Or so they thought.
Otter stood near the back of the crowd, shifting on his feet, trying to shake the stiffness from his limbs. His ribs and shoulders still ached from the Combat Basics tournament, and his mind was clouded with fatigue. He wasn’t the only one feeling it. Around him, students rubbed sore muscles, stifled yawns, and exchanged uneasy glances, all wondering the same thing.
Why were they still here?
On the platform, a line of instructors stood waiting. Their faces were unreadable, but there was a sharpness in their eyes that set Otter on edge.
Then, Headmaster Voss stepped forward.
The hum of voices faded instantly.
Voss’s piercing blue eyes swept across the gathered students, taking them all in at once. Around them, the statues of legendary Adventurers loomed, silent sentinels in the dim torchlight. When he spoke, his voice was measured, calm, and inescapable. "You have all worked hard these past few days. The written exams tested your knowledge. The practicals measured your individual abilities. But Adventuring is not an individual pursuit."
A weight settled over the courtyard.
"The tests you have taken thus far," Voss continued, "are merely a snapshot. They tell us how you function on your own. However, an Adventurer’s greatest strength is not found in their own prowess—but in their ability to work with others."
Otter felt a prickle of unease.
"You may have thought your exams were over," Voss said, his gaze sweeping across them, "but there is one final test."
A collective breath of dread passed through the crowd.
"The Dungeon Simulation."
A hush settled over the courtyard.
Voss clasped his hands behind his back. "Tomorrow, you will be placed into assigned teams and given a singular objective: to navigate a simulated dungeon and complete your mission. Each of you will be expected to contribute, to plan, and most of all—to work together."
A few nervous glances were exchanged.
"This will not be a mere exercise," Voss went on. "You will not simply be observing illusions. The Academy’s Spell Lords have crafted a fully immersive experience, one that will test you in every possible way." His eyes darkened slightly. "The dangers will feel very real. Your minds and bodies will react as though they are."
A murmur rippled through the students.
Voss let the moment stretch before speaking again. "Instructors will be observing and taking notes. Your performance in this trial will be heavily weighted in determining your future here. For some of you, it will prove your capability. For others..." He let the sentence linger.
Otter swallowed hard. He knew what that meant. This was the test that truly mattered.
Some students wouldn’t be coming back next semester.
"You will receive your team assignments in the morning," Voss concluded. "Use the day wisely. Learn your teammates’ strengths and weaknesses. Prepare yourselves. Because when you enter that dungeon… no one succeeds alone."
His eyes scanned them one last time. Then he turned sharply and strode away, the instructors following behind.
The courtyard remained eerily silent for a long moment. Then, all at once, the conversations erupted.
***
Otter wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but as he stood in the common room first thing in the morning, staring at the names scrawled on the parchment listing his team, he felt like he might throw up.
Team Five
- Jasper Thorne – Fighter
- Erin Lorne – Scout
- Milo Fenwick – Spell Lord
- Sage Raphine– Divine Conduit
- Dwayne Bennett – Unclassed
Why did it have to be Jasper? What was wrong with these instructors? Were they trying to sabotage him, too? At least Erin and Milo were with him, but that did little to ease the tension coiling in his chest.
Cal was in the middle of giving them instructions. “Each team has been assigned a meeting room on campus. Think of it as your ‘war room.’ You’ll have more detailed directions and your objective assigned when you assemble there. You’ll have the rest of the day to plan. The simulation begins promptly at eight tomorrow morning. You won’t all go in at once. Only a few teams can run the simulation at the same time. You won’t know your actual starting time until tomorrow. Any questions?”
There were none.
Otter left his dorm and began making his way to the meeting room. His team was assigned one in Evershade Hall. He ran into Levi on the way.
“This is going to be so epic,” Levi said. He was practically skipping down the path.
“Maybe for you. I have to deal with Jasper,” Otter grumbled.
Levi sobered up. “Listen. I know you two have some history, but he isn’t really a bad guy. He’s intense, yeah. And he wants to be the best Adventurer he can be. But he’s not a bully. Not like Lyle.”
“Why do you think he has it out for me, then?”
Levi shrugged. “I don’t know that he does. I mean, you haven't really had any issues with him outside of Combat Basics, right?”
“I guess not. But the issues we did have were pretty big.”
“All I’m saying is you’re supposed to work together now, not compete with each other. Maybe that’ll make a difference.”
Otter didn't respond. He didn't know what to think. Levi was one of the most clever people he knew. He’d need to consider his words.
They split off and Otter quickly arrived at Evershade. He found his assigned room and pushed open the door.
The room was small, tucked away on the third floor of the hall. A round table sat in the center, surrounded by wooden chairs. Erin and Milo were already seated. Erin looked up and gave him a small smile, but Milo’s gaze darted nervously to the other side of the room.
Jasper was leaning against the far wall, arms crossed over his chest, exuding his usual self-assured intensity.
Next to him sat Sage, her posture poised and serene, hands folded neatly on the tabletop. Her stark white robes stood out against the Academy’s deep green banners lining the walls. Unlike the rest of them, Sage didn’t look the least bit tense. The Divine Conduit was striking, with pale blonde hair cropped short at her chin and luminous green eyes that seemed to hold something distant and unreadable. She wore the traditional white robes of her Class, embroidered with golden filigree along the cuffs and collar. A staff rested against her shoulder, its headpiece an intricate lattice of metal and crystal that pulsed faintly with divine energy.
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Otter didn't know much about Divine Conduits. They’d discussed the Class in Adventuring Fundamentals—talked about how integral they were to an adventuring team—but he didn't actually know any.
He took the last empty seat. At the center of the table lay a single envelope, its wax seal unbroken.
“This our mission?” Otter asked as he slid into a seat beside Milo.
Erin nodded. “We were waiting for you before opening it.”
Jasper scoffed. “Took you long enough.”
Otter ignored him. Instead, he reached for the envelope, broke the seal, and unfolded the parchment inside. The others leaned in as he read aloud:
A team of Adventurers entered the ruins beneath the Academy seeking an ancient relic but never returned. Your mission is to find them, determine what happened, and, if possible, bring them back alive.
Silence settled over the group.
“Well,” said Jasper, “that sounds cheerful.”
Erin frowned. “I don’t like the wording of that.”
“Which part?” Milo asked.
“‘If possible.’”
Otter exhaled slowly. “It means there’s a good chance they’re dead.”
Sage tapped her fingers against the table. “It also means we may not be the only ones looking for them.”
Jasper leaned forward, his expression turning more serious. “Exactly. If this were just a simple retrieval, they’d tell us to extract them. But they’re giving us leeway, which means something went wrong. And I’d bet we won’t be the only team with an objective related to these missing Adventurers.”
Otter’s mind raced. If other teams had conflicting or tangential objectives, it meant they could be walking into a trap—or worse, an ambush.
“So we need a plan,” Erin said firmly. “A good one.”
Jasper cracked his knuckles. “Then let’s start with roles.” His sharp gaze locked on Otter. “And make sure everyone can pull their weight.”
Otter stiffened.
Milo sucked in a breath, but before he could speak, Erin slammed her palm onto the table. “Oh, shut up, Jasper. He made it to the third round in the Combat Basics tournament. Remember?”
Jasper’s jaw clenched.
“Erin, stop.” Otter sighed, rubbing his temple. “I can fight my own fights.”
He turned to Jasper, meeting his glare head-on. “You’re right. I’m not a Fighter. I’ll never be as strong as you or as fast as Erin. But if you think I’m just dead weight, you’re wrong.” Otter took a steadying breath. “I can read terrain and maps better than anyone here. I can spot hazards before we walk into them. I know how to find hidden paths, avoid traps, and work through obstacles in ways you wouldn’t think of. I have good instincts, and—” he hesitated before grinning, “—I’m also ridiculously lucky.”
Jasper let out a disbelieving scoff. “Lucky?”
Otter nodded. “Yeah. And I don’t just mean that in a ‘oh, I stumbled into good fortune’ kind of way. My Luck stat is unusually high. I don’t know why, and I don’t know how it works, but it’s saved my life more times than I can count.”
Sage’s interest piqued. “Luck is a System attribute, but it’s rarely discussed. Most people don’t think of it as an active force.”
“Maybe it isn’t for most people.” Otter shrugged. “But I’ve learned to trust it. I am an asset to this team. Not a liability.”
Jasper still didn’t look convinced, but his expression had shifted from dismissive to considering.
Sage straightened in her chair. “Then let’s put that to use. We need to cover all our bases. Jasper, as the Fighter, you’ll be our front line—our brute force.”
Jasper smirked. “Obviously.”
Sage turned to Erin. “You’re a Scout, which means you’ll handle forward reconnaissance. Traps, patrols, and securing high ground.”
Erin nodded.
“Milo, you’re a Spell Lord, so you’ll focus on ranged support and area control.”
Milo swallowed, but his determination shone through. “I’m more of a utility guy. Behind the scenes kind of stuff.”
Sage nodded. “We can work with that. Can you provide us with your spell list?”
“Um…sure.”
Then she looked at Otter. “You’ll navigate and make tactical calls when we need them. We’ll rely on you to find the best route and to avoid unnecessary risks.”
Otter nodded, relieved that she wasn’t questioning his presence.
“And what about you?” Jasper asked, arching a brow.
Sage folded her hands. “I’m a Divine Conduit. I’ll put you back together when the bad guys cut you apart.”
Otter tilted his head. “I’ve never actually worked with a Divine Conduit before.”
“That’s because the Academy keeps us separate,” Sage said smoothly. “Different faiths, different paths of devotion—it complicates things.”
Jasper snorted. “Or it’s because some of your order thinks they’re too good to train with the rest of us.”
Sage gave him a placid smile. “Or perhaps the Academy doesn’t want the complexities of piety interfering with standard adventuring education. But, as I am here, I suggest we focus on our task instead of philosophy.”
Jasper rolled his eyes but said nothing further.
Sage continued, “Now, back to the mission. We need to assume the missing team encountered resistance. Which means we might, too. Best case scenario, they’re injured but alive. Worst case… we find bodies and something strong enough to take out a group of Adventurers.”
Silence fell again.
Otter exhaled. “Alright then. We only have a few hours to prepare. Let’s make them count.”
Jasper nodded, arms still crossed but his posture slightly less rigid. Erin gave Otter a sidelong glance, something like approval flickering in her expression.
Milo wrote out the spells in his repertoire and slid the paper across the table where everyone could see.
0-Level: Spectral Hand, Mind Spike, Minor Illusion
1st Level: Grease, Light Show, Understand Languages, Shield
“I have enough mana to cast two 1st Level spells before I need to take a rest. O level spells take very little mana. I can cast them as often as I want.”
“Wow, you weren't kidding about being a utility guy. You have almost no offensive spells,” said Jasper.
“You might be surprised, Jasper. They might not look like it on the surface,” retorted Otter, “but some of those can be used creatively to mess with an enemy. I’ve seen him do it.”
Then Sage picked up the paper and made her own list.
0-level: Stabilize, Heaven’s Touch, Minor Resistance
Level 1: Holy Blessing, Cure Minor Wounds, Shield of Faith
“I have the same situation with mana.”
Jasper scanned the list and let out a short laugh. “Great. Our Spell Lord is all backstage smoke and mirrors and our Divine Conduit is a glorified medic.”
Sage raised an eyebrow, unfazed. “Would you prefer I let you bleed out when you take a sword to the gut?”
Jasper rolled his eyes. “I’d prefer not to get hit in the first place.”
Otter leaned forward. “Then it’s a good thing we have options.” He tapped the spell list. “Milo’s spells are about control and interference, which means we dictate the battlefield. And Sage’s healing means we don’t drop the second something goes wrong.”
Erin nodded. “It’s actually a solid balance. Remember that versatility is a strength. We’re all in agreement that you’re our point man if we get into a fight. That’s your specialty. You certainly won’t be alone in a fight. I’m good with a bow. You’ve seen Otter hold his own.” She looked to Sage questioningly.
“I have been trained in basics as well,” the Divine Conduit acknowledged.
Erin continued, “But if we all focused on damage output, we’d be ill-equipped to deal with other challenges.”
Jasper grunted but didn’t argue, turning his attention back to the mission letter. “Fine. We locate the missing expedition and report back. That means we don’t fight everything we see.”
“Exactly,” Sage said. “We avoid unnecessary risks. We need to be smart about when we engage.”
Otter drummed his fingers on the table. “And about what we bring with us. What’s the supply situation?”
Jasper shrugged. “You don’t think they’ll give us whatever we need?”
Otter frowned. “We shouldn't assume that. No one has said anything about it, so I think we should get our own stuff. We need torches, rope, extra water, maybe some climbing gear. We don’t know what kind of environment we’re walking into.”
“Good point.” Erin added. “If it’s a cave system, we might need pitons and a hammer. If it’s ruins, maybe crowbars.”
Sage tilted her head. “I should stock extra bandages and alchemy supplies, just in case.”
Milo sighed. “I should probably pick up extra mana restoratives, too. Spell slots don’t come back on willpower alone.”
Otter tapped his chin. “Alright. We divide the gear so no one’s overloaded. I’ll take climbing supplies. Erin, you handle light sources. Jasper, weapons and armor maintenance. Sage, medical. Milo, magic-related supplies.”
They all nodded in agreement.
Jasper sat back, arms crossed. “Alright. We’ve got our roles, our loadout, and something resembling a plan.” His gaze flicked to Otter. “Still don’t know how Luck fits into all of this.”
Otter grinned. “You will.”
Jasper rolled his eyes, but it didn't feel truly dismissive.
Sage smirked. “Now, let’s talk strategy.”
As the discussion continued, their scattered ideas solidified into an actual plan. By the end of it, they weren’t just a group thrown together by chance.
They were a team.