(Luca)

When I wake up, there's an extra blanket over me. I wasn't that cold, was I? I didn't think it was that cold last night. Was I really shivering that badly that someone gave me another blanket? It was probably Max.

I sigh, only realizing as I do that it smells like the laundry soap that Mr. Zack always smells like if he's wearing something he washed at the Dark Temple. Did he come back during the night? Did he steal another blanket from the Dark Temple?

Opening my eyes, I shift a little so I can look at the blanket, and find myself freezing. That's not a blanket, that's… that's Braden's robe. My brother's robe, that he wore when… when… when he decided to to be a stupid, stupid dumbass and go to Talorn.

But what is doing here? And why does it look clean? And smell like…

Like Mr. Zack's clothes if they've been washed at the Dark Temple.

Sitting up, I grab the robe and press it to my nose, inhaling deeply. This is definitely that smell, and it's clean.

How is it here? It was on… on my brother.

Mr. Zack is back, and I know what he was doing. Why he only stopped by briefly. He… he went to Talorn. He looked for Braden, for my brother, and he put him to rest, didn't he? And if he did that… does that mean that A'Lutar is gone, too?

Did Mr. Zack kill A'Lutar?

I look around my room. Mr. Zack's stuff isn't in here. Where is he?

Our new Braden's already out of here, and I can smell food, so Max is probably cooking, too. Gavin's pulling on his boots, though he's shirtless right now. He's got muscle. Not like Mr. Zack, where it's nice and lean, but the kind of someone who definitely uses them for power. They're not that big yet, but I bet that when he's trained up more, he'll be muscular pretty well.

Hm. Yeah, I think I want Mr. Zack's kind of muscle better. Lean, dense, and quick. That's how I want to be. Not big, strong, and buff. Mr. Zack is cooler. Scarier, and nicer. And just pure awesomeness.

Still sitting on my bed, I start getting changed. Mr. Zack isn't here to help me, so I have to be careful. I have a tendency to fall over or hit my head while trying to change, which is why he helps me. I try not to, but it's hard. I think I'm clumsy, sometimes?

After I'm dressed, managing it with only two head-bumps and one knee-bump, I pull on Braden's robe over my outfit, then grab my staff and walk with Gavin downstairs. I look around, but don't spot Mr. Zack.

"He's on the roof," Gavin whispers to me, and I take a few steps further away from the house and look up.

Mr. Zack is sleeping up there, and he looks wet. Did he sleep up there while it was snowing? Did the snow melt on him? He's got to be freezing up there!

"Is that… the cloak you talked about yesterday?" Gavin whispers to me, and I nod.

"Sh!" Max quietly shushes us from the kitchen, a finger pressed to his lips. "Boss be sleepy!"

"I'm awake," Mr. Zack says, and I look over to find him standing right here.

It's scary how fast he can be, and even scarier how he can step on two inches of snow without making a sound. There is a light redness in and around his eyes, making it obvious he was crying. That's all I need to know for sure.

"Sorry, Boss!" Max exclaims. "Me no try wake you, Gavin-friend and Luca-friend do it!"

"I was already awake," Mr. Zack waves his right hand dismissively. "I didn't actually sleep."

Then why did you let the snow melt all over you?

"Because I didn't bother brushing it off," he answers, putting a hand on my head. "When Braden returns from his run, we're all going to talk. And Luca? Everything will be fine."

I know. Just looking at you, and feeling this robe around me, I know that to be true. I still want to confirm, even though everything already says it's true.

"He's dead, isn't he?" I manage to ask Mr. Zack.

"Yes," he smiles, dropping his hand back to his side. "He's dead, Luca. I burned every last bit of his body so there was nothing left but ash."

"Braden went for a run?" Gavin asks.

"Around twenty minutes ago," Mr. Zack nods. "He started before Max got back from his."

Oh, right, I haven't done my morning run yet. Mr. Zack always has me do them with him, because it helps me build up my stamina, he said. He usually ends up carrying me after a minute or two. Sometimes three. I'm proud of those days.

"We're doing a break from training," Mr. Zack tells me. "You guys just spent a week doing it, and can use a day off."

You're going for a run anyway, aren't you?

"No," Mr. Zack pats my head. "Max is almost done with breakfast, Braden's almost back, and we're all going to talk for a few minutes before we sort out what we're doing for today, okay?"

Okay.

Mr. Zack and I move to the table, and we play chess while Gavin watches. Braden returns and sits next to us, and then Max finishes our breakfast of pancakes, sausage links, bacon, and eggs. Max really likes the bacon and sausage, because he made an entire plate for himself. I guess since he's part-wolf, that makes sense. Watching him devour it is funny, because he shoves as much of it into his mouth at a time as he can, which causes his cheeks to puff out.

(Gavin)

"Before you start whatever it is," I tell Zack after the dishes are cleared, cleaned, and put away. "I want to apologize to you."

I was the one who took care of the dishes, while Zack and Braden played chess on the table and Max and Luca played marbles on the ground. The others look at me after my apology, and I know they probably know it's because of Luca's fit yesterday.

"For what?" He looks confused.

"For arguing with you so much about the training," I answer.

"I barely even noticed it," he tells me. "Don't worry about it, Gavin."

"No," I shake my head. "Please listen, Zack. I did not like you at all, but the last week has taught me a lot about you that I did not expect could be. I was frustrated with you for not allowing me to fight goblins, stronger monsters that would let me earn more Experience. Peter took me to fight one a few days ago, and I was unable to do anything against it, despite it being only Level 1.

"In addition to that," I continue before he can say something. "I do not agree with how you treat the Sacred Crystals. They have given us a second chance at life, and a chance to protect what we left behind.

"However," I say without letting him voice whatever it was he was about to. "I have also come to understand that what you do is your own form of respect, as much as it might annoy Lord Light of Air. This does not mean I approve of it, nor will agree with you on it, but I promise that I will attempt to control my temper towards you over it, and will do the same regarding my training. You have experience and knowledge that I do not, and can make better judgments on what to do for training than me."

Zack is silent for a few moments, thinking, and I try to decide if I should bring up that Luca showed me his Private Memorial. Seeing that, and knowing about these knives that he gave us being special despite not being advertised as such, has made me realize that I was acting inappropriately. Childishly. I am a child, in some ways, considering I am only thirteen, but that was still inexcusable of me.

Before I can speak, however, Zack turns his gaze to the entrance of the property.

"Hey, Kylie," he waves.

There's a girl our age there, with pale blue eyes and long, brown hair tied back in a ponytail with a black band. Right now, she's dressed in a black and dark blue, dappled cloak. When she waves, I see that she's wearing dark blue, light leather armor over an all-black outfit, with various pouches and knives strapped to her belt, fingerless gloves on her hands. As with everyone but Zack, her face is pale with touches of red on her cheeks, due to the cold.

She is pretty.

"Hey, Zack," she greets him back. "Can I enter?"

"Sure," he says, and she approaches. "Guys, this is Kylie, she's grown up deeper in the Boundary, and is currently a student of an assassin named Samantha, who was trained by the pervert at the Trading Post. She's a talented rogue."

She was trained by Jesse's student? Jesse's a rogue? I thought he was just some creep who works at the Trading Post?

"Hello, everyone," she smiles at us as she steps up next to Zack. "Jesse told Samantha, and I was in the room. How are you holding up?"

Is she talking about whatever he did to acquire the robe that he'd made for Luca's brother? Which… was apparently guarded by an extremely powerful monster?

"I'm doing okay, thanks," he smiles at her, but I can tell it does not reach his eyes. "A'Lutar is dead, so there are only two or three real threats in Talorn now, and the only true one is that Fallen Adventurer guarding the Enchanted Altar. It probably won't be a threat for much longer, once Nathan returns."

"Alright," she responds. "I wanted to stop by before we did more training today, to see how you were doing, so I should be heading back."

"Thanks," Zack tells her, and she gives him a hug, which he returns. "Good luck, and don't let Samantha beat you up too much."

Oh. They're together, aren't they? Did she meet his 'kind' side before the obnoxious one?

I shake my head. Why am I feeling jealous? I've only just met her, and it was really just her greeting us as she talked with Zack. But she is pretty, though, and the way she talked makes her seem pretty nice, too.

"I'll try!" Kylie laughs, and they separate. "See you around."

She leaves, and Zack gives me an amused look.

"Kylie and I aren't dating," he tells me. "I can see that jealousy on your face. You went from hating me to being jealous of me real fast."

"But the hug-"

"Kylie and I are close," he says. "And… she helped me out at a time when I was not doing so good."

"Boss likey Kylie-friend!"

Luca giggles at Max's random comment.

"That's irrelevant!" Zack hastily exclaims as he glares at Max. "Kylie and I do like each other, but I have to take care of you guys and make sure you're ready for anything the Shadow of Life throws your way, and she's undergoing a lot of training to prepare for the war!"

Sounds like excuses to me.

Zack rolls his eyes.

"Anyway," he emphasizes that. "Everyone, gather around and sit down."

Max, Luca, and I join Zack and Braden at the table, Zack's expression serious. Whatever this is, it must be big.

"The five of you," he says. "Just finished your first week of training with professionals. This may happen again, maybe multiple times. Winter is almost done, and not long after it finishes, the battle for this valley will begin."

He closes his eyes for several moments, before fixing his gaze on each of us.

"It will not be an easy fight," he tells us. "It will not be a quick fight. Last night, I managed to glimpse what the horde will look like, even with Nathan's efforts at dealing with them before they can form. There will be millions of monsters – tens of millions. There will be goblins, kobolds, wolves, spiders, and more on the ground, with several bird-types in the sky.

"The monsters coming," he continues. "Will be stronger than those you have faced here. Luca saw a glimpse of what they can be while we were doing our extra training. Luca, Travis told me about the demon kobold you two encountered. Do you remember it?"

Demon kobold?

I look at Luca, who nods.

"Can you describe how powerful it was?"

"Powerful," he says softly. "Level 20. It would have killed me in a single attack. Probably killed Max in a single attack."

"He's right," Zack nods. "The Level 20 demon kobold would have killed Max in a single attack, and he currently has 170 Health. There will be monsters at that Level, and many more at higher Levels. As you are now, none of you will manage to survive the horde."

"But aren't we training for that?" I ask.

"Yes and no," he frowns a little. "Theoretically, you could only kill the weak monsters in the horde, as there will be plenty of those as well. The problem with that is that they'll be intermixed with the stronger monsters. Yes, the first waves will all be weaker monsters, but it will be things such as Level 1's through Level 10's mixed together, and not all monsters are equal."

I understand what he mans by that.

"Level 1 rats and Level 1 goblins are two vastly different sets of power," I say, and he nods.

"Even among monsters of the same Level," he adds. "They aren't necessarily equal. You can fight two Level 1 goblins, but come across two different amounts of each stat in them. In addition to that, it won't be simple fights, or even like what the fields are with the money slimes right now. It will be dense with monsters. Even strong, powerful warriors will start to be weakened by the time the King Monsters show up.

"And that," he says. "Is why Option One exists. Option One is the four of you stay here in Maelnor while we fight, and-"

"Wait," I say. "You get to go out and fight? But not us? That doesn't seem fair."

"Let me clarify," he says. "My job is to piss off and distract something during the battle, not to actually fight in it. I won't actually be near actual danger. My training this week composed partly of preparing for that, partly in helping Nik and others gauge certain things for the upcoming battle. Truthfully? I'll probably earn the least amount of Experience, Skill Levels, and Class Levels of anyone who participates."

"If you're stronger than us," I say. "But not that much stronger than us, what can you do?"

"I'm a Dark Knight," he smiles, and it's a smile that sends a chill down my spine. "We have several Skills that stack on each other. I can use that to easily boost my attacks to potentially ten times my current Strength. I'll also have a buff on me that greatly enhances all of my stats."

"What are you distracting?" Braden asks quietly.

"A dragon," Luca responds just as quietly, and I feel my eyes widen.

"I'm annoying enough," Zack's smile widens, turning from cruel to amused as it does. "And distracting enough that it will work. Regardless of if you go with Option One or Option Two, I will be undergoing a training program to increase my stats further and to prepare for Operation Annoy a Dragon. Nik and I discussed this over the week of training, but it won't seem much different. It will all occur while you guys are in training separately rather than together."

"Why are you distracting a Dragon?" I ask. "Everything I've heard about them so far puts them as the strongest monsters known to the Boundary."

"They are," Zack confirms. "Dragons are in a class of their own, above even the Ultimate Monsters. There is no expectation I will even hurt the dragon. We are relying on my Agility, and hoping it goes high enough to allow me to easily evade its attacks. The Dragon will go after me if I annoy it. That is the most important part of the entire battle."

"How?" I frown. "There's no way you could survive against a Dragon! Peter said that even the Avatar of the Shadow of Life couldn't be anywhere near one in power! Hundreds died against it!"

"That's true," Zack nods. "That is how powerful Dragons are. However, preparations are being made. I will have an arsenal of weapons and bombs at my disposal for it. There are… unique circumstances involved in this."

Luca snorts, and I give him a look. He obviously knows something more than what Zack is telling us.

"What aren't you telling us?" I ask.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Zack shakes his head. "I promise, this is not something that would happen if I were to die. The risks and odds have been calculated. I have used my Sight to see what will come of it, and I will survive. The most likely scenario is that I end up in a temporary coma after. However, Maelnor will be undamaged by the Dragon.

"Without the Dragon destroying the City Barrier," he continues. "Monsters will not be able to pass Maelnor into the rest of the Boundary. For the rest of the horde to succeed in destroying the City Barrier and the City Walls would require the assistance of the Monster Kings that are coming, and they will be handled by powerful Adventurers. It has already been confirmed that they can be slain by the power that exists now."

Peter told me about that a little. The part about monsters not being able to pass into the rest of the Boundary. He also told me that according to the Crystals, if both Maelnor and Kaelmar are Fallen Cities, then there will be no hindrance of passage out, resulting in hordes of monsters flooding the rest of the Boundary.

Destroying it within maybe a year or two and giving the Shadow of Life his victory.

I can see the determination in Zack's eyes, and the confidence.

"You're willing," Braden speaks softly. "To risk yourself for others. You're going to distract the Dragon no matter what, because it will let the more powerful Adventurers deal with the horde."

"Essentially," Zack nods as Luca snorts, and he gives the healer a glare. "Stop that, Luca. You know why we can't give them full details. You weren't supposed to know everything."

Luca knows what it is Zack isn't telling us?

Luca shrugs, then gives Zack a look, and Zack shakes his head. The healer shrugs and returns to looking at the table.

"So that is Option One," Zack says. "The four of you will be safe here in Maelnor."

"Max fight hordes!" Max exclaims, thumping his chest. "Get stronger!"

"I'll heal anyone of the team who goes out to fight," Luca adds quietly.

"Which brings us to Option Two," Zack clears his throat. "It involves a mixture of individual training, like what we did over this last week, and intense team training. For at least a week or two starting tomorrow, Max, Gavin, and Braden, you three will be fighting the money slimes. Luca will act as healer, and I will be the emergency aid and rescue while giving tips and continuing your physical training here. Then, we will go to Talorn for a week.

"Because Nik and I restored the Dark Temple's power there," he continues. "We can easily warp between it and the one here using the flame sigil out front of them. This will give you training against stronger monsters. We'll return then and do another final week of training, before I and several others go off to fight the Greed Lord.

"Once you four are stronger," he continues. "We'll go into the mines for more advanced training. The actual training program depends on how high your Levels reach and how quickly they do so. If you pick Option Two, I will not allow any of you to leave the City during the battles unless each of you have reached Level 50. You have two, maybe three months to do that. Am I clear on this, everyone?"

We all nod, then he asks us which option we want to go with. He adds that the vote for the second choice between the four of us must be unanimous, so if even one of us says Option One, that is what we will go with. Max and Luca both pick the battle option, and Braden accepts that as well after only a moment's thought.

I'm not sure if we can get ready in that time, though. The goblin was too strong for me, and there will be many, many stronger ones by far in the battle. From what it sounds like, and what I heard from Peter and his mother and Peter's team…

Could we really manage to fight such a thing, even if we meet Zack's minimum Level for us to do so?

Mama Bear did tell me that Zack only makes decisions without calculations on the spur of the moment, when his emotions are heightened and those he cares about are in danger. He seems so calm right now. Did he put a lot of thought into this? How much did he think this over?

If he really is as protective as he's proven to everyone else he is, then he wouldn't let us fight unless he was absolutely sure we would survive.

"Option Two," I decide.

"Okay," Zack says. "Then starting tomorrow, we'll begin the training."

He vanishes.