190 CHPT 190: The Scars will Remain.

Prof. Raizen stood in the heart of the recently regrown forest eyeing everything with overwhelming levels of confusion and suspicion.

The students sprawled out on the grass sporting numerous injuries, the absence of Zombie remains, the spear stuck into a tree to the left of him, the giant burnt tree and Warren's odd behavior. It was all…off putting.

But he was more worried than anything as he looked over Claude who lay closest to him with new rips and tears in his armor. Or Ursula who had arms riddled with bleeding claw marks like she was forced into a barehanded brawl with a wildcat. Even Maris— despite her lack of emotion shown while she laid in the grass, the cuts to her cheeks and gash on her forehead were worrisome.

They somehow looked worse than the team of Students he watched defeat the Boss.

He let the thought sit at the back of his mind while he continued speaking to them.

"You guys must've run into a nasty bunch. Why didn't you call for help?"

"We didn't need help." Claude cut in, grabbing Prof. Raizen's attention.

"Is that right? Cause you all look like you've been through hell." He said, unsure of why he got such a pained laugh from the group at the end of his response. "I especially didn't expect such a plethora of injuries from you of all people. You're quite fast— faster than Zombies at least, aren't you?" He added, now standing over Claude.

"Yea. I was off my game." Claude responded with a hand covering the sun beaming down over Prof. Raizen's head and his face.

"Hah. If your game was off today, then it's leagues ahead of what I thought it was." He responded, pointing back at the tree while he reached down to pull the student to his feet.

"Oh no. That's all thanks to the Growth Boost." Claude replied while he met eyes with the battle hardened Professor— still finding it odd to be taller than him.

Prof. Raizen eyed him curiously for a moment. "You know about Elemental Combination? I didn't know they taught that to first years."

Claude shrugged, "They haven't yet. I read a lot."

Before they could keep talking, Prof. Callista and the students emerged, regarding them with curious expressions before looking at the creepy looking tree in awe— completely unaware that the body of a demonic witch monster was held inside. Beheaded, stabbed by ice, it's own blood and burned beyond recovery.

Prof. Callista went full Healer mode and focused her attention onto the three students laying on the floor.

Within seconds of her passing Claude and sitting beside Ursula, he could smell the smokey scent of sage signaling the use of her powerful Healing Magic.

For the next few minutes, Claude leaned against a nearby tree deep in his own thoughts with Frosty sitting beside him. In the distance, Prof. Callista worked diligently at healing his teammates while the rest of the students whispered amongst eachother, carrying new weapons or armor gained from their defeated enemies.

It's stayed that way for a while until a group of students stepped forwards and made their way towards Claude and his group.

At the front was a youthful— yet wise, looking teenager with long black hair similar to his own. The student's pale skin was contrasted strongly with the dark leather chest piece and navy blue cloak hanging around him loosely and hiding his movements. His dark grey eyes watched the tree with wonder before turning on to Claude.

Behind him, Stacy sat impatiently trying to occupy herself by checking the sharpness of her feline claws— a failed attempt at looking uninterested. Next to Stacy a tall and skinny male wearing a hooded cloak looked from Claude to his teammates impatiently.

While he studied them all parked in front of him, he almost missed Chase who waved at him psychotically.

"I knew I'd be interested in seeing what you could do with your Forest Element, Claude." The Elemental Mage, Conroy said to him— in reference to one of their first times talking together, while his grey eyes scanned the entire expanse of the green forest.

"Don't get any ideas about starting a rivalry, icepick." Chase interjected from behind him.

Conroy waved him off with the posh and regal manner Claude imagined all scholarly Mages having. "This burning…this is the work of Fire activating a Growth Boost in Nature. Very nice." He complimented.

Claude stayed against the tree with his arms crossed at his chest, nodding in thanks before responding, "We got lucky."

Conroy looked at him with a knowing smile, "I see you in the Library every single day. Hiding your knowledge is smart— from a tactical and strategical standpoint, but I already know you Beast Tamer. You're smarter than you look."

"Ouch." Claude replied grumpily in response to Conroy's comment.

Stacy giggled behind the Mage while the hooded student continued looking uncomfortable.

They stood in silence for a moment until Claude's nose told him someone in Conroy's team was angry.

"Awe god dammit! Come with me." Chase said angrily before walking over to the hooded student and pushing him up to face Claude.

Along the way, his hood fell, allowing his dark brown curly hair to fall around his embarrassed face.

"Uhhh…what?" Claude said as he pushed off the tree and faced them properly.

"This guy man— he's more socially challenged than you somehow…" Chase said while he pinched the bridge of his nose before adding, "Goren here is a huge Prof. Callista fanboy— and he wants to shadow her. So…he wants to heal you— if you weren't so unapproachable this would be so much easier, you know?"

Claude shrugged— not knowing what to say which only supported Chase's argument.

"See…like that. What are you scowling for, Wolfboy?" Chase said, reaching over Goren to point at his face.

"This is my face." Claude answered flatly gaining a grossed out sound in response from Stacy while Chade nodded matter of factly as if he was going through their past interactions and realizing Claude was correct.

"Erhm….." Goren cleared his throat suddenly, drawing Claude and Chase's attention.

"So….can I?" He asked before raising his surprisingly defined arms from his cloak to show that he was ready to start whenever.

"No. I'm fine. I'm sure Prof. Callista won't mind you helping by Healing Isaac though— he lost a lot of blood." Claude responded flatly.

Goren looked him up and down as if he was crazy before shying away from his gaze and nodding in understanding. As he walked past him hurriedly, Claude couldn't help but notice how young the shy boy looked. He had to be 14 at most— which would make him some sort of prodigy.

"Dammit! I should've said no healing. Fuck!" Chase scolded himself after Claude's exchange with Goren.

The group stayed for another few seconds, with Chase leaning against the other side of the tree in an attempt to somehow outperform Claude in relaxing while the rest of the Archer's team lingered.

Suddenly, Conroy cleared his throat and spoke into the silence between them while he continued to eye the tree speculatively.

"You don't completely dislike us, do you?" He asked.

Claude straightened at his comment and noticed the tension of some of the members on Conroy's team, "What are you talking about?"

"Of the students that didn't drop out after the first Tangent fiasco….do you still strongly dislike us?" He explained while the others watched him closely.

Claude thought over the Elemental Mage's words and how he'd never spoken to them like this before. Someone looking from the outside in could say he'd warmed to them very slightly— as if the deep wounds they dealt to his mind had healed. Maybe they had, but the scars would be there forever— and he'd never forget. Whenever his nightmares took place inside that forested hell, or his mind wandered to that castle of trauma— he was reminded of everything he felt in near perfect detail. He had an answer to Conroy's question.

As he turned, he couldn't stop the faint shimmer of his eyes or Frosty baring his teeth at them in response to feeling his anger flood their link. It seemed they felt it as well. Conroy's eyes left the tree for the first time in a while in response to an intense feeling of discomfort— boderlining on the feeling of fear. The rest felt the same.

"They clung to Samuel's words without hesitation. They left me. They left her. Without hesitation." His consciousness reminded him as a wolffish growl escaped his lips.

"...I still hate you all."

***

With his talk with the students over with, they left abruptly. Showing varying forms of anger, offense, their own guilt reborn and understanding— oddly enough. While Chase simply patted him on the shoulder and said goodbye as if tense situations had no effect on him.

For the next 20 or more minutes, Claude watched his group be healed by Prof. Callista and Goren. Their Magic washed over the students damaged flesh and sunk through their armor like slithering snakes to fix any internal injuries. Slowly, one after another was back to relatively full health until they all joined Claude and Frosty by the thick tree.

***

"Alright, now that everyone's up and ready. Let's go home." Prof. Raizen said from behind the cloud of students at the entrance into the forest.

They all eagerly followed Prof. Raizen as he led the way out, excited to celebrate their weekends and relax for a couple days. It seemed like the whole line of students chatted excitedly, except for Claude and his group who hung at the back nervously.

While Claude walked with them, his nostrils became clogged with the scent of fear. His eyes turned to the Archer that walked beside Ursula deep in thought over something. He didn't need to ask what since Warren began speaking shortly after on his own.

"S-so…hehe…What are the odds of us running into a HellBred again, r-right?….hehe…?" He asked nervously.

Ursula turned and looked to Claude for a long moment before speaking, "I think we should tell them."

He sighed and let his head hang for a moment, "Go ahead."

"W-wait wait….what's the matter guys? Why aren't you worried?" Warren pressed while Maris and Isaac listened in confusion.

"That day in the Library, when we read about HellBreeders after Claude killed the first one-"

"We killed the first one." Claude corrected before letting her continue.

"After….we..killed the first one. We read that book, you remember?" She asked Warren.

Warren nodded along.

"Well, you missed a page that me and Claude read. We didn't tell you because we didn't want to scare you into insanity. But, ...HellBreeders look at their HellBred as children and stalk whoever kills them…." Ursula explained.

For a moment there was only silence. Isaac's eyes widened exponentially, Maris still looked confused and Warren looked like he was going to faint mid walk.

"W-w-w-Wwait…we all k-killed this one…" Warren whispered.

"Yep." Ursula replied sounding almost proud.

"That means…that means it's after all of us?"

"In theory." Claude responded, feeling a great deal of guilt for letting them fight now.

Warren shrugged while sweat collected on his forehead, "I'm never sleeping alone again. I can't go back home— my parents aren't Reborn. I-I'm not sleeping anymore….I'm not going back home."

For a moment, Claude noticed everyone looking to be considering Warren's fearful ranting seriously.

"You've got a point. Splitting up so soon would be dangerous— what if after losing two HellBred, it goes crazy and starts hunting us more seriously. For now i think it's been stalking— but what if that's over now?" Ursula questioned.

Warren looked up to her nodding frantically, "Exactly!…" he said too loud, causing the students in front of them and the Professor behind them to eye him warily. "Exactly….so let's go to your house. You're a noble, right? You've gotta have some space….and strong people….and good food." He whispered, slowly changing from sounding fearful to fearfully optimistic.

Isaac couldn't help but laugh at Warren despite their situation while Ursula shook her head.

"WHA—….Why?" Warren asked in response to the Berserker's nonverbal answer.

"If my dad sees me bring home a bunch of boys— I'll be labeled as a whore for the rest of my teenage life. Plus I don't live on the estate. Their would be no room." She said matter of factly, giving them all a better look into why she didn't like her assumed noble father.

For some reason, they all looked to Claude next— who was busy discussing with Arne as to why he shouldn't go. He noticed the silence after a few seconds and looked up to see them all looking at him— eager to jump at the chance to learn more about the family they assumed he had.

"Uhm….I'm poor." He said finding they had no reaction. "Like poor as hell. And I only have one bedroom." He continued with a shrug.

He could almost see the disappointment in Ursula and Warren's eyes.

"Alright Maris— we're at your place. Hopefully everyone there isn't as cold as you haha.." Warren said with a smile before jokingly punching her shoulder.

She looked at him calmly before speaking while Ursula cringed beside the Archer, "I live in an orphanage. And your not allowed inside if you have parents.."

Warren immediately coughed and began choking in surprise to her flat mannered response while Ursula patted his back to try and quell the coughing fit.

"Well." Isaac suddenly said, grabbing everyone's attention. "I have more than enough room and my parents are perfectly fine with me bringing friends over. I'd also like to learn more about these HellBreeders." He added sternly from beside Claude while they stepped around a pond.

"Boom! We're saved!" Warren cheered while dramatically wiping the sweat from his brow and almost slipping into the black water.

"Shit!" Claude mumbled as he spoke to Arne.

Isaac heard and looked over to him, "Dude it's all good. Frosty free to come as well." He said, gaining a lick to his hand from the PitWolf trotting between him and Claude.

"Erhm. Thanks, Isaac." Claude replied.

"Alright so it's settled. Everybody's at my house. We'll see it we can't learn some more about HellBreeders and stay safe for the weekend." Isaac said, gaining a nod from everyone in understanding.

They continued walking in silence after, until they could see the illuminating blue exit in the distance poking out from behind the cover of trees.

Out of nowhere, Ursula hooked her arm around Claude and Warren's arms at the elbow— pulling them into her bulbous shoulders as she spoke, "So. Is this anyone else's first sleepover???"

Warren sighed, "This isn't a joke man…this is serious business. I'm not trying to become scorpion-demon dinner this weekend. But yes thi…."

Claude drowned out of the rest of Warren's response as they neared the exit and he thought to himself.

"How am I getting out of this?….What the hell is a sleepover?"