"She still doesn't want to see you!"
The words, delivered with a sharp finality, stung more than the incident that happened a few days ago to John.
A handful of days had passed since that bloody afternoon that had nearly cost John and his friends their lives. From a purely fair standpoint, John had returned with Ricky as a victor.
They had repelled the combined might of Mark and Zockair, survived a high-stakes scheme, and, most importantly, John had secured the Instant Dungeon core, a prize of immeasurable strategic value.
Yet, as he walked the familiar halls of the department, it didn't feel like a victory. Aside from the Instant Dungeon he acquired, everything else was falling apart.
The most glaring issue was the toxic cloud of nasty rumours that had choked the academy grounds while John was away fighting for his life. In his absence, wild stories had taken root like harmful weeds.
