The night before departure, refused to give them rest.
Friday night bled slowly into Saturday morning as Avdhoot lay awake in the shared dormitory, staring at the dark ceiling while his thoughts ran in circles. Five days in Wildwood Valley. No Academy walls. No wards. No instructors stepping in if things went wrong.
Would they encounter beasts?
Would they find enough herbs?
Would all of them return?
Sleep never came.
At exactly four in the morning, Avdhoot finally swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. His muscles were tense, his mind too alert for rest. Across the room, Veer lay flat on his back, eyes open, staring upward.
"You couldn't sleep either?" Veer asked quietly.
"No," Avdhoot admitted.
They slipped out of the dormitory and into the Common Room, half-expecting it to be empty. It wasn't. Tara sat at one of the long tables, notes spread in careful order, refining routes and fallback plans for the hundredth time. Meira sat nearby, cross-legged, calm and centred, her presence steady in the pre-dawn quiet.
"Couldn't sleep?" Tara asked without looking up.
"Apparently none of us could," Meira said, her tone observational rather than surprised.
They sat together in silence, the faint glow of enchanted lanterns casting soft shadows across stone walls. No one felt the need to fill the quiet. The campaign was only hours away.
By the time the clocks struck a quarter past five, they returned to the dormitory, checked their supplies once more, fastened cloaks, and prepared to leave.
⸻
The Academy gates were already alive when they arrived.
Grey twilight hung low over the grounds, the sky lightening by the minute as ninety-six students assembled in ordered formation. Lion groups stood together, Fang groups opposite them, every student equipped, every face carrying some mix of excitement and nerves.
Avdhoot stood at the front of his group, the bronze leadership badge heavy against his chest. Meira positioned herself to his left, focused and composed. Veer stood just behind him, energy barely contained beneath his grin. Tara remained to his right, eyes flicking between the enchanted map and the terrain beyond the gates.
Across the gathering, other group leaders performed final checks. Fang groups mirrored the same discipline, their confidence sharp, almost aggressive.
Professor Chaudhary stood before the gates with Professor Devendra and several other instructors positioned as coordinators.
"Equipment check," Chaudhary called.
One by one, voices rang out across the grounds—clear, firm confirmations. Every Lion group accounted for. Every Fang group is ready.
Chaudhary glanced at the glowing face of his enchanted timepiece. "Five forty-seven. Sunrise in thirteen minutes."
Silence settled.
"You carry your Houses' pride," he said evenly. "Return with honour. Go."
The sun crested the mountains in a burst of gold.
The Academy gates groaned open, massive stone doors parting to reveal Wildwood Valley beyond—vast, untamed, waiting.
"Groups depart."
They moved as one. A coordinated wave stepping beyond the safety of the Academy's boundary, feeling the wards fall away as the wilderness claimed them.
Avdhoot crossed the threshold and felt it instantly.
The world was louder. Sharper. Alive.
⸻
The first stretch of the journey felt deceptively familiar. Flat woodland. Paths worn smooth by generations of students. But without the Academy's protection, everything carried weight—the rustle of leaves, distant bird calls, the scent of earth and damp bark.
The enchanted map updated as they walked, tracking distance and elevation.
"Three hours to the zone boundary," Tara said, eyes scanning the display. "Terrain steepens after the first hour."
They moved in formation, steady and disciplined. The first hour passed easily.
Veer broke the quiet with a grin. "You know what this reminds me of? Those adventure novels where the hero sets out confidently and immediately gets lost."
"We're not lost," Tara replied flatly.
"I know," Veer said. "But imagine it. 'Day One: ate bark. Regretted everything.'"
"Bark isn't edible," Meira said calmly.
Veer laughed. "See? This is why I keep you all around."
Avdhoot felt the tension ease slightly. Humour had its place. Even here.
By the second hour, the forest changed. Trees thickened. Sounds faded. The cheerful familiarity gave way to something older, quieter, watchful.
They stopped by a narrow stream when fatigue began to show.
Avdhoot raised a hand. "Five-minute break."
As they drank, Meira froze, eyes narrowing toward a nearby bush. Clusters of deep purple berries shimmered faintly among the leaves.
"These are Shadowberries," she said after a moment. "Edible. Nutritious. Transitional-zone growth."
Tara frowned. "You're sure?"
Meira tested one carefully, waiting before nodding. "Completely safe."
They harvested enough to fill a container.
"Knowledge really is survival," Avdhoot said.
Meira inclined her head. "It usually is."
They continued onward, morale noticeably higher.
⸻
By midday, the climb began in earnest. Hills replaced flat ground. Stone replaced soil. The air thinned and cooled as they ascended.
They stopped to eat—preserved food supplemented by berries—when Veer suddenly froze.
"Did you hear that?"
Movement. Small. Deliberate.
Avdhoot signalled silence and advanced slowly. A creature emerged from the brush—a scaled rabbit with small horns and glowing eyes.
"Ember Rabbit," Tara whispered.
Edible. Non-aggressive.
Avdhoot moved without hesitation. One precise burst of fire ended it instantly.
They worked together to prepare the meat properly, preserving what they couldn't cook immediately.
"This is real survival," Tara said quietly.
Meira nodded. "Theory ends here."
⸻
The highlands revealed themselves shortly after.
Rolling hills. Sparse vegetation. Towering rock formations. Snow-capped peaks in the distance.
"It's beautiful," Veer admitted.
"Dangerous beauty," Tara corrected.
When the map shimmered, they felt the subtle shift—magic, air, temperature.
They had entered their zone.
Avdhoot took his time choosing the campsite. Water access. Shelter. Visibility. Defensibility.
They found it tucked between massive boulders, a natural fortress overlooking a clear stream.
Camp rose methodically—perimeter markers, tents secured, fire pit cleared, supplies organised, alarms set, watch rotations established.
By the time dusk settled, everything was ready.
⸻
They split into pairs for reconnaissance.
Avdhoot and Meira found Ironleaf trees—ancient, potent, high quality.
Veer and Tara located meadows of Starlight Blooms, glowing softly in the fading light.
When they regrouped, confidence settled among them.
Dinner was fresh meat, berries, and water. Laughter followed.
They rotated watches through the night.
The wilderness remained quiet.
At dawn, Day Two waited.
And none of them knew how different they would be by nightfall.
[End of Chapter 9]