And then there was the greater concern. “Would the difficulty be raised the next time they entered the lair as a team? Would they survive the next lair challenge?” Ben’s thoughts didn’t have answers for any of his questions. Instead, he stepped up to the exit. As soon as he touched the inky blackness, he received four system messages.

  Achievement Earned! Rodent Bog Lair Defeated

  Achievement Earned! Permanent Lair Defeated I

  Achievement Earned! Heroic Lair Defeated I

  Achievement Earned! Slayer

  That was a lot of achievements. They were all well-earned, but that was still a lot. Achievements were supposed to be rare and hard to come by, and yet, it felt like they were being handed out like party favors. Ben didn't know if he should be ecstatic at getting so many or worried that the lair thought they'd need them for some danger in the future.

  A moment later, Ben found himself outside in the early morning sunlight. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief. They had made it. He looked around at his team, and they all shared a similar sense of relief. But there was also the accomplishment of it. They had done something that he believed hadn't been done since the time of the last Hero, whoever that was. They had defeated a Heroic Lair. With a thought, Ben pulled up his list of Achievements, eager to see what his new achievements did.

  Achievements

  Provisional Spire Defeated – Improved Harvesting and Butchering

  Wandering Lair Defeated I – Plus 5% Perception, plus 5% Willpower, and plus 10% Constitution

  The Unsung – You have journeyed far and your actions have saved many lives, though your name will never be known to them. You possess a Heroic Presence.

  Rodent Bog Lair Defeated – Improved First Aid

  Permanent Lair Defeated I – Plus 1% Strength, plus 1% Agility, plus 1% Dexterity, and plus 1% Charisma

  Heroic Lair Defeated I – Plus 5% to All Statuses

  Slayer – Improved Bleed and Sever

  Ben knew the bonuses didn't mean much, but a 5% increase to all his statuses seemed significant.

  Nearby, he heard a gasp, “Mine God!”

  He looked to the source and saw a pigman followed closely by eight other students. “Herr Livio, what has happened? Was there a rare spawn?”

  Coach Liv smiled weakly at the pigman. “Something like that, Coach Schneider. I don’t think I can tell you about it. I need to see the Dean first, and please don’t question my students. They have been through an ordeal. I need to get them back to the academy and probably to the healing ward. Then I’m sure the Dean will need to speak with all of them.”

  “Is it safe to go in?” Coach Schneider asked, looking from the bearman to the portal.

  Coach Liv glanced over at Al, then back to Coach Schneider, “You should be fine, but I would recommend a faculty-only clear before you go in with students.”

  Coach Schneider frowned. “That is unfortunate. I am sorry, students, but today’s excursion will be postponed. But do not worry, I promise, we will get into the Rodent Beast Bog soon enough.”

  There were groans and complaints from Schneider’s students, not that Ben could blame them. Prior to the Heroic aspects of the lair, he was also quite excited to challenge it himself.

  “Enough,” Coach Schneider snapped, making his students suddenly stand at attention. “I have given you your marching orders, now march!”

  Coach Liv chose to speak up then as well. “He’s right, it’s time to go. We’re all going back to the academy. While I know Mister Romano has done an admirable job, I still want each of you to get checked over by someone much more experienced. I also know that many of us have injuries that we didn’t tell Mister Romano about or didn’t realize we needed healed. Let’s get it all taken care of now.”

  No one argued. They were too tired. They weren't just physically tired but also mentally fatigued. It made the trek through the field feel even longer.

  Chapter 29 – A Hero Among Us

  It took much longer to ascend the mountain than it did to descend earlier that morning, or was it a month ago? Time felt strange coming out of the lair. Ben had spent a month inside, but only an hour had passed on the outside.

  Staring out of the window of the carriage as the mountain loomed large above them, he wished they had a chance to go home and bathe before seeing the dean. He was still covered in mud and blood caked on his skin and matted into the fur on his back and forearms.

  Soon enough, they pulled onto the academy grounds and were ushered into the lower level where healers waited, two for each of them. They were poked and prodded, healed multiple times in multiple ways before they were ushered into a locker room where baths awaited. It was with great satisfaction that Ben finally got clean. Thankfully, the academy provided some basic clothing for them. By this point, anything he had brought with him into the lair was covered in filth. He almost felt bad for the laundry service they were offered.

  After a few hours of that, they were guided up to Dean Weber’s office, or rather a conference room just next to her office.

  The old goatwoman studied them for a while, no doubt using her mental skills to peek inside their minds. When she spoke, she sounded tired, “I am very glad to see all of you here, alive and mostly well.” Her eyes cast about the room, giving each of them a tired but apologetic look. Ben couldn’t help but notice her gaze lingered on Al a little longer than the rest of them.

  “I am sure you have questions and probably more than a few valid concerns. First, let me tell you why the lair became more difficult,” Dean Weber said, pausing to look around the room. “As Coach Liv has explained, the welcome message to the lair changed from its usual message to one informing you that a heroic presence had been detected. That is because there is a hero among you. I will not tell you who it is. You each know if you are not the hero but don’t know if the person next to you is.”

  That was a somewhat smart way to play it. Ben still took note of his teammates looking around, a couple focused their gazes on Al. It was more surprising to have some of the gazes from Ben’s teammates focused on himself. That was worrisome.

  “I bring this up for two reasons. First, with the presence of the hero on this team, it is likely that any lair your team enters will have its difficulty increased. Second, due to the first, I will give any of you an opportunity to change teams if you so wish,” Dean Weber offered.

  Seth immediately raised his hand, “Sam and I want a new team. Our families are depending on us. Let someone foolish and stupid take our places. There are bound to be some among the less fortunate.”

  The dean didn’t sound very happy when she replied to him, “Very well, Mister Sarong, I can move you to another team. However, your cousin will need to make his own decision. What do you say, Mister Sarang?”

  Sam looked conflicted. With a sad look, he turned to his cousin, “Seth, I’m sorry, but . . . I’m staying here.”

  “What?” Seth demanded. “What are you talking about? Why would you do that?”

  “It’s the Hero,” Sam said. “Like, The Hero. This opportunity will never come along again. I have a chance to become a companion to the Hero.”

  Seth frowned and almost snarled as he said his next words, “And tell me Sam, what happens to the Hero’s companions in the stories? How many of them make it out alive? How many sacrificed themselves to save the Hero? Do you really want to die for this?”

  Sam seemed resolved and determined as he declared, “Yes, I’m willing to die for it. Because you’ve forgotten why the Hero comes into the world in the first place. If there is a Hero, that means something horrible is coming into this world. It means a lot of kin will die. Joining the Hero is a chance to save a lot of lives. If my death saves the lives of our family, then so be it. I say again, yes, I’m willing to die for it.”

  Seth turned away from his cousin, “So be it. You can die if you want to. I’m out.”

  Dean Weber nodded and smiled kindly toward Sam. “Anyone else?”

  “Count me out as well, my . . . let’s just say my family wouldn’t like me palling around with the Hero,” Leonardo stated with some bravado.

  Ben was surprised when Liam spoke up next, “Yeah, I, uh, look, I like you guys. Probably like the hero whoever it is, but, uh, I don’t want to die, mates. I came here to get a little bit of fame, go back home, marry the prettiest boargirl in town and have a litter of kids. This hero business just isn’t for me.”

  It was a little too much information, but at least he had an almost good reason.

  “I’m staying,” Robin stated firmly. “And trade Liam for my brother, Rober. I know my brother, he will not pass up this opportunity.”

  Dean Weber smiled at the beargirl. “I will make the offer to your brother. But is there anyone else?”

  “I’m staying,” Al said, masking his worry of being outed as the Hero as best he could.

  Sam was obviously staying, which just left Ben. “I would not dare leave my comrades behind. Besides, my father would disown me if I passed up such an opportunity to get stronger. Which reminds me, Comrade Alphonse, I lost count around two-thousand six hundred, do you remember where you were?”

  Al snorted, “Let it go. It doesn’t matter who killed more beasts,” he paused then added, “though it was me.”

  “Then you know how many?” Ben challenged him.

  “I don’t know, maybe three or four thousand,” Al said.

  “Ha, I don’t think so, Comrade Alphonse,” Ben mocked with a dismissive laugh.

  “Both of you, that's enough,” Coach Liv interrupted. “I killed more than twenty-five thousand rodent beasts alone. Come back to me when you come close to that.”

  Dean Weber had to fight to hold back a laugh, though her eyes did meet Ben's briefly, expressing mirth at his ridiculous timing. She looked to the Coach next and asked, “And you Coach Liv, do you want to stay with your team? I will understand if you feel like it is too much.”

  Coach Liv shook his head and stated, “I am willing to stay, however, it is too much to handle alone if we are going to be challenging Heroic Lairs. I would ask for a second and possibly a third Coach to assist.”

  “I will see what I can do,” Dean Weber promised. “As for replacing four of your numbers, give me the week. All of you will still attend the same class until I can find you new replacements. Coach Liv’s instruction will be vital to the next lair. More so for those of you remaining at the hero’s side, whoever that is.”

  “For now, go home, rest, recuperate. Classes will resume before you know it,” Dean Weber announced, ending the meeting, but before they all could leave, the Dean added, “Mister Romano, Mister Belov, please stay, there is another matter to discuss.”

  More looks from Ben's teammates were directed toward each of them, throwing more suspicion onto both of them.

  “How may we be of assistance, Dean Weber?” Ben asked as soon as the door closed behind those that left.

  The Dean gave Ben and Al an appraising look. “Would either of you mind telling me what a Hero Skill is and why you each have one?”

  Alphonse gave Ben a sharp look that was equal parts suspicion and surprise, “How do you have a skill like that?”

  Ben, however, glared at the Dean. Did she really need to do that? Was this just a precursor to her outing him and his Job to Al? What would such a thing do to his mission here? It would most likely mean the end of his mission is what it would mean.

  “I am not a hero,” Ben stated calmly, a true statement that would pass any lie detection skill. “I was given a reward from one of the lair chests that gave me that skill.”

  The Dean narrowed her eyes at Ben, clearly weighing her words before she spoke. “And you expect me to believe that?”

  Ben nodded. “You have scanned me. You undoubtedly already know that nothing has changed except that I have grown stronger. For all I know, the presence of the hero made that reward drop for me.” Which he believed was completely true. She just didn’t need to know if it was his heroic presence or Al’s.

  After staring at Ben for a while, the Dean shifted her gaze over to Al. “And you, Mister Romano? Care to share?”

  Ben was interested to hear what Al learned. He was going to be disappointed. “Just like Belov said, the lair gave it to me.”

  The Dean snorted derisively at that and shook her head. “Fine, fine, keep it to yourself. But, we do need to discuss the Ancestral Orb you each received.

  “What about it?” Al asked, giving Ben another sidelong glance, more surprise on his face that the badgerman had also received one.

  “Those orbs . . . they are rare. I have only heard of one coming out of a lair in my lifetime, and yet here we now have two. This Hero business really is interesting. Anyway, about the orbs. I know of them but have never seen one. There is little documented,” the dean answered.

  Patience wearing thin, Al interrupted, “So, what can you tell us?”

  The Dean sighed, “Have a little patience, Mister Romano. I will tell you everything I know, which unfortunately isn’t much. Those Orbs are said to be the solution to our curses and our boons. True understanding of what we are and where the kin came from. This is knowledge that nations would go to war over, much like some nations would go to war to claim the hero for themselves.”

  It was Ben's turn to ask a question, “What do you mean ‘solution to our curses and our boons’? How does it do that?”

  “I do not know all the details,” Dean Weber answered. “I just know that it teaches you about them, about the origin of your race. And that is more rumor than anything. The only detailed document is said to be secured in a vault deep inside the Rychanian Palace, kept under constant guard.”

  That got Ben a questioning look from Al, to which Ben could only reply with a shrug.

  The dean continued, “I am hoping you will both tell me how it works. It would be nice to have the information properly documented. If you both would be willing, I have a request. Use the orbs here in the safety of this building. Allow me to observe you both and then question you when it is finished. Allow me to document it and share the knowledge with future generations.”

  Dean Weber smiled gently, “I am willing to give you skill stones the Academy possesses and purchase those the academy does not. For example, I have skill stones for almost every element known to kin, both the attunements and the manipulation. I have many of the subskill stones for the Cooking skill. I have combat skills you could only dream of and I have friends that can acquire the ones you don’t even know exist. I am willing to part with many of these in exchange for the knowledge you both will soon possess.”

  That didn’t sound like a bad deal to Ben. Skill stones were not cheap. Even the most basic of skill stones had costs that started in gold.

  Al surprised Ben when he asked, “How many? How many stones are you willing to part with or acquire on our behalf?”

  “For you Alphonse, I am willing to give you enough for your storm attunement, that’s six stones right there. Three more for Mind Attunement, Manipulation, and Protection, we’re up to nine. A skill for each element, that gets us up to twelve stones. And three more of your choice, that makes fifteen total stones,” the dean offered.

  Ben could feel the greed building up inside himself. That was a small fortune on offer. If he just took the stones and sold them, he’d be wealthy enough to live out his days doing nothing, not that Ben thought Al had a choice in the matter.

  It surprised Ben when Al shook his head. “I need to gain the storm on my own, but the rest sounds good, just . . . add those six for my storm attunement to those of my choice.”

  “Are you sure?” the dean asked, almost sounding confused.

  Al nodded. “I’m not sure how I know, but I know that an Attunement and Manipulation earned is stronger than one given.”

  “Interesting,” the dean said, rubbing at her chin. “Very well, I agree.” With that, she turned to Ben. “I’ll make you a similar offer, fifteen stones in total. Light Attunement and Manipulation if you want them. The same three Mind skills. A Shadow and Light skill. Six Cooking subskills. And four skills of your choice.”

  Ben was tempted by the deal as it was, however, he had the same impulse as Al. Learning the Light Attunement and Manipulation through a skill stone was not the right path. He knew it would be stronger if he learned it on his own. He couldn’t let the dean know that he felt the same. It was time to blame it on his rival.

  Decision made, he answered, “If Comrade Alphonse can learn three attunements and manipulation skills on his own, then I can certainly learn one on my own. Increase the four skills of my choice to six in addition to the rest, and you have a deal.”

  “Deal,” Dean Weber replied. “Now, do either of you mind sharing the information with the other? And who wants to go first?”

  Ben wasn't sure about sharing his results with Al, but as a sign of trust, he volunteered, “I’ll go first. I am eager to see what it has to show me.”

  Chapter 30 – Ancestral Orb

  Ben pulled the orb from his satchel and looked at it, activating some unknown mechanism that gave him a system prompt.

  Ancestral Orb of the Badger – Do you wish to activate?

  He sent along a simple ‘yes’ and the world faded to black then flickered into a hazy image. It took time to come back into focus before resolving into an elderly kin sitting in a rickety rocking chair. Long white hair streamed from the elder's head, tangled and disheveled. It looked like some of it was even tangled in his crumb-filled and wine-stained beard. The elder's eyes drooped, and his breathing was shallow. Ben could tell he was dying. He thought the elder might be one of the goat-folk at first, but the more he looked at him, the more he was sure he wasn’t any of the kin races that Ben knew of.