The journey back was made in silence.
Peter had stared at his watch several times, and his grimacing got worse.
"We are going to be late and scolded," he said for the umpteenth time, and Reith sighed.
Whatever had happened had happened, and there was nothing they could do about it.
"Let's just get there, and we will tell them everything that happened. It's not our fault," Reith answered back while he led the way.
Everyone moved after him, following him until they arrived at their final destination.
The first thing Reith noted was the solid ground he stepped on, and then he saw that everyone was gathered.
"They are back!" someone yelled, causing every eye to focus on the incoming group.
The instructors stepped forward, confusion written over their faces.
Breece was the one who spoke first. "What happened to all of you? We couldn't get a track of your team after a while."
Her eyes darted between the students, scanning, and wanting to decipher what had gone wrong.
"But wait..." Susan stepped forward. "You aren't complete," she stated with surprise. She was their teacher, and she had memorized the number and names in each group.
"Where's Wesley?" she asked and moved forward, heading to the back. She thought the last student was taking too long to reply.
Reith opened his mouth to speak, but Derek was faster.
Shoving off Reith's hand, he moved forward. "He's dead," he croaked, his voice barely a whisper.
"Speak up, Derek, I can barely hear you," Susan spat in annoyance.
"I said he's dead!" Derek yelled, and his hand pointed backward. "And it's because of the two of them." He spat, his anger fueled by pretense.
"Reith?" Aiden raised a brow.
Reith's stomach dropped. "What are you–"
But Derek cut him off. "Yes, it was you and that skinny guy. The two of you just watched us. They watched us being carried away by those vines. Wesley begged you guys to help us, but you just stood there," Derek said, clenching his fists.
He tried to lunge at them, but his other two minions held him back, refusing to say a word.
"No! I should beat them now!" Derek spat. "They watched us struggle... I had to give them everything, down to our supplies. Every single thing. If only they didn't delay, my friend would be alive."
"That's a lie," Reith barked, but his voice broke, making him look desperate.
He swallowed when he looked at their faces. They were already judging him.
"Is it?" Derek muttered, then he turned to Ms. Susan. "Wesley didn't deserve death. I'm sure none of them know what it was like to have a friend, and they wanted us to beg for our life! The academy teaches us to grow together, but we have thorns in our flesh."
The other students exchanged glances, and Reith could almost taste their insults.
Cowards. Disgusting. Evil.
The whispers were loud and condemning.
Peter stepped forward, his fist clenched. "You ungrateful–"
But Derek didn't plan on giving him a chance. "Me? Ungrateful? You are the ones being ungrateful to the academy. For mere points, you were willing to end a life," Derek snarled, spitting on the ground.
Tired of the situation, Susan looked at Reith and Peter.
These were her students. She should know them better, but everything was looking believable.
"Reith, Peter. I don't know what to say. I just want you to tell me the truth. Did you delay in saving them?" she asked with a slight frown.
Peter looked at Reith as if to tell him, 'I told you so. We should have gone,' but he still answered the question.
"Yes, we delayed, but–"
Hearing his reply, the whole group of students gasped.
"You what?" someone blurted out.
"So it's true..." another said.
Reith frowned. "No. It's not like that. You are twisting it. We didn't–"
But Susan turned her eyes to him and Peter, disappointment heavy in her gaze. "So you admit delaying."
"No, ma'am! We would never do that to a fellow student." Reith clenched his jaw as he spoke.
"You are disgusting!" Derek roared over him. "Tell that to Wesley's corpse, and you'd tell that to his family."
Reith was visibly shocked at Derek's audacity, and he felt his heart twist in pain.
This situation was worsening, and it looked like they would not be able to walk out free this time.
Maybe he should have left them, Reith thought.
Was saving them a wrong choice?
"You both should rot where Wesley rots!" Derek continued.
It was then Peter snapped. "You shameless lying viper!"
"Enough!"
The voice cracked in the air like a whip, and everyone turned to the owner of the voice.
It was Aiden.
Everyone swallowed their words as they watched him step forward before he stopped in front of Derek, towering over him.
Derek's words died on his lips, his pretentious act slightly flickering.
Aiden's face was unreadable as he spoke. "You have said enough."
Derek stammered. "But Sir–"
Crack!
The slap rang like lightning.
Derek stumbled back, his hand clutching his cheek. He could not believe what had just happened, and he was not the only speechless one.
Aiden's posture did not change as he stared at his brother. In fact, his frown deepened.
"You simply don't know when to change, Derek!" His tone was sharp, and his gaze burned with fire. "Such a dirty performance! I saw what happened. The Ralaxy Watch has a hidden camera."
Derek's face instantly paled, and his lips cracked. "Brother..."
Another slap landed on his face, faster than the eyes could follow, and it sent Derek crashing into a tree.
Gasps erupted around them.
"You stomped on the family's name just to favor your selfish self," Aiden snapped. "The Ralaxy Watch of Reith and Peter was highly monitored when I realized they had separated from their group."
Aiden spoke, and with each sentence, he moved closer to Derek, who was trying to get up from the floor.
"The signal went off when they entered through a bush, and I couldn't watch the live view."
Susan looked at the whole scenario, and her face reddened. "I can't believe I fell for his lies," she muttered in anger.
Aiden barely glanced at her. "I almost believed him too until I remembered the Ralaxy Watch was recording all the time, and I played the footage the moment I saw a connection."
Grabbing Derek by his neck, Aiden picked him up from the floor.
"I watched everything, Derek, and I saw how they fought hard for your life. Even if they couldn't save Wesley, I think the first people to be blamed would be us, the instructors," he said before tossing Derek into another tree.
Reith cringed. "Aiden–" he wanted to speak, but Peter held him back.
"I should slap you for wanting to beg for that snake. Don't make me think you are stupid too. He deserves it," He said with an iron grip on Reith's shoulder.
Everything Peter said made sense, but to Reith...
Reith knew if he got everything he deserved, he would have replaced his sister wherever she was and served his punishment instead of her. He didn't even know if he would still be alive by now.
Then Aiden stopped in his tracks. "You know what? It would be a lot better if this matter is handed over to the Regional Insignia."
Susan walked to Reith's side. "Did you get anything from Wesley? I'm sorry this really happened, especially under my watch. And right now, we need something to show his family."
Reith stepped forward, holding a necklace. "I took this from his neck," he said, and Susan nodded.
"Thank you," she said, refusing to look at his face because of her guilt.
Moments later, everyone had silenced down and Derek was locked up by Aiden in some sort of Hana cage.
"Reith!" Isho was just getting back from his task, his group had lost their way and one of the instructors had gone for them.
He walked to his friend. "I'm sorry. I wasn't around when it happened but I heard. Are you okay?"
Reith smiled. "Yeah. It was a minor issue," he answered.
Then he turned his face to Derek, who was already out cold.
There was something in him that wanted to rip that face to shreds, but Reith took a deep breath.
Anger was never a good emotion.