Owen slowly opened his eyes to dim glow of lanterns hanging from the ceiling. The scent of herbs filled the air, and the soft murmuring of voices reached his ears.
He turned his head and saw Leon beside him, their wounds bandaged and standing next to him was lucy, conner. Across the room, the man who had fought alongside them was being treated by a group of elves dressed in flowing emerald robes. Their hands shimmered with golden light as they worked his deep injuries were healed.
Leon stirred and groaned. "Ugh... where are we?"
"Some kind of healing ward", Owen muttered, still feeling the weight of exhaustion on his body.
The elf tending to Owen smiled gently. "You are in the sanctuary of Elaris.Your bodies were severely damaged, but the spirits still cling to you. You are fortunate".
Owen clenched his fists, his mind flashing back to the arena, to the blood on his hands. He had slaughtered so many men and beasts who had been forced into battle just like him. He could still hear their screams.
Leon sat up, rubbing his neck. "Man, what a mess. That skinny freak was something else... but you" He looked at Owen, his expression changed. "You were like a completely different person out there" Leon said in low voice.
Owen didn't respond. His hands trembled slightly. He felt... hollow.
Before anyone could say more, the door creaked open. A commanding presence filled the room as Edwin Freeman stepped inside as he walked forward, his sharp eyes looked the group before settling on Owen.
"You're awake".Edwin said, his voice calm but firm. "Good. We need to talk".
Leon and the others exchanged glances but said nothing as Edwin gestured for Owen to follow. Owen hesitated but eventually stood and walked out of the ward with him.
The two stood on a balcony overlooking the city. The festival lights bathed the streets in a warm, vibrant glow, a stark contrast to the darkness Owen felt inside.
"They're celebrating", Owen murmured, gripping the railing. "Honoring the dead... and I killed people back there. A lot of them".
Edwin didn't respond immediately. He leaned against the railing, looking down at the city below and he spoke. "Regret....if you drown in it, you'll never move forward".
Owen turned to him, his face tense. "But—"
"Listen" Edwin cut him off. "I won't tell you that killing was the right thing. I won't lie and say those lives meant nothing. But they made their choices, just like you did".
"The question isn't whether you should regret it or not the question is: what will you do with that regret? Will you let it consume you, or will you use it to make sure it never happens again?"
Owen swallowed hard. The weight in his chest didn't vanish,"Come on," Edwin said, standing straight.
"We have to get back to the academy"Edwin said and every gathered together.
As they stepped out of the hospital, the night sky stretched endlessly above them. Owen, Leon, and the others followed Edwin toward a circular platform glowing with runic inscriptions.
"This will take us straight to the academy," Edwin said while stepping onto the platform.
Leon said"Man, this is way better than walking".
A soft hum filled the air as Edwin placed his hand over a hovering crystal at the platform's center. The symbols beneath their feet pulsed with energy, rising in a spiral of light. Owen felt a strange like his body lifted without moving.
In a flash, the world around them twisted. It was as if they were falling through a tunnel of shooting stars.
They landed inside the academy's teleportation hall. Owen stumbled slightly, steadying himself.
"Ugh," Leon groaned
Edwin smirked. "You'll get used to it."
Owen looked back at the fading portal, the swirling light dissolving into the floor.
His chest felt heavy—not from the teleportation, but from the weight of everything that had happened.
"Start walking toward to your dorms" Edwin said "You both need rest. Tomorrow there is a important class which u don't wanna miss." While looking Leon and Owen.
The next day, Owen, Leon, Connor, and Lucy gathered in the classroom. The special class. The atmosphere was different heavier.
The door swung open, and a tall woman with raven black hair and piercing red eyes stepped inside and students immediately as she stood before the students
"I am Victoria Draeven," she announced, her voice sharp. "Your instructor for Spiritual Contracts."
The students sat up and "Spiritual Contracts?" and started talking themselves
"Weapons and beasts are more than tools they are living entities. They have wills, desires, and egos of their own. Today, we will explore the bond between a warrior and their chosen partner" victoria explained loudly.
Victoria smirked, and said "Let's begin and all assemble in the atrium".