The Familiar Proving had concluded, successfully filtering the applicants until nearly half of the new cadets remained within the hallowed halls of the Knight Academy. Now, the true test began: evaluating the students' potential as they bonded with their newly-acquired Familiars and forged deeper, critical relationships with these partners.
This crucial examination was structured as a joint-class operation, with all cadets placed under the direct leadership of Professor Desmond. The professor was an exemplary figure—a prime embodiment of kindness and unwavering loyalty. As an instructor, he was known for his patient mentorship, always ensuring his students not only grasped his teachings but truly internalized them.
The Academy had strategically selected Professor Desmond to lead this specialized quest. They recognized that a teacher so universally beloved and respected was the optimal choice to guide the cadets through this important and formative challenge.
This specific mission required a journey to the distant city of Almada. The city's leader had submitted an urgent quest request to the Knight Order, reporting the alarming appearance of monstrous creatures within the city limits during the nighttime hours. The local community believed these occurrences were the work of a demon, compelling them to involve the Knights.
The Academy immediately recognized this as the perfect trial to evaluate the remaining cadets, designating it officially as The Special Quest.
All thirty-five cadets, along with Professor Desmond, eventually arrived in Almada. They were shown to their designated lodgings, settling in as they awaited the official start of the mission. The Professor then gathered everyone to clearly outline the objectives and explain the proposed operational strategies.
Crucially, he mandated that the cadets form parties of four. The team selection was made via a randomized draw, deliberately mixing students from different classes, resulting in nine distinct teams. By chance, Aldomite and Elise were paired together. However, their friends, Calvin and Lipton, were not in their group, having been assigned to a different team to navigate the challenges ahead.
The mission officially began. Aldomite, overflowing with confidence, was convinced he would clear the entire quest before any other team even grasped a clue. His party consisted of three others: Ally, who shared his hyper-enthusiastic energy; Shad, who frequently attempted to moderate their joint zeal; and Elise, who seemed constantly mortified by Aldomite's theatrical eagerness, feeling it disgraced their entire class.
The teams fanned out across the city, their staggered deployment designed to cover the maximum area. That night offered a perfect, luminous setting—a brilliant full moon eliminated the need for torches, brightening their search. Each cadet relied on their unique Familiar, some of which possessed the ability to sense demonic energies.
Hours passed, yet not a single monster or sign of demonic activity was spotted. It was as if the city had been scrubbed clean.
At the designated time of dawn, team after team returned to the inn. However, once the final roll call was taken, a terrifying realization set in: one team had not returned.
A wave of panicked worry washed over the remaining cadets. Professor Desmond immediately worked to quell the distress, and then, without delay, set out into the early morning light to search for any trace or clue, skipping his own breakfast. His concern was contagious; not all the students could stomach their morning meal.
The professor eventually returned, but his search of the immediate area had yielded nothing. He did, however, bring back new, vital information sourced directly from the city's leader.
The vital information Professor Desmond returned with was a shocking omission from the original quest submission. The city's leaders had failed to disclose a critical detail: the nocturnal monster appearances were inevitably linked to the disappearance of citizens. Anyone outside at night was considered either dead or, more ominously, taken away. Countless independent adventurers had already accepted this quest, and many had vanished after their night searches.
Professor Desmond, though deeply disturbed by the failure to disclose this danger, knew his immediate course of action. He ordered all cadets to pack their bags, declaring the mission was no longer suitable for students of their rank. Had the Academy known the full scope of the peril, they never would have authorized cadets to undertake this assignment. The professor swiftly dispatched a message back to the school and instructed the students to wait until higher-ranked Knights arrived to take over.
However, the core essence, Zechtron, who resides within Aldomite's very being, sharply disagreed with the Professor's decision. Zechtron confided in Aldomite, claiming he had noticed the sinister pattern but dismissed it initially. Zechtron asserted that the accumulating negative energy generated by the missing people was being deliberately cultivated—a sure sign that this was the calculated work of a demon.
Aldomite was eager to share Zechtron's deduction with Professor Desmond, but the Professor quickly dismissed his suggestions. He sternly shut down the idea of any further cadet involvement, explaining, "I already lost four. I won't lose any more students."
Unbeknownst to them, another student was eavesdropping and overheard the entire conversation. Despite the Professor's strict order, Aldomite, fueled by his confidence and a fierce desire to defeat the demon and rescue his classmates, resolved not to back down. He secretly planned to leave alone that night to find the source of the trouble.
As Aldomite stealthily began preparations to sneak out that night, he was spotted by Lipton and Calvin. Realizing their friend was embarking on a dangerously unauthorized path, they immediately resolved to join him.
Calvin's familiar, concerned for its partner's safety, worriedly urged him to stay at the inn and forfeit the perilous idea. But Calvin was resolute, refusing to let Aldomite face the danger alone. He quietly reassured his familiar, "I won't die, I promise," a pledge that, while bold, managed to momentarily calm the familiar's anxiety.
Night fell, and the anticipated arrival of the senior Knights from the Academy was still delayed—the complex process of assembly was taking longer than expected. Under the cloak of darkness, Aldomite, Lipton, and Calvin slipped out. They were joined by an unexpected shadow: Felix, the student who had been eavesdropping earlier, silently followed them.
The four boys, now a clandestine team, began their own quest. Following Zechtron's internal guidance, they were led to a hidden underground cave that immediately assaulted their senses with the metallic stench of blood. Carefully hiding and sneaking through the shadowed tunnels, they approached a massive, reinforced door that clearly resembled a vault.
The Secret Vault lay deep within the cavern, its massive door secured by a complex, heavy-duty magic lock. Aldomite and his companions struggled to decipher the mechanism. Just as their frustration mounted, Felix emerged from the shadows and decided to intervene.
"I thought you weren't going to show yourself, Felix," Lipton stated calmly, confirming he had been aware of the trailing shadow all along. Aldomite and Calvin quickly covered their surprise, pretending they, too, had known. Despite Aldomite's initial stern warning for him to return to the inn, Felix officially joined the group.
With the new addition, they resumed the task. It was Aldomite, guided by the precise directions from Zechtron, who ultimately found the delicate magic circuit necessary to bypass the lock.
As the Vault opened, a massive, chilling gust of air rushed out—a palpable sense of terror emanated from within. They slipped inside, moving cautiously. They successfully navigated and defeated several small monstrous threats, fighting their way deeper into the complex. However, upon reaching the innermost depths, they were ambushed. The swiftness of the attack suggested their arrival had been anticipated.
Captured and disoriented, the boys awoke in a cold cell. They were horrified to find only two of the missing cadets alive; the other two had been killed.
Hearing this news, a raw, primal rage ignited within Aldomite, threatening to unleash a massive surge of energy from his core. Before he could succumb to his fury, one of the surviving cadets delivered a critical piece of intelligence. She recounted hearing the demons speaking: "Tonight we attack the inn, according to his orders," she whispered. Even more chillingly, the demons had boasted, "He told us the higher-rank knights would not get here on time. Tonight is the best time."
The revelation sent a wave of icy panic through Aldomite. He immediately thought of his friends and teammates back at the inn; even Elise's safety flashed across his mind. Driven by urgency, the powerful magic circuit locking the cell was instantly disabled by Aldomite's surging energy.
As the four rushed out, Aldomite was plagued by one terrifying question: Who is he? Who was the person giving the demons orders? While frantically seeking the exit, they found their path blocked, confronting a powerful demon—and someone entirely unexpected.
Chapter 8: TALES OF A TRAITOROUS HERO