Though later in the day than he was used to, Ssarak was exercising in the gymnasium. The last few days after the attack had been hectic, to say the least. He was just now starting to get back into his schedule after days of helping with repairs and whatever other restoration was required. As it was not early in the morning, there were more people in the gym than he was used to, but they did not bother him.

Ssarak had plenty of time to worry through the past few days, so for the moment, he was trying to shift his idle thoughts onto more positive topics. Many of his friends and acquaintances were still alive, though perhaps injured in some capacity. The college was still operational and would resume classes soon, so he could still improve his abilities. Though the situation was grim, he didn't feel as hopeless as after the loss of his village. Their enemy was indeed strong, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized that they stood a better chance than he first feared. This foe had planned out its attack well in advanced, planting its soldiers in every corner of the college and even poisoning their headmaster. If this enemy did indeed have the overwhelming strength that demons liked to boast about, then there was no reason the should not have wiped out the college. The very fact that the college still stood showed that this enemy's power was limited, that it was fallible, and more importantly, defeatable. This was a war they could conceivably win.

Ssarak's mood was not quite "good," but he was content. He could be satisfied returning to his schedule for a while before it was time to act against this foe. Just as he was finishing up lifting a pair of sandbags, he noticed someone new enter the room, someone he did not recognize. She was an Esyire in a hooded black cloak, though he did not pay her much attention at first. He stood up and started to carry the sandbags back to their proper location when he noticed she had approached close and seemed to be watching him. He cocked his head to the side slightly and looked at her questioningly.

"I'm sorry, can I help you?" He asked.

"Perhaps. " The woman said, pausing for a moment to lower her hood, revealing her scarred visage. "I would like to know who you are. My name is Dirssi Xhotharanil."
Upon hearing the woman's clan name, Ssarak dropped the sandbags and his eyes widened like he had saw a ghost. He could say nothing, think nothing, and do nothing except stare into her gaze with greater fear than he had ever felt during the fight with the demons. Hearing that name was like bringing up every single painful emotion and torturous memory from his past and personifying it into a single individual. Although he gave her no words, her expression quickly turned to a terrifyingly knowing smirk. She glanced around at the others in the gymnasium for a moment, then locked eyes with him once more."

"Thank you. That is exactly what I needed. I will be...speaking to you again soon, Ssarak." Dirssi commented in a tone that could be described as "threateningly polite." Without another word, she turned and left the room, leaving Ssarak standing speechless, with no thoughts in his mind other than how this would lead him to his doom.

---

"I am sorry Dirssi, but we cannot relinquish Ssarak to your custody without additional evidence of his crimes. We can ensure that he does not leave the the college, but neither can we turn him over without proper documentation."

It had been about a month since the college was visited by Dirssi Xhotharanil, as emissary from the Scorched Lands. The college was always willing and eager to increase their alliance with foreign nations, especially the Eysires of the Scorched lands, however Dirssi's request was... Difficult to appraise. She had come to ask for the college to assist apprehending a criminal from the Scorched Lands, and the college was willing, at least until further details showed that the criminal was none other than one of the college's own students: Ssarak Dyreackthanose. He had distinguished himself to the college during the demon attack and for it the college was grateful. However the accusations against him were quite serious, and it was only for his actions was Lucilia trying to stall for more time.

Dirssi has been patient but also very persistent. She has yet to do anything to make the college believe that Dirssi would attempt to take justice into her own hand, but her increase in visits told Lucilia that the eysire was growing weary of having to wait. The college would not harbor criminals, but they would need evidence of this first. Lucilia did not want to believe Dirssi's words alone, but if this goes on for too long Lucilia did not want to think what those in the Scorched Lands would say of the college. Reputation was important, but the college was not going to be known to become a safe haven for the criminal element. Their own moral ambiguity aside.

Dirssi was quite obviously frustrated, but, after a few deep breaths, she retained her composure. She had her hands firmly planted on the desk in front of her and looked straight ahead at Lucilia with a gaze that was not quite angered, but definitely agitated. "This is...Professor Riovas, with respect, but I have been patient. I recognize that my arrival did not come at a...fortuitous time. The attack quite understandably delayed by ability to collect the fugitive, but it has been months. I can see that the college is once again in order, at least reasonably so. I understand you have a need for students, but this murderer, Ssarak, is not someone you want as a student. I have already given you my orders, marked with the seals of clans Xhoth and Dyre; I do not know what more you want."

"Time and confirmation. While we are taking this investigation seriously, we at the college believe in giving a fair trial to the accused. First we must verify the charges against Ssarak, as well as obtain his testimony. And combined with... Recent events, there has simply been very little time to do a proper investigation. But I assure you Dirssi, I have taken the time to deal with this matter as quickly as possible now. I have finally managed to set aside time to ensure that this matter is looked into at it's fullest, and I can promise you that by the end of this week, at the latest, this matter will be resolved."

Of course, there was only about three days left in this week. As much as Lucilia respected Ssarak for his contributions to the college, she truly did need to investigate his side of the story and ensure that justice is done. Regardless of his actions at the college, he will have to pay for his crimes elsewhere. It won't be up to the college to judge him, but neither can they shelter him.

Dirssi gave a barely audible sigh. She had heard similar answers before, but at least this time there was a deadline associated with it. If the week passed with no results, she would likely have to change her tactics, but she had waited this long, so she could wait just a bit longer. "Very well, but remember who you dealing with here. Ssarak is crafty and manipulative. His strength is not in weapons or fighting skill, but in his silver tongue. He convinced a few dozen warriors of his clan to betray their traditions, their honor, to slaughter the innocent. If you are intent on speaking to him, I would not forget that." With nothing left for her to do, at least for the moment, Dirssi took her leave to return to her room. She was upset, but she couldn't say the meeting disappointed her, as that would imply that she expected any sort of result to begin with.

---

Sometime after Lucilia's meeting with Dirssi she had called Ssarak to her office. It was just an hour after noon, and still a bright day. Despite the pleasant weather outside the mood in Lucilia's office was sombre. Once Ssarak had seated himself Lucilia was quick to explain why she called him here. "Ssarak it has come to the college's attention that someone from the Scorched Lands had arrived with a warrant for your arrest. Though the college tolerates no prejudice and ensures that everyone is treated fair and equally, we do not provide safe haven for criminals and fugitives. That being said we still do our best to ensure that the accused are given a fair trail and not simply condemned to punishment based on accusations alone."

Lucilia handed Ssarak various documents and papers, most of them copies of what Dirssi had given to her. The papers detailed the exact crimes that Ssarak is guilty for as well as the written orders with the clan seals. Nothing about these papers have been altered; everything were practically the same as the original papers that Dirssi had. They also included her name, just so Ssarak knows who exactly is accusing him.

"We are told that you had incited a slaughter of a village back in the Scorched Lands. Perhaps this is true, and perhaps you have justifiable reasons for doing so. If you do, please, explain yourself."

Ssarak glanced through the papers and saw nothing wrong, not that he would be particularly qualified to identify a forgery. Seeing his clan's brought the reality of the situation into focus. He knew that what he did was despicable, but he never thought his clan would want to seek him out, or even let clan Xhoth do the same. Given that he carried his crime out in the middle of a war, he would have expected exile to be the punishment the clan Elders would have cast upon him, but it appeared that he was mistaken.

"Since I arrived here, I have never lied about my past, and I do not intend on starting now." He responded, taking in a deep breath before continuing. "Just around...three years ago, I believe, I took part in a raid on a village of clan Xhoth. More importantly, I was the one who organized it. Our clans were at war, as we had been for years. There had not been a time since I had earned my place among my brothers and sisters in arms that we were not fighting them. It has only been a few years, but it feels like so long ago. I foolishly believed that, if we somehow wiped out their entire village, it would somehow end the war. Instead, it only served to bring the wrath of clan Xhoth upon my village shortly afterwards. Friends, family, my wife and children, were all killed while our warriors were away. I give no excuse for my failure, for my judgement. My choice was the product of my own callousness and stupidity. I sent myself into exile after the attack, as I felt myself undeserving to be a part of my clan. I did not expect my clan would want me to return in any capacity, but I should not be surprised. Truly, the only real surprise I feel is who they sent to recover me. Dirssi is an individual I recognize; her name is well-known even among my clan."

Lucilia had figured that Dirssi had a personal reason to be involved in this case. And perhaps this was the caveat that Lucilia needed to exploit. "How so?"
"Well, she is a powerful warrior, one of the most skilled among all of the Xhoth. She has been a war leader among her people for the better part of a century. She is a Noxomancer, an expert in her blood, with great skill in the martial arts as well. I am not sure how many defeats clan Dyre has faced because of her influence, but regardless, she was an opponent to be feared, and respected. For her to be the one sent to recover me, the Xhoth must really value my head. I have never seen such a high ranking leader take on such a mission, though if our clans are really now at peace, I suppose she could afford to do so." Ssarak explained.

Lucilia laced her fingers over one another and contemplated the idea that clan Xhoth would send someone with such esteem to pick up Ssarak. And more curiously, why no one from clan Dyre also attended to pick up Ssarak. One would think that if both clans wanted to bring Ssarak back, they would have two representatives. And this only makes the lack of responds all the more important from the Scorched lands. Lucilia herself did not believe all that Dirssi said which made the vampire think of something that Dirssi said. "Ssarak is crafty and manipulative. His strength is not in weapons or fighting skill, but in his silver tongue... It would seem that he is not the only puppet master here."
Lucilia would need some time to investigate this matter. Three days exactly. She would do her best to continue to try to contact the Scorched Lands, this time taking a more personal approach to it. But in doing so she won't be able to stay at the college and provide as a buffer for Ssarak's trial. She'll need to speak to Satori and her Investigation Squad. "I see... Ssarak, while I have mentioned that the college does not harbor criminals, I truly do not wish to think that you are one. Your exile was to be your punishment, and I see no reason why the clans of Xhoth and Dyre would now chose to change this."

Lucilia leaned forward, cupping her hands and giving Ssarak a sad look. "You have served the college well and we would like to try to prevent the worse from happening. To that end, in three days time you will be called back for your trial by the college. I would encourage you to gather evidence and create a case for you to stay with us here. If nothing else, I am giving you three days to say your good-byes. It would be a great shame for the college to lose such a promising student. I hope that you can stay with us for as long as you can. You are dismissed Ssarak."

Ssarak wished he had more to say, but he wasn't even sure of his own opinion on the situation. He gave a respectful nod and took his leave, as requested. From the impression Lucilia gave, it seemed she was far more resolute on what to do than even himself. If she truly believed he was not a "criminal," then she would be the only one. Ssarak did not deny his actions to others, but more than anything, he did not deny his crimes to himself. To him, he was a murderer, and even his actions during the attack had not made up for it. He had still taken more lives than he had saved in his life. There was a part of his mind that was growing in influence, a part that wanted him to submit. Perhaps going back to his clan to receive judgement would be the only way he could have some semblance of redemption? If they wanted him to return, then it would likely be for his execution, but perhaps the families of those he killed deserved the closure more than he deserved his life? It was a difficult choice, though if Dirssi had her way, then it wouldn't be a choice.

A short distance from Lucilia's office, Ssarak passed by Meirin in the hall. She had accompanied him on the way over and had been waiting outside, but he had no words he could give her. He simply looked down, unable to make eye contact, and with an expression as solemn as a wake.

It was just another day for Meirin. She woke up, freshen up, did her morning exercises, and usually some time after freshening up she'd meet up with Ssarak. Over their time together they've gotten closer to one another. While still amicable friends, Meirin sometimes pondered what would happen if they became more intimate. She certainly never thought she'd have these feelings for an Eysire, but even so she felt that it would be right that she would have these feelings and thoughts for Ssarak. But part of her was hesitant to express these feelings. She cherished her friendship with Ssarak and she did not want to ruin it by confessing her feelings if they won't be recuperated. And Meirin had a feeling they wouldn't be; she knew only a little of Ssarak, but one thing she knew was that he was a widower. He had a family once, but they were killed in a war back at home. She did not know the full details, but what she did know made him want to comfort him, but also made her keep herself distant from him. She dared not taint their friendship with ideas of infidelity, even if his wife was dead. At the very least, she wanted Ssarak to feel the same as her before she would dare try to move things to the next level.

Today Meirin had met up with Ssarak for their usual morning routine but Ssarak was called in by Lucilia. Meirin had met with Lucilia enough times that the teacher would know her name and face. Though Meirin had no classes with Lucilia she would often see the teacher for jobs around the college or simply passing between the halls. Still they were acquaintances at best. Meirin always felt that something was off about Lucilia, but she could never really pinpoint to what. Meirin was well aware of Lucilia's existence as a vampire, but something else about her made Meirin feel uneasy with the teacher around. There was always an aura of caution around Lucilia, like Meirin had to be very careful when she was around. Either it was because Lucilia was up to something, or trouble was about to find her. Either way Lucilia was looking for Ssarak and Meirin offered to accompany him. She couldn't go with him into Lucilia's officer however, leaving Meirin to wonder the halls for a bit.

By the time Ssarak had left his mood was drastically different from before. He was very grim, and Meirin guessed that Lucilia gave Ssarak some bad news. Meirin walked up to her large draconian friend and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Ssarak, what's wrong? What did Lucilia tell you?"

Ssarak Dyreackthanose and Meirin Kurenai (EliteCommander and Ryonara)

---

Ssarak could hardly bear to even look at Meirin with the shame he felt. He had told his story before to Annabeth, whom he considered a close friend, but with Meirin, something felt...different. In his mind, he faced a much greater fear of judgement from her. His actions which sent him into exile were despicable, and he feared what Meirin might think of them. Despite this, he felt that she above all others had a right to know about what he had done so she could make her own judgement. His fear had put off him telling her for too long.

"Do you remember when I mentioned that someone from my homeland had arrived here, Dirssi Xhotharanil? Her intentions were as I feared, she was sent to bring me back to the Scorched Lands. I...I need to explain. You deserve to know this about me." Pausing for a moment, Ssarak glanced around at the others in the hall, then focused back on Meirin. "We should speak somewhere more private, let us go back to my room." He suggested.

Meirin nodded her head and followed Ssarak back to his room. She had heard a little of Dirssi from Ssarak and even did a bit of research on her. Dirssi was apparently a very powerful warrior from the Scorched Lands from another clan that Ssarak's clan fought often. Meirin also had discovered that Dirssi had been at the college a little bit before the attack happened and that she was a very powerful mage. Certainly a threatening opponent, but Meirin still didn't know why she was here. And from Ssarak's mood, she did not bring good news.

When the two got to Ssarak's room Meirin closed the door behind her and took a seat on one of the chairs in Ssarak's room. "Why does Dirssi want to take you away? And why now? She has been here for a little over a month, and it is not as though you have been hiding from her this entire time." Meirin wanted answers and more importantly she wanted to help Ssarak.

Ssarak took a seat in a chair beside Meirin and let out a pained sigh. He was not looking forward to this explanation, but it was something that had to be done. "I believe Dirssi brought her business to Lucilia's attention before, but the reconstruction prevented her from addressing it until now. As for why she is here...it is because of my own crimes. My greatest failure. I am little better than a murderer. It is not something that is...easy for me to discuss, and I regret not telling you sooner. It was around three years ago that it happened. I have told you that I was a warrior of my clan. For most of the time that I served that role, we had been at war with clan Xhoth, Dirssi's clan. Though it was my duty as a warrior to fight, I hated the constant warfare, which never seemed to end. I wanted to find a way to end it once and for all, so...I made the mistake that is the greatest regret of my life. I convinced a portion of my village's warriors to attack a Xhoth village in the night. We killed not just the warriors, but every other person in the village. I...I thought it would give us the advvantage needed to end the fighting once and for all, but it only served to intensify clan Xhoth's retaliation."

Ssarak paused for a moment. He already could not bear to look Meirin in the eyes. He could not justify his actions, nor would he want to. He was guilty, and did not want to even pretend that the reality was otherwise. "A few weeks later, they lured most of our warriors, including myself, away from the village and attacked. They killed everyone, just as we had. My wife and children were among them. When I walked through the ashes of my village, when I saw the mangled corpses of the children I loved so deeply, I saw what a monster I was. I had caused that very same pain to the Xhoth. That was why I left. I sent myself into exile because I did not deserve to be with my clan. I wanted to find a way to redeem myself for the crimes I had committed, but now...my redemption may come in another form. If they want me to return for judgement, it is certainly because they desire my execution. Lucilia wants me to gain evidence before my trial to prevent Dirssi from taking me, but...I do not think I will. It will likely mean my death, but going with her to face my judgement will at least allow me to die with some measure of honor. Perhaps the families I wronged deserve the closure?"

"Ssarak...." Meirin wasn't sure what she could say. This was just so much to take in all at once. She had always thought that Ssarak was no stranger to fighting and killing, but she knew that he and his reasons. But to hear that he killed not only other warriors, but their families as well... Meirin had very mixed feelings. She didn't want to believe it. She wanted to think that maybe Ssarak had a good reason, or that something else made Ssarak do this. But even she could see just how horrific what he did was, and if she was in her shoes, she wouldn't deny punishment for it either.

But Meirin didn't want Ssarak to go. He was a dear friend, and she did not want to see him hurt despite his mistakes. She knew this was wrong however, and that no one should be allowed to escape justice. But right now Meirin wanted to make that exception. "Ssarak, I.... I don't know what to say. That's... It's horrible. Just all of this. What you done... And what is going to happen to you. I can't say that I approve of what you did, but I... I don't want you to go. I am being selfish, I know, but I think that there is still a chance to make things up. But I know that your death won't solve anything. Killing won't heal the scars. You can't let them take you away Ssarak, even if you want them to!" Meirin stood up and got in front of Ssarak. She put her hands on his face and made him look at her in the eyes. She was fighting back tears, but she wasn't going to let them flow. She had some choice words to say to Ssarak first before she'd let her emotions get the better of her.

"What about us, Ssarak? About the friends that you've made and the people who care about you? Even Lucilia... She even wants you to be saved. And I'm sure she's not the only one too! Ssarak you're not only my friend, but also a friend to everyone in this college. If it weren't for there wouldn't have been as many survivors at the college as there are now. If it weren't for you, Lyn would have never been born, nor would there be anyone to care for people like Alaira. And... And if you weren't here.... I wouldn't know what I would have done. It's perfectly alright for you to feel guilty for what you've done Ssarak, but please, don't think that you can solve all your problems by leaving. Or that dying would somehow makes this all better. If you died, it would only make even more people sad. And... And I don't want that Ssarak. Please. Let me help you, let's try to figure something out. Please?"

Though it was only because Meirin was making him, Ssarak finally looked into her eyes. He had not expected the outpouring of emotion from her, he had not expected her to care so greatly. Silently, he took in every word, every tone and expression she made. His first instinct was to reject her request. Since he learned of Dirssi's arrival, his regrets had been stronger than ever before. He felt like fate was giving him a chance to be rid of his pain, but with Meirin's words, he felt something else as well. He was uncertain if it was what he really deserved, or if what he deserved really even mattered. Thusfar, his thoughts had been focused on himself, but he did have friends now, people who cared about him. As Annabeth had said the first time he shared his tale, he could possibly redeem himself, even if it did seem unlikely. Still, even with that hope, the images of Ssarak's crimes still haunted his mind. Like the ghosts they now were, his mind was still filled with the memories of the innocents he had personally executed. He saw every excruciating detail of the slaughter, down to the pattern of the blood covering his axe. In every face he recalled, he saw a bit of his own family, whose deaths he was responsible for.

Were Ssarak more resolute in his concept of justice, he might have shook his head and left right then, no matter how much his emotions were begin him to stay. However, as walking to one's death was no easy choice, he faltered, allowing himself to entertain the notion that justice may not need to be served, in this case. Looking straight ahead at Meirin, his normally strong, stoic appearance gave way to tears. "But...can I really justify that? You do not know the pain I caused, how much better this world would be had I never existed. Will it really be any better if I continue to live?"

"It will be much worse if you died, you know. If you went back to your homelands and get executed, do you really think that it would bring them any peace? They would still be fighting each other, and you would just be another death in their war. There has to be a better way Ssarak, and I know that one exist. But it needs you to make sure that it happens. This is your fault, that's true, which also means that it's up to you to fix it. If you died, that just means that you gave up and now someone else has to fix it, and you'll be hurting more people here at the college. If you don't want to cause any more pain, than let's find a way to heal, instead of just more ways of dying." Meirin let go of Ssarak's head and reached down to grab his hands. They were so much bigger than her own that she needed to use both hands just to hold one of his.

"If there is one thing you don't have to do Ssarak, its that you don't have to do this alone. If you really wanted to exile yourself, you should have never come to the college. But you did. And maybe it was because of the will of the gods or maybe just luck, but you came here for more reasons than just because you were exiled. We can help you Ssarak, and I want to help you, and together we can figure out a way to make sure everyone is happy. That's what we all came to the college for, to make happy memories and do the impossible. Like finding a way to redeem yourself." Meirin took Ssarak's hand and moved it close to her face. Even though his skin was cold, she felt a bit of warmth from him. It was odd, but pleasant. "But we can only do this if you're alive Ssarak. You can't redeem yourself if you're dead, and we'll never forgive you if you died. Stop trying to do everything yourself and taking all the blame and let us help you. We can figure out the hows together, but first you have to accept our help." Not that Meirin was really waiting for his premission. Whether he wanted it or not, she was going to figure out some way to save him.

Silence hung in the air for a few moments after Meirin finished speaking. Ssarak was at a loss; his regret and self-loathing conflicted with the words of kindness Meirin was giving him. She seemed to have more faith in him than he did. The stress of the situation caused his hands to start shaking and his breathing to become irregular. As much as Ssarak wanted to see justice served, Meirin's words had merit, but even more, they had compassion. She cared about his fate, about whether he lived or died. No doubt, the rest of his friends felt the same way. After the attack a few weeks ago, he did not want to cause them any more pain, especially Meirin.

"I...I will try. We will try. Justice or no, I don't want you to be hurt. We might fail, but at least we will try." Ssarak finally answered. His tone easily showed the pain he felt, but it also carried with it a hint of hope, not just in succeeding in creating a defense against Dirssi, but in finding a way to convince himself that he was worthy to live. For Meirin, he felt an immense gratitude for her words and offer of support. After a few moments, and with a faint smile, he wrapped his arms around her to give her a hug. Despite the pain filling his mind, he had to admit that it felt...nice. "Thank you." He added.

Meirin was surprised when Ssarak hugged her. he never seemed to be the type to act so emotionally unlike her. But for now, she allowed herself to stop holding back her tears and let herself cry freely, returning Ssarak's embrace. She held onto him for some time and said nothing. She's spoken enough, and this gesture was more than enough for her to know what his anwser was.

As much as she'd like to simply stay in this position, they had work to do. "Alright, than let's go find the others. We need to let them know what's going on, and try to get them to help us. Who should we find first?"

Ssarak reluctantly let go, then stood up and took in a deep breath. "Well...we probably should not get too many people involved, or Dirssi may learn of our efforts. Perhaps...Annabeth Gulch. She and I became friends not long after I arrived here. She already knows of my past, so I know she would have no issue supporting me. Beyond her, we should make sure to remember that anyone else we want to help will have to know about what I have done. We should select only those we trust. I believe I know where Annabeth would be around this time, should we go find her now or do you have another suggestion?" He asked.

Meirin knew Annabeth, just a little. Mostly because she knew Annabeth was one of Ssarak's friends, but beyond that she's never really gotten to know the girl. Still if she was as close of a friend as Ssarak says she is, Meirin had no qualms with asking her for help. "Let's find her quickly. The sooner the better, yes? If I can figure out something myself I'll be sure to tell you."

Ssarak nodded. "Very well. It is still fairly early, so she may still be training." He explained as the left his room. By this point, Ssarak had agreed to train with several people, such as Alaira recently, so he had shifted his schedule somewhat. He still trained with Annabeth, but not every day as before.

The pair headed down from their rooms to the gymnasium. It was a bit later in the day than Ssarak was used to exercising, so there were more people present than he was accustomed to, but luckily, Annabeth was among them. He approached and waited for her to finish what she was doing before speaking up, despite the urgency of his situation. "Annabeth... May we speak to you for a moment?" He asked in a tone that betrayed his anxiety.

Coco and Annabeth

Coco sighed. Or at least she would have if she had a mouth in the first place. Instead she reared her head back as she relaxed, sitting on a bench in the gardens. Barely noticeable it was when her face scrunched up near her two nostrils, allowing her to taste the scents in the air in a richer way. Her leaves quivered, and she lazily brought up her left hand to her nostrils and sniffed it.

'By the Tree, I should not take in so much sun.' She thought. Her leaves quivered again, and she stretched her muscles. Soon, she was on her feet and rubbing her hands together, feeling quite a bit of excess energy. It'd be fine if she had a class later that day, but it wasn't so this time.

She walked into the College, passing by a pair of students who, oddly enough, smelled like herself. In a common situation, Coco would walk up to them, but she needed to use energy right away, lest she either accidentally shock someone or push possible interesting persons away with her excitement. She had come to learn the importance of seeming calm, at least when she was around fleshlings. Superficial things that they were.

Then, as Coco got closer to the Gym, a scent hit her right on the face. Roses. She slapped her palm against the wall, yet she could see no rose nearby, only a group of surprised people at the entrance of the gym.

So she walked into the gym, brushing shoulders against many of the other students who were bunched up at the entrance.

Like usual, Annabeth was in the gym honing her skills. With no classes at the moment this was a good time to get a bit of a warm up before she'd meet up with Ssarak and the others. Ever since the college was attacked by demons, she and some other students would come together and train with one another with their weapons and magic. Annabeth was not like before; this time she struck out against her target with both brutal fury and precise grace. With an axe no less; her slashes hew through the straw dummy's limbs and unarmored openings like a honed heated knife through warm cheese. And it wasn't as though Annabeth had gotten herself a new weapon; it was the same axe as before, perhaps sharpened.

Piles of dismembered straw corpses were piled up near her. After lopping off the shoulder of one more dummy, Annabeth figured it was time to clean up her mess. She had began putting away straw dummies when she noticed a strange yet familiar creature, Coco the Foreas. Annabeth had breifly remembered meeting her once, but after that the only time Annabeth ever saw her was when she was training here in the gym with Alaira, or just wandering around the college. "I wonder what brings her here..."

Sweat, slashes, stabs and grunts filled the Gym. But none of them smelled of what she was trailing after. None, but one girl. Or woman. Coco couldn't tell, really. So all she did was walk toward her. Something about the woman seemed familiar to Coco, yet she couldn't point a finger on it. The scent of roses threw her off. It might as well we a perfume, as she knew fleshlings were strange enough to hide their true scents, sometimes.

"Hello! I'm Coco Bean, you can call me Coco. I'm a Foreas. Are you a human? Why do you smell like roses? I love roses, but humans do not smell like roses. Or do they? How could a human smell of roses? Who are you?" She asked the woman, stopping just a foot away from her, clasping her hands against her chest and sniffing the air a few times.

Annabeth was partially caught off guard, partly ammused as Coco made a beeline strait towards her. While Annabeth never dealt with Coco on the regular basis, it was hard not to know about the only Foreas in the school. So Annabeth braced herself with the onslaught of questioning and took them in stride. "Hello Coco, yes I'm a human. As for the roses, I was given a prefume by my workplace, my boss thought it complimented me very well. Some humans can smell like roses, but I normally don't. Only with the prefume. I'm Annabeth by the way. I think we might have met before, but I've certainly heard about you."

Before Coco could throw more questions at Annabeth she countered with her own. "Did you just come here to find out why I smell like roses? You know I think we did meet before, back on the first day. Do you remember that? Actually I've seen you around the college a lot too, or with Alaira. Does she treat you nicely?" Not as many questions as Coco, but at least Annabeth could humor the idea that she had turned the tables on the Foreas.

"Annabeth..." Coco mused out loud, raising a hand up to her cheek. She then perked up, leaves puffing out. "Annabeth! I remember! But you didn't smell like roses back then. That's why I didn't recognize you." She said, then processed Annabeth's questions.

"I love roses. Yes, I came here to find out why you smelled like a very beautiful flower," Coco mentioned, entertaining the thought of a Foreas Annabeth for a short while, before she snapped herself back to reality, "yes, I remember the first day, too! I've heard you a few times, too. Alaira's great. First time I met her, she was very very very scary. Not as scary as the Syphis, but very scary nevertheless. I thought I was going to become, uh, how do you fleshlings say it...? Salad. I thought I was going to become salad for a moment."

Annabeth couldn't help but to laugh when Coco mentioned being turned into a salad. Granted, it was likely for something that was very scary on Coco's part but stilll... Salad. "Well, I can promise you Coco, no one wants to turn you into a salad here. The college can be pretty scary, but I think that we're all pretty close to one another. So.... I'm thinking of doing a bit of training here at the gym. I'm waiting for some of my friends. Would you like to join me?"

"Yes! I need to burn some energy. I had too much sunlight." Coco's leaves puffed out at her own mention of sunlight, and she had to force them back down with her hands. "I don't generally use the gym for more than sparring or training with my spear, so why don't you lead the way, Annabeth?"

"Alright than! Follow me please." Annabeth led Coco back into the gym to do some excises. Annabeth didn't want to immediately start sparing since she wanted to conserve her energy for when the others arrive, and because she wasn't really sure what Coco was capable of. Annabeth didn't really think that Coco was "Strong", but she has never seen her in action before and wouldn't want to get injured for underestimating Coco.

---

Annabeth led Coco in various stretches and calisthenics excises, while also teaching her some songs from her homeland. Just something that happened to go well with the calisthenics. She was starting to wonder if training for today was canceled when Ssarak finally showed up. "Ah, Ssarak! Where have you been?" However when Ssarak came closer, she could see that there was something wrong. His voice was distressed. Annabeth didn't need to know much else to know something was up. "Ssarak, what's wrong?"

"You do sound different than you did months ago, Ssarak." Coco mentioned, going over to Annabeth's side, facing Ssarak.

[Double post]

Ssarak looked to Coco and gave her a nod, more out of habit than anything, since she couldn't actually see it. "Morning, Coco." He said in greeting before turning back to Annabeth. The Foreas was perhaps the most unique individual at the college, in form and personality. He couldn't claim to be close to her, but she was someone who might consider him a friend. Of course, with how friendly she was, he would not be surprised if she considered everyone a friend.

"There is something wrong, I'm afraid." Ssarak answered to Annabeth. "You remember the story I told you about my past, not long after we arrived here. I fear my past has come to find me. I do not wish to say any more in a public place, but it is possible that I may be forcibly taken from the college soon if nothing is done to stop it. As much as I wish I did not need to burden others with my struggles, I worry that I will not be able to succeed on my own." Ssarak explained. In truth, he did not know how he was going to succeed at all, with or without help. He was guilty of his crimes. He had never once said that he was not, and no evidence existed that could change that story. Rather, they would have to find some other way to demonstrate that Dirssi should not be allowed to take him, but he had no idea how to go about doing that. It could be that such a task was impossible.

Leith and Satori

After Ssarak had left her office Lucilia arranged a meeting with Satori in Underhaven. They dind't stay in the common or even VIP areas; no, Lucilia had a very special place for people like her. Far below Underhaven and the college itself was a fairly well light and sophisticated hall. Here vampires mingled like royalty, feasting freely on blood and flesh. When Lucilia entered they all dropped what they were doing to pay her respect, but she did not awknowledge them. She had business to do.

Eventually Satori arrived to the grand hall and taken into Lucilia's private chambers. Lucilia had prepared drinks and confectionaries, but this was not a social meeting, and both women knew this. Satori was quick to gauge the purpose of Lucilia's reason for calling her here as Lucilia had lower her wards, so their conversation started and began with Satori asking questions about the mission. "I am willing to assist however I can, but you are aware that my personal testimony is not always admissible by the laws of other nations."

"I am aware of that Satori, hence why I only ask for the use of your Investigation Squad. And please-"

Satori raised her hand, already aware of Lucilia was going to say. "I understand my friend. Regardless if Ssarak is one of my most promisng students, I will not allow that bias. I will have the Investigation Squad do a thorough search on both parties. Good luck with your journey Lucilia. Godspeed."

---

Back on the topside, Satori had gathered the members of her investigation squad together. She only called up members induvidually and assigned them different tasks and missions. when it came to Leith, Satori had specific orders for him.

"Leith, it has come to our attention that certain guest of the college may have overstayed their welcome. The college will never deny a guest to it's grounds, however we feel that certain residents do not have the college's best intention in mind. You are to observe and investigate the given subject as subtly as you can. You will not engage them directly nor are you to inform others of your task. Within this portfolio is the full details of your mission, however after one hour after opening it shall burn into flames in order to keep the knowledge of your mission a secret. Do you wish to partake in this mission, fully aware of the responsbilities and risk involved?"

Leith nodded. "Sure, It'll be first really productive I've done since the attack." He rubbed his right arm as he thought about his month of studying demons as well as his regular classes. He looked at the Daemon Artes that had fused itself to his hand. He was still reeling at what Tyrael had told him a few weeks back; if he kept the gauntlet, he would slowly turn into a demon.

There were two options out of that, though. Sort of. Either he gave up his hand and become entirlely left handed, or become a Fallen. It was a term that, since it was related to demons, left a bad taste in his mouth. He still needed some time to make his decision, and time to do some research on becoming and being a Fallen.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts and looked back at Satori. "So, who is this guest that I have to investigate?"

"That, Leith, would be detailed in your portfolio. Maintain the upmost discretion and do not allow your personal bias cloud the objective of your mission. You are dismissed."

Leith smiled. "Sure thing. I'll get results without bias." He took the portfolio and gave a small wave to Satori as he left the room. He needed to go someplace quiet to study the documents he had tucked under his arm, and he knew exactly where to go.

It was time he went to the library.

Annabeth nodded her head as Ssarak briefly explained what was going on. The gym was too open to talk about something like this, so she figured they should head back to Underhaven. There wouldn't be many people there and she could just use another private booth anyways. "Alright, let's head to Underhaven. I can still get us a private booth."

Annabeth and presumably everyone else headed out the gym and towards the lower levels of Underhaven. Annabeth lifted her rune amulet and opened a door for the group. "Go to the door marked with a seven, that one is mines. I'm just going to go talk to the manager to let her know I'm using that room." Annabeth left the group to go find the manager, though she didn't seem to be around the bar. If she had to guess, she was working elsewhere. Regardless Annabeth simply went up to the Barkeep (Currently a vampire since the original goatman is still under investigation by Tyrael) and informed her that she was going to use one of the rooms.

Colette, who walked into the tavern, looked around when she saw her friend Annabeth and walked up once she was done with her conversation. "Hey Annabeth" she said nervously as she looked around the tavern, her eyes were flashing a darker red meaning she was hunger and was holding back her blood lust.

Annabeth turned to see Colette. A friend Annabeth met after the demons attacked the college. After discovering that she was a vampire, Annabeth actually had more time to meet with Colette since Annabeth worked part time at Underhaven, and Colette came to feed. Which it looked like Colette needed right now. "Barkeep, a Scarlet Beach for Colette please. You can put it on my tab." The barkeep nodded his head and got to making the bloody drink. "I'm sorry Colette, but I'm in a bit of a rush. The barkeep will give you something to ease your thirst."

Colette nodded and looked around "So whats going on around here?" she asked sitting down her eyes flashing still before she closed them tightly for a few seconds before opening them back up, they had stopped flashing for few seconds before she groaned holding her head as they started to flash more.

Annabeth sighed. She wasn't sure if she should talk to Colette about it, but she was a friend of Ssarak's too. Plus, Annabeth was very worried. "Something... Something is happening with a friend, Ssarak. He needed to talk to me about it. I don't really know what's going on, but I know he's in danger. I should see him soon... Do you want to help out Colette? I'm sure Ssarak wouldn't mind."

"I would love to help him out, if he is an any danger than I wil do everything I can to help him." she said as she got her drink and she drank it her eyes now back to their original maroon color. "Plus I can't let a friend be in danger, it reminds me of the time I was too dangerous to be around." She said sadly.

"Alright than, I'm going to go meet up with Ssarak than. Feel free to tag along." Annabeth looked over to the room that she had rented out for them and went over. She unlocked the door and ushered everyone instead. Once there, Annabeth lit a fire near the center to give the room some light and warmth. "Alright Ssarak, what's happening?"

Ssarak was at first wary of having Coco join them. It wasn't that he disliked the Foreas, but that he did not yet know who he could trust to aid him, despite his past crimes. As they were waiting for Annabeth, however, he had some time to contemplate on the issue. Coco did not seem to be a judgmental individual, and thusfar, his encounters with her had been nothing but positive. Perhaps she would judge him more on his current attitudes than his past crimes? Additionally, her mannerisms allowed her to ask any number or type of question she wanted without raising any suspicions. When Annabeth arrived with Colette, he had a similar mental debate on whether or not to include her, but eventually decided she could be helpful as well.

"Yes, of course. I know you and Meirin already know the story, but for the others, I should start from the beginning..." Ssarak said as he began another painful recitation of his sordid past. He did not spare a detail of his own crimes and failings, nor try to justify them, but merely explained what he did and why he did it. He described his attack and clan Xhoth's retaliation, as well as how it all led him into a self-imposed exile. As always, the pain and remorse in his voice was genuine, and intense. No matter how many times he told his story, it never grew easier for him to say.

Once he was finished explaining his background, he moved on to the present issue. "Now, a warrior from my homeland, from clan Xhoth, has come to claim me as a fugitive and bring me back to the Scorched Lands, presumably for a trial and execution. Perhaps I do deserve that fate; I do not claim to be wise enough to know, but I still wish to use the life I have to attempt to redeem myself for my crimes. Meirin has agreed to help me build a case in my defense, and I was hoping to ask all of you to assist in doing the same. I can offer little more than gratitude in return, but in success or failure, you will have that from me for the rest of my days."

Annabeth and Meirin Collab

Annabeth listened to Ssarak retelling his story. She knew that not everyone heard it so she kept quiet as he talked. When he was finished he told them what the current issue was. It appalled her; she thought Ssarak's exile was his punishment. Now they want to put more salt into the wound? "That can't be true! You've already paid for it, haven't you? There's no way your people would just suddenly decide to make things worse... There has to be another reason." Annabeth began to rack her mind trying to think of why they would want Ssarak pack. Petty revenge was the best she could think of; maybe someone doesn't think that Ssarak has paid enough. Likely this warrior from Xhoth, but she was being bias. Despite how horrific Ssarak's actions were in the past, Annabeth couldn't help but to side with him. "Alright, alright... So maybe we don't know all the details. Maybe we should figure it out? See if maybe this is a misunderstanding?"

"That's not likely Annabeth. The warrior, Dirssi, has been here for at least a month now. If she didn't know why she was here, I'm sure she would have left to discover why. I think Ssarak is right. They want to take him back to execute him. So we have to find a way to prevent that from happening." Meirin spoke from her corner of the room. She had to admit, the case was not in Ssarak's favor. He was already accused for his crimes in the past so there was no way they could disprove that. And short of committing more crimes and just killing Dirssi and her entourage, Meirin wasn't entirely sure how they could build their case for Ssarak either. "Maybe we can try to find something about Dirssi. A weakness we can exploit to show that she's unfit to carry out this duty." Perhaps this way they could get more time and work on Ssarak's case. At least if they can remove Dirssi, however temporary, there would be more time for them to come up with a more permanent solution.

Annabeth shook her head at Meirin's idea. "Remove her how? You said it yourself, she's been here for a good month. She's awfully patient, and the fact that we haven't even heard that she wants to take Ssarak away until now proves that she's not hasty. I'd say we go and try to figure out if this is a real case or not. I just can't believe that Ssarak's people would want to take him back to punish him again. There has to be more to it than that!" Annabeth shout out. She was getting rather emotional if only because she also isn't sure what to do. Giving up certainly wasn't one of them, and she needed to find something concrete for them to do, fast.

Meirin rubbed her eyes as Annabeth shouted out her "Suggestion". Sighing she looked at Annabeth. "Your unwavering optimism is nice, Annabeth, but the fact is that Dirssi is here to take Ssarak away to kill him. That's the simple fact. What we have to do is prove why he shouldn't be killed, why he can't be killed, not now and not anytime soon." Meirin wanted to believe that this was all just a big misunderstanding. Maybe Annabeth was right and Ssarak isn't suppose to be punished. But if he was, what would they do than? They would essentially be harboring a criminal if they pressed the issue further. Meirin wanted to prove Ssarak's innocence in this case first before they start figuring out what the reasons for the accusations are.

Though Ssarak of course had more in-depth knowledge of the background of this situation than the others, he knew no more than they did. He did not believe it was a misunderstanding, but it seemed like either Meirin or Annabeth's solutions might work...if it were even possible for anything to work. His head hung low as he listened to them, his expression despondent, but he was deep in thought. Other than her reputation, he simply did not know much about Dirssi. She was important enough to clan Xhoth that she could be trusted to collect him, even if it was strange to send an important member of the clan such as her on such a simple task. There were aspects of the situation that did not add up to Ssarak. After all, it wasn't as if he ran away from his clan under the cover of night; they knew he was going into exile. It was possible that clan Xhoth had called for his return, but he simply did not know. Information was something they lacked, so perhaps, he reasoned, that should be what they try to gain.

"I do not know what action is best. Indeed, we lack a great deal of vital information here. Perhaps we should try to learn, try to explore every option? I do not wish for Dirssi to know we are investigating her, as it would make her more cautious, but we could attempt to be subtle. I cannot talk to her, but she doesn't know who my friends are. It just has to not be suspicious, which may be difficult, as she may not be social with members of the college. I do not know her schedule, but...she is a warrior, much like me. She would have to take some time to train. I do not know when, but if you can get in the gym at the same time as her, it might seem natural to talk or spar with her. And she also has her guards. I believe three of them survived the attack. I do not know if they have any information, but it might be worth trying." Ssarak suggested. As he looked across his group of friends, his eyes stopped on Coco. He had thought on how she might be helpful before, and it seemed like he was correct.

"Coco, you tend to ask quite a lot of questions; it is part of who you are. You have sort of a...reputation for it. If you were to speak to one of them, you could ask essentially anything without causing any real suspicion. Do you think you could question one of them, perhaps Dirssi herself?" Thinking objectively, Coco seemed like the best fit to be the one to talk to Dirssi. The others could attempt to learn from the guards. Of course, there was always the option to try and sneak into their rooms, but that was an option Ssarak would prefer to save as a last resort.

Coco Bean

The story was... Bloody, she guessed was the correct word for it. Ssarak was an interesting lizard man, Coco realized. Such a past only made him look like a huge, juicy target for questioning--But she had learned things, in her stay at the College. One of them was that fleshlings weren't so open to questions, and that sometimes it was best to shut up, even if only for a few minutes, to let the fleshling calm down. She listened to the suggestions, her leaves quivering each time someone gave an idea, until Ssarak spoke her own name, bringing her up to a straight sitting position.

"I can do that. Getting to know her would be great. I know a few persons who speak of her prowess in battle at the demon attack. I'm sure I can find something out." Her tone was serious. It sounded somewhat chipper still, but the contrast was noticeable. "This whole meeting is secret, right? I won't mention any of this to Dirssi when I speak to her."

Bringing a hand up to her cheek, Coco turned towards Annabeth, tiny wrinkles forming around her nostrils for a split second. She still smelled like roses. "I'll need someone to come into the gym with a really pretty scent after a while, okay?" That way, Coco wouldn't have to worry about speaking to Dirssi for too long.

Leith Starts his Investigation
Leith sighed as he leaned back in his chair. For the past fifty minutes, he had studied everything that Satori had given him. From the sounds of it, an Esyire by the name of Dirssi was looking to take a student from the college. It was believed that the student might be taken for unlawful reasons. She had brought a retinue along with her, but the attack had killed two of them.

Leith looked at the notes one last time before he bundled them up and left the library. He went to the upper floors and tossed them out one of the windows. As they fell, the papers caught fire and burned to ash. Satori's all for the secrecy with this one, he thought as he watched the ashes blow away. Now, he needed to investigate Dirssi. He went to a nearby gargoyle and asked it to lead him to Dirssi's room.

The gargoyle led him to a hallway of rooms and pointed at one of the doors. "There," was all it said before it left for its pedestal, mumbling something about why Leith couldn't have picked a closer gargoyle. Leith shook his head with a smile and looked at the room that Dirssi had occupied since the attack before coming up with a plan.

Leith found another student that, for a few coins, would do anything that wouldn't get him kicked out and brought him to the hallway. "Now, all you have to do is knock on that door. If no one answers, you just earneed yourself some easy money. If someone does answer, tell them that someone had arrived and was looking for Dirssi. Just don't tell her that I set you up for this, or..." he trailed off and leaned against the wall with his right hand and started tapping a finger against it. The man paled and nodded before he started walking towards the door. Leith hid behind the corner and listened for what would happen next.

Upon the knock at the door, Dirssi reluctantly got up from her desk and answered. Even in her room, she wore her scaled armor, as the college had not inspired confidence in her regarding her safety. When she opened the door and saw that the one disturbing her was not Lucilia, she grew moderately annoyed. "Yes?" She questioned, her tone matching her mood.

The man fidgeted at her tone. "Uh, I was asked to get a Dirssi. Someone had arrived at the gate and they asked for you. It seemed important. And I was told to get you." The man rubbed his arm as he waited for her response.

"Someone arrived for me? That doesn't make any..." Dirssi began, interrupting herself with a sound that was somewhere between a grumble and a hiss. "I swear, if this is not about the fugitive, I am going to have someone's head. Very well, I will be there." She answered before stepping back into her room for a moment. Going back to her desk, she grabbed the notebook she had been writing in and stuffed it into her pack, then dawned the black cloak laying on her bed. As she stepped out of her room, she pulled her hood over her head, adjusted the pack under her cloak, and headed off to the front gate.

Leith waited for the footsteps to dissapear before he turned the corner. The man was standing by the door, rubbing his neck as he stared at the wall in front of him. Leith patted him on the back. "You'll be fine. You can go now." The man seemed to snap out of his daze and walked away from Leith as fast as he could. Leith sighed as he watched the man leave. He didn't like to use intimidation to get things done, but it was sometimes a necessary evil. He watied a few seconds before opening the door and entering.

He needed to be quick to search the room. Dirssi could potentially be back any moment. The room was quite spartan, and it was fairly warm. There was a solid looking desk that had writing supplies and ink stains on it but nothing to write on. Underneath the desk was a pack. He picked it up and set it on the desk. In the pack was a whetstone and other items that he assumed were for matinence and a note book. The whetstone looked like it had been used recently. He took the book out and opened it. There was nothing written in it though. Disappointed, he sighed and put the notebook in the pack and put the pack back under the desk.

Enough time was spent in the room, so Leith hurried to the door and snuck a peek both ways before leaving. He closed the door and went to headed to his room, thinking about what his cursory examination revealed. The desk had been written on, that was certain, but there was nothing that had been written in the notebook he found. Maybe she had another notebook that she took with her. If that was the case, It would be nigh impossible to get it from her. Not the best start, but he had just started. He had three days to find something to prove Dirssi was taking a student for something unlawful. Plenty of time. He got to his room and sat on his bed before lying back and staring at the ceiling. He needed to plan his next course of action.