The return to the Academy was the complete opposite of their arrival in Greenfield. There were no cheering crowds, no thrown flower petals, and certainly no one chanting "Savior!". A honor guard was there to escort them, their faces showed no feelings.
The team was exhausted but moved with confidence. They were no longer just a collection of specialists thrown together for a mission; they were a unit, forged in the heart of a corrupted forest and bonded by a victory that felt more like a beginning than an end.
They didn't go to their dorms or labs. The honor guard led them directly to the main spire, to the one place where a mission of this magnitude was properly concluded: the Headmaster's office.
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The Headmaster stood by his large window, looking out over the Academy grounds as they entered. He turned, and a satisfied smile spread across his old face.
