The exploratory legions all got back far later than expected so it was already three hours past what they had predicted was daytime in the underground cavern.

  They all stood about the second exit waiting for them to return. The temple was now alive with noise from the other groups who had returned and their own talking.

  Matthew felt a bit uncomfortable sitting while everyone stood.

  Matthew heard a new wave of noise coming from the exit even laughing, he closed his eyes and smiled.

  They were all clean, their clothes and bodies–no blood, dirt or any of the usual indicators they had been thrown into a war.

  They were laden with bags filled with food and armed with sharp wooden pikes.

  The only people not back were the Sixth Legion who were watching the central cavern to see if the war would happen again.

  Everyone had survived. Matthew didn't know how to feel about it, he had a bittersweet taste in his mouth.

  Joey smiled wistfully but stood to greet they're friends who entered very noisily. Parker was upfront with Asha talking and laughing.

  Matthew could hear the large variety of conversation:

  "We have to avoid the red zone for a while, those scorpions are too much!" Someone yelled.

  A member of the Eighth legion said to Jackson. "The lightning bison need some time, if we hunt too much there they'll move closer to the hounds or even worse the seekers."

  "A Blade demon came out of the dune tunnel chasing a Wall crawler. We were just so confused. Third Partying it was so nice though." One of Colin's Legionnaires remarked.

  Seems like we missed a whole lot–not that I really wanted to go through anything.

  They began to greet their grounded friends, the fifth legion's load bearers hauling Colin to the center of their little gathering. Jackson came up to Matthew smiling.

  "Colin's a bit pissed we wasted so much time even though we have so many injuries. He wants to start the healing field now, he ordered me to come get you— can you believe it? Me!""

  He let Jackson and the Fourth legion's messenger, Darwin pick him up.

  Matthew had always felt a little sorry for the boy, he had lost his entire team.

  Darwin seemed to be doing good though he was smiling as many girls approached them.

  Matthew frowned, rolling his eyes. Tall, tanned, and with a pretty face, Jackson had the looks.

  Darwin wasn't far behind — blonde, wavy hair, a childish charm. Gordon, the boy from before, was probably the only one better looking..

  They dropped Matthew among five others with visible injuries. Burns, broken bones… the worst was a boy with a horrible burn on his arm, sweating profusely, breath shallow but laughing with Jesse as she applied balm.

  Jesse once done to him turned to another boy and examined a injury with a strange glowing symbol floating over it. The Defiled sigil? They used it on just an injury?

  Jesse squatting down beside the boy asked softly "You feel okay right, just the dizziness? The tea should help with the poison. If you feel the urge to piss, let us know — it means the diuretic is working."

  Matthew raised an eyebrow, poisoned. The sigil seems to be pretty useful.

  He unzipped his hoodie and took his notebook out and sketched the symbol.

  Jesse tapped him on the head. "Can't even say hi?"

  Matthew chuckled softly. "How are you? Hope the safe point wasn't too boring."

  Jesse grinned looking down on him, "I guess I can't blame you for not knowing of my deeds. Hmph it's to be expected, I helped kill something."

  Matthew put on a serious look, "after telling me to not put myself in danger?"

  Jesse scratched her head, guilty, "i… uh i had to, you know?

  "I'm just pulling your leg kid, but hope we can understand each other's—"

  "No way, what you did made no sense. I made a strategic alliance with—"

  "Jesse, shut up and move," Colin barked tersely. "Don't you think you've wasted enough time?"

  Jesse yelped and moved leaving the injured in a close circle looking a bit sorry.

  Colin seemed a bit remorse towards his attitude, he let out a calming breath and summoned the White Lantern of Nazguire.

  It was the same as before with its green gems and the wide, brown base with many figurines.

  Colin looked at the lantern for a moment, not moving his hands as he operated the status screen using intent.

  The figurines started moving again. They all looked up at Colin walking backwards, some waved their hands and jumped in excitement.

  The shadowy figure from the lantern before now rose again, he wore voluminous robes with a crown of three suns—he spread his arms showering the celebrating figures with white sparks.

  The air shimmered and a dome expanded around them rippling out in a translucent wave till it stretched out six metres.

  It easily encompassed them and had room. The air simmered, forming a transparent white screen where the field ended pulsing with a white energy.

  Matthew felt light and very awake suddenly awake—a warm feeling invaded his body.

  He gasped feeling his stomach rise and suddenly felt unbalanced as though the floor had disappeared from under him.

  The cool crisp air of the temple was now very warm, the white sparks being cast by the shadowy king called everyone's attention as people quickly surrounded them.

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  The white sparks drifting lazily around them as they watched in awe trying to grab some.

  Colin opened his arms wide, shaking slightly. "Am I the only one who feels like I'm about to float away? Hey, there's space. Anyone with minor injuries, come in."

  People looked a little unwilling. Some people joked that they haven't gone through much

  Parker and Asha joined Matthew, Asha high-fived him.

  "Feels so wavy in here. Glad no one got too hurt… Hey, you took a nasty fall earlier."

  She lounged on the ground, immediately calling over a Loadbearer from the Ninth Legion. Seeing them take the plunge, the rest rushed forward. In seconds, people were fighting to get in.

  Colin jumped up warning. "No one rushes in, you were wasting time before why the rush now? The people with minor injuries will leave when they're alright."

  Jesse looked him up and down. "Colin… your leg?"

  "I'm alright, the field makes us lighter, dulls the pain too I think." he shrugged moving it about while he tried to catch some of the white sparks.

  People who weren't formal members all watched from outside the group whispering, they seemed sad and hesitant.

  The other groups who had left and returned with bad injuries walked over to them with their injured.

  Joey stood looking conflicted but Jamie stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, Parker and Jamie walked to meet the people.

  A boy with long, silky black hair stepped forward, voice trembling. "Please. We've done what we can… but they won't make it like this."

  A girl followed, arm twisted horribly. Her eyes were dark, hopeless. "You don't have to help all of us but some are going to die if nothing is done."

  Jamie looked at Parker grimly. "Do you have any essence?"

  The long-haired boy shifted nervously. "We can't pay you now, but once we get our—"

  "You're joking, Cian!" one of the boys interrupted, voice low and shaking.

  Cian frowned. "Liam—"

  "No. No, you're going to let them take advantage of us?" His voice rose with each word. "People are going to die. How are we supposed to grow if we pay every time we get hurt?"

  Jamie bristled "Next time you could practise not running off and doing things on your own"

  "What should we have come to you so that you'd charge us for your help?"

  "As opposed to getting your people hurt because of your ego? Yes i think you should"

  He surged forward, fury twisting his face.

  Parker caught him with one hand, but Liam shoved against it, voice breaking. "Tell me you're joking! Are you a psychopath?!"

  "Running the lantern isn't free," Jamie said coolly, his face was impassive and he had his arms crossed. "We're not asking you to pay now — or join us. But we need compensation."

  "Liam sit the fuck down now" the long haired boy growled. "Sorry about that man, we can't pay you now—"

  Liam pushed harder against Parker, "This isn't right."

  Parker gave the boy a stern look before signing, "We're not gonna rob you man but we have been injured too, we have to sacrifice mana everytime we heal them. We should just do everything for you? I want to help and we will. We aren't forcing you to pay now"

  Parker let go of the distraught boy and began counting, his face growing paler every second "Fifteen injured… tsk We'll take three people for one essence. And you can't go all at once."

  They determined the people with the worst injuries and placed them in, people with major injuries and non-lethal injuries stayed in for ten minutes and an hour respectively.

  Formal group members complained but mostly kept to themselves.

  "If they had just joined yesterday like the rest of us there wouldn't be so many injured people."

  "isn't one essence for three people too little, as they get wish coins someone will eventually get a healing item."

  "I don't feel right not helping them though, if we can we should."

  "We have space for them, if formal members of the party were injured then I guess we could charge more."

  "They won't need us one day and we'll be at odds, we need to get stronger as fast as possible."

  Matthew was satisfied with the arrangement. Paying per person would have been cruel.

  He expected Jamie to snap at Liam's accusation, but he remained calm.

  He personally had no qualms with Liam. The boy wasn't wrong — just not persuasive enough to be helpful.

  An idea is only as good as its presentation.

  If Matthew had wanted to convince them that helping them was in their best interest the rhetoric, exaggerations and lies he needed were obvious.

  He looked down at his leg and couldn't notice anything significant for a moment.

  Jesse was watching the whole thing outside the field, scribbling in her notebook, murmured.

  "Inflammation reduces significantly after an hour of treatment."

  Matthew blinked slowly his forehead wrinkled as he wondered how he didn't notice.

  The lights above him blurred at the edges, softening into warm pools of color. His head felt light—floaty—as though his body had started to drift away from the ground.

  He tried to focus, to hold onto something solid. But the harder he concentrated, the heavier his eyelids became.

  The last thing he noticed was the warmth against his skin, like falling asleep in sunlight.