Chapter 50: Chapter FIFTY

The return had been in complete silence, with close, high-altitude flight formation to gain speed. Zerkan had first suggested to Andrei to camouflage them again, but the wizard was far too exhausted to use his magic again on a dozen people. They had then opted to cover their tracks in case Impervia had decided to place lookouts to discover the location of the city. It was for this reason that they had rushed to leave so that she would not necessarily have time to set up her tracking device. The trip had therefore taken three and a half hours and had involved many detours and paths without any logic to be certain that if anyone had seen them moving in flight, they simply could not accurately trace the direction where the group had gone. It was the best they could do, and they had no guarantee that the scheme would work. At least they hadn't been attacked, that was a good start.

When the members of the Resistance landed on the top of the cliff of the Heart, no one was there to welcome them, not even the wyverns who slept peacefully in their shelter. Yet the rebels were aware of their return since the magical barriers surrounding and concealing the city allowed the Watchers - those guards who ensured that no one left or entered the city without authorization - to make sure that no intruder did not tread the ground of Callis. Most of the people were just asleep, and only the military corps was eagerly awaiting information about the school liberation operation. It was dark, but torches had been lit for the team's return. The light could not be seen outside the protective barrier.

Ethan and Mia managed to remove Taure's saddle themselves so she too could rest, and they simply followed the other Sentinels into the small barracks to pack up all the flying gear. The discussions were going well between the fighters who were relieved to have finally returned home, but whose faces reflected the mourning they had begun to do for their comrade fallen against the wendigo. They hadn't even been able to bring his body back, something that was always hard for the deceased's family - if he had any - to swallow.

"Come on, I bet everyone is waiting for us in the lobby," Zerkan invited them. "Knowing Ellana and Robert, they won't let anyone go without a toast."

"I definitely wouldn't say no to a little drink," Mia laughed, following the werewolf.

Ethan was at her side, but Vassili ended up calling out to him before they rushed down the stairs. Mia, not wishing to impose herself on the two men, patiently waited for him a few meters down the stairs, at a distance that still allowed her to hear their conversation. She was curious, after all.

"What do you want? the Vila grumbled after the vampire called out his name to get his attention.

"I know that's not my place to tell you, and you probably don't want to hear it," he began in an uncertain voice, "but I'm really proud of you."

The silence that followed his statement left Mia to assume that Ethan must have been speechless, or at least extremely confused, and clearly didn't know what to say to such comments. His teacher's words were touching, even if the Vila didn't want to hear them, and maybe they would even manage to warm his heart frozen by his betrayal. Holding grudges for individuals who were on the same side with the same goal seemed futile to her now that she had tasted risk and had seen death up close. Everyone thought they were acting for a just cause that was worth some sacrifice. Vassili hadn't betrayed Ethan willingly, and Andrei's affection for Arry might very well be sincere despite the self-serving stakes of their meeting.

About ten seconds after Vassili's last words, Ethan found his soul mate on the stairs, followed by the vampire not far behind. The trio caught up with the Commander and the other Sentinels by walking quickly and eventually arrived at the same time as the others in the great hall.

Ellana, Robert, Igor, and other deputies and soldiers were waiting for them with a drink in their hands and raised them when they saw them arrive, a smile spread on their lips. The welcome was spectacular, and this time Mia didn't feel like a sham who didn't deserve such praise since she had contributed so much to the mission. The festive and victorious mood of the crowd quickly created a feeling of euphoria in her which was shared by the other members of the squad. Even Ethan smirked and for once didn't seem bothered by the heavy attention being paid to them.

"Welcome back!" Ellana greeted before pointing to a coffee table on which there were eleven glasses. "Help yourself, the rest will wait a little longer! Tyrrell, we'll take care of this injury."

You are reading story Arena – Book 2 : Rebels at novel35.com

Each Sentinel picked up a glass until only the one for Peter, the dead Sentinel, remained. A toast was raised in his honor and Mia, like all the others, gulped down her glass in one gulp even though she didn't know what was in it. It was a sweet, fruity liquor that warmed her throat and relaxed her mind within minutes. Healers immediately set about tending to Tyrrell and his amputated arm, as well as the soldiers' other injuries. The wounded were invited to follow them into the infirmary one floor higher without waiting so that they could go and rest after treatment.

"Go ahead, you've earned your rest," Ellana allowed them. "Your personal reports will wait until tomorrow, Zerkan will tell me the main points in the meantime, right?"

The werewolf sighed but nodded nonetheless. He was just as exhausted as the others, if not more since he had had all the responsibility for the operations on his shoulders and a dozen lives in his hands.

Mia, luckily, didn't even have a bruise, but Ethan was covered in small sores that were struggling to heal quickly and his throat was itchy from his mother's strong grip on his neck. The couple, therefore, headed together towards the infirmary following the healer who would take care of the Vila, allowing the blonde to discover with interest the floor reserved for treatment. The clinic was fairly standard, with several rooms for patients and a few treatment rooms that allowed various medical procedures. There were no medical tools or futuristic electronics like in a human hospital, but there were many shelves filled with vials of powder or liquid, creams, and bandages of all kinds. Of course, everything was magic.

The healer led them back into a room that looked more like an office than a hospital bedroom, and he invited Ethan to sit on the stool in the center of the room.

"I see a few cuts," noted the healer. "Is there anything else?"

"My throat," Ethan said, rubbing his neck.

The magician-healers were not able to carry out diagnoses like the fairies and had to treat their patients in the same way as the human doctors: by guessing the ailments thanks to the symptoms. The effectiveness of their treatments was however quite similar to that of faerie medicines, although slightly reduced in comparison.

A few minutes later, the couple left the floor of the infirmary with a small bottle containing a liquid that was intended for the throat of the Vila, and an ointment to apply on his cuts. The magician had explained to him that the syrup was to be taken just before sleeping and that he could spread the cream on his wounds after a good shower. With his Vila regeneration abilities, he would wake up like new in the early morning.

A jaw-dropping yawn shook Mia as she thought of finding the comfy bed in the older couple's guest room. They had been assured that Adam and Irina had been notified of their return and that they were waiting for them, despite the late hour. She was happy to see them again, but above all, she was extremely eager to shower and bury herself under the warm duvets of their temporary home. And given how tired Ethan himself looked, his mood was obviously the same.

You can find story with these keywords: Arena – Book 2 : Rebels, Read Arena – Book 2 : Rebels, Arena – Book 2 : Rebels novel, Arena – Book 2 : Rebels book, Arena – Book 2 : Rebels story, Arena – Book 2 : Rebels full, Arena – Book 2 : Rebels Latest Chapter