The road continued its gradual ascent toward the city center where the academy stood. In the distance, the main towers of the three principal schools and the castle began to take shape against the horizon, their spires catching the late afternoon sun.
"Two hundred thousand points for Ren," Taro commented, looking with amazement at the pile of materials they had accumulated in two adjacent carts. "Even I obtained the equivalent of 155 thousand crystals... I never imagined we would get so much."
"And all thanks to Ren's instructions," Mira added, her voice filled with genuine admiration.
"It wasn't just because of me," Ren protested, genuinely uncomfortable with the exclusive credit. "Everyone did their part helping me get fresh tentacles and the 3 big guys, also carrying their own weight..."
"A great weight in skins," Min added with a grin, gesturing toward the overflowing carts trailing behind them.
The conversation continued flowing animatedly in the cart as they ascended the serpentine path leading toward the city center. The familiar silhouette of the academy grew larger with each passing minute, its features becoming clearer as they approached.
But something about its profile seemed wrong, a subtle disruption in its familiar symmetry.
Trent was the first to notice.
"Something's not right," he murmured, narrowing his eyes to better focus on the familiar silhouette of the academy towers.
The conversations gradually died down as more students directed their gaze toward the horizon.
"A spire is missing," Luna pointed out, her voice barely a whisper. Her finger traced the skyline, indicating the gap in the academy's crown.
Indeed, one of the spires that crowned the east tower had disappeared, leaving an irregular stump where it once rose elegantly.
"The section near the western cave," Liora leaned forward, her face pale, will-o'-wisp flickering briefly around her fingertips. "It's... burned."
A large black stain, like a scar on the academy's skin, covered part of the western wing. Even from a distance, the movement of workers could be distinguished as small figures repairing the damage.
"The school has been attacked," Larissa finally articulated, verbalizing what everyone had already understood.
A dense silence settled in the carriage. Students exchanged worried glances, some thinking of friends or family who had been in classes these days, others contemplating the unexpected vulnerability of what they considered an impregnable sanctuary.
The rattling of the wheels seemed to intensify in the silence, marking a somber cadence as they continued their inexorable, gentle ascent toward a wounded academy.
Lin must have perceived the growing unease in the carriage. She approached, her mount trotting slowly to keep pace with the vehicle. Her expression was serious but controlled, like someone bearing bad news but who has found a balance to convey them.
"We recently received a message from Julius," she announced, her clear voice cutting through the tension. "The academy is secure now. Wei and Zhao are informing the other carriages what I'll tell you."
Her presence seemed to bring some normalcy to the situation, an anchor amid the uncertainty.
"What exactly happened?" Taro asked, his eyes fixed on the evidence of the attack that became increasingly clear with proximity.
Lin took a deep breath, carefully weighing her words.
"There was an attack from Yino agents," she began. "The Ashenway family sent reinforcements by direct order of my aunt Selphira as soon as they received news. The castle could allocate few personnel due to other... situations requiring attention. The Goldcrests also sent 'support'."
The subtle emphasis Lin placed on the word didn't go unnoticed by Larissa, who narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. Political nuances rarely escaped her attention.
"And the Starweavers?" Luna asked, thinking of her own family.
"They couldn't send anyone," Lin responded with neutrality. "Lack of available personnel, as I understand it…"
"But the combination of forces was sufficient," she continued. "The attackers were repelled and the academy is now under control. Repairs began immediately."
Min, who had been unusually silent, finally spoke: "They must have been many to cause so much damage. A complete battalion from Yino?"
Lin shook her head, and her response left everyone momentarily speechless:
"Two," she said simply. "Only two attackers."
Exclamations of disbelief followed immediately. How was it possible that only two individuals had inflicted such destruction on an institution protected by dozens of teachers and guards?
Taking advantage of the moment of general confusion, Lin discreetly approached Ren. Leaning slightly, she murmured in a voice low enough that only he could hear:
"It seems the target was the seed. They retreated when they couldn't locate the bearer of the relic and when reinforcements finally overcame their combined power."
Ren nodded imperceptibly, the implication crystalline in his mind.
"Secrets are bad manners, Lin," Larissa's melodious but firm voice cut through the moment. Nothing escaped her notice, especially not whispered conversations that excluded her.
Lin straightened, a resigned smile appearing on her lips. "You're right. In any case, you'll all find out soon. There's no point in hiding things."
Turning her attention back to the group in general, Lin adopted a more formal tone.
Her expression became graver, and Ren noticed how her shoulders tensed slightly, preparing to share even more difficult news.
"During the battle... there were casualties."
The carriage seemed to sink into absolute silence, as if even the sound of the wheels and the wind had been absorbed by the gravity of those words.
"Most were auxiliaries who fought underground where the investigation of the last incident continued," Lin said, her voice professionally controlled but with an underlying tone of pain. "Probably few or none that you knew personally for the majority of you."
She paused, and Ren instinctively knew that the worst was yet to come. The momentary hesitation in Lin's usually confident demeanor told him more than words could.
"We also lost two teachers."
Min's hands unconsciously clutched the edge of his seat, while Taro closed his eyes, as if preparing himself for the impact. The others held themselves rigidly, bracing for news they didn't want to hear.
"One of them taught classes to you," Lin's voice descended to little more than a whisper. "Professor Song, crystal instructor, fell valiantly defending a group of students."
The news fell like a stone slab. Professor Song, with his contagious enthusiasm for crystals and his characteristic good nature, had been a pleasant presence during the short time they had known him. His optional class, though not mandatory, had been a breath of peace amid the rigorous curriculum of the academy.
For many, he was barely an acquaintance, a friendly face they crossed in the hallways. For others, a mentor who had dedicated extra time to explain the mysteries of crystals after class.
But for all, his loss represented a fissure in the shield of security that the academy symbolized. Death had reached into their sanctuary, shattering the illusion of perfect safety.
"It can't be," Mira murmured, tears forming in her eyes. "Just three days ago he was so excited showing me how to identify mana crystals from the incursions with Ren..."
Several students lowered their heads, some regretting not having attended or paid more attention in his classes, others remembering gestures of kindness that now took on special weight.
Memories of the professor's gentle correction, his patient explanations, his genuine passion for teaching crystalized into a collective grief.
Ren observed the reactions around him, particularly Han's. The boy had become completely still, his face a pale, expressionless mask that contrasted with the emotionality of the rest. There were no tears, not even visible shock, but something deeper and more complex: an absolute stillness that spoke of a more intense shock than any external manifestation.
"Are you okay?" Ren asked quietly.