Regeneration System-Chapter 66: :The Blackwoods strikes again

Kain woke up to the usual routine—stretching out the soreness from training, getting dressed, and making his way to breakfast. Thorne was already at their usual table, poking at his food with a distant look in his eyes.

"Morning," Kain greeted as he sat down, setting his tray down with a soft clatter.

Thorne blinked, seemingly pulled from his thoughts. "Morning."

Kain took a bite of his food, glancing at his friend. "You good? You seem off."

Thorne shook his head, offering a small smile. "Just thinking. Still feeling the effects of that ambush, I guess."

Kain nodded, understanding. The ambush had been rough on both of them, but he figured Thorne was just replaying the fight in his head, much like Kain did whenever he thought about how he could improve in battle.

After breakfast, they went their separate ways for class. Enchanting was first, and Kain focused on improving his technique. Today, they were working with more complex patterns, and he spent most of the lesson refining a minor reinforcement enchantment. It was a tedious process, requiring precise strokes, but he found satisfaction in the work.

Combat class was next, and Kain was determined to push himself harder. Since moving up to the second-year group, he had steadily climbed from the lower third of the class to the middle ranks. Today’s sparring session was against a nimble spear-user, forcing him to rely on his agility and shield work more than brute strength. By the end of it, he was panting and sore but victorious.

During lunch, Kain noticed Thorne was still distracted. He barely touched his food, nodding absentmindedly when Kain spoke.

"You sure you’re alright?" Kain asked again.

Thorne hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. Just got a lot on my mind."

Kain frowned but decided not to press further. Thorne would talk when he was ready.

The rest of the day passed as usual. Forging class was productive—he spent his time refining materials he had gathered from the mines, preparing to craft a new set of reinforced gauntlets. Master Vargos gave his usual gruff feedback, though Kain had started to notice a hint of approval in his words.

As the evening set in, Kain finally caught up with Thorne again. They sat outside in the academy courtyard, the cool air helping to ease the heat that still clung to Kain after hours of working the forge.

"You don’t have to tell me what’s bothering you," Kain said, staring up at the sky. "But if you need to talk, I’m here."

Thorne sighed, rubbing his temples. "I know. Just... need some time to sort through things."

Kain nodded, deciding to let it go for now. Whatever was troubling Thorne, he just hoped his friend would let him in before it got worse.

Kain woke up feeling the lingering soreness from the previous days of training and mining. He had pushed himself hard, but that was nothing new. As usual, he got dressed and prepared for the day, intending to meet Thorne for breakfast like they always did. However, when he arrived at the dining hall, Thorne was nowhere to be seen.

Frowning, Kain scanned the large room, expecting to see Thorne at their usual table, but the spot remained empty. He even checked the serving lines, thinking maybe Thorne was just getting food, but still, there was no sign of him. A knot formed in his stomach, but he shook it off. Maybe Thorne had just overslept or decided to eat in his room.

With that thought, Kain made his way to the dormitories, his boots echoing in the halls as he approached Thorne’s room. He knocked firmly, waiting for an answer. A moment later, the door creaked open slightly, revealing Thorne’s roommate, a wiry-looking student with dark circles under his eyes.

"Where’s Thorne?" Kain asked immediately, noting the absence of his friend’s usual belongings in the room behind the student.

The roommate blinked at him, then shrugged. "He left. Packed up all his stuff last night and was gone before dawn."

Kain’s heart pounded in his chest. "Left? What do you mean he left? He didn’t say anything to me."

"Look, man, I don’t know what to tell you," the roommate said with a sigh, rubbing his tired face. "He just packed his things and said he had to go. Didn’t say where or why, just that he was done."

Kain clenched his fists, his mind racing. Thorne wouldn’t just leave without telling him. Not after everything they had been through together. Something wasn’t right. Had the Blackwoods finally forced him out? Had the ambush shaken him that badly? Or was there another reason he hadn’t seen coming?

Without another word, Kain turned and stormed out of the dormitory, his jaw set. He needed answers. And if Thorne wasn’t going to give them to him willingly, Kain was determined to find out the truth himself.

Kain stormed out of Thorne’s dorm, his mind racing. The words of Thorne’s roommate echoed in his ears—he packed all his stuff and left. That didn’t make sense. Thorne wouldn’t just leave without telling him. He wouldn’t just vanish overnight, especially not after everything they had been through together.

Something was wrong.

Determined to find out what had happened, Kain made his way to the admissions office. If Thorne had truly left the academy, there had to be a record of it. He pushed open the heavy wooden doors and stepped inside. The receptionist, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes and a quill in hand, looked up at him.

"Can I help you, young man?" she asked, her tone polite but firm.

"I need to know what happened to Thorne Blackwood," Kain said, his voice steady but urgent. "I was told he left the academy, but that doesn’t make any sense."

The woman’s expression didn’t change. "I’m afraid I can’t disclose personal information about other students."

Kain clenched his jaw. He had expected that response, but he wasn’t going to let this go so easily. "Look, I’m not asking for anything personal—I just want to know if he really left and why."

She sighed and glanced at a thick ledger beside her. "Thorne Blackwood officially withdrew from the academy late last night. That’s all I can tell you."

Late last night? That didn’t sit right with Kain. He had seen Thorne after classes, and there had been no mention of him leaving. If this was planned, why hadn’t Thorne said anything? 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Did he leave on his own?" Kain pressed.

The receptionist narrowed her eyes. "That is not information I can provide."

Frustration burned in Kain’s chest, but he knew he wouldn’t get anything more out of her. With a nod, he turned and left the office, his thoughts in turmoil. If the school had officially recorded Thorne’s departure, then it wasn’t just a rumor—it was real. But something felt off.

His next stop was the cafeteria. If anyone had seen Thorne before he left, it would have been someone here. He scanned the tables, looking for familiar faces. A group of students he recognized from their year sat in the corner, talking amongst themselves. Kain walked up to them, and they fell silent at his approach.

"Did any of you see Thorne last night?" Kain asked, his gaze sweeping over them.

A girl with short brown hair frowned. "I think I saw him leaving the dorms late. He looked... different."

Kain’s eyes narrowed. "Different how?"

She hesitated. "Like he didn’t want to be seen. He was moving fast, and he kept looking over his shoulder. I just assumed he had somewhere to be."

Kain’s stomach twisted. That wasn’t normal. Thorne had no reason to sneak around—unless he was being forced to leave.

His next move was clear. If Thorne had left the academy, he must have gone through the main gates. Kain rushed toward the entrance, where two academy guards stood at their usual post. He approached the older of the two, a broad-shouldered man with a scar across his chin.

"Did Thorne Blackwood leave through here last night?" Kain asked.

The guard frowned but nodded. "Yeah, he left in a carriage. Didn’t say much, just showed his papers and went through."

"A carriage?" Kain’s heartbeat quickened. "Did you see who was with him?"

The guard hesitated. "There were two men in dark cloaks. Didn’t recognize them. But the way they stood close to him... it didn’t seem like he had much of a choice."

Kain’s fists clenched. They took him. This wasn’t Thorne’s decision. He had been forced to leave. And there was only one group powerful enough to pull something like this off.

The Blackwoods.

His blood boiled at the thought. They had been pressuring Thorne for months, trying to make him abandon his passion for poisons and focus solely on healing. When threats didn’t work, they had resorted to something worse—taking him by force.

Kain turned on his heel and walked away from the gates, his mind set. He didn’t know where Thorne had been taken, but he wasn’t going to let this go. He needed more information, and he needed a plan.

One way or another, he was going to bring his friend back.

And the Blackwoods were going to regret ever trying to take him away.