After a surprisingly short but grueling battle, the defeated Reflezard hit the ground with a heavy, lifeless thud. Dom collapsed beside it, gasping for breath, bloodied and battered.
A tense silence fell over the clearing, the kind that only follows true chaos and near-death.
For a few heartbeats, nothing moved—then Dom groaned, pushing himself to a knee. His breathing was ragged, uneven, his eyes fixed on the shattered body beside him. A weak, almost hollow smirk flickered across his face.
Several meters away, Dae sat slumped on the ground, head bowed, chest heaving as he tried to catch his unsteady breath.
"You alright?" Dom asked, staggering forward, one hand pressed to his bloodied gut.
Dae scoffed. "You should really think about yourself first," he muttered, voice strained, glancing up at Dom. "I thought you were dead."
Dom let out a shaky laugh. "So did I… I think I blacked out back there." He reached out a hand.
Dae hesitated for a moment, then took it. "Understandable," he said. He wrenched himself to his feet, wincing sharply from the pain in his chest, and looked at the Reflezard with a mix of disbelief and exhaustion. "If I didn't see it for myself, I would never have believed you could take down a Reflezard."
Dom gave him a weak pat on the back, which made Dae wince again. "It was a team effort. I couldn't have done it without you slowing it down."
Dae stared at him, swallowing the lump in his throat. He wanted to say more, but no words came. The weight of their ordeal pressed down on both of them.
Then, a distant explosion shook the ground beneath them.
Both flinched.
Dom's eyes widened. "I totally forgot about the exam," he muttered, realization dawning. He had been so focused on survival, on the fight itself, that the reason they were here in the first place slipped entirely from his mind.
Dae looked down at his injured leg, twitching with every attempted movement. "I can't run anymore," he admitted, frustration and exhaustion etched across his face.
"Then I'll carry you," Dom said, stepping forward. Dae's brows furrowed, but before he could protest, Dom scanned the area. "Where's Sam?"
Dae pointed toward the bush, where Sam lay hidden among the leaves. "He should be fine if he stays hidden," he said, voice low. "We still have maybe an hour and a half to reach the goal."
Dom's jaw tightened. "Then… we still have time." He limped toward Sam. "I'll just… have to carry… both of you."
Dae's hand shot out instinctively to stop him, but faltered. His body felt heavier than ever. He looked up at Dom, who pressed a hand to his own wounded gut, blood dripping.
"You can't do it…" Dae said, voice strained. "Even if you manage to carry us… He's already failed the moment his partner died."
Dom didn't respond. He pushed forward.
Dae exhaled sharply, forcing himself to rise a little. "If Sam stays hidden, he can be safe until the trainers arrive. Carrying him would only lower our chances further."
Dom stopped briefly, then forced a smirk. "Don't… worry. We won't fail."
Dae sighed, defeated, and sank back down. "Fine. Do what you want. I can't stop you anyway."
Dom laughed weakly as he moved toward Sam, and Dae rested his head against the ground, a small, tired smile crossing his lips before he closed his eyes.
Some time later, the scene shifted to the Academy training grounds.
A team of two exhausted recruits, battered and bloodied, supported each other as they finally emerged into the large clearing. Between two black pillars, a massive, blue, swirling portal shimmered before them.
They shared a fleeting, exhausted glance before stepping into the portal—and arrived back among the waiting trainers and recruits.
Medics rushed forward instantly. Johan checked his pocket watch, frowning. "5 minutes left," he murmured, just as Sandra approached.
"Don't you think it's strange, sir?" she asked, eyes flicking across the gathered recruits. "Despite being our best, they're still not here."
Johan lowered his watch with a sigh. "I was thinking the same thing."
Sandra turned back to the portal, concern etched across her face. "Do you think something happened to them?"
"Who knows?" Johan replied, lighting his cigarette. "Whatever happens out there, they're on their own. If they fail… then so be it."
Sandra frowned. "Isn't that a little cruel, sir?"
"We're soldiers, Sergeant. A little cruelty runs in our blood." He said, coldly.
Sandra sighed and turned back to the portal, a hopeful look on her face.
As the minutes ticked by, tension built.
A female recruit whispered a prayer, just as a hand touched her shoulder. She turned to find Roger shaking his head.
"There's no point in hoping, my dear. If they've not made it here yet, then they failed. It's sad, but it happens." He said with an obviously superficial, sad look, one that makes the girl cringe. "Don't worry. As the second strongest team, we'll be sure to-"
"Roger." His lackey said.
Roger's brow twitches at the interruption. "What?" He grumbled, annoyed before noticing the lackey pointing at the portal. He follows the gesture, his eyes widened when the portal distorted.
All eyes went wide as an exhausted Dom stumbled through, carrying Dae and Sam on his back. Blood and grime covered all three.
Dae opened his eyes, recognizing the grounds weakly. "We… made… it," he said, voice barely audible.
Dom forced a smirk, lips trembling. "I told you… we won't… f—"
But his legs gave out. Dom collapsed heavily, sending both Dae and Sam crashing to the ground.
Medics rushed in immediately. "Damn," one muttered, rolling Dom onto his back, taking in his bruises, cuts, and feverish condition.
"Dom, Dae, Sam," a female recruit called, as others checked the vitals of the injured.
Roger and his lackey exchanged a confused glance. "They're supposed to be the strongest…" the lackey muttered.
A voice called out. "Where's David?"
Dom lifted his gaze, the praying girl from earlier looked at him. "Where's David?" She asked again.
The memories of the boy's head still haunted him. As Dom's expression darkened, her already fragile hope cracked.
Dae's eyes mirrored the same grief.
"Get back!" Sandra commanded, moving the other recruits aside. She approached with Johan and the other trainers, taking in the wounded trio. "Jesus…" she muttered.
Johan's gaze was steady. "What happened?" He asked.
Dom whispered through groans, "We… got attacked… by… a Reflezard."
"That's impossible," a trainer said. "Reflezards are rare, A-rank beasts. We only sent B-ranks. Are you sure?"
"Yes," Dae panted, voice strained. "It was… lizard-like. Fast. Hard shell. Reflected my spells."
The trainers stiffen as they recognize Dae's words to be the textbook description of the beast.
Johan narrowed his eyes while Sandra shook her head.
Johan dropped to a knee, eyes glowing. Within moments, he accessed Dom and Dae's memories, confirming the truth of the Reflezard encounter.
"They're telling the truth," he said, standing.
"Are you sure?" Sandra asked.
"I am," Johan replied, exhaling smoke. "It seems we miscataloged the beasts."
Recruits whispered, worry and relief blending as medics continued their work. A bell tolled, and the portal shimmered and closed.
"Time's up," a trainer announced.
The recruit from earlier widened her eyes, tears streaming down her face. "No. What about David? Where is he?" she asked, voice trembling, even though she already knew the answer.
Dom closed his eyes tightly, pain etched across his features. "I'm… sorry," he mumbled.
The girl sank to her knees, sobbing, while a few other female recruits rushed to comfort her.
"This is a mess," a trainer muttered, shaking his head, and Sandra nodded, frowning.
Johan, maintaining his usual neutral expression, observed the broken girl and sighed. "Start rounding up the remaining recruits and beasts," he instructed Sandra, who, despite her frustration, nodded in acknowledgment. "You five—help her out."
"Sir!" the five other trainers responded, saluting before following Sandra as she worked on reopening the portal through the terminal.
Johan then turned his attention to Dom and Dae. "Regardless of the mix-up, I'm honestly impressed that you two managed to kill a Reflezard. That's a beast that even A-class veterans struggle against—and you did it while protecting someone else."
Dae and Dom weakly glanced at Sam, now lying on a gurney, being rushed away, while two other gurneys were brought in for them.
"You did well, soldiers," Johan added, nodding with genuine pride.
But the acknowledgment did little to lift their spirits. Dom's frown deepened as he watched the girl sobbing uncontrollably, while Dae simply closed his eyes, silent, exhausted, and guilt-ridden as medics strapped them to their gurneys.
Johan sighed again, his gaze sweeping the room. A recruit locked eyes with him, glaring.
"With all due respect, sir… don't you think you're being a little inconsiderate?" the recruit demanded.
Johan looked around, noticing others sharing the same sentiment.
Unmoved by their stares, he replied calmly, "I do feel bad about what happened… but that won't change anything."
The recruit clenched their fists in frustration.
Johan folded his arms, continuing in the same measured tone. "I promise to get to the bottom of this, but… in some strange, messed-up way, I still consider this a lesson."
"Lesson?" Roger asked, incredulous.
Johan's gaze returned to the medics, who were finishing the final straps on Dom and Dae, who had both already lost consciousness. "Not everything goes according to plan," he said, voice even, as the boys were lifted onto the gurneys.
"I said it when we first met," Johan added, turning back to the recruits. "What we need from you is the power to complete any operation, regardless of the risk. This is a practical example."
The frustrated recruit fell silent, and the others followed suit, recognizing the harsh but true logic.
"I apologize, but unfortunately… that's just how things work," Johan said, closing his eyes as the medics carried Dom and Dae away.
"With that out of the way," he continued, addressing the recruits. "Of the 40 sent into the field, 29 made it through the gate on time… but only 22 qualified for a passing grade."
"Damn it," one recruit muttered, eyes glistening as they remembered their partner killed by a Gorback. The others shared similar expressions of grief and disbelief.
"The seven of you, including those still alive in there, will retake a different exam in two months. The rest… are no longer recruits. From today, you are fully authorized magic knights. On behalf of the Royal Council, I congratulate you."
Johan saluted, but only a few recruits returned it. The rest remained motionless, either confused, conflicted, or silently grieving.