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Adrian nodded, wiping sweat from his brow. "It wasn\'t just the creatures. The Ruin\'s ability to show us nightmares was designed to wear us down, making us lose our way and sapping our strength as we searched for the core."

"True," Thalia agreed, finally allowing herself to sit down as well. She rubbed her shoulder, feeling the soreness from countless battles that day. "The Nightmarespawn Ruin is notorious for that. It\'s why most teams avoid it unless absolutely necessary or they are that powerful. But we needed to clear it today, or else a Ruin Awakening would occur."

"Captain, what are we gonna do now then?" Jax asked. "Will we return to the city?"

The others stared at Thalia, waiting for her answer.

"No, we will spend the night here. We still have to clear a bunch of Ruins tomorrow. So, after recovering your strength and stamina, build a tent for yourselves to spend the night."

The others stared at Thalia in surprise, absorbing her words. Spending the night out here? After the grueling day they had, it wasn\'t what anyone expected. Yet, as they thought about it, the logic became clear.

Resting now meant they could recharge their energy and be better prepared for the ruins tomorrow. Pushing on without proper recovery would only spell disaster.

"Right," Nora said, breaking the silence. "If we keep going like this, we\'ll wear ourselves out completely. But..." She paused, glancing around, "...what about food? We had bread and water for lunch, but if we don\'t eat properly tonight, our performance will drop even more."

Thalia nodded in agreement. "Good point, Nora. We\'ll need a proper meal to recover our strength." She glanced at the group. "We\'ll cook something then. The problem is... I can\'t cook." She shrugged, an awkward smile on her face.

"So, is there anyone here who can? Girls?"

Jax and Kale immediately shook their heads, making it clear they weren\'t an option. The girls, on the other hand, avoided eye contact, looking embarrassed.

"I… uh... might burn the food..." Nora muttered.

"I... I can only cook eggs." Lara replied rubbing his cheeks.

"I\'d rather... not poison us all," Lyra added, her cheeks flushing.

Thalia sighed, rubbing her forehead as the prospect of a decent meal seemed to slip away. But before the mood could sour further, Adrian\'s voice broke through the uncertainty.

"I can cook."

Everyone turned to him, surprise written across their faces. Adrian wasn\'t known for being the culinary type, at least not openly.

"You can cook?" Kale asked, blinking at him in disbelief.

Lyra\'s eyes widened in recognition. "Wait... that\'s right. I\'ve seen him cooking before, during our Survival Training course. He seemed to be really good at it too."

"Yeah," Adrian confirmed with a casual shrug. "It\'s not that hard. I\'ll handle the cooking."

Thalia\'s expression brightened, clearly relieved. "Good. Then here\'s the plan: the boys will gather firewood, the girls will set up the tents, Adrian, you can start preparing the cooking area. I\'ll head out and hunt down a few edible beasts. If we\'re lucky, we\'ll have a decent meal tonight."

With that, everyone got to work. Jax and Kale exchanged glances but nodded in agreement, heading off into the woods to gather firewood. Nora, Lara, and Lyra started unpacking the tents, their earlier awkwardness fading as they focused on the task at hand.

Adrian, on the other hand, set to work near the campsite, clearing a space for a fire and organizing the basic cooking tools they had on hand. His movements were calm and efficient, surprising the others as he prepared for a meal like it was second nature.

As Adrian worked, Lyra couldn\'t help but steal glances in his direction, still amazed. Nora and Lara did the same.

Thalia returned shortly after with two large, hare-like beasts draped over her shoulder, a satisfied grin on her face. "Got some meat for us," she announced, dropping the carcasses near Adrian. "Can you handle the rest?"

Adrian nodded, already preparing to clean and dress the beasts for cooking. "Leave it to me. We\'ll have a decent meal in no time."

As the night settled in and the fire crackled to life, the group worked together in quiet harmony, each focused on their task. The weariness of the day still hung over them, but the promise of a hot meal and rest made it all bearable.

Eventually, the rich smell of roasting meat filled the air, and the group gathered around the fire, their spirits lifted by the anticipation of food.

"Now this," Kale said, inhaling the aroma, "is exactly what we needed after a day like this."

"Agreed," Thalia added with a grin, taking a seat by the fire. "I might not be able to cook, but I can sure appreciate good food when it\'s made."

Adrian smirked, tending to the meat as it cooked evenly over the flames. "Don\'t worry, I won\'t let anyone starve tonight."

As the night deepened, the fire crackled softly, casting warm light over the group as they savored the meal Adrian had prepared. The aroma of roasted meat filled the air, bringing a sense of peace after the long, grueling day.

"This is amazing," Jax said, biting into the tender meat. "I didn\'t expect you to be this good, Adrian. You\'re like a chef out of nowhere!"

Kale nodded in agreement, his mouth full of food. "Seriously. I think you just earned yourself a permanent spot as the camp cook. This is the best meal I\'ve had in years."

Lara, too, chimed in, licking her fingers with a satisfied smile. "You really saved us tonight. I don\'t think I could\'ve survived another night on bread and water."

Thalia laughed, enjoying the banter and the food. "I have to agree. I\'d say this is the perfect way to end a day in the Ruins. And Adrian, you might not know it, but whoever marries you is going to be one lucky girl. I honestly envy her."

At those words, Nora and Lyra exchanged quick glances, a knowing look passing between them. Everyone around the Academy had heard rumors about Adrian and Aria after the tournament—how they were spotted together more often, sharing moments that sparked the idea they were more than just classmates or friends.

Lyra had even asked Aria about it a few times, out of both curiosity and friendship. Each time, Aria had neither confirmed nor denied the rumors. Her playful smile and teasing responses left Lyra guessing, which only made it more obvious that something was going on between the two. If Aria wasn\'t denying it outright, that had to mean they were dating.

But as Lyra reflected on that, a tinge of sadness flickered through her. Her thoughts drifted to Emeric, the person she had quietly liked for so long. They had fought side by side countless times, shared countless memories, and grown up together since childhood, yet she had never been able to express how she truly felt. Could she ever be with the one she loved?

Could her story be like Adrian\'s, where things seemed to fall into place? Continue your adventure at мѵʟ

Her smile faltered for a moment as the weight of her feelings settled in.

"Hey, Lyra?" Nora\'s voice gently pulled her from her thoughts. Lyra turned to see Nora tugging on her arm. "Let\'s get some sleep. We\'ve got a big day tomorrow."

Lyra nodded, forcing a smile as she shook off her wandering thoughts. "Yeah, let\'s go."

One by one, everyone began to retreat to their tents. The exhaustion from the day\'s battles was still heavy on their bodies, and the warmth from the fire and the satisfying meal left them ready for rest.

Thalia and Adrian stayed behind as the others drifted off, agreeing to take turns keeping watch through the night.

"You should get some sleep first," Adrian said as he threw another log onto the fire. "I\'ll keep an eye on things for now."

Thalia stretched and yawned, nodding. "Alright, but wake me up in a few hours. Don\'t overdo it."

With that, she disappeared into her tent, leaving Adrian alone by the fire. He stared into the flames, his thoughts wandering. The peace of the night, though a stark contrast to the chaos of the Ruin earlier, felt fleeting. Tomorrow promised more challenges, but for now, at least, they could rest.

Adrian glanced up at the stars. In moments like this, his mind often wandered to Aria. The thought of her brought a faint smile to his face, despite the weight of the responsibilities and battles ahead. But just like everyone else tonight, he had his own thoughts to wrestle with in the quiet solitude.