clear the area. You four go back to the academy; you don't need to inform your masters; just go."
Asrar's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the leader of the group, "What kind of situation?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. The leader hesitated for a moment before replying, "I'm sorry, but I cannot disclose that information. All I can say is that it is urgent, and we need everyone back at the academy immediately." Asrar's mind raced with possibilities, and a sense of foreboding settled in his stomach. Nevertheless, he knew that they had no choice but to comply with the academy's orders. However, just as he was about to continue onward, he suddenly realized something
"Wait, did you say us four?"
Asrar and the others were taken aback by the leader's words, and amidst his words, they heard a startling revelation, and everyone turned their heads almost simultaneously. Gawain and Adela were nowhere to be found! The group frantically looked around, but there was no sign of the young couple. They were gone without a trace. Shock and confusion were evident on everyone's faces as they stood there in stunned silence. It was Asrar who finally spoke up, voicing with concern, "We had two comrades with us!"
The leader quickly caught on to the group's concern from their stunned expressions and nodded in understanding. "Describe their appearances and give me their names," he said firmly, "then head back to your dormitories and don't venture into the forest." Asrar and the others quickly provided their roommates' physical descriptions and names, their words spilling out in a rush. With a curt nod, the leader motioned for his companions to fan out and search for the missing students while the group stood in their place, their hearts heavy with worry.
Elysia and Morgaine exchanged worried glances, clasping each other's hands tightly. Despite only knowing Adela for one month, they already felt a strong bond with her, and the thought of something bad happening to her made their hearts heavy.
The group didn't know what to do, and they all turned towards Asrar, asking him with their eyes. However, even Asrar was lost for words. He looked around, trying to find any clues, but there were none. The forest was eerily quiet, and the only sound was the rustling of leaves in the wind. Asrar swallowed hard and tried to think, but his mind was blank. How could two people just vanish into thin air?
"What is happening exactly?" he could only ask for the time being.
The leader of the cloaked men stood towering above the group of young students, his imposing figure casting a dark shadow over them. His eyes narrowed as he saw the hesitation in their faces, and with a stern glare, he ordered them to turn back. "Go back right now!" he barked. "We will find your friends. You would only go missing as well..." But as he spoke, he suddenly stopped, realizing he had said too much.
Elysia's eyes widened with concern, and her heart quickened with worry. "Missing? Did Adela go missing?" she inquired with a sense of urgency.
Before the guy could even open his mouth to respond, a sudden burst of flame erupted in the distance. The sky turned a deep shade of crimson, and the ground beneath their feet trembled with a powerful force that threatened to upend them all. Asrar and the others stumbled and tumbled, struggling to keep their balance as the very earth seemed to rise up against them.
The ring of fire expanded, enveloping the land in an inferno of searing heat and blistering light. It crackled and sizzled with an otherworldly energy, as if fueled by a force that was beyond mortal comprehension. Elysia shielded her eyes with her arm, squinting through the fiery haze to see what lay beyond.
The leader of the cloaked men bellowed the words with urgency, "Run! Run away!" His voice echoed through the chaos of the earthquake, sending shockwaves of fear and panic through the group. But as they struggled to regain their footing, they found that their legs were like lead and their bodies felt as if they were made of stone. However, the group knew that they had no choice but to heed the cloaked leader's warning. Safety was their top priority, and they had to find a way to get out of harm's way.
Amidst his frantic sprint, Asrar sensed the searing heat of flames, its fervor penetrating from afar. Swiftly turning his gaze, he spotted the group of shrouded figures nimbly leaping from bough to bough, darting towards the direction of the roaring inferno.
He dared not glance back, lest the horrors behind him claim him too. Beside him, his roommate Baldwinn lay writhing in agony, his ankle snapped by the quake and a gaping wound laid upon his lower belly, bleeding torrents of blood. Fortune had not smiled upon him since he had stumbled upon some shards of wood protruding from the earth and now struggled to keep pace, limping far behind. Asrar hastened to his side, lending him his aid as they forged onward along the road.
The four of them soon reached the vast expanse of the training grounds, which was teeming with students spilling out from all corners. They hurtled through the training grounds, and to Asrar's bewilderment, no sign of Master Keiran met their eyes. Instead, they chanced upon a pitiful spectacle: young nobles with charred flesh and pained shrieks, strewn haphazardly about the grounds.
Chaos gripped the academy, as if the very air was charged with an anxious energy. Guards scurried in all directions, but the masters, the pillars of the academy, were nowhere to be seen. Asrar, with Baldwinn propped up against him, knew they needed to find a safe location to regroup and treat the wounded man. So he chose to head toward their small lodging in the dormitories.
He weighed his options, considering the infirmary, but the sight of the numerous wounded individuals made him rethink his plan. Despite hearing about the two clerics in the infirmary and some personnel, he doubted their ability to heal everyone in a timely manner. Believing in his own healing abilities, he made a decision and led Baldwinn towards their lodging in the dormitories first.
Asrar struggled to carry Baldwinn, his hefty friend, and soon realized he needed help. Thankfully, Elysia and Morgaine were there to assist him, and together, they managed to transport Baldwinn to their small lodging at the far end of the dormitories.
Although the dormitories were divided into two parts for females and males, in the face of the chaos and danger that gripped the academy, the gender-segregated dormitories were the least of their worries. Elysia and her friend discarded their customary propriety in the face of the overwhelming fear that had taken hold of them. It was a time when survival was the only concern, and they could not afford to be hindered by trivial social conventions. After all, the chaos was revulsing and fear-inducing, and the ladies didn't like the idea of staying alone.
However, the dormitories were not a sanctuary from the pandemonium that had taken hold of the academy. Panic spread like wildfire, gripping the hearts of the green cloaks, who scrambled towards the safety of their dormitories, seeking refuge within the confines of their rooms. Yet, even behind closed doors, their fear refused to be tamed. And strangely, screams echoed through the halls as some of them bolted from their chambers, and some were so frightened they even lost control of their bladders. The once tranquil abode now felt like a nightmare, with every step fraught with peril.
Asrar and the others were puzzled by the erratic behavior of some of the green cloaks. Nonetheless, they knew they had to prioritize the treatment of Baldwin, find a safe place to rest, and make sense of the situation. Cautiously, Asrar unlocked the door to their lodging, staying alert for any potential danger, while Elysia and Morgaine helped support his injured friend.
However, upon entering the place, a pungent stench filled the place, and Asrar stood in his place, petrified by the sight before him.
As Elysia and Morgaine struggled under Baldwinn's weight, Elysia impatiently turned to Asrar and demanded, "Why are you just standing there? Hurry and help me!" However, when Asrar didn't immediately respond, Elysia's anger began to simmer. Memories of the young man taking advantage of her came rushing back, and she quickly grew frustrated with the man. In a burst of emotion, she forcefully shoved Asrar forward, urging him to let them in.
Elysia moved forward to assist Baldwin toward his bed, but she immediately stopped in her tracks as she was confronted with a terrifying sight. In the room, a person was hanging upside down, stripped of their skin, with blood spilling everywhere. Above them, words written in blood were visible, stating "The monastery of light should not prevail." This scene filled her with dread, and she could not believe her eyes.
Morgaine beside her fainted on the spot, and with no support, Baldwinn fell down as well.