The journey back to the surface took less than a day, but no one rejoiced.
They all walked in silence, following Solomon.
When they emerged from the black hole, the sensation of drowning left many of the cadets nauseous. Some puked and crouched down.
Azriel, however, held himself together as he surveyed the scene, realizing Solomon had been right.
Dozens of men in black military uniforms rushed about, shouting orders.
Vehicles roared, and healers were scattered among the wounded.
The atmosphere was frantic.
Azriel followed Solomon, leaving Celestina behind as he scanned the area, his anxiety growing.
Thankfully, moments later, two figures appeared before Solomon and Azriel, causing the other cadets—those who had recovered from their nausea—to reel back in shock.
Headmistress Freya and Grandmaster Thomas stood in front of them.
'Good, he got my message…'
Originally, Solomon was supposed to handle the surface attack, but Azriel had made other plans.
His focus had been on killing a Heptarch, and so he and Solomon had devised a separate strategy—one only Nol had known about.
But Azriel wasn't heartless enough to let his plan result in mass casualties above.
So, he reached out to Grandmaster Thomas in secret, ensuring his arrival without the Frost King's knowledge.
Thomas wasn't a Saint, but he was still a Grandmaster—more than enough to ensure minimal casualties on the surface.
Azriel trusted his experience.
His eyes met Freya's cold, rose-colored gaze.
She hadn't been aware of his plan.
Freya had rooted out the Neo Genesis spies at the academy, along with the other three renowned instructors.
Now, her silent stare weighed heavily on him.
The cadets paled under her presence, an invisible pressure making it hard to breathe.
Her expression was unreadable, save for the slight narrowing of her eyes.
Azriel felt his lips twitch.
He had fooled her not once, not twice, but three times.
It must have hurt her pride.
Without his status, he had no doubt he would've already faced her wrath.
But Freya knew how to control herself... at least, he thought so—until he saw her eyes flick to his missing right hand, and the faint curve of amusement playing on her lips before she straightened her face.
'She's amused by this, isn't she?!'
Grinding his teeth, Azriel forced himself to remain calm.
He couldn't afford to act recklessly here.
Freya's gaze shifted to the crowd of cadets, her voice cold as she addressed them.
"You will all be escorted by the other instructors to the hotel where you were previously booked."
Her eyes found Azriel again.
"Princess Celestina, Princess Jasmine, and Prince Azriel, please follow Grandmaster Thomas and me. We will escort you to a different location."
A small commotion rippled through the cadets, but none dared to protest.
It was clear that the academy's top priority, and that of nearly everyone here, was the safety of the children of the Great Clans.
Azriel nodded, and Jasmine and Celestina walked up beside him.
Celestina, still processing everything, glanced curiously at Grandmaster Thomas, who met her gaze and bowed his head.
"My lady, I'm relieved to see you unharmed," Thomas said, his voice strained.
Celestina nodded slowly.
"...I appreciate your concern, Uncle Thomas."
"Follow me, please. We have arranged a private tent for the three of you," Thomas coughed, yet for some reason, he avoided meeting Azriel's eyes, making him frown in confusion.
'Did I do something?'
He had, of course. Azriel had done many things, but none that seemed to warrant this behavior from Thomas.
Jasmine, noticing the odd tension, narrowed her eyes before catching Azriel's gaze.
Understanding passed between them.
She sighed, then unexpectedly wrapped Azriel's left arm around her for support.
Azriel blinked, momentarily surprised, before his lips curved into a grateful smile.
They followed Grandmaster Thomas and Freya toward the tents set up by the government's military forces.
While the hotel the other cadets were heading to was undoubtedly more luxurious, in terms of safety, it wasn't enough.
Azriel, Jasmine, and Celestina—children of the Great Clans—had to be protected at all costs.
The safest place was where they would be closest to the soldiers and the heroes.
Inside one of the private tents, Azriel sat down on the hard bed while Celestina sat across from him in a chair.
Jasmine remained on the bed, sitting beside him.
Freya had left to continue sorting out the chaos and calming the capital.
Solomon, meanwhile, was with the other heroes, patrolling the streets for safety measures.
Now, the three of them were left with Grandmaster Thomas, who stood by the side of the bed, his expression unreadable.
Azriel narrowed his eyes.
'He's really avoiding me, huh...'
He sighed, feeling a twinge of sadness at being ignored, and closed his eyes.
In truth, he was beyond exhausted.
The only reason he hadn't collapsed yet was sheer willpower, which was quickly fading.
Freya had informed him that a healer would soon arrive to reattach his hand.
Few healers were currently in the Sacred Capital and capable of such feats, so it would take time for one to reach the tent.
Azriel had told Freya not to rush them, prioritizing others first.
His hand could wait—he wasn't going to die.
Even though it felt like hell.
The silence didn't last long as Celestina, looking suspiciously at Thomas, was the first to speak.
"Uncle Thomas, that man Zoran... he said you made some kind of deal involving me. What did he mean by that?"
Her eyes sharpened, and Thomas immediately straightened his posture, his lips pressed together.
Azriel and Jasmine both opened their eyes, furrowing their brows as they watched him.
Eventually, Thomas sighed, his expression somber.
He suddenly dropped to one knee, bowing his head—but not toward Celestina.
He was facing Azriel.
"Prince Azriel, I offer my sincerest apologies. After dealing with the bombs and half the terrorists, I sensed a formidable presence near the entrance of the void dungeon. I rushed over, but..."
His face darkened with regret.
"I realized I was no match for that man. He was so strong I couldn't even move, and he threatened my lady's life in exchange for information about who called me here."
Celestina's eyes widened at his words, as did Azriel's and Jasmine's.
'So he met Zoran and couldn't even move a muscle...'
Azriel realized just how terrifying Zoran truly was.
If it had been anyone other than the madman Solomon by his side, things might have gone horribly wrong.
Before either Azriel or Celestina could respond, Jasmine's voice cut through the tension, cold and sharp as she narrowed her eyes dangerously at Thomas.
"So you sold out my little brother to the leader of Neo Genesis?"
The air around them froze, silence hanging thick in the room.
After what felt like an eternity, Thomas bowed his head even lower in shame and nodded.
"I did. I sold out the prince because of my weakness. I understand if my head needs to roll for this."
Azriel felt uncomfortable at Thomas's words.
He glanced at Celestina, surprised to see her calm, her expression composed and betraying no emotion.
Jasmine huffed, turning away.
"Why would your head roll for showing loyalty to the clan you swore to protect? You belong to the Frost Clan, not the Crimson Clan. It's natural to ensure the heiress's safety. I would've done the same if I had to choose between my brother's life."
Azriel blinked, feeling touched by Jasmine's words.
She glanced at him, her eyes softening with a kind smile.
'I really am lucky, huh...'
He couldn't quite remember how they had grown so close, but he was grateful for it.
Thomas looked up, stunned but silent, as Celestina sighed and spoke.
"You're as loyal as ever, Uncle Thomas. There's no way my father or I would ever want you dead. You're family to us."
She smiled gently at him.
Thomas bit his lip, holding back his emotions, before hesitantly meeting Azriel's gaze.
Azriel smiled, massaging his jaw with his only hand.
"As my dear sister already said, who am I to judge you for being loyal to your family?"
Thomas's eyes widened before a relieved smile broke across his face.
He bowed again, his voice thick with gratitude.
"Thank you, Prince Azriel, Princess Jasmine, my lady. I've realized my weakness. That Heptarch showed me I need to change so I'll never have to make such a choice again."
Clenching his fists, determination flashed across his face.
As he stood, Celestina turned to Azriel, her smile fading.
"But how did you do it? Contact Uncle Thomas in secret and lure the Heptarch toward you?"
Her words earned her the stares of everyone in the room. Azriel smiled wryly.
Each of them knew parts of his mission, but not all of it—not even Freya.
He sighed, glancing around at their curious faces, then chuckled helplessly.
"If you really want to know, I guess I should start from the very beginning."