Chapter 36: New Alliances

*Date: 33,480 First Quarter - Iron Confederacy*

Demir looked again at his recently freed friends and the twins, still devastated, some still not believing their ordeal was truly over. The weight of Alexious's death hung over them all like a shroud. He apologized to Selene and returned to his friends, trying once more to comfort Sin and Timmy. On the surface, he couldn't let empathy overwhelm him not when so many people depended on his decisions.

He saw some people lying on the bare dirt after their captivity, thinned down from slavery and underfed, their bodies showing the harsh toll of goblin brutality.

"I'll be right back," he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.

He rushed to their secluded shack behind the boulder, gathering up the food and anything useful for the cart. Now that they didn't have to carry the whole portable structure, the cart could carry two people, he thought practically.

With the cart loaded, he arrived again at the mine entrance. Some of Thalia's men were giving food and water to his friends, their hardened faces showing unexpected kindness.

A local who had been saved by Demir and Thalia's group asked if they were free to leave as they wished. Demir gave them some water and food from their supplies and sent them on their way with his blessing.

Some of the freed prisoners asked for the liberators' names and vowed to offer a helping hand when needed. Their gratitude was genuine, even if Demir wondered if they'd ever see these people again.

Timmy seemed more mature after his father's death, the grief aging him beyond his seventeen years. He started tending wounds of survivors with Marco, his hands steady despite the pain in his eyes. Sin's wrath wasn't dimmed by grief. It burned hotter. He rushed toward the mines, cleaver in hand. "I'll find if anyone is hiding and rip them apart," he said with cold fury, and headed into the dark tunnels.

After a couple of hours, Sin returned alone. "None left," he said simply. "Apart from the loot party."

Those who had stayed above to loot the dead goblins were almost finished picking through the corpses, piling good gear onto their horse carriage. The systematic efficiency reminded Demir that this was just another day's work for Thalia's group.

At dusk, Thalia and her party returned from looting the cave systems. Killgor was holding a small chest, ornate and clearly valuable. He asked around about a key.

One of Thalia's men said, "I found a key from the boss's pocket, but it won't fit there."

Killgor tried to open the chest, but it didn't budge despite his efforts.

Thalia examined it closely. "This is not human or local-made. It's Realmforge technology. You can't smash it to pieces either."

Killgor, frustrated, shouted to get everyone's attention. "ANYONE WHO OPENS THIS," he announced, "I'll share the loot!"

Demir remembered the keys he'd gotten from Kazzak and from the troll. He walked up to Killgor and handed both to the assassin. "Try these," he offered.

Killgor took the keys eagerly and tried them. The troll's key popped the chest open with a satisfying click. When the small chest opened, there was a small dagger and a rock faintly glowing with inner light.

The dagger was beautiful - gold inlays in intricate patterns, looking very sharp and pristine, clearly a weapon of superior craftsmanship.

"FINALLY! My god, all the gods!" Killgor was actually weeping with joy, tears streaming down his scarred face. "Finally I got actual loot!" He took the blade and started feeling its grip, testing its balance like a lover reunited with their beloved.

Thalia smiled at her companion's joy. "Nice find, Killgor."

"I can't believe I'm crying over a level 35 zone finding. Probably a C-grade dagger, but it's beautiful," Killgor said, his voice thick with emotion.

But Demir was more intrigued by the rock with engravings and faint light pulsing within it. "Congrats. You guys earned it. Without you, we'd all be dead," he smiled, turning to walk back to his friends.

Killgor stopped him. "This is yours. I said I would share it." He handed Demir the glowing rock.

"No, no. I said we won't take the loot. You saved us - it's yours," Demir protested.

Thalia ducked close to Demir's ear. "Come on, take it. Killgor Steve is not this generous. Take it while you have the chance."

Demir thanked Killgor again and pocketed the small rock, curious about what it might be.

He walked back to his friends. Most had shaken off the initial shock and were eating and resting. Without the constant goblin threat, they were rejuvenating. Humans are so adaptable, Demir thought. Then he caught himself: Well, I'm living in a fantasy world in the 335th century for four years. Who am I to talk about adaptation?

Marco asked, "What was that about?"

"Later we'll look at it with your glasses. It seemed interesting," Demir replied.

---

*Date: 33,480 First Quarter - First Dungeon - Location unknown*

Aris climbed up the ladder to listen carefully from the steps. It sounded like two people approaching the hidden chamber.

"Tilah, the ones who haven't returned yet are A1, A7, and A16," one voice said.

The other replied, "A1 seemed so small - it was obvious he wouldn't make it."

"You look for them. I'll take the B section, and we move on to C and D sections."

When Aris heard the portal sound once again, he concluded the instructor had left for the B section, and he waited to hear this Tilah officer inspect A1.

When he no longer heard voices above, he opened the latch carefully and darted toward his cavern at A7.

He passed again through the scene of his battle - dead slugs and awful air thick with the stench of acid and decay. He reached the trial chamber, reshuffled his clothes to look appropriately battered, like he was late because he had suffered more than expected. He made his face look appropriately pained and exhausted, then opened the exit door.

He saw a dark tunnel with stairs climbing toward sunlight filtering down from above.

"Even if kids survived this stupid trial," Aris thought, "at least you could have spared us from walking these stupid stairs." He nagged to himself as he began the long climb.

When he reached the surface, he saw his classmates in a forest clearing, eating and drinking while a couple of priests tended their wounds with healing magic.

"Classic," he thought bitterly. "Beat them first, then act like a helping hand."

The contrast was stark - students who looked like they'd been through hell, being ministered to by the same institution that had deliberately put them in mortal danger. Some bore fresh scars, others had the hollow look of people who had seen too much death. A few were missing entirely.

Aris joined the group quietly, accepting a cup of water and some bread from one of the priests. The man's face was serene, as if sending children into acid-filled caves full of monsters was just another day's work.

Around him, his surviving classmates shared their experiences in hushed tones. Stories of narrow escapes, of friends who hadn't made it out, of horrors that would haunt their dreams. And through it all, the priests smiled benevolently, as if this was all part of some grand plan for their betterment.

Aris touched the small diamond-shaped stone in his pocket, feeling its weight like a secret that could change everything. The Academy's true nature was becoming clearer with each passing day, and what he'd discovered in that hidden chamber was just the beginning.

The trial was over, but his real education was just beginning.