Chapter 87: Regroup and Choice

After moving for a while, they reached a marked junction, where they heard someone call Lex’s name, and to their joy, Gareth appeared from beyond the bend with his lamp raised.

He took one look at Seth and immediately moved forward to help.

"Everyone with you?"

"Four students. Leon found me."

"That makes twelve."

Leon relaxed a little after hearing that. Everyone had been found, which meant they no longer had to search the damaged passages without knowing who was still missing.

They followed Gareth into the broad chamber near the beginning of the dungeon, where the other groups had already gathered. Most of the students were seated along the walls beneath several lamps, while two of the professionals watched the passages and treated those who were injured.

Linda stood beside Bren, whose arm was supported by a sling. Nolan was also there, and he stood when he saw Leon.

"You’re all right?" Leon asked.

"Mostly. Caleb’s over there."

Leon found Caleb sitting among the other students, but before he could ask what had happened to either of them, the woman with the short spear told everyone to give her room.

Just then, Gareth lowered Seth onto a folded jacket, while Tessa explained how they had treated his injury. The other girl handed over the remaining dressings, and the professionals took over from there.

Lex gave Gareth a short account of the route they had used, while Leon added what he knew about the collapsed passages. Neither of them said anything about the Mage or the second Great Swordsman.

After that, another count was just to confirm everything.

Everyone had been accounted for, though most of the students had suffered some kind of injury or the other. Some only had cuts and bruises, while others had used so much Spirit Energy getting through the damaged passages that their hands were still trembling.

Linda spotted Leon as soon as he walked in, he was rather impossible to miss with his distinct white hair. She came over while the adults continued checking everyone.

"Where did you find Seth?"

"Someplace where he was standing against some monsters."

She looked towards the blood covering part of his trousers.

"He got the others through," Leon added.

Linda nodded before looking down at the scrape on his hand.

"And you?"

"That’s about it. You look ok yourself."

"I got lucky." She replied.

That appeared to be enough for her. Bren was still struggling with his injured arm, so she returned to his side and had him sit down.

Once everyone had been checked, Gareth turned towards the third professional.

"How many stones?"

"Eight altogether." He answered.

The man opened a pouch and counted six Return Stones onto a flat rock, while the woman treating Seth added another two.

Return Stones weren’t rare inside Gates. They could be found embedded in walls or lying among ordinary stones, and people believed they formed again after enough time passed.

The problem wasn’t finding them normally. It was that many of the places the professionals would have searched were now buried or completely cut off.

They had only eight stones for twelve students and themselves.

Quite frankly, anyone without a Return Stone would have to remain inside until the boss was killed and an exit portal appeared.

"We could search the branches near the first corridor," the third professional suggested. "There may be more within reach."

"Clearing the dungeon will be quicker than searching damaged passages," Gareth said.

"The three of us can handle the boss," the woman added while securing the fresh dressing around Seth’s thigh. "There’s no reason to keep the injured waiting while we turn over rocks."

If they found more Return Stones on the way, the students who remained could use them. If they didn’t, then defeating the boss would get everyone else out.

The third professional looked at the eight stones for a moment before nodding.

"All right."

They began deciding who would leave, and without a doubt chose Seth first. There was no argument from him, and he made no attempt to insist that he could stay. He remained conscious and answered whenever someone spoke to him, but even lifting his head appeared to take effort.

"Use it now. They’ll take care of you outside," the woman said as she placed a Return Stone in his hand.

He looked like he didn’t want to, but he did without further persuasion, and a moment later, he disappeared.

"One," the woman said as she marked his departure before moving on.

Evan went next, and it went on.

Leon watched as the adults worked through the remaining students. The Return Stones went to those with injuries, depleted Spirit Energy, or little chance of contributing if the route became difficult again.

The girl who had helped Evan and Seth was among them. Before taking her stone, she handed Tessa the water bottle she had been carrying and gathered the loose medical supplies into their pouch.

"Keep those. Go on," the woman told her.

The girl nodded and activated the stone.

In the end, only four were left. Bren was still injured and depleted of energy, and his summon wasn’t fit for action yet, but he was still better than all those who had left.

Gareth checked the sling around his arm, guaranteeing it was ok before they left.

"You stay in the middle. No fighting unless something reaches you. If that arm gets worse, you tell us."

Bren nodded.

Nolan was also part of the students who stayed behind. He only had light injuries, and he still had enough Spirit Energy to use his summon. Gareth checked with him before deciding that he would remain alongside Bren.

Linda and Leon naturally stayed back. As for Linda, one didn’t need to wonder if she was ok with it, she probably was happy about it.

"Leon, Linda, Bren and Nolan. You’ll remain with us until we clear the Gate or find more stones," Gareth said.

"Yes, Sir." They all answered.

Lex decided to stay behind with them, saying something along the lines of not abandoning his students. In the end the professionals couldn’t talk him out of it.

One of the professionals watched the remaining group and checked every departure against the count.

"Eight out," the woman confirmed.

Gareth looked over those who remained.

Four students and four adults.

"We’ll take the surveyed route towards the boss chamber. The damaged gallery isn’t our only way through, so we’ll check each connection when we reach it," he said before putting the empty pouch away.

The third professional lifted his lamp and took the lead. Gareth followed behind him, leaving the woman to cover the rear while Lex gathered the four students between them.

Lex tested his footing before they left. Leon offered his shoulder again, and he accepted enough support to reduce the strain on his injured leg.