Chapter 134: The Return Journey

Sanil glanced at them, his face showing no emotion. These two were among those who had chosen to flee during the earlier skirmish.

Half an hour later, three more Level 3 wizard apprentices trickled back.

"There were sixteen Level 3 wizard apprentices in this camp originally. Is this all that remains of you now?" Keebler swept his sharp gaze over them.

The five who had arrived later fell silent, not daring to utter a word.

"Teacher, some fell in battle, and others deserted," Sanil said, stepping forward.

Keebler nodded and suddenly asked, "Who fell in battle?"

"As far as I know, only the Gage brothers," Sanil replied. His answer was lethal; it meant that any Level 3 wizard apprentice not present tonight—other than those confirmed dead—would be hunted down and killed by the Shadow Forest as deserters.

"Disappointing..." Keebler let his gaze drift over the group again. "Aside from those who haven't arrived, are there any others who deserted and are trying to hide among you?"

Except for Lin Wei and his two companions, the other five shuddered, their faces turning pale with terror. Lin Wei, Sanil, and Ingmar had been the last to leave the fray, but the other five had not.

"Yes!"

Sanil’s response was like a demon’s decree, amplifying the fear in the five men's hearts.

"Who is it?" Keebler asked softly, as if it were a trivial matter.

"Kablay!"

Sanil’s arms were gone, so he couldn't point, but he cast his gaze toward one of the three who had arrived last.

"No! Master Keebler!" Kablay was instantly gripped by panic and scrambled to explain, "No, I was just—"

His trembling voice was cut short. Starting from the top of his head, his entire body began to melt and collapse like a snowman under scorching heat, dissolving into a pool of foul, black sludge.

"I don't much like hearing excuses..." Keebler pursed his lips, deepening the wrinkles on his cheeks. "Anyone else, Sanil?"

Sanil looked at the remaining four, his brow furrowed. The four bowed their heads, none daring to meet his eyes. Their desertion had been born of cowardice and a lack of strength, and whether they would be branded as traitors now rested entirely on Sanil’s decision.

"No, Teacher," Sanil said.

"Very well." Keebler nodded with a smile.

The moment Sanil spoke, the tension in the four men snapped. They looked up at him, their faces filled with gratitude.

*Clever tactic...* Lin Wei thought to himself, watching the scene unfold. *Kill one to instill terror, then grant the others a favor to earn their loyalty... A manufactured 'debt of gratitude,' indeed.*

"Now that all the remaining Level 3 wizard apprentices are here, I will explain why I issued the summons today." Keebler sat back down, his expression turning grave. Lin Wei and the others listened intently.

"The war... is over."

Keebler’s voice was soft, yet to their ears, it sounded like a detonating shell. The war was over? A war that hadn't even lasted a month was already finished?

"Master, why has the war ended?" Ingmar asked, looking puzzled.

"The enemy has withdrawn... They have pulled back from the headquarters and every outlying camp..." Keebler’s words left everyone bewildered. The Wizard Academy Alliance had certainly not held the advantage in this brief conflict.

"Master, where did the enemy retreat to?" Lin Wei was more concerned about the next moves of the Fangs of Blood Shadow.

Keebler offered Lin Wei an appreciative look. "You think comprehensively, but unfortunately, we do not know where they retreated to. We don't even know their route of withdrawal."

"It’s as if they vanished into thin air... After the night raid ended, I scouted the camp across the lake. Everyone was gone. It was eerily quiet..." Keebler clearly harbored deep concerns; an unfathomable enemy was the most dangerous kind.

"The battlefield is gone now, and the Lake Saigawi camp will cease to exist." Keebler seemed to shed a heavy burden, his tone lightening. "Tomorrow, the academy headquarters will send ten Gale Birds. We will be the first group to return to the academy."

"Ten Gale Birds?" Sanil frowned. "Teacher, that can only carry fifty people at most, right?"

"We don't need to take everyone at once. Go and make arrangements. Aside from all the Level 3 wizard apprentices here, select forty-five Level 2 wizard apprentices. We depart for the academy tomorrow," Keebler ordered.

"Yes, Teacher," Sanil replied. "And what about the others?"

"The rest will have to return on foot," Keebler answered.

...

The next day.

The first rays of dawn pierced the clouds and illuminated the earth. More than fifty people gathered in the clearing of the Shadow Forest camp, waiting.

*Caw!*

A shrill cry echoed through the sky.

"The Gale Birds are here..." Lin Wei recognized the sound instantly; he had used a Gale Bird as his mount back when he traveled to the Leyton Kingdom.

In the distance, ten tiny black dots approached rapidly. Within a few breaths, the ten Gale Birds landed in the clearing.

"Master Keebler!" A young wizard leaped from the head of the lead bird and bowed to Keebler. He radiated the aura of a Level 3 wizard apprentice and was handling all ten birds.

"Board the birds! Prepare to depart!" Keebler commanded.

...

High in the sky, each Gale Bird carried six or seven apprentices, making the once-spacious backs feel cramped.

"I remember the last time I rode a Gale Bird was three years ago..." said Sherise.

On the night of the raid, Ingmar had been separated from her, but he had found her unharmed just after midnight, much to his relief. Lin Wei, Ingmar, and Sanil sat around Sherise. This was their privilege: the wide back of the bird was shared by only four people.

Of course, they were not the most comfortable; the most spacious bird was the one carrying Master Keebler, occupied only by him and the apprentice handling the beast.

*As expected, the mortal kingdoms near the academy have all been affected by the war to some degree...* Lin Wei thought, looking down at the landscape.

*Fangs of Blood Shadow... what exactly are you planning?* Lin Wei thought of Gless, his eyes narrowing slightly. *Perhaps I can ask Lorna about this once I return...*