E'nasha Williams

And, the battle was over, just like that. E'nasha wondered at what to do next, the time slipping into a haze as she followed everyone back to the college. For a couple weeks now, everything's been quiet. E'nasha returned to her studies, and became an almost-complete shut-in once again until El'kan decided to play a "game" with her.

Before dawn today, when she was still asleep, El'kan took and hid all of her study materials, and left a letter for her on her desk.



She had spent the last few hours trying to find El'kan, but it seemed like he was always a step ahead of her. Though she could tell she was catching up as the leads she found started pointing more and more to a single place he could be. Everyone she'd asked in the past half hour had told her El'kan was "hiding" from her in a bar on campus. Underhaven. Apparently El'kan was already well-known enough for many students to be able to recognize him around campus, even though they'd only been attending for a few months.

Well, now that she knew where he was, she could focus on one place to find now. She'd not really explored campus yet, so she'd have to figure out a way to get there without getting lost. She knew there were statues that could lead people around, but they usually seemed so sour whenever she saw one, she wasn't comfortable with talking to them. Instead, she looked to the yellow illumination ring she wore alongside the green stealth ring she'd received after returning from Lyn's hunt.

Tapping the yellow gem once, she focused on the place she wanted to go and watched the gem as the soft light began to pulsate. She watched where she was walking enough so that she wouldn't run into anyone, but otherwise she was fixated in the steadily increasing rate of the light's flashing. Soon enough she was standing in front of a door, and the light from her ring couldn't be flashing any faster, telling her this was indeed the place. The light stopped as she released her focus and opened the door, walking inside.

Looking around, she saw a couple familiar faces, the most notable of which being a few teachers at the bar, and Baulder in a booth across the room. She smiled and waved at Baulder to get his attention, she didn't want to shout in a place like this, she didn't need any attention from strangers. Another glance around and she found El'kan. He was facing towards her, talking to someone, though it didn't seem like he'd noticed her there yet. She started walking past the teachers at the bar and towards El'kan, and then...

Something happened.

Suddenly, she felt her body moving, though she could not control the action. Her mind went dark for a moment, and when her senses came back she saw that she'd started entangling one of the teachers, Uicle, in vines. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a portal and suppressed a small shudder. Had a Demon just come from the Inferno? Or, left to go there?

Whichever it was, E'nasha had to respond quickly. She recalled the vines before they could fully wrap around Uicle at all, and let them wither to dust as she did. She could feel her heart racing and the now-familiar dizziness of oncoming Blood Sickness as she stammered an apology to Uicle. It was hard to believe, but still, even with all the training she'd gone through to try and ease the effect, she was still dizzy like this after such an easy thing... How much of her mageblood had she just used?

"I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to a-attack you sir. Are, are you al right? Every time that happens, I can't ever control my actions..." She mumbled the last part, more to herself than to Uicle. She looked back to where she'd seen El'kan before, but with what had just happened he definitely saw her and used the opportunity to leave, because the sandy-haired boy was nowhere in sight now. "Again, so sorry." She said one last time to Uicle before starting to turn away.

She wanted to leave but, if the dizziness she felt was any warning, she didn't want to end up on the floor in a hallway somewhere. Since she didn't know where El'kan was anymore, she sighed and walked over to the booth where Baulder was, a shy smile on her face. "Hey there stranger, long time no see. Mind if I sit with you?"

Keri watched Annabeth tilt her head at the request for help later which made the vampire lightly chuckle again. Hopefully her friend wouldn't object the idea later though if she did the young woman wouldn't blame her. The grave makers were rather unique in a way. The were just different wooden carvings to be placed in different areas around the college, though it would have to be up high since there were more mercs and more guards around than usual. In a way this was what the girl needed though for some odd reason it hurt. Maybe it was because Keri never gave herself time to morn or maybe in her own way she wasn't truly ready to let go. Maybe it was because there would never be another person with the last name of Wolf in the world since she decided to stay a vampire. So many reasons. So many combinations. Yet where one family was being placed at rest another was slowly starting to fill the love which the other had left empty inside.

"Sure. I think I might have some Blood Root back at the kitchen. Underhaven is a bit... Crowded around this time, so maybe we could just head to the mess hall?" Annabeth mentioned making Keri to do her usual questioning look. Usually this woman could handle a crowd on her own yet for some reason it was a problem now." The mess hall will do. Blood Root will work and I can go down to Underhaven for the real thing later on today." the vampire said wondering what the woman was holding back. She could only hope that her friend would talk about it if not at least know she was there for her. The young woman walked beside the other just enjoying not running for once."I've been meaning to ask you, what have you been up to at the forge? I see you there sometimes, but you don't look like you're just browsing. Are you making something?" this kinda of surprised the vampire but then again the human only came in the forge once in a while. That and the young woman never really talked about her family due to being a forbidden subject.

"I tried my hand at smithing once, but I just didn't have the patience for it. Melting ingots into molten metal, hammering away at them in extreme temperatures while wearing so many layers of clothes, days spent grinding and treating the metal, and all just for a little knife? I've decided to spend by time on more immediate things." this made Keri chuckled for a third time today before taking her necklace off and placing it in Annabeth's hand." This is what my family had done for generations. No matter if you were adopted like my older brothers or born into the family like I was this was one of first things you were taught. It would start out small like bowels or spoons then would eventually become bigger such as furniture. Since Val won't allow me near the actual forge I help out by carving out the wood that is needed for the weapons. Now what you have inside your hands now was the birthday present my oldest brother made. It's also a reminder of the blood that was spilled that day. Is there anything else you would like to know?" the vampire asked waiting patiently for another question.

Mar had been laying in bed all day. Her bed had made a notable dent from where she rarely moved from, her figure laying almost disturbingly perfect in a ball. The faded light from the mushrooms glowed a distinct around their bedroom and faded into the main entrance, casting strong shadows among the furnishings within. Multiple changes had happened during the weeks that followed her accident as she slipped into a deep depression, her stomach clawed at her through she paid it little. Her eyes caught glimpses of her dresser and side table before she turned her head then buried it into the pillow within her oversized bed, the thing taking up over half of the room already. In her arms was Althalus’, clenched tightly as she just laid there.

Off and on, the female once Naga could remember the days. Even while the sense of time blended together, she recalled Meirin and various others popping in to talk with her and shortly leave with less conversation than she suspected they were hoping for. Her face pushed deeper into her pillows that she didn’t hear Althalus arrive until his lowered himself and sat there watching her, his eyes causing goosebumps to form along her naked skin. Her arms tightened about his pillow while she reached a single hand to pull a cover over herself and hide from sight. She heard his coin ting in the air then shifting through his fingers in an irritating way.

Normally, Mar would’ve have lashed out with her tail and smacked his head. However the moment she shifted her lower torso, only one leg moved painfully slow and tapped him against the thigh weakly.

"You know. Legs aren't that bad. You can finally climb trees, balance properly, kick things, wall run, jump, all kinds of things. And if you're worried about being stabbed and taken out, welcome to the club. Everyone in the college has been stabbed by surprise, me more so than others." Althalus started, still tossing his coin through his fingers then shot it upward. Mar’s face turned to look over her shoulder, peerign through the sheets as she spotted it dart upward then caught in his other fingers where he started to dance it around his fingers again. His lips smiled childishly, giving her heart a slight ache at the sight and longing inside.

"Been practicing that with Lyn for a while. That reminds me. Alaira's still very upset about being knocked out and having her jaw broke by her one opponent, and only getting lucky when she killed him. If she hadn't hit him just right in the skull, he would have only been very angry and hurting rather than dead from electric shock to the brain. I mentioned it, and she threw bottles at me. With terrifying accuracy. I'm not even sure where she got most of them from. "

Mar’s quiet, depressed voice interrupted him. “Althalus, please. Not today. I’m not in the mood. Please, just leave me alone...”

Her middle gargled and growled when the scent of raw meat reached her tongue when it darted out. She curled into a tighter ball, trying to ignore the sensation as she buried her face again to just to block it out.



Lyn heard the voice calling at her causing her to lean over the branch side, her arm stuck out and wrapped about the trunk to prevent her from falling. Her legs were straddling the branch base as she examined the woman below her and absorbed her image into her memory. She was an average Naerse human with shoulder length red hair, bright green eyes and pale skin with numerous piercings in her one ear. Overall Lyn considered her pretty as she noted something black dripping along her scalp: Mulberry juice.

Confusion crept along Lyn’s face as she tried to put together what had happened, her fingers ceasing to meddle with her ring anymore. It clicked shortly after Helena's next statement.

“You might wanna be cautious when sitting in a tree full of berries when there's someone else under it.”

Lyn started to pull back up, her legs shifted to the side than started to climb back down. Meanwhile something had latched itself upon her shoulder and sat there like a cute, cuddly stuffed bird. It was her teddy bear. The very same ball of cotton that Uicle had enchanted and been her small protector for a year now at least. It didn’t look like much on the outside but looks were often deceiving, especially within the college. Helena, during her time, would’ve encountered possessed object inheriting a soul form a necromancer or rune maker, so it wouldn’t been a far fetched assumption if the woman thought that was Lyn’s actual magic.

Lyn jumped the rest of the way, her feet landing hard on the ground as she tucked her knees in on impact. It vibrated slightly less as she raised herself upright again. She turned to face the woman, her serpent tongue instinctively flickered out while she smiled. However, the bear seemed to glare at Helena with its beady eyes, his nose crumpled up in irritation. He stared endlessly and began to growl causing Lyn to note it.

She then tap it on its head for his attention and spoke. “Be nice, Horais-s-s. Don’t-t growl.”

Her stuttering was fading though she still hated how it made her voice sound, namely since it made people have trouble understanding her. It was even worse that she became more aware when there was someone new around and she was forced to reply normally. The girl resisted the urge to speak through her rune as she knew not everyone found it natural to have a voice speaking from the throat and no lips moving, the magic it was based on something... strange for everyone. Especially her father, which she had learned was paranoid of Satori for some reason, had something against psychomancers in general. Currently, he refused to fully explain.

She turned to the woman as she gestured for her to turn around, intending on helping her pick out the mulberry before suggesting they head to the kitchen or pond to rise it off completely. “I didn’t-t mean t-to, I was-s-s just-t… dis-s-s-t-tract-t-ed. We could t-try was-s-shing it-t out-t in t-the pond? I'm Lyn by t-the way.”

Two weeks have passed since Lyn's Hunt, and Leith was feeling terrible. He had been so close to death so many times in past year than he felt appropriate, and the events of the hunt lingered with him. It caused him to wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat more than once. The night before had been no different, so as he usually did whenever sleep evaded him, he had set out for the library. To research a bit more on the Falling process he had ahead of him at some point in the future.

Stifling a yawn and with a slight limp, Leith left the library. Once he had been brought back to the College after the hunt, he had had his leg healed by Lidda since, as he was surprised to hear, the Naga had pretty much shattered his leg. Had he been in it's grasp any longer, his other leg might have done the same. The procedure had been quick and healed his leg fully, but he had a limp that he was told would go away in a few weeks time. With a sigh, Leith wandered the halls and let his mind wander.

This was the second time that he had encountered something known as the Wild. Both times, the ring that had affixed itself to his finger had spoke to him. He thought back at how the first time it talked to him it said that Althalus knew more about the Wild than he was letting on. Then, he had let it lie because it didn't seem that important, that it was a one off, but now that it happened again, it may be something a lot more relevant.

With that thought in mind, Leith decided he needed to talk with Althalus. With as a plan in mind, Leith set out to find Althalus. In a short amount of time, Leith was at the door Althalus' and Mar's den. He steeled himself and knocked on the door. The depression that Mar had been in since the hunt had been very disheartening, and from the few times he came by to check up on her, the depression was almost a part of the atmosphere and seemed to latch on to whoever was there. He waited at the door with a somber look on his face, a different look that the smile he tried to wear when he tried to talk to Mar.

---

Darius ducked under a wild hook and sent an uppercut to his opponent's abdomen. The man dropped to his knees and held his side. That was about the fifth punch that Darius had landed in the exact same spot. His opponent waved off against any further possible attack and returned to nursing his side. Cheers broke out from around him and Darius left the pit. He received his money from the fight and made his way to the bar. Underhaven was a good place to fight and no one seemed to mind the fighting there as long as it was fair.

There was a commotion as plants started creeping up the body of the Necromancy teacher Uicle. Darius looked at the scene for a moment before continuing to one of the open seats, as he made his way towards the bar, someone bumped into him. It was some kid that got up and started making his exit once he saw the girl wrapping vines around the teacher. He looked Yarosmeran. "Watch where you are going, kid," he barked at the kid, before turning to the bar and taking a seat next to Uicle.

He watched as Tyrael told Uicle that he was leaving and got up started making his way out of Underhaven. Darius was surprised that Tyrael was leaving so early. He ordered a drink and passively listened to any further conversation between Uicle and Tyrael, curious as to what was said to get the Demonmancer to leave

It was frustrating to see the demon drowning himself with drink because he wasn't there when the hunting party was attacked, and if Uicle hadn't stepped in, Darius would have.

Meirin smiled as Ssarak gave her a gentle hug. Even if her body was beaten up, she would always enjoy his touch. At least this time he wasn't wearing his full plate. Meirin also took the rose he had and sniffed it, enjoying it's slight fragrance. It reminded her of her alchemy class, and how she actually spent her entire time trying to recreate a fragrance she smelled. She still never figured out what that was. "Certainly. I made sure to give her a good thrashing. I'm sure she's still laid out right now." Meirin did make the conscience decision to not mention she had sparred Annabeth. Meirin wasn't too certain the exact nature of Ssarak and Annabeth's relationship with each other and just assumed they were fellow students. She didn't want Ssarak to think she was jealous of Annabeth or anything and sought her out to fight. Though Meirin did have to admit she enjoyed fighting Annabeth. Of course, Ssarak could easily figure all of this out simply by reading her thoughts, since Meirin still hasn't done any sort of Ward training yet.

"I need to change out of something less dirty. If you just give me a few minutes, I'll be ready for you." Meirin skirted around Ssarak and went inside her dorm. Immediately the first thing Meirin did was discarded her damaged clothing, folding them on her table so she can mend them later, and first went to wash herself.

Meirin had a special rune to create water, which she'd use another rune to warm up. Once she had a small basin of water, she mixed in a few drops of soap she made in Alchemy class and started weaving. She created orbs of water, much like the ones she used to fight the knight, but this one was much bigger and slower. Since she wasn't using it to hurt anyone she could afford to be gentler. Using a trick she learned from Leith, she held her breath and engulfed her head in the soapy water. She then began to weave her hands through the air, which made the water orb spin around her head, cleaning the dirt and filth from her hair. She continued to weave with her hands, lowering it so make the orb of water slowly clean her entire body. It was very quick and after about five minutes she was clean. Dumping the water into a separate basin which she'll dump out later, Meirin dried herself off using her Aeromancy weaving.

Meirin then lathered her body with some scented oils. Most of them she had sampled from a few caravans from Yarosmere, but a few she did make herself. They had scents from different flowers, but her own were based off spices. Her own favorite was an apple and cinnamon oil, which she applied a light layer of at the base of her neck. Meirin then went to put on her new dress, but paused when she looked through her wardrobe. Before, she had simple clothes to protect her modesty, designed by the monks to remind her of home. But now she had more exotic designs, foreign clothing, and all of them were made to look good. It embarrassed Meirin greatly, since she did buy these specifically with Ssarak in mind.

Ssarak wasn't the type of man who'd care about Meirin's appearance, and that slightly bothered Meirin. Ever since she came to the college and learned more about the values outside of the monastery, Meirin couldn't help but feel insecure about her appearance. Meirin didn't know how to think about it since none of the monks at the monastery ever taught her about something like this. While a few had wives and spoke much about the beauty of life and nature, they never taught her about being beautiful themselves. The closest thing about it were usually cautionary tales about vanity, but Meirin wasn't doing this because she wanted to be beautiful and youthful for the rest of her life. She just wanted to look nice for Ssarak.

Once she was finished getting dressed, Meirin stepped outside in her new dress. She even did up her hair, placing Ssarak's flower into the bun. She felt a little embarrassed since this would be the first time she's worn this outfit, and it wasn't like her usual clothing. She couldn't fight wearing this dress due to how heavy it was and the chance she'll suffer a wardrobe malfunction if she moved too harshly. What made her feel even more embarrassed was her bare shoulders which she normally covered up. While she was still modestly dressed she did feel that she was exposing a bit more skin than usual. "S-sorry to keep you waiting. Shall we go?"

Ssarak Dyreackthanose

---

Ssarak was quite patient in the hallway for Meirin to return. He understood that she would want to clean up after a bout of what he assumed to be training, though he did start to notice that it was taking a bit longer than he would have expected. Nevertheless, he did not even think of moving until she returned. Mostly, his thoughts were filled with brainstorming on where he could actually take her. He had made the decision to spend the day with her not long ago, so it occurred to him that he did not have many specific ideas in mind.

When Meirin finally emerged, Ssarak found himself surprised for more than one reason. Given how Meirin usually dressed, he did of course notice her new attire, along with the attention she had put into her hair. It was green, with a floral design on its lower half. It had quite a large bow tied around her midsection, and seemed more loose than her usual garb. Overall, it did not seem nearly as practical as what she usually wore, which struck him as odd. For Ssarak, he had no concept of what it meant to "dress up." In his village, both men and women certainly had ways of improving their appearance for those they wanted to impress, but they did not use clothing to accomplish it. As such, the meaning of her new dress was lost on him.

Certainly, though...I have to admit, I am not entirely resolute on what we should do. I only learned I would have this free time recently, so...I am making up my plans as we go along." Ssarak chuckled. "But, I think we have plenty of options. We could take a walk around the gardens, or perhaps the forest, we could go for a swim, or fly up to the rooftops and have a nice dinner as we look out over the landscape. Or, now that your magic can allow you to fly yourself, I would feel more comfortable flying you up to the highest altitude I can carry you. The world looks so much different from up there. For me, I have no preference. I am just happy to spend the time with you."

As Ssarak allowed Meirin a moment to think, he took a look at her dress once more, this time with a curious expression. It was unusual enough that he could not help but to comment. "You know, you look different from usual. That dress is not like the clothing you usually wear. It is...lively and flowing, like the waves on a lake. But, it does not look easy to move around in. I am surprised you would want to wear it."

A few moments later, now that Ssarak was paying close attention, he noticed the scents of the oils Meirin had put on herself. They smelled sweet, like the flower he had given her. It was quite pleasant, and for Ssarak, it was something he could understand. While those in his village did not dress themselves to impress their lovers, perfumes were something they did use. The scents they had access to were far different from what Meirin was wearing, granted, but they were still pleasant, and he understood the intent behind it. He quickly started to smile upon the realization that she seemed to want to impress him.

(WHOOPS WRONG PLACE)

Helena watched the girl climb down, one eyebrow raised the slightest bit. It only went up more at the appearance of her tongue. That was...not quite what she was expecting, but it wasn't all that strange either. She'd heard some talk about, not at her really, but she'd been close enough to heat some things about some of the other residents of her new home.

Though her expression did change some as she looked to the little ball of fluff that seemed to think her a threat. She looked back evenly, the hint of a return challenge in her green eyes as Lynn shushed it. She wasn't one to back down that easily. Especially from fluffy little toys, possibly soul possed or not. But her glance flickered back to the girl and she offered a small smile as she waved off her help.

“It's alright,” she said, plopping down most of the berry down on the ground a little ways away from her. “I'm really not too worried about it.” Fishing the rest of it for the most part, she rubbed her hand off ob first a leaf then her pants before offering it to Lyn. “Nice to meet you, Lyn. I'm Helena. Yes, there is an ‘a’ at the end, don't worry if you forget it though. Most people do for a while.”

Meirin Kurenai

All those things sounded wonderful to do... If Meirin wasn't wearing this dress. While it hung a little loose around the shoulders, it was actually quite tight and form-fitting, making it hard for her to move. She wouldn't even be able to use most of her weaving motions due to how restrictive the heavy dress is on her legs. She wouldn't mind talking a walk, though she couldn't move quite as fast in this dress as she normally could,\. She would be willing to swim if her body wasn't completely sore right now, and might get even more sore if she did something as full-body as swimming. The flying and dinner sound nice, though Meirin wasn't hungry right now.

She was starting to have second thoughts about dressing up, knowing that if she had simply worn her normal attire she could have done almost everything with him. Instead she dressed herself up in these weighty garments that made her about as useful as a glass doll. She hasn't even done anything and she was starting to sweat a little in her robes. Meirin especially felt a little sad after hearing ssarak compliment the dress at first, but question why she would wear it. She didn't know if he meant why she would wear this dress, or why she was trying to dress up in the first place. Either way it seemed like he didn't really like it. But she would endure and make due, taking note of what she would need to do next time.

"Oh, I just wanted to try something a bit different. I'll admit I'm not quite used to these clothes yet, but I didn't want it to gather dust in my closet so, here I am! Anyways, I wouldn't mind going for a flight. I wish I could do it myself, but... I like being carried by you."

Myrn Vaan'Atisha

Myrn was still bandaged up from her wounds against the Ridge Hounds. She insisted that she was fine, but the healers kept telling her to keep her bandages on and apply the medicine when she changed bandages. She wasn't one to go against a doctor's orders, but she found the entire process to be tedious. Fortunately she was at least healthy enough to get back to fighting, though she probably couldn't battle anything without reopening her wounds. So between classes and work, Myrn often just practiced her swordplay in the air to stay in shape.

But that wasn't the only thing she did. As a Vaan'Dred it was her obligation to learn more about the world's lore and weave it into songs and stories. And while hasn't yet actually made any of her own, she still did travel the world to learn about various cultures and secrets. The college seemed like the perfect place to operate since it was a veritable treasure trove of ancient histories and magic, but it was more than that. It was a magnet of the strange, exotic, and dangerous. Which brings Myrn to the naga.

Myrn had heard of the naga before, the snake-like people of Yarosmere. She has seen their goods from traveling merchants, their imagery in art, a knew a little about their fighting style by various mercenaries. But until she came to the college, she's never seen an actual naga before. Mar was the first, but she wasn't the last. When the nagas from the catacombs were allowed to stay at the college, Myrn wasted no time gathering up all the paper and ink she could get to interview each naga. Myrn wasn't afraid of them, in the sense that unlike some others, their reptilian features and general attitude didn't repulse her. If her short analysis from Mar was any indication, some people may think that Naga's are naturally aggressive and unpleasant. But that was obviously untrue, because despite being a total stranger the nagas were willing to let Myrn interview them.

At first she only spoke to those who had the time to spare, and only a few questions before they had to leave. But over the two weeks, Myrn has been able to curry some favor with the naga, talking to some very important figures. Myrn was going to speak to a few of them today. With any luck, she may even get to question the matriarch. So Myrn proceeded to the courtyard where the Nagas were staying at, her pen and paper ready to write down the answers to her questions. When she arrived she shouted out and announced herself. "Hello! It's me, Myrn! I came to ask a few more questions!"

Ssarak grinned. "And I must say, I am quite fond of carrying you. I want to take you higher than before; to the limits of where my wings can carry us. At that height, buildings can be like specks of dust on the landscape beneath you. Being above the clouds, you can watch them pass by like mountains in the sky. There is a point, far above the ground, where the horizon itself starts to bend. I do not believe I could take you there, but...I think you will enjoy it regardless."

With their plans decided upon, the pair started making their way towards the building's exit, but Ssarak still had Meirin's scent on his mind, and did not want to pass on the opportunity to compliment her on it. "I would also like to say, your scent is simply wonderful. It is bold, but not overbearing. It is sweet, and exotic...well, to me at least. It flatters me that you would wear it for our time together, and makes me regret that I did not do the same for you."

Given the context of the scents Meirin was wearing, Ssarak once more started to think about the dress, but from a different perspective. He never would have known her to wear something so restrictive, but she had also used a scented oil or perfume for the first time since he had known her. He understood the meaning of perfumes, and could not help but to wonder if her sudden change in attire was for the same reason. Reflecting on how he had responded to the dress, his expression quickly turned to regret. "Oh...wait, did you wear the dress for...me as well? I am so sorry, I did not realize...I of course appreciate you doing such things for me, but..." He stammered, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "It is just, in my village, we never used clothing in that manner, or many other purposes that were not strictly practical. We were usually either nude, or just wore simple loincloths, pouches, and such. I never knew clothing was used in so many ways in Human lands. I am still sometimes learning what is appropriate or expected to wear in what occasions. I truly hope I did not offend. Should I be wearing anything different right now?"

Annabeth Gulch

"Ah. Oh..." Annabeth felt a bit embarrassed rambling on like that. More so once Keri revealed what she was doing and how serious it really was. Annabeth looked at the little wooden carving that Keri said was from her brother. A tear fell from Annabeth's eye. She realized that she had nothing left from her brother or father. No trinket or memento, not even a home to go back to. Only memories and what they taught her. Wiping away the tears before they got too heavy Annabeth handed Keri back her necklace. "I... Um... No, not really. I don't have anymore questions. But I do understand, Keri. How it feels that is. Like I said, I'll help you out, so just ask me and I'll do anything for you."

Annabeth and Keri later grabbed some lunch at the mess hall. There were plenty of students milling about, but the two girls got their food quickly. Annabeth had a simple meal of tomato soup with bread, while Keri had her Blood Root tea. It had the taste and consistency of blood, but without that hint of the living it was, at best, a placebo. But it would serve it's purpose to keep Keri's true hunger at bay, if only for a few more hours. Annabeth couldn't really bring herself to say much as her thoughts drifted back to her brothers and father. Her youngest brother and father died after bandits attacked their farm house, and her elder brother, Rendar, had already left to train at the college. In fact, Annabeth had come to the college looking for him, but never found him. She remembered that she was going to search for him, but the college and it's people... They ended up filling that void of family that she was going to seek her brother for. People she could turn to and rely on during stressful times, and people she could be with during happier days. Annabeth wondered what had become of her brother. She hoped that he did not end up like Keri's family.

Eventually Annabeth was full of soup and bread, and she waited for Keri to finish. Once they were Annabeth was ready to head to the forge and help Keri with ehr task, though not without a friendly warning. "We should try not to take too long. Tyrael has been in an awful mood lately, and I don't want him catching us in his forge if he's angry. Well, he's always angry I suppose. But let's not make it worse?" Annabeth said, unaware of Keri's own relationship to the demonomancy teacher. Annabeth just didn't want to get into trouble.

Althalus sighed, his coin flicking through his fingers still. “No. You’ve been in here for a week now. You’re going to eat. You’re going to stand up. And you’re going to start learning how to use your legs. I’m not making a request, or a suggestion. You are going to do these things. Lyn is now a teenager. She needs you. I need you. So you’re going to get up. I’m going to help you up. You’re going to eat, and then you’re going to work on walking. We can’t change these things, but we can adapt to them.”

He stood up and pulled the blanket off of her, not even raising an eyebrow at her nakedness. Althalus put the plate down next to her. “Eat.”

“Please Althalus, don’t... “ Mar pleaded, something she rarely did, as her hand tried to pull the blanket back over. Her head turned toward him with slight anger and pain in them while she continued. “I can’t walk Althalus. Not with these things. I don’t even know where to begin and… I can’t.”

She had almost told him the main reason she didn’t want to. The naga would recognize her and likely disown her, resulting in her banishment being realized for what it was originally. At least at the college she had the option of pretending she would one day be able to return. Her heart ached while she leaned upon her elbow, propping herself upright, then pushed the plate back toward. “I’m not hungry. I’ve not been for weeks…”

“Yes. You can. You can walk. All of us at the College can walk ‘on these things’. And I’m going to teach you.” His eyes hardened as he figured out why she didn’t want to learn. “Mar. You’re not apart of their tribe anymore. They banished you before you got legs. They sent a gods damned assassin after you. This isn’t going to change anything.”

Mar snapped upright then hissed at Althalus, her tone angry. “She wasn’t sent by them. It doesn’t make sense for them to kill a banished Naga!”

Again, her leg weakly moved, flickering to smack him only to fall short as she winched at the sight. Her hands balled into fists then smacked the bed top in frustration. Her head lowered into her hands where she cradled it and tried to stop a soft sob attempting to escape her lips. She barely sensed Althalus moving closer.

He crouched down next to her, putting the plate next to her. “Yes you are. You’re just ignoring your hunger. Nothing seems like it’s worth it. You’ve lost it all. What’s hunger compared to your loss? Except you haven’t lost anything. You’ve changed, sure. A bit damaged, well yeah. But you still have your family, and you still have the college. Now eat, and then we’re going to start practicing walking.”

“What’s the use? I’m not human, why pretend? Even if practice, it could be years before I learn to walk and even then… why? At some point Lyn won’t need me and you can’t wait around forever. Why bother?”

Mar leaned toward Althalus’ side, her arms wrapped about herself while she tried with every fiber not to scream or shout, her anger building up. “I can’t even do a single thing in this form right now so how do you know I can?”

“You’re not human. Neither is Ssarak. Or Aramir. Or Tyrael. Or Auriel. Or Khan, or Uicle, or any number of creatures that walk with two legs. It won’t be years, and I’m quite prepared to wait forever. Lyn won’t need either of us at some point, though I’ll probably stick around like an annoying father for far longer than she’d like.” Althalus hugged her.

“I know you can. Because you’re you. Stubborn, wilful, remarkably intelligent and willing to learn. You’ll learn. If it takes small children only a few years to learn to walk, and they practically aren’t even sentient, you can learn in a shorter amount of time.”

“I’ve tried. I just… I can’t do anything with these things. They’re useless to me.” Mar breathed, inhaling softly as she leaned more into him. “You lost your hand, but Lidda was able to grow it back. She can’t with mine due to the damage I took when something happened. She, Sam and a few other teachers have told me I was lucky I’m alive and I should leave it at that. However, I get this sickening sensation something is still wrong.”

“Of course they’re useless to you. You haven’t been practicing or trying to use them at all.” Althalus chastised gently, stroking Mar’s hair.

Mar inhaled at his reasoning, her brown eyes looked down at her feet. The toes curled and stretched with each thought causing her to wonder if this was what it was like for all bipeds, her dislike of being forced into becoming one pushed away. Her head turned to bury herself deeper into Althalus’ chest as her heart sank. His musky, male scent had usually been enough to comfort her in any stressful moment, but the sensation of losing part of herself was much deeper than she could've imagined.

It was like she had lost a part of who she was.

“Excuse me if I find it hard to believe when I can't do a single thing now.” Mar half heartedly snapped, her skin quivered under his touch while he skirted his fingertip across her forehead and shifted her hair. Her arms folded against her while her ear rested against his heart, listening to the beat rhythmically surge up and down.

“I disagree. You’ve kicked my about twenty times by now. With remarkable accuracy, I might add. Who knows, with some training from Mei you might actually be able to kick me in the skull. I do like flexible women.” Althalus waggled his eyebrows suggestively at Mar.

“I can even teach you how to climb now! You can follow Lyn and I, rather than waiting below the tree, worried sick. Yes, you couldn’t hide it very well. You’re still not good at hiding things, but you’re getting better. Lyn, at least, believed you weren’t worried.” Althalus teased, kissing Mar on the forehead.

“You may have lost something, but you gained things as well.”

Mar leaned back more, her head nuzzled under his chin as she pondered over what he had said. Her mind flashing through numerous reasons that worked in her favor. None of them realistic or plausible enough to argue Althalus into seeing her point. She let her shoulders slouch while she then quietly spoke.

“I just hate feeling useless.”

“We all do.” Althalus replied, hugging her closer. For a moment, he just allowed himself to be content with the fact that all he loved was still alive. Everything had turned out, for the most part, okay. Now all they had to do was start adapting to the new situation. Start teaching Mar why two legs wasn’t that bad. Hmm. I have an idea… He smirked mischievously, leaning down to kiss Mar on the lips.

Of course. That’s when Leith knocked on the door.

Althalus groaned in despair, breaking the kiss and rising up to see who was there. “One moment Mar. I’ll be back, hopefully without company.” He winked standing to his feet. “This had better be good.” He muttered.

Opening the door, he eyed Leith only slightly balefully. “Can I help you?”

"Ah. Oh..." when Annabeth said this Keri did her normal questioning look. She never meant for the woman next to her to be upset or anything of the sorts. Though the young woman did wonder what sort of family her friend had before coming to the college. It was something that the vampire intended to ask later. When the human passed the necklace back Keri placed it back in its original place upon her neck. "I... Um... No, not really. I don't have anymore questions. But I do understand, Keri. How it feels that is. Like I said, I'll help you out, so just ask me and I'll do anything for you."" Anything? Um... I'll keep that in mind Annabeth. And thank you for being there for me."

Both of the girls arrived inside the mess hall. Annabeth had ordered tomato soup and bread while Keri ordered some blood root tea, while keeping in mind to stop inside Underhaven later. Today it seemed like the students were just either wondering or just doing other things around the college. The tea tasted just like blood which was rather cool considering it was a plant that was placed in it. Granted to would add a few more hours at best. While they ate the vampire would start a conversation though the older woman's thought seemed to be somewhere else. Though she didn't mind to be honest.

Annabeth had ended up finishing first and was not waiting very long for Keri. "We should try not to take too long. Tyrael has been in an awful mood lately, and I don't want him catching us in his forge if he's angry. Well, he's always angry I suppose. But let's not make it worse?" The vampire's friend warned as she groaned." Again? I'm starting to wonder of this man has another emotions than kill those who I don't like and anger. If he's in a sour mood than it's best to stay away for a while longer but thanks for the attempt to help Annabeth. I prefer not to play off with her head again so we can do something else. We could always look for the new students, look for Lyn, or visit Mar. Which one sounds better?" the young woman asked.

Lyn

Lyn was worried. Namely about Helena’s glare provoking her bear into being even more aggressive and possibly attacking the woman, forcing her to restrain them both before they hurt each other. A fact she wasn’t very comfortable with it since they risked injury as she inhaled, her breath stalled to wait out the aftermath. Thankfully Helena’s attention turned toward her. Seeing the woman note her presence, she began to walk forward and reach for the red hair in order to help only to be waved back. Lyn’s eyes tightened in confusion at the action causing her to bit her lip in uncertainty and confusion.

She didn’t mean to dirty the woman’s hair in her distraction after all, so it was her responsibility to make right again. Only she wasn’t about to push herself on the fellow student just to accomplish that. Watching Helena pick the rest of the sticky berry out, she offered her name and hand to the child. Naturally Lyn’s friendliness overcame her caution when she fit her own hand into the woman’s. Helena would feel the almost perfectly smooth skin mimic a human’s until she pulled back, which then the scales would’ve snagged ever softly and created a rather rough texture. It was a bit like leather armor through still vulnerable to slashing and piercing weapons.

Carefully, Lyn repeated the name over to herself. “Helena..That’s a pretty name. Especially with the a at the end. How long have you been within the college? Did you arrive recently?”



The last of the hunters, about a handful survived the catacomb ordeal. All hunters as the crafters died in the travel leading up to the college and were no match for the harsh environment within the ravine. Their bodies being in a endless stage of decay while being feasted on by the various demons, their genes unable to spawn new generations and prevent their tribe from dying out. Over the days that followed, their adjustment had been slow. Especially with a wood elf, Myrn, pestering them and making their ability to rebuild what was lost taking more time than normal.

Lyamis was the buffer between the naga and Myrn’s curiosity so not create tension, his head turned to spot the woman approach them early in the morning. Toleration was a skill they were starting to learn, through only Lyamis and the matriarch were highly skilled in the action, and he didn’t need one of his hunters squeezing the life out of an a student. His eyes drifted toward the golems still silently guarding them and lingering nearby, their forms both visible and hidden causing Lyamis more stress than needed.

When he heard the wood elf announce herself, he immediately stopped his work. His sharpening of his spear stalled in favor to prevent his fellow hunters from feeling uncomfortable and crowded by the woman, their visual cues lost on someone not a naga. Leaving Amaryllis to direct the others, his hand held out to assure her he would handle it as he slithered over toward the woman. “I figured your questions would’ve been over seeing as we’re about to leave. Through Naga tend to dislike loud sounds and we can see who you are, Myrn. Shouldn’t you be recovering?”

Leith adjusted his cloak so that his right arm wasn't visible before anyone answered and sighed when Althalus opened the door. "Well, yes. I'm hoping you can." Leith started pacing back in forth as he talked. "I probably should have mentioned it after the hunt, but there was a lot going on. My leg was broken, and there was the whole issue with..." He trailed off and stopped and looked at the door as if he could see through it, then started pacing again. "I had mentioned something similar to you before, but you brushed it off, and I didn't see any reason to pry. I know who- no, what sent those people. I was told moments before it happened."

Leith stopped pacing and looked Althalus straight in the eye before he spoke again, his voice quiet so it didn't carry. "I came to you because out of anyone here at the college besides probably Ovak, you know more about the Wild than anyone else here, and whatever it is, it seemed to have been after Lyn." Leith rubbed the back of his neck with his left hand and sighed. "I thought I'd let you know. I would like to know more about what we're dealing with, though, if you don't mind.'

Meirin Kurenai

Meirin was pleased when Ssarak took notice of the effort she went through to dress up for him. She did feel a bit guilty not being aware that Ssarak culturally wouldn't have understood the reasons she dressed, so she didn't hold it against him. Meirin understood how his people would only use clothing for necessity and not waste such resources on niceties, which even her own monastery didn't entirely practice. After all, they weren't truly monks, but artist. They practiced martial arts in the form of dance, learned how to harmonize with nature in a way that benefits both man and the wild, and often used their excess supplies to create works of art as a form of meditation. Their rules and aesthetic lifestyle was self-imposed as oppose to how harsh the Scortched Lands were, where nature had worse things than foxes and the occasional bear. Djarkel was only sometimes on fire.

Still, Meirin wouldn't let this chance slip by. She punched Ssarak playfully in the chest, though she aimed for his solar plexus to give him a bit of a jolt. "For a mind reader, you aren't very good at figuring out people's intentions, are you?" Meirin giggled as she teased Ssarak, moving a little bit forward. "I can't say I understood either. In hindsight, I can see why I was never more than an acolyte back at my monastery. I was the best fighter of my age there, and if I went back now I would be the strongest mage, if only because I'm can actually use magic. I was so focused on training my body and growing stronger that I missed the... Meaningful things in life." Contemplating her words, Meirin turned around to face Ssarak, hiding have her face behind her sleeve so he could only see her eyes.

"hen I first came here, I only wanted to learn how to control my magic so that I could become stronger. To become a better warrior. But if that was the case, than my teachers could have taught me how to control magic. Perhaps not as well as the college, but enough not to hurt myself. However they wanted me to leave the monastery so that I could learn more about the world and those within it. When I first brought these clothes my first thought was how pretty they were, followed by how useless it was. But then I realized that while this dress would normally be in the hands of a noble or some woman with too much wealth, it was painstakingly crafted by an artist. This dress wasn't made to be torn apart and tossed aside, but as a representation of the skills and effort the craftsman had spent much of his life to master. To dismiss it simply because it has no practical use... It would be as insulting as saying my skills in battle are pointless during a time of peace."

In a way Meirin actually pitied Ssarak. He lived in a place were strife and struggle were rampant. They had to put all their effort merely to survive, and had no time to actually live. Such a lifestyle would produce the type of people who civilized people would consider savage and barbarians, because they're more concerned about the simple things like survival, rather than complex concepts like artistry. Fortunately it seems that the Scorched Lands didn't make such uncouth people, if Ssarak was any indication. "That's merely my thoughts. Sometimes there is no meaning for something except that it was wanted." Another chuckle escaped Meirin's mouth as she lowered her hand and smiled at Ssarak. "Though that sounds like a temptation my teachers would warn me about. Don't you agree?"

Myrn Vaan'Atisha

Myrn only smiled as Lyamis gave her his trademark snark. Perhaps his he had no sense of humor or was naturally deadpan, but Myrn found him funny. He seemed so... Serious. Granted Myrn did understand why the naga would be so cautious of her, but then again she might not. All the more reasons why she came here to question them. But before she would ask her questions, it only felt appropriate that she give Lyamis some answers. "The fact you're leaving is precisely why I've come all this way to talk to you. It's not often that I get to speak to a naga, especially one as important to their society as you. And I figured if I kept introducing myself, even the naga who do not speak to me would get more familiar with who I am. Plus, this is just a flesh wound." The flesh wound which Myrn was referring to was the heavily bandaged shoulder. Due to how chaotic things were the day the students came back from the catacombs, Myrn wasn't able to immediately get magical healing from one of the teachers like Lidda, and had to settle for more conventional methods. She was given some treatment a few days later, and while the wound has healed her arm was still feeling the effects of the Ridge Hound's bite. Myrn counted her blessings that it was the only serious attack she took that day, or else she would be short a few limbs.

"I'm sure you want to leave as soon as possible, so I'll get right onto the questions." Myrn produced a thick book and an ink feather. She had a ink-well built into her book to allow quick application of ink. "I still have many questions about your culture. For starters, what are your thoughts about demons? I understand that your home is near the Ravine of Demons, so I imagine that the naga came into contact with them a lot. Have they ever considered any sort of peace with them, or has it always been conflicts? Additionally, what are the naga's thoughts about magic? While it is still a wild and mysterious force for even those of the college, there's no doubt that magic is involved in everyone's lives, weather they are capable of utilizing it or not. I also understand that a naga was sent here to the college after she was discovered to have mageblood. What were the first reactions to this discovery? What were the circumstances which made her come here? Has the naga ever practiced any sort of rituals or religious ceremonies that you would think is 'Magic'? Do nagas worship any gods? And what about the naga's ability to resurrect themselves similarly to undead after suffering mortal wounds? That isn't a natural, or at least normal, thing for most creatures to do. Do you have any idea what may be the cause of this? I am told that it is linked to one's emotional state, but what would you consider to be a strong enough emotion to evoke it, more so near death? Also has there ever been any naga hybrids with other races that you know of? Have nagas ever had children with people of other races? How would you describe the mentality of a naga compared to other races? I have also heard that there are nagas who live in the oceans, do you know much about them?"

Myrn's questions came a mile a minute and she expected that Lyamis would be overwhelmed by the sheer volume. Fortunately Myrn already had these questions written down for each page, allowing her to write at least two pages of information for whatever Lyamis would respond with. And if he was at all familiar with how Myrn operated, there were plenty of more questions left. Some minor, some major, but all of them were important to Myrn.

Ssarak Dyreackthanose

---

Ssarak paused only briefly to let out a quick breath of air at Meirin's playful hit before he chuckled and placed his hand on her shoulder, shaking it gently. "Now, you know I am not going to reach into your mind without permission. If you wish to give me a hint on something, you will have to do so in the traditional way. Just...keep in mind that your traditions are as familiar to me as color is to the blind." He commented. It was an obvious exaggeration, given how much he had learned of Humans over the past few years, but the point still stood.

As the pair continued along through the building, Ssarak found Meirin's perspective to be surprisingly insightful. He would not have thought that a simple garment, even one as intricate as hers, could carry with it any real meaning. Coming from a society that valued practicality over all else in terms of useful resources, the idea never would have occurred to him to even attempt to apply deep thoughts to such an item. Even so, there were some common threads between his upbringing and Meirin's. They both appreciated art, just in different forms. Meirin's monastery found beauty in the movements of their martial arts, while his own village created dances in the skies with finely choreographed flights. Neither his village, nor the monastery found their beauty in clothing, but Ssarak was starting to see how Meirin could appreciate it in the same way. Certainly, he could easily see that it made her look quite elegant.

Once they made it outside, Ssarak stopped and looked up at the morning sky, taking in a deep breath of the fresh air. Meirin's thoughts so far had inspired some of his own. He smiled, though he kept his gaze focused up at the clouds. "You would know your teachers better than I, of course, but I would think you are right based on what you have told me of them." He answered. "Though, you have inspired me to think. I must admit, I have never looked at something as simple as clothing with such depth. There are many parts of human society which never would have come close to occurring to me before. My parents, my village, they raised me to see the world in a certain way. They taught me the skills I have, but also the opinions I grew up with. They...proved to me how strong our lives made us. We were the masters of the volcanic badlands of our home. It is a place that calls many ferocious and threatening creatures home, but the Esyire were the ones that mastered it. Our ingenuity, our unity, our strength. I was taught that the land forced us to be strong by necessity, that it built the character of our people into something of which to be proud. I was taught that we benefit from the struggles that other races do not have to face. After living away from my homeland these past few years...I do have to agree that the Scorched Lands make us stronger. It trains us, physically and mentally, to become stronger than we would be otherwise. Hardier. But, after being away so long...I cannot really say that it is definitively better."

Ssarak turned his head back to Meirin. "Life out here may not be as difficult, and as such, not require as much...durability. But, I have already witnessed the ways in which Humans' lives improve their people. They do not focus their lives solely on survival, so they are free to tackle other pursuits. I have seen how people here can create in ways of which I never could have dreamed. Impressive structures, magnificent works of art, and even creative forms of leisure. It is easier, and some people may see that as inferior, but I am starting to see it as simply different. I believe that those in my village have saw the world from only one perspective for so long, that they have a hard time seeing the perspectives of others. The same may be true of your monastery. The monks have found their way to live their lives, but it is the only lives they now know. They cannot see the lives of those elsewhere in Tien. They do not have the experiences of the people elsewhere in the world. Would it really be fair of them to diminish the value of your dress without knowing the time and passion that went into its creation? Or experiencing the beauty you find within its form? I do not truly believe they can be blamed, your people or mine. I think it is in the nature of any person to see the world through the lens of their own experiences. After all, it would be quite difficult, if not impossible, to have a true understanding of every perspective in the world. I believe my clan leaders were wise and well-meaning people, just as is likely true of the monks who raised you. But, I am beginning to feel that the only way to truly understand the world, the way it is and how it should be, is to experience every facet of it that you are able."

Closing his eyes, Ssarak smiled once more, then took in a deep, satisfied breath. Glancing up to the sky briefly, he held his arms out wide in front of Meirin. "Well, shall I carry you to the edge of the sky?"

Nodding her head, Annabeth certainly wouldn't mind finding Lyn. She has grown so big these past few days it was mind boggling. She learned that the naga grew up fast, but in less than a year she was nearly as big as Annabeth was! Granted while Lyn has matured, physically and mentally, Annabeth still worried that Lyn might be too young for the world. The girl knew almost nothing outside the college, and while they were nice, Annabeth hoped that Lyn accelerated growth didn't make her think that everyone was like the people at the college. Some people out there aren't nearly as nice.

“Sure let's go find Lyn. I think is saw her in the courtyard somewhere.”

Annabeth and Keri left the mess hall to the courtyard. There were plenty of students hanging out here, so finding Lyn was going to be somewhat difficult. Fortunately, Annabeth had her way. She took a deep ground, closed her eyes, and started to scan the minds of everyone around her. The range was much shorter than what Satori was capable of, and Annabeth was going to have to keep moving if she wanted to scan the entire courtyard, but the fact was that Annabeth was able to use a Wide-Concentration Telepathic scan, and she could so easily. It helped that she was only scanning their minds, and thus if she didn’t find Lyn or hit an unfamiliar ward, she could easily move past it without wasting unnecessary energy.

Eventually Annabeth did find Lyn’s thoughts near a tree. She seemed to be talking to another woman who Annabeth remembered was at the hunt. Her name was Helena, though beyond that Annabeth knew very little about her. She was thankful for her help however. Before approaching Annabeth pulled Keri to the said and had a prank in mind. Annabeth took out a green ring, the one that silences their movements. “Let’s surprise Lyn. Just be careful of her bear, it’s temper is almost as bad as Tyrael’s.”



The two ladies sighed as their game came to an end. Satori had lost the final round of her five dice game, though that’s not what she was sighing about. She had hoped that playing this game would jog her memory, allow her to recall something, but there was nothing. She struggled to remember if Five Die was even the came she gambled on, and not something like Gwent or Pathfinder. As she wracked her mind trying to recall, Lucilia placed two cups of coffee down for them. Lucilia took a sip out of her own. ”Still nothing?”

”Nothing.” Taking a sip from her coffee Satori tasted the bitterness. With a hint of salt. ”I don’t like this. Someone strong enough to tear Mar apart and make me lose all my memories of it is no mere enemy. But I don’t know any master Psychomancers that isn’t me or Ovak, and none of them could do what happened to Mar. I couldn’t do that.” Satori’s hand shook. She was feeling fear, a feeling she hasn’t had since she became a master. Instead she has felt the fear of many others, others who could not defend against her brand of magic. Sure there were plenty of Psychomancers in the world, some who may even have a fighting chance, but Satori took comfort that she was the strongest. But now that title was being challenged and she didn’t like it. Because if she wasn’t the strongest, then she wouldn’t be able to protect others when it mattered.

Lucilia came and sat by Satori, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder. ”There are many things we cannot do alone Satori. That’s why we have to work together. If you cannot recall what happened, then we’ll need to be prepared when this happens again. I know that this wouldn’t be the first time that memories have been mysteriously wiped from the college, and that time involved Mar as well. Do you remember when she was attacked by Xyden? I would have consulted the flora in the medical ward for answers, but they suspiciously knew nothing. Not even that Xyden attacked. There is no way that he could have wiped the memory of a plant, so I suspect that someone of a higher power was involved.”

Satori tighten her grip on her coffee. Unlike Lucilia who had some stock in the gods, Satori had very little. She didn’t like the idea that they would get involved in her life, or interfere in things that have very little to do with them. Divine intervention… Either it was something you grant to everyone equally, or none at all. Having the interest of the gods were no blessing regardless of what form it takes. ”But how Lucilia? How do I oppose a god?”

Standing up, Lucilia got herself a new cup of coffee and turned towards the pink-haired teacher. ”That’s a fair question… But there is an answer. Nothing will be a secret for us. My advice is that you come with me tonight. It’s that time of the month again, and I think it’s time for Keri to see the ritual with her own eyes.”

Tyrael Marcrosia

Tyrael walked out of Underhaven and grabbed a rolled smoke (Basically a cigar) from the Inferno. A tainted poison he’s started to pick up again since he was barred from teaching, even though it largely did nothing for him. It was just a bad habit among other bad habits that he’s already had, and mostly explained his smell as well as giving him something to chew on. Ripping the cap and lighting it up using the Inferno, Tyrael walked aimlessly through the lower levels of the college. He had very little to do; the bane of his existence. Sure, he wants to figure out what happened to Mar and who’s responsible, but again what lead does he have? Satori’s amnesia? Mar’s scars? There wasn’t even a corpse to examine or a soul to bring back. Tyrael certainly knew a few demons who could make a dead man talk, but the attackers had the annoying tendency to not play by mortal rules.

For a short while Tyrael debated pestering the naga that were leaving. But that was petty and pointless… Not that he wasn’t going to be watching them go. No, he’s not going to make the mistake of ignoring them just because he doesn’t like them. This would be the second time that a naga had nearly brought death to Mar and by extension Lyn (Discounting the missions where such dangers were expected). Whether or not Lyamis and the Matriach had anything to do with it or not was beside the point. They were involved, whether they were coordinating the attacks or simply being manipulated. He would be keeping close tabs on them, as close as he would in the Inferno.

At some point Tyrael got lost. Though he’s been at the college for more than thirty or so years, he still occasionally found himself in a part of the college he hasn’t been yet or just lost track of where he was going. He had also smoked his rolled smoke down to a stub, so he flicked it against the wall and took out another one. ”Not like I had anywhere to be today anyways.”

She nodded her head some, her brow creasing for a moment at the feel of the girl's hand. But she'd been around enough strange, that she knew better than to question things right away. It'd be better when she'd gathered enough information. But that didn't stop her from rubbing her hand on her leg without thinking about it at all.

“Well thanks, I'll let my old man know that,” she laughed, smiling. “And he can gloat about being right. And yeah, I've only been here a fortnight. Still trying to figure things out and find my way around.”

She looked away for a moment, biting her bottom lip some before going on, “honestly feels both longer and shorter than that.” Helena looked back then, snorting some at how silly she'd sounded just now, and with a girl she didn't even know. “Not that you needed to know that. How about you? You've obviously been here longer than me.”

Baulder

Baulder looked up from his tome when he heard cracking what he could only describe as stretching as vines began to over take and entangle the suit of armor. Baulder began to laugh at the sudden misfortune of the suit of armor, not knowing why exactly everything seemed to exist to inconvenience him. Baulder started laughing so hard tears began to well in his eyes. For a few seconds he managed to open his eyes and saw E'nasha quickly making her way over to his table. He had seen her a few moments ago waving at him, a gesture which he had returned. But he was made to suddenly close his eyes again as tears began flowing. His stomach was starting to hurt from laughing so hard when E'nasha addressed him.

He managed to start calming himself down and to keep down enough air to form words. "Hi E'nasha, all of the seats are yours if you want them. The armor man... gives me a good laugh." Baulder managed to trail off his laugh and began wiping the tears from his eyes. He let out a kind of half laugh half sigh which then finished with him just grinning. "Sorry I haven't seen you much, blood sickness I learned was a thing that happens to us. I've been... recovering from that.... thing after the catacomb trip. How have you err... been lately?" Baulder managed to tack the last sentence on as he had been learning it was proper "social" etiquette to do when talking to someone. Easedropping on the people around him had become a useful skill for him recently. It was the main way he found out that some lady named "Mar" was sick or afflicted with something due to a hunt of some sort around the same time Baulder was put in the infirmary.

He had learned bits and pieces about several goings on at the college while he was laying helpless in that bed. The only thing he had found really important was that there was a baking contest that he had not been able to attend do to his weakened state. These thoughts of missing out on baked goods had been weighing heavily on Baulder's mind as of late.