The group were in high spirits when the bus parked in the front lot and the professors came out to meet them and see how their mission had gone.
“Team Leaders, how were the results? Not the confidential portion, but the advancement resources.” Colonel Valerie asked as Karl and Dana stepped off the bus.
“We ended up with some improved alternate resources, thanks to Hawk’s keen senses. We’ve got our entire packs loaded full, and I’ve got some plants in my beast space for the witches to make potions from. Can we get a wheelbarrow, or a cart, or something? There is a lot.” Karl replied.
Dana nodded her agreement, and opened the top of her pack to show the Colonel the amount of loot stuffed inside.
“Did the others do this well?” Sergeant Rita asked as she saw the densely packed resources.
“We split things evenly, based on what everyone needed. The warriors and mages have different loot, but all of our packs are full, and we all have some of the aloe plant numbing and healing gel.” Karl explained.
“You really did have good luck, considering that you also got a present from the church for helping their students.” The Sergeant replied with a warm smile that startled the students who didn’t know her.
It was rare to see teachers that honestly happy, especially when they hadn’t been part of what had happened.
The Colonel pulled Karl and Dana aside to make a proper report, and the professors in charge of the other students took them in to get their version of events, or as much as they could tell. They all knew that something had happened involving the church, and they wouldn’t ask too deeply or risk getting their students in trouble, but they still wanted details on how they ended up with ten loaded backpacks after leaving to look for a handful of rare plants.
“Oh, before we go, the stuff for the witches. I will leave it on the ground here.” Karl announced.
The girls cheered as Karl unloaded the large fern plants, and the teachers stared at them.
“Did you clear an entire glade of them or something?” One of the professors asked.
“Nope, we took about every fourth one, and only the smaller ones whose stems fit in the jars. There is way more of it still growing, and we cut these off well above the ground, so they should grow back without too many issues.
Sustainable harvesting, as the clerics called it.
We did the same with everything else. There is more where this came from for everything that we brought back.” One of the witches proudly announced.
“It’s like you’ve got the World Dragon’s own luck.” The teacher sighed, then glared around the parking lot as the students began to laugh.
The closest student held up her hands in surrender. “They’re not laughing at you, Professor. You see, our reward from the church was a Dragon Scale Amulet, the good luck charm. Then they gave us a skill book of our choice, but random choice, as they gave us books with no names on them.
It worked out perfectly, though, and we all learned a new skill, except the team leaders, who already had a brand-new skill, so they got an item.”
Karl shook his wrist, showing off the plain gold bracelet, and the teacher’s eyes went wide in surprise.
“You got a Holy Item as a reward? Are you a bishop’s secret love child or something?” The professor asked.
Colonel Valerie snorted in laughter at the old mage’s response. She already knew the basics of what had happened, thanks to her position, and that their level of luck was far higher than what they had revealed so far.
Karl followed the Colonel and Sergeant Rita away as the Professors gathered around the pile of ferns to admire the perfectly preserved state of the delicate plants. If they were lucky, they might even be able to replant these and get a sustainable source of the gel for the Academy.
Of course, the Witches would get them all if they wanted them, but the Professors would willingly substitute credits or other resources for them in this condition.
Normally, students came back with jars of gel, or dead and drying plants after days of travel, but these were still fresh with morning dew and trying to regenerate.
“Get these to the hydroponics bay. I want them alive.” The professor was ordering as Colonel Valerie led Karl and Dana into the main school building.
They took seats at desks, while the Colonel paced in front of them, and Sergeant Rita lounged on the teacher’s desk, waiting for her turn to speak.
“Well, you lot really broke the system this time. Congratulations on your results, and the gains you have made. I have been instructed not to dig into the matter, both by my superiors in government and the upper echelon of the Elites.
But I do need some details. What sort of skills did you get? The rest can be kept private, but I will need to at least know the details of your skills to continue your training.” The Colonel explained.
Dana spoke first. “I got a new barrier spell that does a better job of nullifying energy that hits it. Karl got a new skill that makes it easier for him to teach skills to animals. I heard that he taught the Seminary Academy’s Nekomata the basics of the Rend skill.”
Sergeant Rita tried and failed not to laugh at that.
“You taught a Nekomata how to use Rending Claws? What were you thinking?” She blurted out.
“They actually asked me to. Well, they asked me to teach it a new skill, and that was the easiest one. It can’t really use it well, but once it has a few months or a year to practice, it should be able to use the skill at its own level.
If I had more time to train it, the time would reduce.” Karl explained.
Sergeant Rita sat up straighter.
“You’re saying that there is a chance that the beasts can learn new skills in a short period of time?” She asked.
“Not just a chance, a virtual certainty. The question is just which skills. The compatibility of the target and the ability matters. The more compatible they are, the more easily they will learn it and the more powerful the skill will be when they do activate it.
For example, teaching Rae a stealth skill should be dead simple, but teaching Thor to fly would probably never work.”
The thought of a flying Thor was highly entertaining, though it might be scientifically impossible. The Lightning Cerro was still growing fast, and in a few more weeks he would be shoulder to shoulder with Karl, and weigh closer to five hundred kilos.
That was not the sort of creature that was well adapted to flying.
“Are there any other resources that aren’t on the list and that might not have made an official report that you brought back? We can help you prepare them if you think that they will be good for your pets’ development.” Sergeant Rita offered.
Karl reached into his beast space and brought out a handful of scales from one of the drakes, freshly plucked, and still dripping with a bit of blood.
Sergeant Rita blinked once slowly, then turned her attention to Karl.
“I’m not going to ask how you got Drake scales, since that was omitted from the official report, but congratulations. Now, what did you think you could do with these?” She asked.
“Well, they’re scales, and Drakes are tough. Thor has scales and they’re tough as well. Is there something that can be made with Drake scales to help him improve his durability?” Karl suggested.
Colonel Valerie smiled as Sergeant Rita carefully picked up the scales.
“Yes, there is something that can be done with these to help his growth and durability. Just don’t tell the warriors that you found these, or they might cry. Wait, they don’t have any, do they?” Rita asked.
Karl shook his head. “I don’t think anyone else collected any. They probably know that I have some, but nobody said anything about it with all the chaos at that moment.”
“Alright, we will handle that when it comes up. I swear, you two always get involved in the least likely scenario possible. Do you have any idea how rare it is for the church and the Elite Authority to both classify the same incident? Now, how often do you think that first year students are involved in that scenario? I can’t think of another time it has happened.” Sergeant Rita sighed.
Dana smiled at her, and winked at Dave and Jill, her personal trainers, who were waiting outside the door.
“Well, this time it wasn’t just us. All ten team members were there for it.”
Rita rolled her eyes, and the other two came in, followed by Daniel and Alice, who must have been waiting out of sight.
“Hey, did you guys know that one of the team members got a dragon scale pendant? I saw the flash of gold as I passed them.” Alice asked as she closed the door behind her.
Karl smirked at him. “We all did. They were a gift from the church directly, not a random find in the woods. You might want to take a seat, and we will tell you what we can.”
“Start with telling me about the drake scales. If you don’t want them, I will buy one off you.” Dave suggested.
“I have enough to give you each one if you want it. I’m not sure what all they can be used for, but if they’re good, they’re good. So, you see, this is how it went.” Karl began.