Chương 82: The Third Day of Tests – Part 1/6

After Master Harlan announced the end of the first test, the candidates were given a few hours of rest before the second test began. It wasn't a long break, but it was enough for them to recover a little. The eight of them were taken to a recovery area beside the arena. It was an open space with stone benches, trees, and a magical fountain in the center that released a fine, refreshing mist. There were also several academy healers moving around, helping the candidates who were more injured.

The family sat together in one of the more distant corners, under a large tree. Joker was leaning against the trunk, still holding his shoulder. Harley sat beside him with her legs stretched out and her pink hammer lying on the ground next to her. Astrid was lying on her back on the grass with one arm over her eyes. Rina's tails were limp and without fire, looking like a tired fox. Marina, Sylvara, Lirien, and Kuroe sat in a circle, all visibly exhausted.

A healer approached the group — a middle-aged human man with a calm, professional expression. He looked at Joker and asked: — May I heal you? Joker nodded once. The healer placed his hand on Joker's shoulder and a soft green light appeared. Joker made a face when the magic began closing the wound, but he didn't complain. — You were one of the few groups that managed to protect the artifact until the end — the healer commented while healing him.

— Most of the other teams failed when the creatures increased in number. Some even panicked. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Harley raised an eyebrow, interested. — Really? The healer nodded. — Yes. Many groups lost their composure when they saw the artifact was being threatened. You, on the other hand, stayed calmer. It was impressive. He finished healing Joker's shoulder and went to attend to other candidates.

Astrid, who was still lying down, spoke in a hoarse voice: — So we did well… Joker shrugged. — We almost lost the crystal. If Kuroe hadn't made that move at the end… Kuroe, who was sitting with her back against the tree, spoke quietly: — I just did what needed to be done. Marina looked at her own body, still sweaty and with a few small scratches. — I can feel every muscle in my body… — she murmured. — It's strange. Before, we could handle way more than this. Joker and Harley exchanged a quick glance.

They knew exactly what she meant. With their power sealed, they were feeling fatigue and pain much more realistically than they would if they were using their full strength. Harley stretched her legs and commented: — Yeah. Today we're feeling everything for real. No way around it. Lirien, whose voice was still a little hoarse, spoke: — Maybe it's better this way… If we didn't feel anything, there wouldn't be any fun in it. Sylvara nodded in silence, agreeing.

On the other side of the recovery area, other candidates were also recovering. Some were lying on the grass, others spoke quietly about the test. A group of orcs was grumbling about how they had almost managed to protect the artifact but failed in the final minutes. An elf sat alone, still looking shaken. Joker observed everything in silence for a while, then spoke: — We have a few hours until the next test. What do we do now? Harley shrugged. — I just want to stay quiet here for a bit.

My arm is killing me from spinning the hammer so much. Astrid grumbled: — I want to sleep. Rina yawned and lay down on her side on the grass. — Me too. Marina looked over at Lysithea, who was sitting a little farther away with Elara, talking. She looked worried, but tried to smile when she saw the children looking at her. Joker closed his eyes, resting his head against the tree trunk. — Then we rest. It'll start again soon. Harley moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder without saying anything.

Joker didn't move. He just let her. The sun was high, but the wind was cool. For a few minutes, the group stayed in silence, simply resting. Some spoke quietly, others simply closed their eyes. For the first time since the third day had begun, they had a moment of calm. Even if it was short. End of Part 1/6 (continues in Part 1/7)