The horses, magnificent steeds gifted by the profoundly grateful villagers, were relinquished at the academy gates. Though the boys had initially refused any reward, the villagers had been adamant, their insistence stemming from a deep-seated need to express their gratitude for the trio's life-saving intervention. The fastest mounts available, they insisted, were the least they could offer their saviors. The scene lingered in Asher's memory—the tear-streaked faces of the villagers, their heartfelt pleas, the overwhelming weight of their collective relief.
Dismounting, Asher stretched, a series of sharp cracks echoing from his aching joints. "Mission hall," he declared, his voice carrying a newfound authority that surprised even himself. The events of the past few days had forged something within him, a steely resolve that hadn't been there before.
Nick nodded, his gaze unwavering, a stark contrast to Asher's usual boisterous demeanor. "Yes. We must file a full report, but remember—absolutely no mention of Ethan's… *condition*." His voice was low, a carefully guarded secret resonating in the stillness between them.
Ethan, his expression impassive as ever, simply nodded. His usual calm was tinged with a weariness that went beyond physical exhaustion. The ordeal had left its mark, etched deeply into his very being. Asher, usually quick with a jest, found himself strangely subdued, the gravity of their shared experience settling heavily upon his shoulders. The casual swagger was gone, replaced by a quiet intensity.
Their walk through the academy grounds felt different this time, strangely muted. The usual cacophony of training—the rhythmic thud of sparring feet, the clash of steel on steel, the erratic bursts of elemental energy—seemed distant, almost muffled, as if their shared experience had somehow created a personal sound barrier. Students practiced their swordsmanship, the sharp glint of steel reflecting the late afternoon sun, while others hurled fireballs or summoned shimmering gusts of wind, their movements precise and disciplined. Instructors moved among them, offering corrections, their voices a low hum against the backdrop of exertion. But the trio walked with a grim focus, seemingly encased in their own world, oblivious to the rhythmic pulse of the academy's training grounds.
The mission hall was a hive of activity—a churning vortex of students rushing in and out, their faces reflecting a spectrum of emotions, from the flushed triumph of success to the weary resignation of failure. Elina, the mission clerk, stood behind the worn wooden counter, her ever-present smirk slightly softened, though her eyes still held that same sardonic gleam. Her desk was a monument to administrative chaos, files piled high, papers strewn haphazardly, the air thick with the scent of old parchment and brewing coffee. A small, tense group of students huddled near her desk, their faces etched with concern, whispering urgently amongst themselves. Another point-farming attempt, Asher surmised cynically, his own tension momentarily eased by this familiar sight.
Their turn finally arrived. Asher, summoning a sliver of his usual bravado, strode forward, a controlled smile playing on his lips. "Elina! We're back."
Elina looked up, her eyes scanning them with a mixture of appraisal and skepticism. Her smirk returned, sharper this time. "Oh. You're still *alive*? I'm genuinely surprised. I expected a significantly higher casualty rate."
"What do you mean, *still* alive?" Asher frowned. "You expected us to… *die*?"
"Not 'expected' – more like 'logically deduced'," Elina replied, a shrug accompanying her words as she gestured to the towering stack of mission reports. "Give me the short version. Village investigation, cave system? Let's hear it." Her tone was curt, businesslike, the familiar sarcasm tempered by an undercurrent of something else... perhaps curiosity?
Nick stepped forward, his voice low and controlled, his words precise and factual. "Yes. Reached the village without incident, though the situation was… dire. We investigated the missing villagers, a search that lead us to a system of caves near the village." He paused, allowing his words to hang in the air, deliberately omitting any mention of their harrowing descent into darkness.
Ethan remained silent, his arms still tightly crossed over his chest, his expression impassive, a mask hiding the turmoil within.
Elina, her pen poised over the file, scribbled notes rapidly, her movements precise and economical. "Okay. The academy will take it from here—"
"Not so fast," Asher interrupted, his voice sharper this time, his confidence growing with each word. "You're cutting us off just as we get to the genuinely *exciting* part."
Elina raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Wasn't the assignment basic assessment and support? A straightforward report on the missing villagers?" Her tone was laced with an unmistakable undercurrent of suspicion.
Nick nodded, his expression grave. "It was. But...we encountered something completely unexpected."
Elina leaned forward, her expression shifting from dismissive to something akin to wary interest. "Unexpected? Elaborate."
"Significant monster activity," Nick said, his voice low and tense. "Ogres. Four of them. Large, heavily armed, and intensely aggressive."
Elina's pen stilled, a slight frown etching itself onto her face. This was exceeding the scope of a standard mission report.
"And… we dealt with them," Asher added, a hint of triumph lacing his voice. The sheer audacity of their claim seemed to hang in the air, thick and palpable.
A long silence stretched between them, a tense pause punctuated only by the background hum of the academy and the distant sounds of training. Elina's expression was unreadable, a carefully constructed mask hiding her true thoughts.
"You… *dealt* with them? Four ogres? On your own? Before basic combat training? You're joking, right?" Her voice was sharp, disbelief battling with something that might have been… respect?
"We're not joking," Nick said, his voice unwavering. "We eliminated them."
"Proof?" Elina challenged, her tone sharp, her eyes narrowed. "Show me. Inspect your storage rings."
Elina sighed and examined each ring, channeling her essence into them to verify their contents. The moment her energy connected with Asher's ring, the compartment activated.
*Thud.*
The first ogre corpse, a mountain of grotesque, bloodied flesh and bone, landed heavily on the floor.
*Thud. Thud. Thud.*
Three more, identical to the first, followed, each impact reverberating through the room. Students jumped, conversations ceased, even Elina's sarcastic demeanor vanished.
The four ogres lay sprawled across the polished marble floor, a ghastly tableau of carnage. The air hung heavy with the smell of blood and decay.
Elina remained silent, her face an unreadable mask. The silence was thick enough to cut with a blade.
Asher stepped forward, a smug grin splitting his face. "Still think we were lying?"
Elina blinked slowly, a flicker of something akin to genuine shock in her eyes. "I... I need to get this confirmed. This... this isn't... standard."