Dry branches burned slowly in the fire, crackling as the flames cast flickering shadows through the dim cavern. Light came and went across every face.
Most people seized the chance to meditate, hoping to restore their magic to its fullest.
After a long while, once everyone had recovered a little, faint whispers began to spread through the crowd. Sinafa still had not returned, and people were starting to talk.
"Can Lady Sinafa defeat the Goat Demon?"
"If it's just a Goat Demon, she should be fine."
"But half a day has passed, and Lady Sinafa still isn't back. Why?"
It had indeed taken too long, and unease was beginning to spread. Until then, only the apprentices had been talking. To put them somewhat at ease, Maher spoke up:
"Goat Demons vary in strength. From what I saw, that one was nearly at the peak of a level-one True-Knowledge Wizard. With the power of the Abyss bolstering it, there's a good chance its fight with Miss Sinafa has reached a stalemate."
After a pause, Maher continued, "Killing a Goat Demon is difficult. I'd guess Miss Sinafa is looking for a way to shake it off. With her strength, she'll be fine."
The certainty in Maher's voice steadied the apprentices.
Angel, meanwhile, was beginning to understand what Madeleine had said earlier. There were too many unpredictable dangers in the Abyss, making it extremely difficult to relocate a settlement city.
If the people stranded at Cinder Rock encountered something on the Goat Demon's level on their way to Undying Street, they would be lucky if even one percent of those thousands of apprentices escaped.
The atmosphere in the cavern was silent and oppressive. Just when it seemed the silence would drag on, a Frost Moon guard stationed at the entrance broke it.
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