Chapter 756: Refreshed
After the students were dismissed from the Eastern Grand Hall, the entire second-year class moved toward the infirmary in a slow, uneven tide of exhaustion. Some walked with their own strength, others leaned on friends, and a few were practically carried by classmates who looked only slightly less miserable than they did.
The infirmary staff had clearly been prepared for them, because the moment the second years arrived, healers, assistants, and senior medical instructors began separating them according to severity.
Those with deep injuries, unstable Myst flow, fractured bones, poison exposure, or signs of severe depletion were taken in first, while those with lighter wounds were made to sit and wait on benches, cots, or even the floor. No one complained too loudly. After seven days in Nalim, even the infirmary floor seemed more comfortable than most places they had slept.
Liam was checked more thoroughly than most, though not dramatically enough to draw attention. The healers noticed lingering strain in his ribs, bruising across his back, traces of severe Myst depletion, and the faint instability left behind from forcing his body through too many extremes. They treated what they could, gave him strict instructions about rest, and warned him not to cast anything more than minor spells for at least a few days unless absolutely necessary.
Charlotte received treatment for the remaining cuts and muscle damage from her own battles, though she spent most of the time complaining that the infirmary sheets were too plain and that the academy owed her scented oils after making her spend a week in Nalim.
Dylan looked as if he nearly fell asleep while a healer rewrapped his side, and Max was scolded for having ignored several injuries that should have been treated days earlier.
Asher remained quiet throughout his treatment, while Sheila and Ariana were examined with the same care as the others, both carrying the exhaustion of their own survival behind more composed expressions.
Once treatment was finished, the second years scattered to refresh themselves in whatever way suited them best. Some rushed toward the baths the instant they were released, while others went back to their dorms first to change out of ruined clothing and let the reality of being back inside the academy settle over them.
The hallways briefly filled with the strange contrast of battered students moving through familiar spaces, passing polished walls, clean floors, and academy decorations that now felt almost unreal after Nalim’s forests, rivers, ruins, and unstable air.
For many of them, the simple act of washing dirt, blood, and smoke from their skin felt like the first true proof that the assessment was over. Warm water, clean clothes, treated wounds, and the absence of demonic pressure did more for morale than any speech could have.
By the time many of the second years made their way to the cafeteria later, the academy had already adjusted around their return. Food had been prepared in large portions, clearly meant for students who had spent days eating poorly or barely eating at all.
The moment the second years entered, the cafeteria’s atmosphere shifted. The first years, who had already finished their three-day assessment in Vlardia days earlier, turned to look at them with open curiosity.