Chương 52: Return

Slash! Slash! Slash! Heads flew into the air and sprinklers of blood were activated. However, this wasn't a fight involving Theo, Ben, Maya or Robert. This was a fight involving the real deal, the true Night Hoppers, Cayman and Ellie Grace. Clop, clop, clop. Mana beasts charged towards Cayman at breakneck speed, which prompted Cayman to continue stabbing. Despite the beasts picking up speed, Cayman's moves remained unabated, and he was able to land blows on the closest two beasts with ease. Slash! Slash!

The wounds weren't lethal. However, at least Cayman wasn't alone. In a flash, Ellie appeared from out of nowhere and effortlessly sliced off the heads of the two beasts as if she was cutting through fresh produce. Slash! Slash! Cayman turned to face Ellie, who only nodded. Throughout this battle, Ellie had remained silent; not a single word was uttered from that mouth. It was almost impossible to detect her presence, meaning she was akin to a ghost when on the battlefield.

When she was in her flow state, she was a silent killer, and that was the scariest part about her.

"That's it for now," Cayman said as he walked towards the fallen beasts and began to collect the mana crystals.

"We have to see whether they've come back yet."

"Still training?" Those words didn't come out of Ellie's mouth. Oh no, if that were to happen, it would be more than a miracle, it would be enough to make the day that it happened a national holiday. Cayman averted his gaze from the mana crystals to the source of the words. Before, he had been in a good mood, but when he saw the source of the voice, his mood immediately turned sour. There was only one person who could induce this change in Cayman, and it wasn't Theo or Ben.

"You can't miss the moment when they come back," Devon said, trying to rush Cayman.

"They might be injured or barely clinging on to life." Cayman scrunched his face in anger.

"They'll be fine," he grunted, gritting his teeth and lowering his brows.

"I've got a lot of faith in them. The chance of them sustaining major injuries is low. I've specifically picked planets that are easy to claim. You don't seem to trust me any bit."

"You never know…"

"Shut the fuck up!" Cayman bellowed.

"Stop thinking about the worst possible scenarios for everything! You've done this plenty of times now, such as the moment before I stepped foot on the portal to Planet 500. I can't neglect my training either. Teaching four teenagers the ways of the skill user world is draining all of my time. I've got to make use of the time that I have without them now!" Devon was silent. He couldn't refute those words. After all, training is important; if you don't train frequently, you might start to fall behind.

"Come and train with me then," Cayman continued in a brusque voice.

"Since you've arrived on Planet 500, I've barely seen you train. Weren't you saying that you were going to return to Planet Zero sometime soon?" Again, Devon didn't respond.

"If you're not thinking about returning to Planet Zero, come and train with me. As a skill user and Hopper, training is an essential part of your everyday life. If you don't train, you'll start to decline, which is basically the equivalent of saying you've gotten weaker." Devon sighed and hung his head. He knew that whatever rebuttal he provided, Cayman would just continue to sting his heart again and again. He split himself into two and silently agreed to train.

Ellie, who had been at the far end of the room, pressed the red button on the wall with an expressionless face, releasing a horde of mana beasts. Devon continued to multiply until there were three clones standing in front of the beasts. His main body, which wasn't participating in the training, said, "Let's head to the portal room now. They'll be back any second now." Cayman sighed, following Devon out of the training room. Ellie silently followed suit. The portal room was a room of beauty.

As always, there was a lot to admire about it. The allure of the purple mana was enough to captivate ordinary people who had never seen a portal before, quickly filling their brains with questions that would never ever leave. That was why ordinary people were prohibited from seeing what was inside a portal room. Cayman, whose face still depicted a look of fury, simply stared at the portal. He had been awaiting the arrival of the four teenagers for a while, but they still had not shown up.

He had sent the children on their solo missions, and he would be partly responsible if he sent them to planets that were too hard to claim. He would definitely be responsible if any of the children died. Still, he displayed no sign of apprehension, neither physically nor mentally.

"They'll come back soon," Cayman whispered.

"I know it. They have a deep fighting spirit ingrained into their brains. They won't ever back down."

"But it's been more than a day since you've set them off. You've even managed to fit one of your little excursions into that time frame. Are you sure they haven't died?"

"Shut your damn mouth!" Cayman yelled, suddenly turning his head ninety degrees to the left to cast an ominous glare at Devon.

"Although it's true that I claimed 'Planet 506' while they were gone, that doesn't mean that they're dead. Where is the link?" Again, Devon hung his head in despair. If there was one thing that should have been done whilst Cayman's 'students' were away, it was to sincerely mend the relationship between Cayman and Devon.

Maya had said countless times behind the scenes that the relationship should be fixed, but, if anything, it seemed like the relationship between the two boys had worsened in the absence of the students rather than improved. Maya would be fuming if she ever found out. In her opinion, that was what killed the team spirit within the Night Hoppers, and that was why the whole team had never gone on a mission together before.

If that team spirit couldn't be mended in time, then when they were besieged in the future, they would be as good as dead, left to rot on enemy territory and fed to nature. And Cayman didn't want any of that to happen at all. Soon, after what felt like hours of agonisingly standing next to Devon and gazing longingly at the portal, the ominous purple mana began to dissipate, sending a whiff of fresh mana straight to Cayman's nose. That could only signify one thing. Someone had returned.

"This is why you should have some optimism in you," Cayman whispered to himself, trying his utmost hardest not to let Devon hear his inner thoughts. If that had ever happened, then the ensuing brawl could lead to severe injuries. Gradually, as the mana continued to disperse, a silhouette began to form in the middle of the portal. As time passed, more features of the silhouette were visible, and soon, Cayman could infer that the person returning was a boy.

The boy seemed to have very short hair, since Cayman could see the shape of the boy's head and the outline of the neck clearly as the smoke continued to spread. Cayman thought all was well, but then he saw the boy standing in a weird manner, as if he had been injured. He seemed to be clutching part of his abdomen.

"Holy shit," Cayman whispered aloud.

"Our first returnee is injured."

"Cayman, what the fuck?" Devon bellowed.

"Why is this guy injured? What did I say? Do you believe me now?"

"Shut up!" Cayman boomed, his voice reverberating around the room and making the boy flinch.

"If you're so worried, why not come and help me?" As the boy staggered out of the portal, Cayman rushed to support him. The boy was none other than Ben Oxley.

"Jesus Christ…" Ben was clutching what appeared to be a deep gash on his abdomen. The hand that covered the wound was tainted with the maroon colour that was symbolic of dried blood.

"Devon, you fucker! Come and help! He needs immediate assistance!" Devon belatedly rushed towards Ben, whose face was pallid and contorted in agony. The white, fluffy robe that was draped around Ben's body was stained with blood.

"I… ran out… of mana…" Ben wheezed.

"I tried to… heal the wound… but… out of mana."

"Devon, help me! We need all the healing skills possible!" Cayman hastily reached into his pocket and pulled out a glistening yellow mana crystal. Then, he forcefully opened Ben's mouth and slid the crystal down, letting it fall freely into his digestive system.

"Thank you…" Ben said weakly.

"I need… to catch… my breath." The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Ben's eyes were lacking strength. It looked like they were going to close at any moment. If Cayman didn't do anything quickly, the situation could escalate and Ben was surely going to be knocking on death's door.

"Devon, what are you doing?" Cayman hollered.

"Clone your damn self! Make like three clones and transport him to a hospital! Take him to A&E or something! He needs immediate assistance!"

"On it!" Devon shouted with a voice that lacked commitment.

"Jesus," Cayman whispered.

"I didn't expect them to get injured. I should've done more thorough planning." As soon as Devon created three more clones, the clones immediately carried Ben and teleported out of the portal room. Cayman's head fell into his hands. Ellie, who had been silent and didn't really have a true presence, laid an arm on Cayman's shoulder to comfort him. She really was the epitome of a stoic, emotionless ghost.

"It's fine," Cayman said.

"Thanks for the comfort." For Cayman, everything so far had been going terribly wrong. He hadn't fixed his declining relationship with Devon, and the first returnee, Ben, had returned with an injury that would be enough to kill a person who wasn't a skill user. Damp perspiration began to form on his palms.

"Something needs to change now," Cayman said.

"It's too early to lose them all." Soon after Ben disappeared, the smoke began to dissipate again. It seemed as though another person was about to emerge from oblivion.

"Please," Cayman pleaded, offering his supplications to whoever was watching from above.

"Please ensure that the rest of them return safely. Please ensure that they're not suffering from horrendous injuries." Whether or not Cayman's wish was granted would be revealed soon. Again, a silhouette began to form in the middle of the portal. The aroma of the mana, which was tantamount to the smell of grapes, continued to diffuse as the person's features became more defined. This person had a strange silhouette.

It looked like they were wearing something on their head, like a hat or a crown, since there were a lot of jagged edges. Could it be Theo, since he was the most arrogant in the group? Or could it be Maya, who seemed to be heavily interested in shiny objects like crowns? Cayman was going to get his answer very shortly.

"Maya!" Cayman shouted.

"Maya! Are you OK? Do you need any support?" Ellie nodded as though she understood Cayman's words, although they were not directed at her. Maya walked out of the portal with a blank look on her face. She turned her head from left to right. Indeed, she had been wearing a crown, which appeared to be made of pure gold. There were small jewels of varying colours placed on the crown, which was nestled comfortably atop Maya's head. She looked like a real queen.

Externally, it looked like she wasn't suffering from any major injuries. She wasn't clutching onto something nor did she pull a face which implied that she was in pain. Cayman got his wish after all.

"I'm back," Maya said, letting out a long sigh.

"It's been such a long trip… and I'm so… tired…" Maya's words trailed off. She wasn't able to finish her sentence; her eyes suddenly rolled upwards and she began to free-fall. Cayman, who didn't expect such erratic behaviour coming from Maya, reacted belatedly, and Maya, who had already passed out, fell forward onto the cold stone floor. Clang! The crown made a sonorous sound as it fell from the top of Maya's head. Maya, who had suddenly collapsed, lay flat on the floor with her face down.

When Cayman turned to look at Ellie, he saw that she had covered her mouth with her hands.

"Damn," he cursed.

"I reacted too late." Cayman, realising his mistake, knelt down and began to examine Maya's back thoroughly. He checked to see whether she had sustained injuries ranging from minor cuts to deep, hidden gashes and stab wounds, but after several inspections, it seemed like there wasn't any. To be extra sure, Cayman brushed the hair covering Maya's neck to the side and examined her neck. Thank God, Cayman thought to himself. She's fine except for her overwhelming fatigue. His prayers had been answered.

"Ellie," Cayman instructed, averting his gaze from the sleeping Queen Maya.

"Take her to the same hospital where Devon took Ben. Come back immediately. Do you understand?" Ellie nodded firmly although her face still portrayed an absence of emotion. Cayman knelt down and after initially struggling, he picked Maya up. She was frothing at the mouth, and Cayman paid extra attention to ensure that he didn't touch any of Maya's saliva. Then he placed Maya on Ellie's back and waited a few seconds to ensure that Ellie was OK with carrying her. Soon after, Ellie was gone.

Cayman, who was all alone at that point, covered his face with both hands again. Why are they like this? He thought. Did I not anticipate this to happen? Did I not consider this as a possible outcome? Was Devon right to believe so pessimistically? Ben and Maya had returned battered and bruised, dishevelled and fatigued. Did Cayman really not expect this to happen? Surely he did. After all, he was one of the most meticulous people in the whole universe. Of course he would have considered every possible possibility.

Before Cayman could become fully engulfed in his thoughts, the mana in the portal began to spread again and another silhouette was visible in the dust. Cayman instantly knew who this person was. Just by judging from this person's height, Cayman could deduce that this person was Theo Parker. Please don't let Theo suffer from any injuries, Cayman prayed internally. He should be fine, since he's the strongest and the most bold and fearless in our group.

"Cayman?" Cayman jolted, his mind returning back to reality.

"Theo? Are you OK?" Theo nodded, although Cayman didn't really think so. He was drenched in some mysterious liquid, and his hair was stuck to his scalp like glue. Was it sweat? Was it possible for someone to perspire in large quantities like this? No, that should be impossible. Then what else could he be drenched in? Rain?

"You look like you've just had the best shower in your life," Cayman joked.

"As long as you're fine, all we need to do is get you dry." Theo nodded.

"I still need to check you for injuries though."

"I have none," Theo replied confidently, although his face displayed perhaps the most relieved expression ever.

"I don't have any major injuries, though I might have a few scratches here and there."

"What's wrong with your arm?" Theo looked down at his right arm, where there was a huge maroon patch. Then he sighed and said, "I was bitten by something." Cayman returned Theo's sigh.

"As long as you feel like you're fine, take a seat at the back of the room. I'm still waiting on the other people."

"Am I the first to return?" Theo asked, his facial expression changing to depict a look of confusion.

"Has someone returned before me?"

"Ben and Maya have returned."

"How are they doing?"

"Not good. Ben has some sort of deep stab wound on his side, and as soon as Maya left the portal, she collapsed and foam was pouring out of her mouth." Theo covered his mouth with his hands. Those words were enough to incite fear in Theo's mind. Ben was injured and Maya was overwhelmed with fatigue? Those were not good signs.

"Has Robert come back yet?" Theo asked inquisitively. Cayman simply shook his head in response.

"How long have I been out?"

"A day and a half. It's Sunday morning now. It's like three in the morning." Theo sighed. Then he trudged towards the end of the room, his clothes and his body dripping with some sort of strange liquid.

"Time really does flow differently on different planets," he said.

"I managed to get a good night's sleep on Planet 502. Can you believe it? That planet had rain. That's why I'm completely soaked." That made perfect sense. Soon, smoke began to fill the room again, indicating that another person had returned. There was only one person left who was supposed to return. Robert Ryan.

"Is that Robert?" Theo asked Cayman. Cayman nodded.

"You stay here," Cayman said.

"You still need to rest. After all, even though you got a good night's sleep on Planet 502, you might still be feeling very tired." Theo gave Cayman a wry smile. Then Cayman began to walk towards the portal for the fourth time. He was expecting Robert to return feeling extremely fatigued and tired. A part of him also expected him to have some sort of injury. However, what Cayman saw was something that he thought would never happen, even in another galaxy.

"He's not alone?"

"What do you mean he's not alone?" Theo couldn't understand Cayman's words. Robert was not alone? What the hell did that mean?

"He's with someone," Cayman muttered.

"Who?" Cayman shook his head and mumbled, "I don't know." He was going to get his answer very shortly, and as soon as the portal stopped emitting purple mana, Cayman's jaw dropped. He thought his mouth was going to split into two. Robert wasn't walking out of the portal alone. There was somebody else accompanying him. And that somebody was a person he knew well. No, this person was not someone from another planet who Robert had made friends with and randomly brought back.

Based on Robert's personality, that would never happen once in a million years. The person was someone from Planet 500 who shouldn't even be a skill user. This person wasn't supposed to be roped into all of this skill user business. He should be at home, sleeping soundly on his comfortable bed. The person standing next to Robert made Cayman flinch. It was Daniel De Souza, one of the school's neutrals.

"Why the hell are you here?" Cayman asked, bewildered and utterly astonished.

"I thought you weren't a skill user. How the hell did you emerge from a portal?"

"I have my ways," Daniel replied, trying to brighten the seemingly sour mood in the room. Cayman sighed, letting his head drop. When he raised his head again, he said, "Please don't joke around. This is a serious thing. You're not a skill user, so how the hell did you come out of that portal?"

"It's a long story," Daniel muttered, scratching his head ruefully and finally seeming genuine.

"It's too much to tell you now. I'll tell you once we've all settled down." Cayman, still struggling to understand Daniel's words, walked up to Robert, who had an inscrutable look stuck onto his face, similar to the facial expression that Ellie regularly displayed.

"Did Daniel lie to us?" he asked Robert by whispering into his ear.

"Had he been a skill user this whole time but was too scared to admit it?" He heavily expected Robert to nod his head. After all, he had been presupposing that Daniel's words and actions had all been lies. However, Robert just shook his head lightly. Cayman was taken aback. Daniel's demeanour had been purported to be a lie, but Robert was saying that it wasn't a lie?

"Then what happened?"

"He didn't tell me," Robert said quietly.

"Ask him yourself." Cayman was speechless. Something had happened to him. Somehow, Daniel was still in his school uniform, with a creased shirt and a tie that was loose around his neck, although more than half of the weekend had passed already.

"Listen," he said after what felt like an eternity.

"I don't have time to talk about everything right now. I'm tired and it's the middle of the night. I'll take you all to a hospital ward where you'll get checked out. Then we'll talk."

"Understood." Surprisingly, it was Daniel who replied to Cayman. So, everybody had returned from their solo missions alive. Some had been injured and on the brink of death, whilst others were completely fine but were just suffering from heavy fatigue. These guys are a mixed bunch, Cayman thought as he directed Theo, Robert and Daniel out of the portal room. Sometimes, I just can't understand them.