"Yeah, they came back a few minutes ago," Seth answered, stopping beside Elena and Brandon.
"Where did you go after the fight?" Marine asked with a teasing expression. "You vanished like a thief for the past two hours. Were you embarrassed?" The noblewoman walked around Elena and draped an arm over her shoulder. "You didn't have to be. Even if you said some stupid things, it was still impressive how you saved our beautiful Elena here. A knight, saving the damsel!"
"Oh, Marine, stop it," Elena mumbled, shrugging out from under the second-year's arm.
"But it's true!" Marine retorted. "The other student from Sidera could barely put a foot inside that Rift without screaming and collapsing, yet Seth charged in, beat one of the empire's fighters, and saved you, all while bleeding from his eyes!"
Brandon turned to Seth. "Yeah, actually, how did you do that?" the Guardian asked. "Do you have a spell that numbs pain?"
"No," Seth answered. "But I have one that puts me into a rage. I was so angry I barely felt a thing."
"It was quite a sight," Marine said. "That poor Rogue must have wet himself. He looked terrified."
"That was another spell," Seth explained. "One that induces fear."
"Damn, that's so cool!" Brandon exclaimed. "I don't think our House has anything like that."
Marine stepped closer to Seth, reaching over to tilt his chin up with her fingers. "Even if it was a spell, I still think you looked terrifying back—"
"Enough chit-chat," Intendant Lancet said from beside them, her sharp voice cutting through the banter. "We need to leave now if we want to arrive before evening."
Marine's shoulders slumped with a dramatic sigh. She shot Seth one last look before turning to enter the caravan. Elena and the others followed her inside as Professor Reat approached Seth and leaned in. "Did you find what you were looking for?"
"Yeah, I got it."
The professor nodded, his lips pressed into a thin line, before entering the cabin. Just as Seth was about to join them, Director Ryehill put a hand on Seth's shoulder and stopped him. "You always find a way to leave a strong impression."
"Isn't it why you asked me to come here, sir?"
"That's true," the man answered with a low chuckle. "But still, a few Houses have asked me to reprimand you for what you did."
Seth frowned. "For protecting Elena?"
"For disobeying orders and interfering in a match," Director Ryehill replied. "Even if it was to protect her."
"So I should have been a good soldier, sir? And did nothing?" Seth retorted, frustration rising in his voice. "They would have shown everyone how they can beat us without effort and also how they can circumvent the barrier and seriously injure us. Instead, I show them that they aren't invincible. That can be crushed."
Ryehill's mouth twitched, then a small smile slid across his face. "And that's exactly why I won't punish you. But… that will stay our secret."
The man then winked at him as he stepped onto the caravan. Intendant Lancet tailed behind the director, casting one last disapproving glance at Seth. She clearly would have preferred he be punished—but the decision wasn't hers.
Seth looked out at Oskon's distant skyline.
The day could have gone far worse—but once again, Marcus had stepped in to save his ass. He'd make sure to thank him the next time they crossed paths. Also, the trip to Asethka had been its own revelation, opening his eyes to the truth: Kastal was small and broken, ruled by an unworthy king.
Seth sighed and climbed into the caravan. Odds were, he wouldn't find a way to break the trial's enchantment before the war began in a month. So he would need to grow stronger if he wanted to survive. Quickly.
The ride back to Trogan was quiet but tense. Marine peppered Seth with questions about the specifics of the spell he had used, but after getting nothing more than a series of grunts and short answers, she finally gave up with an exasperated sigh. The second- and third-year students debated in low voices, trying to formulate hypotheses about why the Bridan Empire's representatives were so much stronger than they were.
Professor Reat, Director Ryehill, Captain Michaelson, and Intendant Lancet occasionally glanced their way. Seth suspected the quartet knew the real reason—Seeds and Legacies—but were forbidden from speaking about it.
The caravan finally rolled to a stop a few hours later, and they all stepped out of the spacious cabin into the early evening air. In the distance, the sun hung just above Trogan's walls. After being dismissed by the director, Seth set out for a quick hunt while the others returned to rest at the academy. He didn't come back until late that night, after having slain half a dozen beasts with Colossus and Nightmare, the latter of whom seized every opportunity to unleash Mantle of Terror in hopes of pushing the spell's quality higher.
The next morning, after a lecture on the theoretical applications of war formation, Seth, Elena, Devus, and Jenna walked together through the academy's central garden. The air was cool and filled with the fragrance of blooming flowers.
"Are you going out again to hunt this evening?" Jenna asked, turning toward Seth. "I was hoping we could train together if you weren't."
"Um, yeah, I was planning to," Seth answered, his mouth squeezing awkwardly to the side.
The brown-haired Warrior immediately let out a loud sigh. "Ever since the Spring tournament, you've done nothing but hunt."
"Sorry, but hunting is more effective to increase attributes than sparring."
"Attributes aren't everything," Jenna answered. "Techniques and footwork are also important. You need to practice those as well."
Devus clapped a heavy hand on Seth's shoulder and grinned. "Why would he? He doesn't need fancy sword moves or knife tricks anymore. The new plan is just 'punch it really, really hard.' " Devus mimed a slow, powerful haymaker, making a sound. "It seems to be working out pretty well so far."
Seth just raised an eyebrow, not bothering to confirm it, though the Guardian wasn't wrong.
Before Jenna could argue further, a voice cut through the air: "Seth! There you are!"
They all turned to see Professor Reat hurrying toward them, moving with an unfamiliar energy that seemed to shed years from his always-so-weary face. He wasn't just walking; he was practically jogging with a broad smile beaming across his face.
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The man came to a stop before them, holding up an envelope. The wax seal was broken, and Seth spotted faint, moldy, star-shaped spots on the parchment within.
"I received a letter concerning you," the professor said.
Elena stepped forward, her expression immediately wary. "Is this about the trial?" she asked, her voice laced with concern despite the professor's unusual demeanor.
"No, no, nothing like that," Reat said, waving a dismissive hand. The smile on his face grew even wider, digging deep lines into his cheeks. "It's good news. Pack your gear, Seth. You and I are leaving on an expedition."
Seth realized, his own heart beginning to race.
The rhythmic jostling of the night caravan finally ceased with a heavy lurch, waking Seth from his dozing. Pale morning light filtered through the carriage's small, shuttered window. Professor Reat was already on his feet, his movements sharp and filled with the same unusual energy Seth had seen earlier that day.
"Let's get going," Reat said, unlatching the door. "There's no time to lose."
Seth pushed himself up, his muscles stiff from the overnight journey, and followed the professor out into the crisp morning air. After an eight-hour ride, they had arrived in Veridia, a bustling frontier city built at the edge of a vast northern forest. The scent of pine and fresh sawdust hung in the air, and the streets were already beginning to fill with loggers, merchants, and Adventurers. Without a moment's pause, Professor Reat set off at a quick pace, forcing Seth to weave through the growing crowd just to keep the man's dark coat in sight as they headed for the north gate.
"Why are you so excited, professor?" Seth asked, having to jog to keep up.
"We'll talk once we're out of the city," Professor Reat answered, barely glancing over his shoulder.
Seth frowned but complied. Upon reaching the gate, the professor gave the guards a curt nod, and the moment the two of them passed through, he broke into a full sprint. Seth followed, and as the walls receded behind them, Nightmare sprang from the teardrop necklace to run alongside.
"Why are we in such a hurry?" the direwolf asked aloud through his aether voice. "Is this about that Temporary Rift?"
"Yes," Professor Reat replied. "Your Alchemist friend said in his letter that it closes at noon. We have to get it before then. And it's a two hour run from where we are."
Seth thought before picking up his pace until he was running beside the man. "And how long will it stay closed?"
"A month."
Seth's stomach sank. "So if we miss it, I can't get inside before the war… Wait, it's still possible to get out after it closes, right?"
Reat shook his head. "Not this one."
"What?" Seth almost stumbled over his own feet.
"Some Temporary Rifts allow you to leave even after their portals temporarily vanish. This one does not," the professor said calmly. "But don't worry. We'll come out just before the war begins."
Seth dragged a hand down his face. "Sergeant Tirus is going to lose his mind. He keeps going on about how crucial I am to the squad. Missing a whole month of training…"
"He won't complain if you return stronger," Reat said. The man drew Marcus' parchment from his pocket, and as aether pulsed out in some oddly rhythmic pattern, he adjusted their course.
Seth then frowned, replaying the professor's earlier words in his head. "Wait… you said 'll come out?"
Reat's mouth curved into a small smile. "Yes. I'm going in with you."
, Seth realized.
"That friend of yours gave me something to help my breakthrough," Reat went on. "Something that can't be found anywhere in Kastal."
Seth arched a brow. "Like some weird enhancer?"
"Exactly," the professor confirmed. "But it takes weeks to digest and only helps during that window. That's why one needs a special environment, like a Temporary Rift."
Seth thought as they plunged into a forest's gloom.
The man had been at the peak of Silver Tier for three years, according to Devus. Most were stuck there for decades… or all their life. If he managed to break through now, it would be a feat people would talk about across all of Kastal. He would become one of the youngest Gold Wielders in the nation. Seth believed he could accomplish something similar—perhaps even more remarkable—but that would be thanks to his bloodline and Kreytorus' Legacy. Reat had neither.
As they ran through the forest, the professor became a whirlwind of destruction. With casual swings of his staff, he unleashed torrents of fire that incinerated any beast foolish enough to approach them. None of the Iron-Tiered creatures survived the man's spells, their bodies turning to ash before they could even let out a cry.
After a little over two hours, they stopped before a colossal tree with a trunk that dwarfed the Trial Tower. Its branches soared skyward as if reaching for the heavens, while its roots sprawled across the ground like the claws of some ancient beast. Between those yawned the dark mouth of a cavern. Without hesitation, Professor Reat stepped inside and motioned for Seth and Nightmare to follow.
"It's a Rift filled with Elementals," the man said while advancing. "Ever heard of them?"
"Yes," Seth answered, flipping to the pages of his father's encyclopedia in his mind.
He recalled the drawings of strange, arcane beasts made of pure elements—wind, flame, earth, even shadow—all held together by the raw power of their beaststone. They were unpredictable, each with a unique fighting style, but the book never mentioned Kastal as one of their possible locations.
Nightmare grumbled through their bond while running by Seth's side.
Seth answered mentally.
A few steps deeper into the dimly lit cave, Seth spotted the portal: a blurry, shimmering haze of blue aether that hovered a few inches above the ground.
"Put your direwolf back in your pocket realm so you don't get separated when we step through," Professor Reat instructed, closing a firm hand around Seth's wrist.
"Alright," Seth replied, caught off guard by the sudden grip.
Seeing his expression, the professor spoke again, "If you want to enter a Rift with someone, you have to be in physical contact."
"Oh, I see." Seth had never Rift Dived with anyone before, so the rule was news to him. He'd never thought to ask Celine, since he'd never planned on hunting with a partner outside of his beasts. Then, he recalled his trip to Asethka with Marcus—he hadn't been touching the Alchemist when they'd slipped through the portal past the sleeping guards.
Professor Reat tugged him forward and walked into the portal, causing darkness to swallow them whole. Seth's stomach lurched as space warped and stretched, a sickening twist of motion that ended as abruptly as it had begun.
He blinked and found himself in a vast cavern. Cool air pressed against his skin, heavy with the smell of wet stone and earth. Along the walls, clusters of glowing mushrooms and mold shimmered in soft turquoise hues, casting eerie ripples of light across the rock. Colossal stone bridges connected walls far above them, linking dozens of tunnels that burrowed into the cavern's depths. The place stretched out like an endless labyrinth carved by nature itself.
The aether prickling his skin felt almost as dense as the one in Asethka, which was within a Platinum Rift.
"The aether's intense, but it's still Silver," Professor Reat said, as if he'd read Seth's thought right off his face. "You'll have to be careful not to stumble upon any Silver beasts."
"That'll be hard with all those tunnels," Seth replied, gesturing to the numerous openings in the cave's rock around them. "Did Marcus give you a map?"
"No," the professor said with a shrug. "Just the location, Tier, and the portal's schedule. Oh, and he mentioned it was discovered by a Wandering Merchant—and as far as he knows, it's never been explored."
"Isn't that dangerous?"
"Of course, but if it's really an unexplored Temporary Rift, it could be filled with incredible treasures. You have no idea how lucky we are. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity... especially for me."
"Especially for you?"
"Well, you probably won't find as many valuable resources, since you'll be sticking to the areas with weaker beasts," the man explained. "But for me… this could change everything."
Seth thought.
"So we're not staying together?" he then asked.
"No. You wouldn't grow if I spent the whole time babysitting you," Professor Reat answered. "You're a Primalist. You need danger."
, Seth thought to himself.
Nightmare said through their bond.
Reat stopped and pulled two gold-rimmed objects that looked like pocket watches from his Endless Pouch. "These are timers," he then explained. "The first will ring in a month when the portal reopens. The second will ring an hour before it closes. As soon as you hear it, use an Escape Scroll and get out."
"And if I don't manage to do that, I'm stuck here for another month?"
"Yes," the professor replied, his tone turning serious. "And you'd also miss the start of the war. The crown would brand you a deserter, which would certainly not help your case at the trial."
Seth glanced down at his forearm where the Scribe had engraved the enchantment, then gritted his teeth and gave a curt nod. "Understood."
"I'll see you in a month," Professor Reat said before striding down a tunnel and vanishing into the dark.
The moment he was gone, Nightmare and Colossus emerged from the teardrop necklace. Both looked at him expectantly. A grin spread across Seth's face.
"Ready for another month of hunting?"
Colossus clicked his pincers, and Nightmare dropped into a crouch, his tail wagging as his voice boomed in Seth's head. '
(NOT UPDATED):
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