Chapter 54 – Reunion with the Academy Alumni

After the grueling guild duel, Zareen’s party was granted several days of rest before preparations for the Ice Dragon raid officially began.

On the second morning, Zareen decided to walk alone toward the western district, hoping the fresh air might clear the storm still swirling in his head. The duel had been declared a draw, but the echoes of clashing steel, the weight of each spell, and the feeling of being tested by the entire guild still lingered in his chest.

He was lost in thought when a familiar voice called from across the street.

“Eh? Wait—Zareen!?”

Zareen blinked and turned.

A young woman with long brown hair was running toward him, waving both hands. Her bright, carefree smile was the same as ever—enough to pull Zareen back to memories of his academy days.

“Zara…” he whispered, almost in disbelief.

Two more figures appeared behind her: Luthfi, the water mage who had always been the most diligent at defensive magic training, and Kirana, the cheerful girl who used to share her lunch with half the class.

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### An Unexpected Meeting

“It’s been forever!” Zara skidded to a stop in front of him, slightly out of breath but grinning ear to ear. “I thought we’d never see each other again after graduation.”

Zareen gave a small nod. His smile was stiff at first, but genuine warmth soon followed. “I didn’t expect this either. How have you been?”

“We’re fine… well, mostly,” Zara said, suddenly looking down at her boots.

Luthfi stepped forward, looking tired and a little worn. “We took a quest to secure the ruins on the western hill. But it turned out to be much harder than we thought.”

Kirana crossed her arms, still visibly shaken. “The monsters aren’t just strong—they’re different now. Ever since this whole ‘dragon aura’ business started, they’ve been acting strange. We almost had to abandon the mission.”

Zareen studied them closely. Their clothes were dirty, Zara’s left hand was wrapped in bandages, and there were dark circles under their eyes. *So it’s not just us. Even they are being pushed to the edge by this growing corruption.*

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### Joining Forces

When Yuna, Sari, and Doni arrived to catch up, Zareen gave them a brief look. They seemed to understand immediately.

“Would you like some help?” Zareen asked gently.

Zara’s eyes widened. “Eh? But… this is our quest. Wouldn’t it be troublesome for you to get involved?”

Sari laughed softly, twirling her chain. “Troublesome? Hardly. Let’s call it an academy reunion.”

Doni spun his bow theatrically. “Besides, I need a bit of extra training before the raid. Think of this as my warm-up session.”

Yuna said nothing as usual, but she nodded once, firmly. “Let’s finish this together.”

Zara hesitated for a moment, then her smile returned, relieved. “Okay… thank you.”

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### Battle in the Ruins

The ruins of the western hill were more ominous than Zareen expected. Once merely cracked stone pillars, now they felt almost alive, the air thick with dark energy. Moss-covered gargoyle statues lined the pathway—except these statues began to move as soon as the party approached.

The nearest gargoyle slammed its stone fist into the ground. “Stone Fist!” Cracks spiderwebbed across the floor, threatening to knock everyone off their feet.

“Defense Up! Barrier!” Zareen thrust his staff forward, spreading a glowing dome around both parties. The impact rattled his shield, but it held.

Sari lunged, her chain whistling through the air before wrapping around the gargoyle’s neck. “Kirana! Now!”

Kirana, visibly nervous but determined, dashed forward and slashed with her sword, shattering the creature’s head into rubble.

Luthfi conjured a sphere of water that burst and coated the ground, slowing down the other gargoyles just long enough for Doni to line up a rapid volley.

“Rapid Fire!” Arrows rained down, breaking wings and cracking stone.

Yuna stepped forward with calm, deadly precision. Her shadowy blade carved through three gargoyles in a single sweeping strike, each collapsing into pieces behind her.

Zara, who had been preparing her own spell, stared at the scene in awe. “You guys… you’ve really changed since the academy.”

Zareen only smiled faintly. “We’ve just gotten used to working together. Like we did back then.”

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### Victory Secured

It took nearly half a day of constant fighting to clear the ruins completely. By the end, the sun was high overhead and everyone was covered in dust and sweat—but the ruins were finally quiet.

The guild sent confirmation that the mission had been marked complete. Villagers from the nearby settlement came to thank them, bringing baskets of bread and fruit.

On the way back, Zara walked beside Zareen. Her eyes shimmered as she spoke.

“If it weren’t for you all, we never would have made it. Thank you, Zareen.”

Zareen shook his head. “Don’t thank me alone. We did this together—just like the old days.”

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### Talk of Gino

As they rested under a tree, Luthfi hesitated before asking, “Do you still see Gino these days?”

Zareen paused for a moment before nodding. “Yes. We’ve even shared missions recently.”

Kirana forced a small smile. “He was always irritatingly strong back in the academy. I’ve heard that he’s one of the strongest adventurers in the region now.”

Zara’s expression dimmed. She spoke softly, almost reluctantly. “But I’ve also heard rumors that if he loses control, he can… turn into a monster. That’s terrifying.”

Zareen’s hand curled into a fist inside his pocket. *Yes… and I’ve seen it with my own eyes.*

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### Parting Gifts

When it was time to separate, Zara reached into her bag and pulled out a small pendant shaped like a teardrop.

“This is for you,” she said. “You saved me during a training exercise in the forest once. I swore I’d repay you someday. Consider this my promise fulfilled.”

Zareen looked startled. “I… I can’t accept something like—”

“Please take it,” Zara insisted, her tone firm. “Think of it as our prayer for you. We know the Ice Dragon’s shadow is spreading. We trust you to survive and come back.”

Kirana stepped forward and handed him a small pouch filled with potions, while Luthfi offered a worn notebook filled with monster observations and sketches.

“We can’t join the raid ourselves,” Luthfi said quietly, “but at least we can support you in this way.”

Zareen accepted the gifts, his chest tightening with emotion. “Thank you. I’ll do everything I can to live up to this.”

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### Farewell

By the time they reached the crossroads, the sky was glowing orange with the setting sun.

“Let’s meet again,” Zara said with a smile, her hair glinting in the light. “When all this is over.”

Zareen clenched the pendant tightly in his hand.

*Thank you, my friends. I’ll carry this hope with me until the end.*