The group made their way back most of the way, Wiz'zoma parted from them about halfway saying he had other things to take care off. While Trisphyra stayed behind in the city being built, waking up Ulma before setting her down on the ground. She had looked confused at first, still groggy from waking up and still looking very exhausted. But she was at least able to walk on her own, after saying goodbye to Triss the group teleported back to the headmasters office.
The headmaster wasn't present at the time being so Alsian was the one guiding them back to the entrance of the building, by that time both Erica and Sonya had recovered enough to walk on their own as well. The torchlights and magical lights combined added a cozy feeling to the starry night sky with not a single cloud in sight.
"Your mentors will know which days we request them to come train in that spot. So just stay strong and continue your training!" Alsian said as he walked away holding up a hand without turning to face them. All the mentors and their students looked at eachother and sighed and exchanged tired looks.
Except for Samuel who still felt more fresh than ever with even more goals set in his mind. Bregane noticed he wasn't tired, "So what did you get to enjoy huh? A big summertime vacation?" He almost oozed sarcasm and the other mentors said nothing but their gazes seemed to agree with him ever so slightly. The same could be said for Samuel's teammates that also noticed he was barely breaking a sweat so they glared at him in suspicion.
Samuel shrugged and started walking back to their house. "Guess you all get to enjoy a day off tomorrow too then!" He turned around and said with a grin to all of them. They would all run after and beat him if they were not so exhausted. So he used the opportunity to add some insult to injury with a smile.
The mentors quickly took off to their own house and the girls slowly followed Samuel all the way back to their house where they proceeded to all go lay down on the couches. Samuel had arrived about five minutes before the girls because he wasn't tired and could walk fast like regular. The girls were all ready to chew him out when they finally opened the door, but that mood quickly changed when they smelled the beginning of food being cooked.
"Since you are all so tired, you can take some rest while I prepare some food." He had said which made them all forget about their previous anger. He could be a gentleman when he wanted to be, they all seemed to silently agree and Sonya actually felt a bit jealous of Ulma. Even though she wasn't interested in humans she hoped to find someone who was nice like he could be, in the future.
It took Samuel about an hour to prepare the late evening food and by the time he was done he had to wake all the girls up since they had fallen asleep even if they were hungry they were also exhausted. So they quickly finished up their food and quickly said their thanks before they headed off to bed.
Samuel spent some more time staying up to clean up everything in silence. He allowed himself to daydream himself away a little bit when staring out the windows into the star filled night sky. With a final sigh and realizing he was starting to become tired himself he finally finished everything up and decided to go to bed.
Samuel was quickly surprised to find Ulma calmly asleep in his room, it seemed like her nightmares were slowly fading which was reassuring. If she finally could sleep well again without having to worry about nightmares plaguing her, Samuel as quietly as he could changed out of his academy clothing and into comfortable pants, he then snuck into bed as gently as he could and lay down next to her.
While starting to calm down to sleep Ulma tiredly opened her eyes and mumbled something, while pulling herself closer to him and fell back asleep holding his arm and chest. It did not take too long before Samuel snoozed away himself. It was a nice calming night with a day where he had been given so many answers he had never expected, but all the answers felt right in his mind, soul and body. It gave him strength.
Ulma slowly woke up in the morning to something tickling her face, she realized to be sleeping towards Samuels short beard that he had not shaved off yet, she sighed and turned around ready to go back to sleep when he pulled her back in again. "Good morning." He whispered into her ear seemingly recently woken up himself. She tiredly replied good morning but it sounded mostly like tired gibberish.
"I wanted to ask you ever since yesterday, but it didn't seem the time..." Samuel spoke quietly and Ulma found herself unable to fall back asleep. "You slept so soundly and seemed so happy I just asumed something good had happened." Samuel gave her a light hug and she turned on her back with a smile.
She then proceeded to tell him about how some of her people was most likely still alive and well, even some she might have known as a little child. How she had met unicorns and all kinds of animals that came from within the magical forest just to meet with her, how she was supposedly some kind of Queen of Nature. How she had turned down to go meet with her people just to become stronger to protect the innocent according to their mutual promise.
She became fully awake from the excitement. She explained how she had connected with one of the life trees and had practice using it as a focus it had offered her its roots to help her, and with those roots she had learned how to sense all life in a large chunk of the forest. It had helped her connect with the forest and life in general, allowing her to much better understand the magic coursing through her veins.
Although she had lost track of time and essentially fainted the moment the connection was broken, nature had given her everything she needed while she was connected, but when it was broken her body had remembered all the strain in an instant. Ulma turned to look at Samuel and she saw that he was genuinely happy for her but also the choice she had made.
They spent some time just hugging and being close to eachother before Ulma asked what Samuel had done. It took Samuel a few minutes to finally tell her about 'everything' leaving no part out, by the end of it she sat up with wide eyes in shock. It certainly had not been what she had expected. "Now I don't need to tell you not to tell anyone right?" Samuel asked just to make sure, "I promise! I won't tell anyone unless its absolutely necessary." Her reply made Samuel happy, it indicated that she trusted him and meant for him to be the one to tell others.
Samuel couldn't help himself from issuing a small tickling/wrestling match after that where Ulma quickly yielded and they fell asleep in the others embrace shortly after. When they finally woke up again, it was early afternoon already.
Together with their teammates they spent a nice relaxing day, eating food and talking about magical theories and repeating some of their training but leaving out all major details. It was nice, truly nice. Samuel couldn't help but feel like he had finally found a new home. A new family, actual friends.
He was prepared to learn and get stronger to protect them. He wouldn't let the past repeat itself like that ever again, never again. A silent promise was cast.