"Phew, that was a close one." Leroy sighed, collapsing onto the ground, utterly exhausted.
"Yeah, but at least we completed our mission," Devin replied, also sighing with relief as he settled beside Leroy.
"We need to get going. We'll report this to the Guild when we get back," Nerissa said, sitting close to them, her voice steady and resolute.
"Can we at least rest for a bit?" Leroy pleaded, still wanting more time to recover.
"I wonder what's going to happen to the village now," Rena said sadly, her gaze fixed in the direction of the ravaged village.
"They'll probably get a new Lord soon, and this whole matter will be under strict monitoring. It's safe to say that we have traitors even in the higher-ups," Nerissa explained, her voice laced with concern.
"Well, that's frustrating. Things aren't going to be the same after this," Lay said, patting Rena on the shoulder, trying to offer some comfort.
The atmosphere, despite the heavy conversation, felt warm to Nerissa. Surviving such an encounter with her party members brought a sense of camaraderie and relief. She looked at each of them, grateful for their presence and the bond they shared.
The night sky above was a tapestry of dim stars, barely holding on to their shine, a mirror to her weary yet hopeful heart.
'I wonder how my baby brother is right now,' Nerissa thought, watching the stars flicker like distant beacons.
*****
'I know I was all hyped for this, but...' Jett glanced around the classroom where he and the other students sat, listening to a lecture. He sighed, 'This is super boring. Maybe because Mom already taught me all this, but where's the nostalgia I felt when I read about it?'
The academy offered a variety of classes tailored to the students' different paths: Warriors, Mages, Crafting, Alchemy, and General Studies.
The schedule was meticulously designed to ensure that none of these classes interfered with one another, allowing students to pursue multiple disciplines based on their preferences and abilities.
Every student was required to take at least two courses, with General Studies being compulsory for all.
Jett, a magic swordsman, naturally chose both the Warrior and Mage classes in addition to General Studies.
He wasn't alone in this choice; Rey, Aiden, and Elora followed the same path. Cedric, on the other hand, opted for Crafting along with the Warrior class. Freya, Rosa, and Morrigan focused solely on the Mage class, while Marcella, aiming for a broader knowledge base, added Alchemy to her Mage curriculum.
The rest of their peers primarily enrolled in the Warrior class, with Cedric also including Crafting in his schedule.
In the middle of a General Studies lecture, Jett found himself struggling to stay engaged. His eyes wandered around the room, seeking anything to distract him from the monotony of the lesson.
The lecture droned on, and Jett couldn't help but feel a wave of boredom wash over him.
"Pss... Hey, pay attention so you might learn a thing or two and get a higher rank in the future.
Don't forget you need this more than us, seeing as you almost got the lowest rank in our set and the entire school," Rey whispered to Jett, trying to snap him back to reality.
"It's just too boring," Jett replied, stretching himself where he sat, his eyes half-lidded with disinterest.
As they whispered to each other, Rey's curiosity got the better of him. "I've been meaning to ask for a while now, but the reward my father gave you..." Rey pointed subtly at Jett's shoulder. "Is that it?"
Jett glanced at where Rey was pointing, the small object hidden beneath his clothing. He nodded slightly, a smirk playing on his lips. "Yeah, that's it. Your old man sure knows how to pick 'em."
Rey's eyes widened a bit in surprise and admiration, his curiosity temporarily distracting him from the lecture as well.
"Yes, and since we got here, you got yours earlier than we did. So how come it hasn't hatched yet?" Rey asked, his curiosity unabated.
Jett's mind flashed back to the fight with Gabo and Articus in the cave and how he had woken up to see the new hatching date. He was too embarrassed to talk about it. "That's none of your business.
Keep that annoying class perk to yourself."
"It's not my fault WAR BOUND made the Hero class the ultimate class," Rey said with a smug smile.
"And that's why you're my personal XP farm," Jett grinned.
"What was that?" Rey asked, not clearly hearing what Jett said.
"It's nothing. So? What about you guys? Have they hatched already?" Jett deflected, changing the direction of the discussion.
"Oh, they're hatching tomorrow, so we'll all find out what we got. I already know what mine will be, though," Rey boasted.
"Is it because of your stupid class perks?" Jett asked, walking away without much interest.
"Stop being a baby. I know because I played the game, stupid," Rey answered, clenching his fists in excitement. "And now..."
As Jett reached the entrance of the alley where they had been talking, he found his path blocked by Matthew and the others. Cedric stood nervously at the back, looking apologetic.
"It's time to spill the details. How's life with a hottie like Freya?" Rey asked with a mischievous look on his face.
'Oh crap, they're ganging up on me,' Jett realized.
Thinking quickly, Jett attempted to run using [Ricochet Strike], aiming to bounce off the walls and make a quick escape. However, before he could get far, Cedric used his skill [Construct] to create a brick wall above him, causing Jett to crash into it headfirst.
"Ow!" Jett yelped, rubbing his forehead as he stumbled back, dazed from the impact.
Matthew and the others burst into laughter, while Cedric looked relieved that his skill had worked.
"You're not getting away that easily, Jett," Rey said, still grinning.
"You've got to believe me, it's no fun. If anything, I'm now a visitor in my room. Let go of me right now," Jett pleaded, but the boys wouldn't listen, their mischievous grins widening.
They held Jett firmly, pushing him against the wall. Just as Jett braced himself for more teasing, an unexpected and powerful force pulled them all towards the wall.
"What the..." Rey started, but his words were cut off as they were sucked into the wall, disappearing in an instant.
For a moment, the alley was silent, save for the faint shimmer left where they had vanished. Jett,
Rey, Cedric, Matthew, and the others were gone, leaving behind only an eerie stillness.
*
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Let's keep going