The bump registered right away with an apology on the tip of his tongue, although for the first time in his life, Ben actively held back on a sincere apology. Of all the students attending, why in the world did it have to be the self-centered spotlight-garbling—

"My name is not Benson. It's Benjamin," First things first, that correction needed to be established. How in the world Eris got Benson instead of the easy-to-remember Benjamin was beyond him. Of course, by engaging in the correction, he had unintentionally made the poor decision of engaging Eris. If their first conversation was any indication than this was going to be brief but painful. No matter, he has dealt with worse from much more important people. Were he unable to deal with a diva then he didn't deserve the count title.

That said, Ben didn't want to cause a commotion—Count Sinnenodel was doing enough in embarrassing the nobility as it is, had he no shame in throwing a public tantrum in front of Her Highness?—and so opted for a friendlier conversation. Eris wanted to know why he was nervous, as if he cared, so Ben could indulge him. "Any hinderance to the senses for such a time would shake anyone. It clearly has an effect on even the most stubborn," He said as the count's tantrum finally came to a close. "All we can do is believe in our mages and their abilities." No matter how small and fragile they may be.

Ben could honestly say that Eris had set a new record for him: this was the fastest time he had regretted engaging with someone. He couldn't decide which moment he disliked more and appreciated none of it. He was honestly more annoyed than bothered, but there was the satisfaction of knowing he must have touched a nerve with the actor to have so much effort spent on him. He would have to address the issue of who Lilie chose to confide in sooner than later, but he had to admit there was the strangest eagerness to continue this asinine conversation. Now to properly dissect the messy yet charming insult.

Ben started with, "Your concern is appreciated but unneeded. The relationship between Miss Dionne and myself is a positive one, so you needn't worry yourself unless you're trying to tell me you've taken an interest," He said calmly. "I can't say I'm entirely surprised with your interest in fornication, I'm sure sleeping your way to the top is common in your industry."

Seeing as he very much believed in tit-for-tat and utilizing what little information he had, he continued, "But how rude of me, you went out of your way to ask how I was, and I didn't get to ask the same. Forgive me, truly, you have my humblest apologies. It must be so difficult to have absolutely no respect from your own mage." He distinctly remembered Mr. Alderman's bare interactions with the actor whenever he did see the pair together. "Think he'll tank the practical out of spite? I would like to think he cares about his grades, but you have to admit, this is a prime opportunity for him to enact any sense of vengeance and exercise what little power he has over you. You must have been quaking in your boots when you first heard about all this...but judging by the absolutely defeated expression you bore on the bus ride here, I'd wager you had a good cry in the shower instead."

He reached over and gave him a reassuring pat along with a smile. "You have my sincerest condolences. How are you feeling?" He asked.

Aaron listened eagerly, a little on edge himself as the girl described the explosive match. Again and again he cursed his bad luck at not being able to watch; he’d have to see if he could set aside some time to watch the replays or something. Rijker’s new technique was intriguing, but not exactly surprising—with her affinity and her focus on evocation, she was known to be a bit of a glass ballista—and Aaron was more interested in Hollyfield; he was already a more balanced fighter to start with, one Aaron favoured at that, and if it was as effective as the girl described, this new trick of his bode very well for his career. Not to mention Aaron’s standing bets.

“See? This is exactly why I can’t stand that new coach!” Aaron exclaimed. “Rijker is already a powerhouse on the offence, but as soon as anyone gets past that she’s left with what, a meek little deflection? What she needs is some solid defence training. Her coaches always played to her strengths but she’s strong enough already; she needs someone brave enough to stand up to that ego of hers and shore up her weaknesses and this coach clearly doesn’t have it in him.” He spoke with a passion he hadn’t felt in months, though an exasperated sigh still escaped him, as if he’d had this argument a thousand times. Not that he had, but he’d been saying it to himself for ages, at least. “She could be champion of the entire league like that—” he snapped his fingers, producing a small flash “—if someone would just work on her defence a bit, but they keep pigeon-holing her like this and I’m telling you, it’s holding her back.”

He shook his head, but his frustration didn’t linger long, replaced by a bit of a sheepish smile. “Afraid I didn’t record it, no. I usually watch the matches online; I’ll have to see if I can dig up the full broadcast soon.” Aaron neatly omitted the fact that he didn’t record the match because despite his familiarity with computers, he hadn’t the first idea how to work a TV. Besides, he doubted Varis would let him fill the dorm with TCL commentary anyway. It was just as well; sure, a lot of TCL broadcasts were hidden behind irritating paywalls, but luckily, having an IP address associated with the Noilas got you into just about anything for free.

“But more importantly,” he insisted, looking to the girl eagerly, “who won?!”

The reaction from the other count made him laugh and smile. But waited for him to finish speaking. Turning his head away from the count and spitting out some blood from what he drank earlier. The taste making him grimace for a moment.

“Well while you decided to use your words and voice your complaints directly to the princess. I took a different approach.” Turning back to him still smiling, “now I was at revel and I do agree that the security detachment there was rather… lacking.”

“So my approach this time after hearing about the improved security measures? Test them.” Turning his attention to Ryner. “I brought with me 48 blades and knives, all but one hidden among my person. Your security inspector unenthusiastically found all of them. That is why I don’t have shoes, they were confiscated because they had too many blades in them. That and with what I can see right now.” Turning to point out the royal guards and security teams.

“All of them are as well trained as I am. The only thing that can get passed them would have to probably be a specialized team of assassins. Even then, they might be able to break the perimeter but they wouldn’t get far.” Rolling his shoulders and cracking his neck he still smiled. “Im sure if you look hard enough you may even find Nox out there patrolling the perimeter. So I do have to admit that the princess here out did herself. Wouldn’t you agree?”

---

---

---

Interacting with: @Hero

Before the practical, Salem took some time for meditation. Thinking of the best way to go about completing the exam without the need for cheating. He was quite literally in his element, surrounded by nature and with the ability to bend it to his whim to a certain extent. He could climb a tree and use his magic to foster its grow and break the tree line, both locating his destination and having his magic extend a branch towards it. Or perhaps he could make a trail of flowers or vines to help distinguish where he has already been so as to not double back and get lost. There were a few applications to this but the major issue was magical stamina and using the Dark Eyes spell. There was a nervous sigh as he decided that he had to rely on his training as well as the knowledge provided by Victor and his teachers. He got up and began brewing the same tea he had once offered to Lilie, one that was said to enhanced magical prowess, even though it didn't. He placed the drinks into two thermos's as he got ready to leave for the exam.

The weather outside was cold and biting, having Salem wear a sky blue button up shirt, forest green coat, brown beanie, teal blue scarf, brown pants, and knee high boots. His outfit was meant to be practical, just warm enough to help him through the exam, but light enough to not exhaust him from wearing it for prolonged periods of time. He grabbed his small leather satchel and made his way to the bus. The ride was fairly calm, Victor cramming in any final notes he could to help them both succeed. His mind, unfortunately, was elsewhere. Cassandra had been in intensive care, Aaron and him had once again strained their relationship after spending weeks building it back up, and Lilie seemed to need someone now more than ever. He hadn't mentioned the dream to her yet, not because he didn't want to, nor was it for Aaron's sake, but because she had so much on her plate already she didn't need anymore. Salem's finger ran over the lid of the thermos as he thought, hoping this small act of kindness could help put her back on the road to happiness once more.

The bus had stopped and everyone filed out, Varis seemingly in a huff as he made a straight line for Ryner. It was nice seeing him distraught, knowing the man who's family was bringing Salems so much discomfort was now having to feel the same. If but time magic were attainable he would capture this moment and have it loop for all eternity, ensuring Varis could feel the passage of time as he was caught in an endless loop of being bound by a mages trust. His eyes began to dart across the field, watching as Victor made an embarrassing display but he couldnt help but think "that's my partner". It wouldn't be Victor if everything went smoothly and without a hitch. There were the announcements and plenty of mages made their way to the tables, Salem following suit and catching a glimpse of Lilie before she vanished into the crowd again. With a huff Salem had decided to press on through, finally reaching her as he grabbed a few items off the table himself.

"I brought you something. Thought a little hot tea would help warm you in this chilly weather." He offered the thermos to her as continued forward, moving them away from the table as he placed his now free hand on the top of her back. "It's the same tea I gave to you the first night you came over to my place. Figured it was only fitting now that we're actually here at the practical of all places."

---

---

Interacting with: @Hero

There was a delightful amount of confirmation in Lilies face. Telling him he had done the right thing, that even if for this moment, it seemed to help melt her feelings away and bring her back to that excitable state she was in when they first met. He smiled as he took a sip from his own drink, the warmth filling his chest. "Its really nothing. I mean, it's the least I can do for you." There was a playful little nudge and then another sip as he thought on the words she was saying. She was right, it felt like it was a lifetime ago that they had their first proper hang out. So much has changed since then and he was certain that even more would change as time passed by at the academy. "It feels so distant, the last time we were able to do this, I think you're right, it is a bit funny to think about now that you're mentioning it. So much has changed since then, including ourselves." Salem placed his hand atop Lilies head and ruffled it slightly "You've progressed so much in such a short time both with your magic and the training with Victor that it's amazing."

He had purposefully avoided the subject of Aaron. Still a bit sore about what had transpired on their final day at the castle, he elected to push past it and not allow it to spoil this moment with a friend. Salems hand hand moved from her head to thr back of his head, nervously scratching at it as he thought about her question. "To be quite honest I'm a bit nervous. Sure we have six hours to complete the task but I dont think I could keep the spell up for that long. It seems we need to control how much magic we use, when we use it, while also trying to make some headway in the dark. All of this while we babysit an escort." his eyes glanced over at Aaron, a light mage with a clear advantage in this type of setting. "What about you? How do you think your magic will do?"

“You forget your place, Count Varis. While I may afford you a free tongue out of consideration of our professional relationship, you are currently under my authority as both the heir to the throne and the headmistress of this Academy. If you wish to continue abusing your privileges, I have no problem revoking them.” Ryner’s voice was low enough that only the two vampires could hear and her smile never left her face. “As for your concerns, you needn’t worry. Like Count Victor said, Princes Nox hand selected the personnel who cleared our area for the exercise today, although she is not personally present, and if that fails to satisfy you, I recommend you forward any further complaints about the security to her. I trust that conversation will be absolutely delightful. For the time being however, you will participate as intended.” Ryner raised her voice for the next part, making sure she was heard by everyone nearby. Not that it was difficult; most vampires had focused their hearing in an attempt to catch the Princess’ rebuttal.

“In the event you do refuse, I’ll have no choice but to fail your mage. Since you share this grade, this means I’ll be assigning you a failing grade as well, Count Varis. I doubt your Lady would be pleased with that result.” Ryner patted him on the shoulder comfortingly. “Now that we’ve settled that issue, please take your place among your classmates. Enchantments will be going out in a few moments. Good luck to the both of you.” She turned to overlook the assembled vampires, scanning the crowd and stepping forward.

“I’m sure many of you share the same concerns that Count Sinnenodel just shared with me. This is probably the first time since your childhood that you’ve had to rely on anyone so completely and nerves are understandable. However, your partner here at the Academy isn’t just anyone. This is someone who you will come to rely on more and more as your relationship with them develops, just as they’ll come to rely on you. It’s only been a few short months since you’ve met but I have no doubt that your mage will treat you with the same dignity and respect you’ve shown them.” Ryner beamed at the vampires. “This is just the first in a long line of trust exercises you’ll participate in order to grow closer to your mage, develop an appreciation for their support, and cultivate a deeper understanding of their skills, magical and otherwise. Now, without further ado, let’s start preparations for the practical!” A line of mages stepped forward, including Professor Hayes, in a neat row in front of the vampires. Royal and Academy guards stood ready to escort the vampires to their mages.

“Entem Vera Ambudatio.” Manuel murmured to himself before clearing his throat. The sound filled the entire clearing effortlessly, rising above any ambient noises so everyone could hear his voice. “Welcome to the First Year Practical Exam for the Dark Eyes Spell! I am your head proctor, Dr. Manuel Arjin. Some of you already know me from our thrilling Spell Theory classes and to those I haven’t had the pleasure of teaching, hello! The primary purpose of this exam is to test your mastery of the Dark Eyes spell. Once every vampire has been escorted to their mage, you will be teleported into the forest and expected to find your way back using the spell to read the instructions along the way. Even with guiding your partner, the task is simple enough which is why successfully exiting the forest is only 80% of the grade.” Manuel said cheerily. “Inside the forest, you’ll come across additional riddles and challenges that can also only be uncovered with the Dark Eyes spells. They’re quite fun, if I do say so myself! Successfully completing one of these challenges will add an additional 5% to your grade up to 110%. Mages, your partner will be an invaluable resource in solving these but you’ll have to gauge your magical stamina carefully. Focus too much on the challenges and you may find yourself unable to escape!”

Now, vampires! Please form a single file line in front of any of the mages standing before you. While under it the enchantment, your vision will remain dark and your capacity to judge distance and direction will be compromised. You will need to rely completely on your mage; otherwise, you may find yourself lost and if your mage returns without you, your team will be assigned a failing grade.” Manuel explained as he gestured for the mages to start casting. “As the enchantment is cast, you may feel a mildly uncomfortable tingling in your eyes and ears followed by a momentary bout of dizziness. Do not be alarmed. This is normal and it will fade within a few minutes. In addition, a pendant will be placed around your neck. Do not, at any time or for any reason, take this off. It is a special focus that will allow our Summoning specialists to call you and your partner back from the forest in the event you fail to complete the practical within the allotted six hours. Now mages if you would be so kind as to quickly find your places, we are set to begin a little early which means a few minutes of extra time for you! The first few vampires were already haltingly making their way across to the mages even as the guards expertly maneuvered them around a few rougher spots.

Max, Maddie, Lilie, Aaron, and Salem would find their names furthest from the vampires along the line in that order.

“My apologies, Princess. I was out of line. Good evening.” Varis said cooly. Varis’ temper snapped but he swallowed his next outburst at Ryner’s threat. He could feel his hands tremble as he gave her a short bow and stalked off to one of the lines, ignoring Victor completely. He wasn’t surprised the Astorio couldn’t grasp the severity of the situation. They weren’t known for their intelligence. Savages, all of them.

Varis took his place at the back of a line, staring holes into the mage assigned to stripping him of his senses. Ryner had all but slapped him in the face, treating him as if he was some common noble for her to shove around and threatening his reputation with his Lady despite mostly knowing how serious the consequences were. And recommending he speak to the head of the royal guard and general of the Council’s forces? She was out of her mind. No one questioned Nox about her decisions and policies and found themselves in an agreeable conversation. He may as well stab himself in the foot for all the good that would do.

Nerves and helplessness were a poor combination for Varis’ attitude and with every vampire lead away, the worse the dark cloud over his head got. If Ryner thought this was going to be settled so easily, she had another thing coming.

Pointedly ignoring [@ReuseableSword]

---

“Hollyfield won. Rijker lost her focus and her evocation spells lost a bit of their punch. Not to say Hollyfield came out too great. Broke a leg on a bad landing but by then, Rijker was practically out of steam and Hollyfield knocked her head first into the dome. Out like a light after that.” Maddie shivered at the thought of hitting her head hard enough on anything to knock her out. She hadn’t missed the little spark of light on his fingertips and the gears in her head started to spin. Blonde hair, blue eyes, and light magic. She had a suspicion but she’d have her confirmation soon enough. “If Rijker hadn’t gone down with that, I think Hollyfield would have forfeited. He lost all of his mobility and that was what kept him competitive the whole game. But it worked out in the end for him.” It was fun talking to him about this, her idea about his identity aside. She’d kept her distance from the rest of the student body since classes started while she figured out her place in this whole mess. She was a little concerned that she was a third mage in the Marivaldi dorm and she didn’t want to make the wrong friends if she was just going to be torn away from her new home soon.

She turned her attention away from her companion when a flash of white caught her attention. A girl ahead of them was pointing at the names nearby but what held her attention was the pure white hair. It was really pretty and Maddie wondered if it was dyed. It had to be, right? The chances of it being that color at this age were practically nonexistent. When she saw her name near where the girl was standing, she was tempted to ask her about it but she opted against it. If it was a sore point, she’d come across as incredibly rude and that would be a terrible first impression. She looked down the line, seeing only Lilie Dionne, Aaron Starag, and Salem Spellman left. She hadn’t seen where the girl in white, Lilie, pointed at her companion but it definitely confirmed her hunch. Now if only she could remember what Ari said about him and his vampire. She only remembered he served a Sinnenodel, of all houses, and that definitely put her on edge but he was also just as into the League as she was and it would be nice to have someone to talk to about it consistently. “Well, it seems this is me. Thank you for the conversation. Since we’re in the same cul-de-sac, maybe we can watch the next one together? That way, you could see it on something bigger than a computer monitor.”

Interacting with @Obscene Symphony; Admiring @Hero

Grinning wide, Aaron clapped once, allowing himself a moment to relish his little victory. “See, what did I say? I’m telling you, balance is the way to go.” At least, that was how he saw things. He sounded a lot more smug than he actually was, chuckling at his luck. That was another win for him, and an influential one at that; Hollyfield’s odds hadn’t been great against Rijker, and that would make the payout that much sweeter. Too bad he didn’t have any real money to put up, or he’d have himself a nice little nest egg by now.

He shook his head, though, still smiling but coming down a little from his high. As much as he’d like to boast his perfect betting record, it sounded like that match really came down to luck; Rijker (while ultimately lacking in defence) was a force to be reckoned with, and he’d put his money on Hollyfield almost entirely because he just couldn’t support Rijker’s single-pronged style. It was certainly disheartening to see a fighter with such potential fall short on account of mismanagement, but that didn’t quite dampen his satisfaction of having bet on the winning side once again. Too bad, he noted sourly, that he couldn’t get that down as consistently in real life as he could on gambling sites.

But, he’d promised not to be discouraged, and Aaron had every intention of holding himself to his word. Just in time, too; tonight was going to be a serious test of his endurance (both magical and emotional if Varis’ mood was anything to go by) and seething master aside, he still held onto some small, cautious hope that a good performance on this practical would finally win him a little bit of favour with Varis. Err, well, maybe not favour considering how things had been going the past few weeks, but maybe a little less disdain?

Aaron’s conversation partner pulled him out of his head as the two approached the treeline, stopping at her name. Madalyn Vazquez, apparently. Her mention of the cul-de-sac caught him off guard; sure, it wasn’t too strange for her to have recognized him—if he wasn’t recognizable enough already, the earring would certainly do it—but he had no idea who she was, and he knew everyone serving the nobles at least by their faces. Was this the girl who’d come to replace the Marivaldi mage? She must have been; Aaron vaguely remembered the prior one being among the students “injured” during Revel, but he’d been too preoccupied since the resumption of classes to find out much about her replacement.

“A pleasure to meet you, Madalyn. Thank you for bringing me up to speed. I’d like to take you up on that offer, I’ll have to see.” He returned Madalyn’s thanks with his own, shaking her hand. He doubted Varis would want him having anything to do with TCL viewing parties at another noble’s dorm, but maybe he could spin it as espionage, or diplomacy, or something else suitably Sinnenodel. “I’m Aaron, by the way,” he clarified needlessly. “Good luck tonight.”

He parted from Madalyn with a friendly smile and found his spot along the treeline, far away from where the vampires had gathered and rubbing elbows with Salem of all people. Luckily, Lilie was also next to him, and he threw her a wave, hoping his concealer hid his fatigue well enough in the dark not to worry her. “Good luck!” he called quietly, offering an encouraging smile before facing forward once again.

Ben predicted that Eris would get to his wardrobe; only the timing was surprising. Of course, he had no idea what he was talking about nor did he know of any Thomas A. Andersons—although the tame name painted him as some sort of office programmer—but he wasn't going to concern himself. The coat was more of a comfort item and a remnant of getting dressed by another for decades during the colder seasons, and if he was being honest, it made him feel confident. That particular tidbit would not be shared to the actor who would undoubtedly mock him for it, but instead he would swat his hand away from his person.

"I was politely listening to your poor lie about your relationship with your mage," Ben said. "But seeing as how it is time to gather, I believe we have no further need for any more conversing. Unless you can think of a better lie than that; I find time does reward us with the words we wish we had said. Nonetheless, the best of luck to you and Mr. Alderman...I hope a nice bath awaits you at your dorm once this is all said and done."

He stood tall and satisfied as he made to leave. He stopped, however, as a particularly amusing opportunity crossed his mind as the princess spoke. Eris would most likely have a spring in his step until he was out of sight, and he did briefly consider that he was going a little too far, but seeing Eris act his cold, stone heart out was too good to pass up. Ben turned back to Eris once the speakers were finished and gave him a polite smile.

"Shall we?" He asked as he gestured with one hand to the lines.

---

---

Interacting with: @Hero

Salems grin grew as Lilie spoke, nodding in agreement to what it was she was saying. They had both worked so hard to get where they are now, and neither could afford to let a little bit of nerves get to them. As the announcement rang once more it appeared it was time for the examination to start. Any worry or concern he had melted away, all boiling down to resolve and determination to succeed in this challenge. "I'll see you at the finish line Lilie. Best of luck to you." Salem made his way towards his name where Lilie pointed earlier, noting that Aaron stood between the pair. Ofcourse he did, at the very least they would all be teleported into random spots throughout the forest but...was comradery allowed? The point was to test how well they could use the spell as well as their vampires trust within their partners but, if he were to run into Lilie or Max, could they work together to conserve on magic and make their way to the end together?

---

Riddles? Seriously? This whole exercise reeked of Manuel, but Max was sure Ryner had a hand in the stupid teambuilding attempt too. Watching Varis squirm around like a toddler was probably how she got her laughs, after all. Seemed like she shut him down, too, given the way he sauntered off. Poor Retriever would probably have to listen to him bitch the whole way through the forest.

Speaking of bitching, Max looked around for Eris again. Still talking to the same vampire - Max vaguely recalled him being important but he couldn't remember why, probably a noble or something - but now Eris was giving him one of his judgemental looks. The guy must've pissed him off, Max was pretty sure Eris had a more tame look in his eyes the first time he'd riffled through the mage's closet. Was that why Max recognized this guy? Was he one of Eris' hated eternal foes? No, he'd definitely remember if he was.

Whatever, the leeches were getting blinded which meant he needed to line up. He grabbed an extra water bottle to shove in Eris' pocket. He didn't think he needed it, but making the vampire carry it would probably fuck with him. He got placed near the noble pets, which meant Eris' brown-nosing must've been paying off. They were all next to each other, which meant the order had to be somehow related to status and not random. Max wasn't sure if that was a good thing or an annoyance.

"Shame you don't have your phone," He snarked as he passed Aaron on his way to his spot, "I'd love a recording of the tantrum you're gonna get from Cinnamon out there." Max made a flicking motion with his hand, sending the other mage's obscenely gaudy earring swinging like a windchime in a hurricane for a brief moment just to be dickish. He wondered how spaced apart they'd be placed. If the vampires' tracking pendants were even half as tacky as that, he'd have no trouble finding them at close range. This was under the assumption said vampire had a competent mage that Max could viably cheat off of, of course, but it wouldn't hurt to scope out the competition when they crossed paths, especially since his magical stamina was still an unknown at this point.

---

@Obscene Symphony

Amaris pinched the bridge of her nose as Victor stepped up to the plate to have his swing at Varis. She had a few choice words for the man herself, however, it was probably for the best that little room was left for her interjection. The pair continued to trade verbal blows until Ryner chose to take matters into her own hands and put an end to the pointless squabbling. The countess could see the princess moving her lips, but the woman was quite practiced in the art of volume control making it nearly impossible to make out what she was saying to the boys. A couple of nearby students caught her attention by leaning forward as if the one to two inches of ground they gained would be enough to catch Ryner’s words. Amaris had to admit that the urge to do the same was there, but she pushed it aside and remained standing tall with her eyes fixed on the sights before her.

After a few words spoken in private, Ryner raised her voice so the rest of whatever warning she was issuing would be made clear to the rest in attendance. It was fairly generic and a tad on the disappointing side, but just knowing that Varis had been publicly put on the spot would have to do for the time being. She couldn’t help but cast a glance in Victor’s direction as the princess made her follow-up speech to address the nerves of the participating vampires.

48 blades? What use could one person possibly have for 48 blades? … And where in the Sun, Moon, and Stars was he hiding them all? Amaris shook her head and returned her attention just in time for Ryner to hand the reins over to a Mage by the name of Arjin who would explain the details of the trial they were about to endure. Each vampire would have certain senses magically altered in order to keep them as unhelpful as possible, essentially turning one in each pair into deadweight. All of this so that the mages could be tested on their mastery of a spell known as ‘Dark Eyes’, or so Amaris had thought. She had suspected there to be a bit more to the test than just simple teamwork and critical thinking, but what new Dr. Arjin carried came as a surprise even to her.

With a few short words, the practicum had transformed from exam to game. With the addition of extra challenge signs required for top marks, pacing magic consumption became a whole lot tougher. However, Amaris knew there would still be more that would play a role in the added difficulty. By making a certain percentage of the new signs extra credit as well, it was almost guaranteed that certain pairings would turn the practicum into a competition thus resulting in the overexertion of their mages. The countess would be excited to see how many she and Cas Madalyn could complete but she would have to remember to keep her focus on the goal.

Amaris took a moment to watch the first of the vampires to receive their enchantments to get an idea of how others were adjusting to the spell. It seemed there were some who handled it better than others, but it was to be expected if the safety nets in place were any indication. Calmly, the countess melded into line and one by one approached the casting mage. By the time she reached the front of the line she couldn’t tell her nerves apart from her excitement any longer. She had no words to offer to acknowledge her readiness to be disoriented but she could nod her head definitively before shutting her eyes and preparing for the feelings the mage Dr. had described.

The initial casting of the spell was not what took her off guard, it was the shock of the reality that followed. A Royal guard had stepped up to escort her aside so that the mage could continue casting on the next vampire, meanwhile Amaris had taken a moment's pause. She knew what she was in for with the enchantment yet opening her eyes to such darkness was still rather unsettling. It seemed every time she instinctively attempted to focus, be it with her eyes or just her general sense of the space around her, the world would recoil from her leaving her fairly dizzy. For the moment, Amaris decided that keeping her eyes shut was the better option and allowed the guard to guide her in the direction that she trusted was her mage.

Lilie’s return greeting put a more genuine smile on Aaron’s face, though after a quick glance over he forced his eyes forward. Now was not the time for admiring thigh-high boots and unbearably cute earmuffs—it was time to get his head in the game. A bit of pleasant conversation and Lilie’s enthusiasm had at least helped reduce his headache to more of a dull throb, and the ringing in his ears from Varis’ earlier shouting had largely calmed down, but the fatigue weighing on him mixed with his usual dread anytime Varis was angry could still pose a problem for his concentration.

He took a few deep breaths of cold air to bring him back to the present, focusing on the task at hand. Six hours of maintaining Dark Eyes. He could do that. His original plan had been to cast the spell intermittently to look for signs and use his natural night vision for the rest, but upon learning that the directions could be anywhere (not to mention these puzzles the proctor just brought up) he knew it wouldn’t be a viable strategy. No matter; he had no problem casting the spell, and his affinity training had been building up his magical stamina at a good pace as well. Guiding something as surprisingly stubborn as light required a constant flow of energy, and he could take it further and further every night. This would be no different.

Cautious excitement for a new challenge was energizing, and Aaron was feeling much more awake just in time for Max to come stalking by, mumbling about recordings and tantrums. Aaron recoiled on reflex when his earring was swung—it didn’t hurt per se, but it didn’t feel good to have his earlobe yanked on either—recovering just in time to glare daggers at Max as he found his spot, expression darkening. So much for his recovering mood.

But Aaron’s anger was gone as quickly as it came, replaced by the same tired resignation he’d just managed to get rid of. Yes, wonderful, just the reminder he needed, as if he could ever forget the swirling ball of spite and vitriol he’d be guiding through the forest tonight. And moon only knew what mood he’d be in after it was all over, Aaron noted with a turn of the stomach. He almost wanted to tell Max that there’d be no need to record anything, as he was sure everyone in earshot would get the full Sinnenodel experience, but even in his state he recognized that disparaging his master like that would be a step too far.

“Good luck to you, too,” he murmured sourly instead, carefully untangling his earring from his hair.