The heavy, soothing air of the academy's medical chamber was saturated with the sharp, earthy scent of crushed herbs and the faintly sweet, metallic aroma of healing potions. Sunshine streamed through the expansive glass window, bathing the room in a warm golden glow as a gentle breeze rustled the light curtains. Along the far wall stood a towering bookshelf crafted from dark, polished mahogany, its shelves lined with rows of glass vials, glowing tinctures, and rare elixirs reserved for dire emergencies.
Before the bed, Leo Black and Ray Moir stood side by side, their gazes fixed on the young man resting against the pillows. Curiosity crackled softly between them. Who exactly was Neel, and where had he come from?
Noticing their intent stares, Neel offered a polite smile, bowing his head slightly in a well-mannered greeting.
Leo opened his mouth first, breaking the silence. "How did you end up with a head injury like that? It was so deep that even the doctor's mana struggled to heal it quickly."
Neel paused, a shadow of confusion crossing his eyes. He hesitated before answering, his voice uncertain. "I... I honestly don't know how it happened. All I remember is that I was running late for the academy. I couldn't find a carriage for a long time, and when one finally arrived, the rain had already started to pour down." He pressed a hand to his temple, his brows furrowing as he tried to force the memories to surface. "After that... it's just blank. It feels like whatever happened next was completely erased from my mind."
Ray gently raised a hand, stopping him. "Don't force your brain too hard right now. If it's blank, let it rest. Give it time, and maybe once your mind calms down, things will start coming back to you."
Neel nodded slowly, relieved. "Yeah... you're probably right."
Click.
The heavy wooden door of the chamber swung open abruptly. Maya stepped into the room, her eyebrows pinched tight in anger. Her piercing eyes locked onto Leo and Ray the moment she entered.
"Do you two have any brain cells left inside those heads of yours?!" Maya snapped, her tone dripping with frustration. "This guy literally just escaped death's door, and you two are already interrogating him!"
Leo immediately raised his hands, pointing a quick finger toward Neel. "Hey! I wasn't troubling him! I was just asking how he got that deep cut!"
Neel chuckled softly, breaking the tension. "It's fine, Maya. They weren't bothering me. They were just concerned about what happened."
Maya sighed, shaking her head. She walked past them toward the central wooden desk, picking up a fresh sheet of parchment and a quill. Turning back to Neel, her tone softened into professional efficiency. "Alright, Neel. I need to note down your details for the medical records. Ready?"
"Sure, ask away," Neel replied.
"First off," Maya said, hovering the quill over the paper, "what is your full name?"
"Neel Pryer," he answered without hesitation.
Maya's hand froze mid-air. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked up from the parchment, taken aback. "Wait... is this some kind of ridiculous coincidence?"
Neel tilted his head, confused. "Why? What's wrong?"
"Because," Maya said, scribbling the name down slowly, "the doctor who saved your life... his name is also Neel Pryer."
Silence settled over the room for a brief second. Leo and Ray exchanged surprised glances, while Neel stared back, equally astonished.
"That... that really is a strange coincidence," Neel murmured softly. Then, looking around the room, he added, "By the way, where is Doctor Neel? I wanted to thank him properly for saving my life. I haven't seen him since this morning."
Maya kept her gaze on the parchment as she wrote. "The Doctor is taking complete rest today. That wound of yours was unnaturally deep. Healing it drained a massive portion of his mana, so he collapsed from exhaustion afterward. Who knows when he'll wake up or come back."
A heavy look of guilt settled over Neel's face. "I hope he recovers quickly... It's my fault his health took a toll."
Maya offered a small, reassuring smile. "Hey, don't think like that. A healer's job is to save lives. Just focus on your own recovery for now, got it?"
Neel gave a firm nod. "Understood."
Before the atmosphere could quiet down, Ray stepped forward, leaning in with an energetic grin. "Hey Neel, once you feel a bit better, do you want to head out into the city with us?"
Smack!
Maya slammed the paper and quill onto the desk, stepped over in a flash, and landed a hard chop directly onto Leo's head.
"Ow!" Leo hissed, clutching his head. "Why me?!"
"Didn't I just say he needs to rest and recover?!" Maya yelled, her hands on her hips as her face flushed with annoyance. "And you're already trying to drag him outside?! Did your brains migrate out of your bodies while I wasn't looking?!"
Ray burst out laughing at Leo's miserable expression. Leo glared at him, grinding his teeth. "What are you laughing at, man?! Help me out here!"
Ray wiped a tear from his eye, still chuckling. "Alright, alright! Let's get moving to the market. We still need to get your katana fixed anyway."
"Bye, Neel! Get well soon!" Leo called out quickly.
Before Maya could react or reprimand them further, both Leo and Ray blurred. In a split second, they burst right out through the open medical chamber window, moving so fast that Maya's eyes couldn't even track their exit path. The heavy curtains fluttered wildly in the vacuum left by their speed.
Neel slowly dragged himself out of bed and walked over to the windowsill, looking down into the courtyard below. He watched as the two figures sprinted across the academy grounds and disappeared into the distance.
Within minutes, Leo and Ray had crossed the district boundaries and stepped into the bustling heart of the city's central market.
The market was alive, throbbing with energy. The cobblestone streets were crowded with merchants shouting their daily deals, citizens bargaining loudly, and the irresistible scents of roasted meats, fresh pastries, and aromatic spices hanging thick in the air.
Ray looked around the maze of shops, turning to Leo. "Hey, do you actually remember where the blacksmith's shop was?"
"Of course I do," Leo replied confidently. "It was right across from that old tavern."
Leo's sharp gaze swept across the wooden storefronts until his eyes caught a familiar anvil-shaped iron sign swinging in the breeze. "Found it!" he yelled, darting forward through the crowd.
"Hey! Wait up!" Ray called out, sprinting right behind him to catch up.
Thump!
In his rush, Ray collided head-on with a figure stepping out of a side alley. The impact sent the stranger tumbling back onto the paved ground, scattering a massive stack of papers and scrolls all over the street.
"Ah, damn it!" Ray gasped. He immediately dropped down to his knees, frantically gathering the loose sheets scattered near his feet.
"Are you blind?!" the man snapped furiously, his voice strained with anger as he scrambled across the cobblestones. "Because of you, I'm going to be even later than I already am! Can't you watch where you're going?!"
Ray looked up to apologize, catching a brief glance of the man's agitated face. The stranger, refusing to make eye contact, snatched the gathered papers violently out of Ray's hands, shuffled them into a messy pile, and bolted down the street without another word.
Leo trotted back to Ray, watching the man disappear into the crowd. "What was that about?"
Ray stood up, dusting off his pants with a calm expression. "Nothing much. He was in a rush, ran straight into me, fell down, and then blamed me for it."
Leo shrugged, turning around. "Just ignore guys like that. No point wasting energy on them. Come on."
They walked up to the small, ember-lit forge. As they stepped through the heavy wooden doorway, a familiar short, broad figure emerged from behind the glowing furnace.
The dwarf wiped his soot-stained hands on his leather apron, a grin breaking through his thick beard. "Ha! I knew you'd be back, kid. Alright, show me—what do you need?"
Leo unclasped his katana from his waist and unsheathed it slightly, revealing severe cracks along the edge of the dark steel. "It took a heavy hit. Needs repair."
The dwarf took the weapon into his heavy, calloused hands, examining the blade under the light of the fire. His smile faded into a serious expression. "Hmph. The damage runs deeper than it looks on the surface... But don't worry. I'll re-forge and temper this edge—it'll come back sharper and stronger than the day it was forged. Come back in two days."
Leo and Ray gave a respectful bow. "Thank you. We'll be back then."
Leaving the heat of the blacksmith shop behind, the duo continued strolling aimlessly down the main street.
Suddenly, an infectious beat ricocheted off the brick walls of the alleyways. It wasn't just ordinary street music—it was a rich, nostalgic symphony that smelled of 90s street festivals.
Leo and Ray paused, their ears perking up as they followed the rising volume into a sunlit cobblestone square.
At the center stood a vibrant troupe of musicians playing with raw, soul-stirring passion. One man was pumping a weathered vintage accordion, sending bright, melancholic melodies sweeping through the air. Beside him, another musician slapped rhythmic, upbeat grooves on a pair of bongo drums, while an old brass trumpet blared triumphant, retro jazz-like fanfares that spiked the energy of the crowd. A classic wooden acoustic guitar held down the rhythmic backbone, strumming fast-paced chord progressions that got everyone's feet tapping involuntarily.
Surrounding the musicians was an enormous, swirling ring of people. The energy in the plaza was electric.
Townspeople, travellers, and vendors had locked hands, forming a grand human circle. They moved in perfect, joyous synchronicity—stepping three paces to the left, kicking their feet in unison, and spinning outward before collapsing back into the center with collective cheers. Skirts swirled, boots stomped on the stone street, and clapping echoed like gunfire in time with the bongo's fast pace. Children danced through the legs of adults, and laughter boomed over the brass horns.
Leo and Ray stood at the edge, completely mesmerized by the hypnotic, retro street party unfolding before them.
Then, Ray's eyes locked onto a figure right near the inner ring of the dance.
"Wait... isn't that...?" Ray muttered, squinting.
It was the exact same stressed-out, angry man Ray had collided with just minutes ago. The stack of important papers he had been obsessing over was nowhere in sight—likely tossed onto a bench nearby.
His coat was half-unbuttoned, his tie loosened, and his face was flushed red—not with anger, but with wild, uninhibited joy. He was throwing both arms high into the air, clapping furiously to the blast of the trumpet, twirling around with complete strangers, and laughing at the top of his lungs as if he didn't have a single care left in the world.