Meanwhile, back at the academy, news spread quickly that four masters rushed into a portal under emergency conditions. The word traveled like wildfire through the halls, whispered from student to student, passed along in hurried conversations between classes. Within minutes, nearly everyone on campus knew that something serious was happening.

Classes were disrupted for the rest of the day as students and staff speculated about what could be serious enough to pull so many high-ranking figures away at once. Teachers tried to maintain order, to keep lessons moving forward, but it was hopeless. Students whispered to each other, leaning across desks, passing notes, checking their wrist devices for any official announcements. The atmosphere was tense, charged with nervous energy and barely contained curiosity.

In the training halls, groups of students stood in clusters, voices low but urgent. In the dormitories, people gathered in common rooms, speculating wildly about what could have prompted such a drastic response. Four masters. Four. That wasn't a routine patrol or a simple rescue mission. That was a full-scale emergency deployment.

Whispers moved through the halls, growing more dramatic with every retelling. Each person who heard the story added their own details, their own theories, until the truth—whatever it was—had been buried under layers of speculation and exaggeration.

One rumor claimed four students were trapped in the Forbidden City, forcing the masters to intervene. This version spread quickly among the younger students, who found it easy to imagine themselves in such a situation. The Forbidden City was legendary, a place of danger and mystery, and the idea that someone had been foolish or desperate enough to go there made for a compelling story.

"I heard they went through a portal by accident," one student said, eyes wide with excitement. "Got separated during a training exercise and ended up there."

"No way," another countered. "I heard they snuck in on purpose. Trying to prove something."

"Who would be that stupid?"

"I don't know, but it has to be someone. Why else would four masters drop everything and go?"

Another rumor insisted it was not students at all, but four ihe discovered there, and the masters went to confront them directly. This version was darker, more frightening, and it spread primarily among the older students who remembered the stories of past wars, of entire cities destroyed by Dalki invasions.

"Four ihe in the Forbidden City," someone muttered, shaking their head. "If that's true, we're in serious trouble."

"The treaty's been holding for years," another argued. "Why would they break it now?"

"Maybe they never intended to keep it. Maybe this is just the beginning."

"You think the masters can handle four of them?"

"They have to. If they can't…"

The sentence hung unfinished, the implication clear. If the masters couldn't handle it, then no one could.

No one knew the truth, and the uncertainty only fueled the panic. The academy's administration tried to calm things down, sending out official statements that assured students and staff that the situation was under control, that there was no immediate danger to the campus, that classes would resume normally the following day. But the statements were vague, offering no real details, and that only made people more anxious.

By late afternoon, the entire academy was on edge, waiting for news, waiting for the masters to return, waiting for something—anything—that would tell them what was really going on.

⸻

Back in the Forbidden City, the masters regrouped with Master Olmo. He stood waiting for them near the bodies of the two fallen Ihes, his posture relaxed but his expression serious. When Rein, Dumo, and Sunny approached, he gave them a brief nod of acknowledgment.

Olmo gestured to the Ihes, then to the students standing nearby. "I was tracking a few students who disobeyed orders and entered the city. When I arrived, I found them engaged with two Ihes. The creatures were hostile and actively attempting to kill them."

Rein's eyes narrowed. "Two Ihes. On Earth."

"Yes."

"That's a treaty violation," Dumo said quietly, his voice sharp. "A serious one."

Rein said nothing for a moment, his gaze shifting back to the dead Ihes. Her expression was unreadable, but there was tension in the set of her jaw, in the way her hands hung loose at his sides, ready to move at a moment's notice.

The masters conferred in low voices about the dead Ihes and the implications of finding two Ihes on Earth. Their conversation was quiet, meant only for each other, but the weight of it was obvious. This wasn't just an isolated incident. This was a potential crisis.

"If they're here, there could be more," Dumo said, his voice barely above a whisper. "This could be a scouting party. A test."

"Or an intentional provocation," Sunny added. "A way to see how we'd respond."

Rein's expression darkened. "Either way, it's a treaty violation. The Ihes agreed to stay off Earth. If they're breaking that agreement…"

"Then we're looking at the possibility of war," Dumo finished grimly.

Sunny stood, brushing dust from her hands. "We need to get these bodies back to headquarters. Run tests. Figure out how they got here, where they came from, if there are more."

"And we need to report this to the military," Rein said. "Immediately."

Olmo nodded. "Agreed."

The four masters stood in silence for a moment, each of them realizing what this could mean for humanity if the Ihes were no longer obeying the treaty. The war with the Ihes had nearly destroyed Earth. Entire cities had been leveled, millions of lives lost. The treaty had been humanity's only hope for survival, and if it was falling apart now…

No one wanted to finish that thought.

After deciding their next steps, the masters turned their attention to the students. Rein walked over to where Jelo, Mira, Ken, and Atlas were standing, his expression stern but not unkind.

"It's time to leave," she said simply.

The students didn't argue. They were exhausted, battered, and more than ready to get out of this place. Jelo glanced at Atlas, who was still sitting on the ground, looking pale and shaken. Ken was leaning against a wall, barely able to stand. Mira looked tired but alert, her eyes scanning the area one last time.

A portal was opened. Sunny raised her hand, and the air in front of her shimmered and distorted, folding in on itself until a stable oval appeared, glowing faintly with energy. Through it, they could see the familiar interior of the academy's portal room, clean and safe and far away from this nightmare.

Mira, Jelo, Ken, and Atlas were instructed to go through while the masters remained behind to properly secure and transport the Ihes. Rein gestured toward the portal, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Go. We'll handle the rest."

The four stepped into the portal. Mira went first, disappearing through the glowing surface without hesitation. Ken followed, limping slightly but moving under his own power. Atlas pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly, and Jelo immediately moved to support him, gripping his arm to steady him.

"I can walk," Atlas muttered, though he didn't pull away.

"Just let me help," Jelo said quietly.

Together, they stepped through.

As the portal enveloped him, Jelo felt a quiet surge of gratitude. He had expected he would not be rescued at all just an hour ago. He'd thought they were going to die in that city, alone and forgotten, their bodies left to rot among the ruins. The fact that they were alive, that help had come, that they were going home—it felt almost surreal.

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