Chapter 821 Barracks Trip: Temple Stay

Keng and Lee Seng joined together and reached out to each other. In unison, the twins stepped backwards, ripping the space between them apart. Stars reached outwards until the two were about six feet apart, revealing the image of the Saviors Temple.

"Woah." Ena gasped. "Hyo wasn't kidding when he said they saw stars on the ground last night." Zixin's men were astonished with the magic they were seeing.

"I don't think I've seen anything as cool as this besides the Realm portals…" Rudy commented.

"C'mon!" Zixin clapped his hands together. "Let's go! Who knows how long we have 'til one of the groups calls for help."

"You worry too much, Captain. They're capable." Fen answered.

"Y'all can go first." Keng motioned. Zixi nodded and took a nervous step forward. He gulped and braced himself before stepping through. The others watched their Captain walk through. He turned and waved for the others to come. One by one, the group stepped in, gasping on the other side. Lee Seng jumped in after Keng, pulling the portal to a close.

"Does a spell like that exist?" Ena asked. "It must've taken so much energy to conjure." Ena turned and looked at the twins. "Did it?"

"Mmmm…" Keng looked at Lee Seng before shaking his head. "I don't think so. I think it's harder to portal when you've never been to the place before. It takes way more energy because you're so unfamiliar with the place."

"I've never stepped foot into this place before." Nixie commented. "I heard stories about the forest being corrupted with a curse. It's so… pretty now." The group looked around. Lee Seng and Keng's ears twitched. The twins turned to look at the temple doors. The temple doors shifted, slightly before opening.

"Hello, everyone! I hope the trip was alright." Fae greeted everyone. Fae swiftly moved down the steps, not missing a beat as she landed on the grass with a hop. She smiled and waved to everyone. "Miss Lily's finishing up getting the temple ready. Everyone can go inside and set their things down if they'd like."

"Is River here, yet?" Keng asked, turning to climb the stairs.

"Not yet. Miss Lily said he's finishing up training. He'll be here soon." Fae replied. The group climbed the steps into the temple. Rudy, Ena, Fen, and Nixie gasped as they looked around.

"This place looks nice. How many people live here? It looks like it's made for hundreds of people…" Ena commented.

"There's currently five of us." Keng answered Ena. "But this place can adapt and hold loads of people." The living room shuddered and a pair of stairs appeared.

"I guess she's done with that then." Lee Seng pointed at the stairs. "I don't think I've ever seen the second floor of the temple, ever."

"This will do." Zixin nodded. He looked over to his men and then to the Saviors. "Where is your kitchen? We brought some food to cook for tonight."

"Over here." Lee Seng motioned, bringing the group over to the huge kitchen. Lee Seng whistled and nodded. "Even the kitchen grew bigger."

"Sir, do we need to set up a med bay?" Fen asked, looking at Zixin.

"We got a couple of them over here, actually." Fae motioned behind Fen. "Anything pertaining to medicine and the injured are down in this hall." Fae walked over and stood in the hallway off to the right of the kitchen and pointed behind her.

"Ah, Captain Zixin, it's been awhile!" Lily smiled. Zixin turned and smiled, hugging Lily.

"Miss Lily, it's been some time since we last met." Zixin greeted her. "How have you been? Has your journey been well?"

"Yes. As you can see, I found not one, but two Saviors."

"I heard you took two under your wing. I'm surprised they aren't learning from the leaders themselves." Zixin looked over to Lee Seng and Keng. Keng and Lee Seng were helping Zixin's men with the food, setting utensils, bags of meat, and bags of vegetables in the kitchen.

"Ah, those two have been busy. Keng did help, originally, but they had to step away to help Merfolk Squadron Leader Calis." Lily explained.

"Ah." Zixin nodded. "You said you have two students under your wing? Where is the other one?"

"Hello?" River announced himself, loudly. "Miss Lily?" Lily turned around and watched as River stepped into the room.

"River, just in time. Say hello to the Captain from the God Village, Zixin. Captain Zixin, this is the other new Savior under our wing, River." Lily introduced the two.

"H-hello, sir." River bowed.

"Hello." Zixin bowed.

"River's here?" Keng poked his head out of the kitchen. His face lit up and he quickly stopped what he was doing and wandered over to River and hugged him. "Hiya! It's been awhile, Riv. How's your training going?"

"S-Sir, you're squeezing too hard…!" River gasped. He pushed Keng away, who tried to smother River with more hugs. "Argh, stop it, Leader!" River moved to stand behind Lily, who sighed and shook her head.

"C'mon! I barely get to see you now." Keng whined. Lily sighed as Zixin's men and Lee Seng exited the kitchen.

"Everything's in order in the kitchen, Captain. We'll put the medicine in the med bay room and we'll start our watches." Rudy reported to Zixin. Zixin turned and nodded.

"This way." Lee Seng waved, leading the group over to the med bay wing. "This entire hall gets turned into a med bay room, so you can put your medicine and equipment anywhere." Lee Seng opened the first door on the left, revealing a large room with hospital beds and curtains. There was an assortment of medicinal equipment and items on display.

"Feel free to set it on the counters there." Lee Seng motioned.

"Thanks, Savior." Ena smiled, leading the way. The group set their things in the medicine room, quickly leaving after a couple rounds of going back and forth. Lee Seng followed after, noticing Keng was smothering River with loads of hugs and kisses while Captain Zixin, Fae, and Lily sat in the living room.

"Alright, Captain. All is done." Fen reported.

"I'll head off first, then." Nixie saluted to the Captain and the others before exiting.

"Is there anything else that needs to be done?" Rudy asked Zixin.

"We wait now." Zixin sighed. "I hope everyone succeeds. We won't have to do anything."

"Sir." Rudy sighed. "I understand you don't want extra work and it would be nice, but we should be ready just in case anything happens."

"The report indicated the groups would have some difficulty this time around." Fen reminded the Captain. "It would be a miracle if they made it through unscathed."

"It'd be a miracle if there wasn't so much in-fighting." Ena added. He sighed and plopped a seat next to Zixin. "I'm worried about the runts that barely managed to make it through the soldier selection test."

"They placed lower and barely passed." Zixin yawned. "They need to work hard to climb the ranks."

"It's sad the system works like this." Ena sighed. "I feel bad for the bright one… What was his name, again?"

"Gio." Rudy answered. "Sir, are you sure he'll be fine in that group? He's already being subjected to bullying, I think—"

"He has potential." Zixin interjected. "With some time and training, along with some progression in his soul journey, Giovanni will make a worthy soldier."

"The guy that got pushed earlier today?" Lee Seng asked.

"Yeah." Zixin nodded. Zixin sighed and looked over to Lee Seng. "I have to worry about many things and the runts of this batch are especially worrisome. Ugh, why did I let Lady Vix'I talk me into being a Captain?!?"

"At least you weren't left with an entire temple and mission to regrow the Saviors…" Keng side-eyed Zixin.

"How is your recruitment going, though? I see you only have two new Saviors." Zixin looked at Keng.

"It's going." Keng shrugged. "Lily did all of the work. If it weren't for what is to come with Lee Seng and the others, I think I'd be finding all the potential Saviors out there and recruiting them."

"That means you have to actually train them." Lily rolled her eyes. Keng peeled away from River and poked his head from behind the couch towards Lily. She pushed Keng's face away and clicked her tongue.

"You don't even control your own people well." Zixin snickered. "I wonder how you'll teach more than two people at once."

"I am great at it." Keng stuck his tongue out at Zixin. "I could do it if I wanted to."

"Then do it!" Lily shouted. She stood up and turned, pointing at Keng. "You can take Fae and have her shadow you throughout the entire Barracks excursion! Lee Seng can have River!"

"But I—"

"No buts!" Lily shut Keng up.

"At least you know who's runnin' the place." Zixin whispered to Lee Seng. Lee Seng smiled and nodded.

"Well, let's go, River." Lee Seng waved, splitting from the group.

"Where are you guys going? There's no need to do anything if no beacon appears." Keng asked. Lee Seng turned half-way and looked at Keng.

"Mmm, just for a walk. Gotta check our perimeters, right?" Lee Seng responded.