As the sun began to dip into the horizon, casting golden rays over the edge of the Pompom Forest, Ada and Vaidya finally reached the stone well near the southern trail. Vaidya wiped the sweat from his brow and looked ahead.
"Wait... is that them?" Ada pointed.
Two figures trudged up from the mine path, their steps slow and their clothes dust-covered. Solis and Phill emerged into the light, both looking battered, their faces slick with sweat and grime.
Ada's eyes widened. "What the... what happened to you two?"
Solis, still catching his breath, chuckled weakly. "Well... it's a long story."
They regrouped near the well. Ada handed Solis a waterskin, which he gulped gratefully before sitting on the stone rim. Vaidya stood stiffly, his gaze flickering between the satchel in Solis's hand and Phill.
"Start explaining," Ada said, crossing her arms.
Solis began. "When I went in... I didn't expect much. Just a search mission, you know? But the deeper I went, the more dangerous it got. Fire Salamanders first—but they weren't the real threat. I found a note warning about... something else. Something worse."
Phill quietly looked away, his hands folded tightly.
"The further I descended, the hotter it got. I had to ditch my armor just to keep moving. Then came the mutated ones—creatures malformed by magma. It felt like the mine was sitting on a volcanic vent or something. I had to release my aura just to stay alive."
Ada's brows furrowed. "You used your 'Aura Release'?"
Solis nodded. "Yeah. But I was losing stamina fast. Just when I thought I couldn't go further, Phill pulled me into this hidden room. He had supplies... and he'd been hiding out there."
Vaidya narrowed his eyes.
Solis noticed and held out the satchel. "This belongs to you."
Vaidya snatched it, checking it quickly before hugging it close. He didn't speak.
Solis glanced between them. "Let's talk more on the way back. We all need rest."
---
The trail back to Pompom Village was quiet at first. But tension simmered just beneath the surface.
Vaidya walked several paces ahead of Phill, making no effort to hide his annoyance. Phill kept glancing his way, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt.
"Hey," Phill finally said. "I'm really sorry. About your satchel. I didn't mean to take it. I just... I panicked. I thought I could use what was inside to figure something out."
Vaidya didn't look back. "You stole it. That's not 'panicking.' That's stealing."
Phill's voice shrank. "I know. I really messed up."
"Yeah. You did."
Solis slowed his pace to walk beside Ada.
Ada glanced at him. "You sure we can trust him?"
Solis sighed. "He needs help. That's all."
"Helping him is one thing," she said. "But Vaidya's not going to forget this easily. And I don't think he should."
Solis looked over his shoulder. Vaidya's shoulders were stiff. Phill's head was down.
He sighed again. "I'll talk to him. But right now, let's just get back."
---
As the rooftops of Pompom Village came into view, the group relaxed slightly. The air felt lighter, safer.
But just as they turned a corner toward Maglina's inn, Solis stopped.
"Wait. Stop."
Vaidya frowned. "What happened?"
Solis held a finger to his lips. "Shh..."
He pointed toward the side alley by the inn. There stood Leader Hamad, speaking with Maglina. Solis stepped quietly closer, ducking behind a crate.
He listened.
Maglina's voice was soft. "It's pretty good news to have you and your people around. Thank you for providing assistance along with the Postknights, Leader Hamad."
Leader Hamad gave a calm chuckle. "The pleasure is all mine. My followers and I only wish to help the people of this world. Starting here is the right step. And working alongside the Postknights... that's an even greater honor."
He bowed slightly and walked away down the road, disappearing into the twilight.
Solis exhaled slowly and returned to the others.
"That was Leader Hamad," he said quietly. "He was talking to Maglina."
They all entered the inn together.
Maglina looked up from the counter. Her eyes landed on Phill—and immediately watered.
"Oh, thank the skies! You're back!"
Phill looked down. "Sorry, Maglina. I made a mistake."
She walked over and flicked him lightly on the forehead. "That's fine. But don't you dare run off again."
He managed a sheepish smile.
Solis stepped forward. "Who was that man you were talking to? The one with the white hair."
Maglina blinked. "Oh, Leader Hamad? He's been helping out here lately. Sent some people to assist with rebuilding the schoolhouse. Said he wanted to make this village stronger, safer."
Ada and Vaidya exchanged a look.
"And the Postknights are working with him?" Solis asked.
Maglina nodded. "Apparently, yes. He said he's been in contact with some of the branches. Why?"
Solis frowned. "Just a gut feeling."
---
Meanwhile, back in the outskirts of Mailie City, the stone walls of the Postknight Headquarters stood tall and resolute against the backdrop of a cloudy evening sky. The headquarters buzzed faintly with the disciplined sounds of training—the clash of wooden weapons, the calls of drill captains, and the rhythmic march of boots on stone.
Inside, in the dimly lit command chamber lined with regional maps, pinned notices, and a glowing mana crystal lamp in the center, Captain Collins pushed open the heavy door and stepped inside. His long coat still carried flecks of dust from the road.
At the far end of the room, Commander Cassandra stood with her hands clasped behind her back, gazing out a tall arched window overlooking the main courtyard. The amber light of the setting sun gave her silhouette a sharper edge, making her presence even more commanding.
She turned as she spoke. "Brother! You're back. What did you find?"
Collins stepped forward, his boots clicking against the polished stone floor. From the inside pocket of his coat, he pulled out a tightly bound scroll and handed it to her.
"Cultists," he said grimly. "The ones responsible for the Omega Dire Wolf attack on Mailie Academia. It wasn't just a rogue action. They're organized. Structured. Coordinated."
At that, Cassandra turned, her piercing eyes locking onto her brother's. She took the scroll and unfurled it slowly, the parchment crackling in the quiet room. Her eyes flicked over the names, sketches, and notes scribbled in coded shorthand.
"There's a man they report to," Collins continued. "Someone called Hamad. But... details are thin. They revere him. Some call him 'The Shepherd.' Others just 'The Elder.' But all signs point to him being at the center of their movement."
Cassandra's brow furrowed as she read the final note on the scroll. "This… this symbol." Her finger tapped an inked triangle coiled by fire-like tendrils. "We've seen this before. During the Aldor Mines incident... and even in the desert outskirts of Lunel."
"Yes," Collins said. "Same cult. Same design. They're spreading faster than we thought."
Cassandra slowly rolled the scroll back up, her grip tightening.
"You said you got word he was near Pompom Village?" she asked.
Collins shook his head. "No. That was an intel mix-up. Someone thought they saw someone matching his description, but it was unconfirmed. No solid location yet. He's still off the grid. Too careful."
Cassandra narrowed her eyes and turned back to the window, the light in her gaze steely. "Then we're still in the dark."
"And we can't afford to be," Collins said. "If this Hamad really is the center of it all, we need to find him before he escalates things further."
Silence fell between them for a few moments, heavy with the weight of what they knew—and what they didn't.
Then Cassandra said, "We mobilize scouts. Quietly. I want every village on the outer ring watched. No public alerts yet, just… eyes and ears. If Hamad shows up, I want to know before he even blinks."
Collins nodded, then hesitated slightly. "And Cassandra…"
She raised an eyebrow.
"On duty," he said, his tone lowering, "you shouldn't call me 'brother.'"
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips—just for a second. "Understood, Captain Collins."
He gave her a tired but amused glance, then turned to leave.
"And Collins," Cassandra added before he reached the door.
He paused and looked back.
"Good work. Be ready. Something tells me we're going to need every blade we've got."