While Ben was busy saving the trapped students being attacked by monsters in the cave, Ken's team was engaged in a fight with some shadowy creatures.
Meanwhile, Nick was exploring the cave and executing his plan.
Eva and Amy's group didn't have a map like Ben's or Ken's team, so they had to wander around the cave until they stumbled upon James' team.
Eva and Amy's group's footsteps echoed in the cavern as they approached the scene.
They heard the clashing of swords and the monsters' blood-curdling shrieks.
As they got closer, they saw James and his team engaged in a chaotic battle against a horde of monsters.
At the front of the group, James swung his sword with practiced ease, deflecting the creatures' attacks and dealing deadly blows.
His face was fierce with determination, and his movements were fluid and precise.
Thomas, the combat mage, weaved spells that blasted the monsters with bolts of magical energy.
He was a blur of motion, his hands moving quickly as he chanted incantations.
The muscleheads in the group wielded massive clubs and axes, their bulging muscles pummeling the beasts with relentless force.
Their faces were twisted in a mix of anger and excitement as they smashed their weapons into the monsters' thick hides.
Simon stood at the back, his staff held tightly in his hand.
He closed his eyes and chanted incantations that bolstered his allies' attacks and shielded them from harm.
His face was calm and focused, and his voice was clear and strong.
Despite the monsters' ferocious nature, James and his team held their own.
Their weapons and spells tore through the creatures' flesh and bone, leaving them lifeless and defeated.
The monsters were massive, with thick hides and sharp claws that could rend steel.
Their glowing red eyes seemed to burn with an inner fire, and their breath was hot and fetid.
As Eva and Amy's team and other students watched, the last of the monsters fell to the ground, defeated.
James and the others were exhilarated, laughing and shouting in triumph.
They high-fived each other and hugged, relief and happiness spreading through their bodies.
Simon, on the other hand, leaned heavily on his staff, his face pale and sweat-drenched. He had given his all to help his teammates, and now he was exhausted.
Daphne's heart raced as she called out to Simon. "Simon, I'm here!" she exclaimed, dashing towards him.
Simon turned around, relief evident in his eyes as he saw that Daphne was safe.
Simon, Noah, and Daphne had been friends for years, and Simon couldn't bear the thought of any harm coming to them.
When he learned that they were all trapped in the dark, damp cave, his concern for their safety intensified.
Eva and Amy approached James, eager to know how his group had fared in their mission.
"Hey, Musclehead," Amy taunted, "still using brute strength?" James smirked at her. "Yeah, Muscle-woman. I'm using the same technique as you, but better." Amy scowled, feeling defeated.
Eva ignored her angry friend and asked James, "Did your group complete the mission?"
James shrugged. "Yeah, we killed the Orc King a while ago. It was no big deal."
As the onlookers listened to James' nonchalant response, they couldn't help but feel baffled.
Christiana, the mage from Eva's group, couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Did you say the Orc King?" she asked, her voice laced with incredulity.
Her blonde hair and blue eyes added to her icy demeanor.
"Uh, yeah, the Orc King," James said with a shrug. "You know, big, scary dude with a club? He was kind of a pushover, to be honest."
Christiana raised an eyebrow. "I find that hard to believe," she said, her voice still skeptical.
James leaned in conspiratorially. "Okay, fine, maybe he was a little tough. But we had a secret weapon," he said, grinning mischievously.
Eva rolled her eyes. "Please don't tell me it was your brawn," she said dryly.
James feigned offense. "Hey, I'll have you know I'm much more than just a pretty face and bulging muscles," he said, flexing his biceps.
As James reveled in the praise of his friends, Christiana couldn't help but remain skeptical.
"I still find it hard to believe that you defeated the Orc King all by yourselves," she said, crossing her arms.
James grinned confidently. "Oh, you want proof?" he said, reaching into his backpack. "I've got the Orc King's head right here."
The rest of the group stared in shock as James pulled out a grisly trophy - the severed head of the Orc King, still dripping with blood.
Christiana's eyes widened in disbelief. "I stand corrected," she said, unable to deny the evidence before her. "Sorry," she said in low voice.
Amy shuddered. "Okay, okay, we believe you. Just put that thing away before I lose my lunch," she said, waving a hand in front of her face.
James chuckled and carefully stowed the Orc King's head back in his backpack. "Sorry, I couldn't resist showing off a little," he said, flashing a grin.
Daphne rushed over to Simon, helping him to a nearby boulder to sit down. She could see the exhaustion etched on his face and knew he needed rest.
"Are you okay, Simon?" she asked.
"I'm fine. Just a bit tired," Simon replied, his breathing labored. As a mage, he had low stamina, so he had to force his body. As a result, Simon was tired.
"You need to rest. We'll take care of you," Daphne said reassuringly.
Simon nodded and closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh of relief.
Daphne sat down next to Simon on the boulder. "You really pushed yourself back there. Are you sure you're alright?"
Simon looked up at her, grateful for her concern. "Thanks, Daphne. I'm just a little exhausted. But I'll be fine after I catch my breath."
Daphne smiled sympathetically. "You did great. You always do."
Simon paused for a moment before asking, "By the way, have you seen Noah around here? I haven't seen him after we entered the cave."
Daphne's expression turned serious. "No, I haven't seen him since we entered the cave either. But don't worry, we'll find him. We're not leaving anyone behind."
Simon nodded, relieved that Daphne was on the same page. "I hope he's okay. Even though he's mischievous and always playing pranks on me, he's still my friend."
Daphne chuckled. "I know. He's a handful, but he's still one of us."
Simon leaned back against the boulder, closing his eyes and taking deep breaths.
He couldn't believe that they were attacked by those monsters and that they couldn't contact the professors.
It was a practical exam, but this was definitely not what he expected. He hoped that Noah was safe and that they would be able to find him soon.
Meanwhile, James and his team were discussing their next steps.
They had completed their mission, but there was still the matter of finding a way out of the cave.
After talking with Eva and Amy, James got a general idea of the situation. "We need to find a way out of here," James said, looking at his team. "Any ideas?"
"We could try following the path we came in from," Thomas, one of James' team members suggested.
"But what if it's blocked or guarded by more monsters?" Sarah, the healer from Eva's team asked.
"It's easy, we will just force our way through those monsters," James said, determination in his voice.
Lily chimed in, "I can help with that. I'm a fire mage and can take care of any monsters that come our way."
James nodded, "That's good to know. But let's stick together and not take any unnecessary risks."
"Who are you, little girl?" James asked, surprised by Lily's sudden contribution.
Lily glared at James for a moment before throwing a small fireball at him, narrowly missing his face.
"Don't call me a little girl. I'm your senior," Lily warned him.
James made a mental note never to call her that again until he was stronger than her. "Okay, noted. Let's focus on finding a way out of here."
"By the way," Eva spoke up, "did anyone manage to get a signal or contact the professors?"
James shook his head, "No, unfortunately. It seems like we're on our own for now."
Amy looked around, her expression grim, "We need to be careful. We have no idea what else is in this cave."
The group nodded in agreement, realizing the gravity of their situation.
They were in the middle of an unknown cave, with no help or backup, and with monsters lurking around.
The only thing they could do was stick together and hope for the best.
The group retraced their steps back to the entrance of the cave after discussing their strategy.
Simon had created a map when they first entered, which made navigation easier. Edward, one of James' team members, carried Simon on his back since he was too exhausted.
As they made their way through the dark, damp cave, they encountered several groups of students.
They encountered five or six groups in total, but only two of them had guardians with them. They also met a lone guardian. With these new additions, their group now consisted of six guardians in total.
Approaching a main intersection where several passageways diverged, Daphne spoke up.
"Sister Amy, I hear the sounds of battle nearby. Maybe we should investigate."
In the past, Amy would have rejected the idea, but now that they had five guardians with them and many students, she agreed.
They followed the sound of the battle and soon arrived at the source of the commotion.
The group saw a chaotic scene before them.
A group of students opposing hooded figures clashed in a chaotic scene, with the air thick with metal clashing against metal and the screams of the fallen.
"Let's help them," Nick said. He was currently wearing the Academy uniform, not his purple robe.
Upon witnessing the chaos, other students joined Nick in assisting their fellow students.
"I hope things end before Veronica interferes," Nick thought.
After learning that Ben was saving the students, Nick came up with a second plan.
With the help of his informers, he quickly located Eva and Amy's group.
The lone guardian they met on the way was Nick, who told them the story of how he got separated from Ken's group.
He also indirectly led them towards the location of the fight. Before encountering them, Nick had already burned his purple robe.
According to his plan, the hooded figures weren't going to attack the students this early.
However, Casper and Veronica's sudden appearance disturbed his plans. When Nick got information about Casper's appearance, he was shocked. "Why is there a dragon in this cave? Even the organization didn't know about this," he mumbled. But he didn't have time to brainstorm about that. However, another unexpected news soon struck him.
Veronica's sudden appearance was the last straw.
"Not again." Nick shook his head. "Looks like mission is going to fail," there was no way to accomplish the mission.
Still, he at least wanted to show some results. He sent a message via his communication device to all guardians on his side: "Attack those students."
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