“Thank you for dealing with this matter for me,” Guild Master Fairgreene said, inclining her head. “Your efforts will not go unrewarded. Naturally, the Faren Guild Division will receive your share of the payment, and any materials you’ve gathered. As for the Coven, you must forgive my lack of knowing what suitable compensation would be.”

            “We do not ask for anything in particular,” Natavali answered with a slight shake of his head. “We had already arranged our lodging to come here before your request, and this has been a valuable learning experience for my students. That is enough for us.”

            “Well, in any case, you have our gratitude as well,” Master Fairgreene acquiesced with a smile. “If any other reward strikes you, please let us know. In regards to loose ends, the remaining merchants have been admitted to our healer and should be just fine once they recover from their injuries. You’ve all done excellent work today. Thank you for your time.”

            After a few more words of pleasantries, Guild Master Fairgreene dismissed them, returning to her work as their group exited the guild hall and loaded into one of the many pully carts.

            “Well, I don’t know about all of you, but I am utterly famished,” Danae sighed. “Who feels up for a warm meal and somethin' to drink?”

            A small chorus of agreement went up from the other alchemists, Kevza’s stomach suddenly clenching with hunger now that sustenance had been brought up. He hadn’t eaten the night before, and his breakfast had been a small affair.

            “Why don’t you join us?” Kevza found himself saying, turning to Natavali without fully realizing it until he had already done it. “Unless… you have other plans already?”

            “Master, I’m starving,” Kata said, eyes wide and pleading. “Can we go with them?”

            Natavali gave the girl a look over and shook his head with a small smile, one of the first traces of softness Kevza had seen since their surprise reunion. “We are needed elsewhere. We cannot.” He turned back to Kevza, his face falling once again into a neutral expression. “Thank you for the offer, Captain. Excuse us.”

            And just then, the pully leveled out, and Natavali stepped off, his little horde of students following in his wake down the lane, leaving Kevza behind to freeze in the chill of his dismissal.

***

            “Just what is with you?” Danae asked, pacing her horse alongside Kevza’s. “You’ve been quiet all morning.”

            “I’m tired, that’s all,” Kevza answered. He attempted a smile, but even he could tell it was lackluster at best. “The forest has been messing with my sleep routine.”

            The look Danae gave him clearly conveyed that she knew he was a liar, but thankfully she didn’t press the issue, instead letting her reins go slack and moving off to pace her horse next to Xavi’s.

            Kevza appreciated the concern, he really did, but there was only so much he could take in a short time. And in truth, it was only half a lie. Laying in his bed, knowing Natavali was also somewhere in the city…

            Every time he had closed his eyes, all he could see was the glint of gold, and hear his dismissals over and over. A part of him always knew that he would be shunned by the Coven, some of the other mages may have even been downright hostile towards him, but he would never have thought the rejection would hurt so badly.

            And he berated himself for it. Of course, they would reject him. Of course, it would hurt. But he deserved it. Here, in this new life of his, he deserved every bit of discomfort he was feeling right now. It was the fact of his life, one that he had dealt with for seven years already, and one that would haunt him to the end of his days.

            That was the price for his mistakes.

            Thankfully, after taking a break for some breakfast, the group agreed to pick up the pace in an effort to get back to Faren and back to normal. Kevza found himself putting his somber mood behind him in favor of looking forward to other things.

            Hawthgrove had a bounty of residual energy deposits, and he’d taken the time on the way back from the meditation springs to go around and harvest a few for his students to look at when he got back before handing them over for research and development into alchemy tools. He could practically see it already, the way they would flock around the display table with looks of innocent wonder in their eyes as they got their first unobstructed looks into what alchemy could really do.

            It was every teacher’s dream.

            But even at the horses’ highest speed, Faren was still almost a full day’s ride away, and his dream of inspiring the kids would have to keep until then. They rode, stopping when they needed, resting the horses, and eating. He’d show little things to Noa and Nidi, magic or otherwise, and then they’d load up and sprint again.

            But with their early start and the fast pace, they were able to see the grand city of Faren laid out in front of the last lights of dusk, a comforting silhouette welcoming them home.

            “We just have to give our report to Guild Master Marthak and you two will have officially completed your first mission,” Kevza smiled, leaning over in his saddle to playfully slap Nidi on the arm. “How does that feel, huh?”

            “It feels good.” Nidi chuckled, swatting his hand away with a bright smile. “It was scary, and my leg still aches, but I feel good. We helped those people.”

            “And that’s what it’s all about,” Danae inserted with a grin. “Helping good folk stick together when times get tough. You did well. You both did.”

            “We’ll get your official guild pins in the morning, and you can show them off for your classes,” Xavi said. “Let everyone know you’re stuck with us now.”

            The group laughed as they slowly walked through the gates, nodding to the guards, and turning to the Guild District.

            The wide lanes were filled with the last of the day’s errand runners, those who were eager to get the last of their to-dos done before the light was out for the night, but it was still easy progress to the stables.

            Kevza let out a long yawn as they walked down the last stretch of the lane, the heart of the Faren Guild Hall rising before them in the red rays of the fading sun. Just as he turned to say something to Pasha, a shock ripped through the square with a thunderous sound, hitting him with enough force to make him stumble to his knees.

            The world seemed to slow as he turned back, the red of the sun offset by the yellow flames licking up through the shattered windows of the guild hall.

            The fire poured through the gaps, alchemists emerging from the wide doors in droves, coughing in the haze of black smoke and ash. Someone called for people to grab something and start a water line, and people stood around the square in shock.

            And then another explosion burst from the line of guild shops across the street.