"The Purplesky Realm is quite extensive." Professor Enderson explained. "But the students won't need to explore the realm too far. Their primary objective is to catalogue mystical plants and animals around the area they were sent to. As well as to observe certain energy patterns there. The duration of the expedition is projected to be no more than twp weeks."
Jack leaned back. Considering. He looked at Reina, who met his gaze with an unreadable expression.
He knew she was intrigued though. Their previous routine in these two months were productive. But it lacked the spice of an adventure. This mission, exploring a Spatial Realm with a team of other transcendent individuals, had a great potential for enjoyable adventure.
"What is the payment structure?" Jack asked. Always practical.
Professor Enderson immediately produced a set of documents. "The Academy offers a substantial sum for each participant. For both of you..." He handed the documents to Jack and explained the payment terms in details.
The offer was actually... generous. It was clear the Academy genuinely valued its students' safety and recognized Jack and Reina's capabilities.
Jack had established himself and Reina as formidable forces in Lonestone. He was involved publicly in some notable cases... the Ink Dragon Temple, the Twilight Death in the Songstress Village, the invasion of undead pirates in Sapphire City, and recently... the Devil Conclave case. The Academy definitely knew about those achievements. The payout confirmed it.
Reina finally spoke. Her eyes were on Jack. "Dear, it sounds like an interesting proposition."
Jack noted that her voice held a note of eagerness. She enjoyed the thrill of unusual missions. The challenge of unfamiliar environments. He knew that she had gained a significant improvement in her abilities. And she was keen to test it in a new, unpredictable arena.
Jack felt a surge of agreement. This wasn't merely a bodyguard job. It was an exploration. An opportunity to learn about a new Spatial Realm. An opportunity to potentially uncover new magical resources. And interact with other transcendent characters.
It was exactly the kind of stimulating challenge that he needed. Besides, Harold, Nick, and Alenna were practically their friends. And they were in this mission. He would feel terrible if he rejected the mission and something bad happened to them.
He looked at Rune, whose glow changed from green, orange, and golden in regular beats. He immediately understood her assessment. An opportunity, danger, and fortune... All were possible in the mission.
"Alright!" Jack said, after a few moments of consideration. "We'll accept this mission. Consider us hired."
A collective sigh of relief seemed to ripple through the professors and Harold. Professor Enderson's stern face relaxed into a grateful smile. "Excellent, Mr. Night! We are truly relieved. Your involvement assures us greatly."
"When is the departure?" Reina asked. Already shifting into planning mode.
"The portal to the Purplesky Realm will be opened in three days' time." Dr. Crafton replied. "At about nine in the morning. From the Academy's restricted teleportation chamber. We will send Harold with full details tomorrow morning."
Jack nodded. "Good. We will be ready."
As the professors and Harold departed, Rune pulsed with a light that Jack interpreted as approval. He turned to Reina. A satisfied grin spreading across his face.
"Love!" He said. "I think our relaxing days are officially over in three days."
Reina returned his smile. A heart felt curve of her lips that transformed her composed features into something softer. More alluring. "Indeed, Dear. And I am definitely glad for it."
There was a quiet thrill in her tone. The Purplesky Realm awaited. And with it, new experiences, new dangers, and new opportunities for growth were also waiting. For Jack and Reina, the grind of daily routine was a necessary evil. But, the call of the unknown was where they truly thrived.
...
Three days dissolved into the bustling rhythm of Lonestone City.
The morning of the expedition day, Jack and Reina were standing before the imposing gates of Lonestone Academy. They were quite early. Punctuality was one of the acceptable standard of professionalism after all.
Rune hovered near Jack's shoulder. Glowing green and gold in regular rhythm.
The air of the morning was cool and crisp. Carrying the distant rumble of the city's early morning traffic and the faint scent of coal smoke.
Jack quickly noticed that Professor Enderson was already there. A solitary figure amidst the grand, renaissance style architecture of the academy's main courtyard. He stood beneath a towering statue of the academy's founder. Checking a pocket watch with a frown of concentration.
"Professor!" Jack's voice cut through the quiet morning. A calm and steady sound.
Professor Enderson looked up. His expression softened into a professional smile. "Mr. Night. Mrs. Night. Excellent. Very punctual. I truly appreciate your professionalism."
"We prefer to be prepared, Professor." Reina gave a graceful nod. Her observant eyes calmly swept over the courtyard. Assessing the empty space.
Jack noticed the slight tremor in the professor's hand as he returned the watch to his waistcoat pocket. "Nervous, Professor?" He asked with a hint of curiosity in his tone.
The professor chuckled. "A natural reaction, I assure you, Mr. Night. Taking twenty young students into an unknown Spatial Realm... It's always a weighty responsibility. Most teenagers were quite trouble magnet after all."
He took a deep breath. "And to tell you the truth, the result for our last year's project was not exactly good. Six deaths. This is one of the main reasons we are hiring more guards this year."
Professor Enderson gestured vaguely toward the main building. "Anyway, it might not be a good idea talking about last year failure at the moment. The others will arrive soon. We'll be gathering in the Great Hall on the first floor."
They exchanged pleasantries. Discussing the general layout of the academy and the projected timeline for the day.
Jack kept an eye on the academy gates. He had done his researches and had known the disastrous results of the Academy's projects. Not just last year, but several consecutive years before.
Those years, the exploration target was a different spatial realm. The Blackwood Underworld Realm. And there were only five hired guardians. The Academy seemed to treat it differently this time.
He looked at Rune. She was still pulsing with a faint orange and green glow. A sign of her own quiet anticipation. No danger yet.
Slowly, the academy courtyard began to fill. First came the students. A nervous, excited buzz growing among them. They were mostly young. In their late teens. Carrying big satchels and backpacks. Looking around with wide-eyed awe and apprehension.
Jack recognized three faces immediately. Nick Glaiver. Harold Mason. Alenna Keener. Those three greeted Jack, Reina, and Professor Enderson before joining their peers. They seemed much more... ready compared to the others.
Then arrived the other bodyguards. These were professional transcendent guards. Men and women hardened by experiences and trainings. They moved with a different kind of confidence. Their gazes were sharper, more aware.
Then, Dr. Crafton arrived. But, he wasn't alone. Trailing behind him was a young woman. A teenager with bright, inquisitive eyes and a perpetually curious expression. Chloe Chase. The Inheritor of Fortune.
Jack wasn't surprised she was here. She was Dr. Crafton's apprentice after all.
"Dr. Crafton! Chloe!" Professor Enderson greeted them warmly. "Glad you could make it."
Chloe offered a warm smile and greeted back. Her gaze darted towards Jack and Reina. A flicker of recognition appeared in her eyes. She immediately greeted them both enthusiastically. They saved her during the incident with the Ink Dragon Temple after all.
Dr. Crafton greeted back and talked quietly to Professor Enderson about several guidelines they needed to set for the missions.
Shortly after, another figure strode into the courtyard. Eliciting a murmur from the assembled students. Leon Drake. The Inheritor of Fate.
The name was whispered with a mixture of awe and resentment among certain circles. Leon Drake was a treasure hunter. Famous, charismatic and undeniably skilled. A protagonist-like figure who seemed to attract both fortune and calamity in equal measure.
Jack and Reina exchanged a look. This was a look of shared apprehension. A silent communication that spoke volumes.
The three 'jinxes' of expedition had assembled. Chloe Chase. Dr. Crafton. And Leon Drake. Jack had learned from experience that whenever these three were involved in any expedition, unexpected dangers would inevitably manifest. Their presence alone was a red flag.
"Well, Love..." Jack murmured to Reina. His voice was low enough only for her to hear. "It seems our 'interesting mission' just got a good deal more interesting."
Reina's lips curved into a faint, wry smile. "Indeed, Dear. Perhaps we should renegotiate our hazard pay."
Leon Drake greeted the professors, Jack, and Reina. He was also involved in the Ink Dragon Temple incident. So, he was quite familiar with the couple.
While the professors and Drake engaged in serious looking conversation, Jack initiated his personal security sweep. He used his [Eyes of Judgment] to quickly appraise the karmic profiles and inherent dangers of each individual present.
In his vision, data appeared. The field of energy signatures around him shimmered. Invisible to all but him.
First, the students. Twenty individuals. A mix of eager and nervous teenagers. He focused on them.
Chloe Chase. She had quite high amount of positive karma and overflowing luck. She was definitely 'clean' in terms of intentional malice. But her fortune seemed to often clash with others' misfortune.
Harold Mason, the cool-headed, logical teenager. Nick Glaiver, the highly social, extroverted boy. Alenna Keener, the quiet, observant girl. Jack knew them well enough. But he still scanned them. They were also normal.
The other sixteen students blurred into a similar pattern. Most possessed a neutral karmic resonance. A few were slightly positive. Either they were genuinely altruistic or still in their idealistic mindset.
None of them showed any overt signs of ill intent or hidden agendas. Nothing that would pose a threat from within the expedition. Other than, very likely, their inexperienced and reckless tendencies.
Then, the guards. Eight transcendent individuals, including Leon Drake.
Jack focused on Drake first. The treasure hunter's aura was a vibrant, volatile swirl of ambition, luck, and raw power. He was undeniably skilled. And his karma was neutral.
He wasn't malicious. But his presence seemed to guarantee high-tension events and incidents. His 'jinx' status stemmed from his tendency to attract trouble. Not create it. He would be a target for opportunity, or a catalyst for it.
The other seven guards were largely unknown to Jack. He quickly scanned them. Their auras were professional, disciplined. Most were in neutral state of karma. Indicating individuals who did their job, followed their contracts, and weren't interested in unnecessary complications.
Two of them were even registered as in slightly positive karma. Likely due to their personalities or their protective types of power.
In general, these transcendent guards were reliable. Solid. No hidden cultists. No rogue agents. No assassins in disguise.
Jack shifted his [Eyes of Judgement] to Professor Enderson and Dr. Crafton. Both had positive karma and excellent mastery of mystic art. There was no problem with them.
Jack relaxed slightly. His initial premonition about the 'jinxes' remained. But his [Eyes of Judgement] confirmed one crucial detail... The problem this time wouldn't come from within the expedition members themselves.
No saboteurs, no hidden enemies were amongst their ranks.
The threats would be external. Probably inherent to the Purplesky Realm. This simplified this mission a lot. He didn't have to watch his back from his own allies.