The return to the temple was a somber affair. The sight of their fallen classmates, their lifeless bodies scattered amongst the elven artifacts, brought a wave of grief and despair. Professor James knelt beside them, his shoulders slumped, his face etched with sorrow.
"We'll preserve their bodies," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "We'll return for them later."
Martha, her eyes filled with tears, cast a preservation spell, encasing the bodies in a shimmering frost. The carriages, already laden with artifacts, couldn't accommodate the fallen students. It was a grim reminder of the expedition's tragic turn.
The journey back to the academy was a somber procession. Silence filled the carriages, the weight of loss pressing down on their spirits.
William, though not close to those who had perished, couldn't shake the feeling of sadness, the knowledge that their dreams had been cut short, their potential forever unrealized.
