---

Selena made her way over to Anise, her tail wagging as she got closel, she hesitated, worried when she heard Kayra giggle, and Anise laugh that she was doing something weird. But Anise did say she could. She reached up to the taller student's head. A smile came on her face as she ran her hand along the cool and smooth purple horns. She glanced to her right to see large male walking towards them. she saw him look right at her. But before she could even attempt to get out of the way he walked RIGHT INTO HER.

Confused and unbalanced, Selena was knocked over. She didn’t even have time to yelp as her head quickly hit the heavy table. Stars exploded into vision as she hit the ground under the table.

Fate it seemed was not done placing Arn in the right place at the right time. No sooner had he plopped himself back down on his chair when a scene that could have only been scripted by the gods played out before him.

A burly man, the same one who had bumped the Librarium mage and who had subsequently had the favor returned to him, was making his way towards his own table. The big man as at least 6ft tall and well muscled. One could clearly see them bulging from his shirt, which he had modified to show off his biceps and had left more buttons than necessary undone to showcase his pectoral muscles. The smug look on his face was evidence of the pompous nature of someone who is used to literally throw their weight around. That weight, unfortunately, met the small, not matter how toned, figure of a particular pink haired, fluffy tailed lovable fox girl. The impact did not slow down the grunt one bit but sent the poor girl crashing into the table the odd mix of students were sitting at.

Caught completely off balance, her body could do very little in preventing her head from impacting the table. A very audible whack could be heard. All this played out in slow motion to the dwarf’s eyes. No sooner had the poor girl collided with eh walking brute that the Dwarf left his seat. His anger rising at the blatant disrespect not only to a fellow student, a lady, but most of all just another living being. He made his way round the other end of the table in an intercept path to stop the bully. He reached the man just as he was passing the blue haired Lorelei. The young cadet held up his hand. The look on his face was a dangerous one.
The big man growled at the dwarf, a gruff tone dripping with disdain. “What do ya want shorty?”

Keeping his tone controlled, the dwarf looked up at the man but showed no sign of backing down. “Excuse me sir…did you not realize you bumped into one of our classmates?”

Finn watched out of the corner of his eye while Arn introduced himself as Selena excitedly ran her fingers along Anise's horns. Her tail flicking with sheer happiness of trying something new. That is, till suddenly a large brute pushed passed her, knocking the unprepared Kitsune over and causing her to hit the table."Selena!" Finn yelled out. Just as Arn stood, Finn was already up with a foot on Selena's empty chair and as soon as his right foot was placed on the table itself, he vaulted over the food and drinks. Landing on the corner of the table where Anise once sat with his left foot and hopped just enough to clear the chair and turn back towards the table before landing on the ground next to Anise.

Falling to his knees he reached down to slowly help Selena back up. "Selena! Are you ok?" He asked hurriedly as he slowly moved her hand which was holding her left side of her forehead. She whimpered something but he couldn't hear what she said. She moved to get up and he took one of her hands and placed another over her head so she wouldn't hit the table by accident that she was currently halfway under now.

Selena heard commotion around her but she didn’t really focus on it. Her hand pressing to her head to help with the pain. Soon Finn was there, helping her up. She mumbled “no my head hurts…”

After managing to get into a sitting position on the ground, he paused to give her a moment. It was then he heard the ass hole's reply to Arn. His eyes wide for a second before narrowing with a look that was clear he wanted to punch the guy's face in.

He didn't however, he turned back to Selena and moved her left arm over his shoulders gently and then moved his right arm around her waist. He easily lifted her just high enough to sit her down in Anise's seat. Selena quickly moved her arm off his shoulder to once again hold her head, and cover her face. Gritting his teeth he turned, "You piece of shit! What the hell was that!" Finn said as his voice raised as quickly as he stood up straight before quickly moving over towards the bigger guy.

"Hey!" Karya slammed her drink down, wine sloshing onto the table. Knowing there were going to be jerks and bigots here was one thing, seeing it was another. "What did she ever do to you?" She stormed over to check on Selena, but Finn was there in an instant - by the look of it, all too willing to challenge the much bigger guy to a fight.

In the blink of an eye Lorelei had stood and was instantly in the middle of all three men, grabbing Finn to hold him back from doing something stupid. She'd become hyper focused the instant Selena had been knocked over and, while feeling murderous towards the bully, she hadn't reacted until now. They'd just been told that fighting was a huge no and she wasn't about to be lumped with a group that got in a fight. "Alright everyone needs to back down NOW!" She was ready to stand her ground and held herself tall with a commanding presence. She eyed all three of them for a brief moment before deciding Finn was the biggest concern right now. "Listen you aren't going to do Selena any good if you get expelled. I'm all for beating the shit out of this guy, but do it within the rules. Challenge him to a duel. I'll join you if you wish, but we aren't fighting here."

Finn didn’t even seem to acknowledge Lorelei really, save for stopping when stood in front of him and grabbed onto his chest. ” How about you walk into me and see which of us gets their head slammed into a table?!” He said pushing forward slightly even with Lorelei’s hands against his chest. He had his left prosthetic arm over Lorelei’s right shoulder pointing up at the much taller and bulkier student. He did look down at her after that and shook his head. About to tell her he didn’t need her help.

“It would be wise to listen to the young lady and cease your behavior. I would hate to expel anyone on their first day.” The large teacher with an eye patch stated, his voice even but dangerous. Sir Vermont Baleth stood directly behind the group, and was looking down at the three students with a face that looked like someone had managed to piss off a mountain. He had gotten there incredibly fast for someone so large.

“If you wish to settle your altercation in a duel then I will referee it for you. Tomorrow, after your classes have ended. Is this acceptable?” It sounded like a question, but his voice left little room for negotiation.

Finn turned behind him to look at the teacher, Still pissed off, but with Lorelei stoping him and reminding him of the rules, then the teacher he gained a little control. He simply nodded to the teacher in accepting the duel.

Vermont turned to the young Kitsune. His eye softened a little as he moved over to her. He reached out a hand and in a surprisingly soft voice spoke “Hwe so hwul sito sealsom heal unm santo ou tlap, cemit sito eanmtloop” A soft blue light emanated from his palm and streamed towards the spot that Selena had struck her head. The wound would tickle for a moment, before the pain dissipated entirely.

“You.” Vermont said, his head swiveling towards the large young man who had knocked the young kitsune over. “Will watch where you’re going.” There was no question in that statement.

The bully froze in place as the steel sharp voice of the instructor reached him. His shoulders slumped a little as he turned and sheepishly nodded to the man. “ye..Yes sir” with that, he turned and walked away as quickly as he could while maintaining his dignity.

The altercation completed, Arn placed his right hand upon his chest and he bowed respectfully to the instructor. Having seen the man heal via magic had really impressed him and Vermont demanded respect just by his gravitas. The dwarf also nodded slightly to Lorelai acknowledging her assistance and showing her a bit of respect too. The young cleric walked back to his seat, sat down, and poured himself another cup of ale, proceeded to eat as if there was not much else to be done.

In truth, he, like probably the whole school, was looking forward to the duel. He could barely contain his excitement and wished that Finn would not beat up the guy too much for he also wanted a go at the damned fool.

As the situation de-escalated, Karya gave a sigh of relief. "You alright, Selena?" she asked, hurrying to her side, rolling her eyes at the bully. "Y'know, jerks like that must have the dullest lives if they don't have anything better to do." She made sure to speak loudly enough that he'd overhear her. Even if it proved to be a bad idea later, right now she didn't care. What mattered was making sure Selena was ok.

Selena had kept her face hidden and down all through this. Hiding the fact she was crying. She was confused on why this happened. Her head hurt...she never took pain well. She had glanced up when she heard someone speaking a spell. While the pain went away she gave a sad smile before looking away and down. Trying to wipe her tears. When Karya asked if she was ok, she only nodded.

Rodrick

A lot seemed to happen very quickly. Anise fired off a bunch of questions at Selena, asking her if she was a Kitsune? That sounded familiar, had his mother used to sing a song about them? He was having trouble remembering but he seemed to recall something about them being lost or hunted. It hadn't been a particularly upbeat song, so his mother had rarely performed it. Rodrick felt a little bad when it became obvious Selena was feeling, uncomfortable, but Rodrick couldn't do much but sip his wine as Ixius and Anise went back and forth verbally sparing with each other. This certainly was a fiery group Rodrick has thrust himself into the middle of. There were so many big personalities, and a few ego's, that it became hard for Rodrick to keep track....or maybe that was the wine...shit this wine tasted good.

Rodrick became torn between listening to everyone around him, and studying his plate and glass so that he didn't have to get too involved. Rodrick despised conflict, he never knew how to handle it. His instinct was to jump in and smooth everything over, but experience had taught him that this just caused others to turn on you instead. Most of the time it was better to stay silent and unnoticed. Still, he felt a little bad for Anise. It didn't seem like she had meant to make Selena so uncomfortable. She was just curious.

When the topic changed to the to the roads Rodrick's ears perked up, literally. He had noticed the changes as well. When he had traveled as a child there rarely been cause for concern. He and his mother had been able to travel freely just the two of them. But on the road to Hoseforn's the caravan that Rodrick had joined up with had been armed to the teeth, and everyone had been on edge. Rodrick had heard about the disappearances of course, everyone in Balmoria had, but it wasn't just adventurers or travelers that were disappearing. They weren't noticed as often because most people didn't care about them, but a lot of the homeless in Balmoria had started to vanish. People who had been living on the streets for years had suddenly disappeared without a trace. It was part of why Rodrick had even traveled to Hoseforn's. The streets of Balmoria had never been safe, but lately they had felt like a death sentence. The fact that it was happening to adventurers and that it seemed so wide spread made Rodrick's stomach churn a little. The 7 month time line seemed about right as well. Damn, this really was all connected wasn't it.....

Rodrick took a much bigger sip of wine to calm his nerves. It was fine, they'd be safe at Hoseforn's...right? Everyone on the continent knew who Hoseforn was, surely he could protect his students. Still, the world was obviously a dangerous place right now. Should he tell the others what he knew? Would that just make them worry more?

"meretrix tacete..."

The words made Rodrick freeze...Had Anise...had Anise just said 'Halt prostitute'?

Rodrick stared at Anise for a moment. His face contorted as he tried not to laugh. He might have snorted a little bit. It was not exactly a funny situation, but that had been the same insult his mother had used on patrons who managed to get under her skin. She had always said it so sweetly as well, making it seem as though it was a compliment in a foreign language rather then telling someone to essentially shut the hell up.

Rodrick refilled his wine glass, not even realizing he had emptied it, and took another long swig. Partially because it covered his embarrassment from the snort and partially because the more of it he drank the better it seemed to taste. He watched with some humor as Anise went over so the Selena could touch her horns. There was something innocent about the young fox woman that Rodrick found endearing.

It was around this time that Rodrick realized he hadn’t actually said much of anything to anyone yet. He had just been sitting there stuffing his face and gulping down wine. This probably wasn’t the best way to try and make friends, and he should probably try and make friends..right? Wasn’t that his reason for being here?

Before Rodrick could do anything else a large student passed by the table and knocked over Selena. Rodrick couldn’t tell for sure but it looked like she had slammed her head into the desk. Rodrick grunted in anger and tried to stand intending to do something, probably something stupid, but his head spun the second he did. Everything felt sideways and his stomach rolled in protest to the sudden movement. Rodrick steadied himself, but by the time he did he was too late to do anything meaningful. The large teacher with the eye patch had already shown up and the situation defused before it could become something dangerous.

From what Rodrick could quickly gather, Finn and the other student would duel tomorrow after classes had finished. Rodrick had no idea what a Duel would be like but it would be interesting to watch. He hoped Finn would thrash the other man, but he had no idea how strong either one was.

The large teacher looked at the group of students for a moment his eye seeming to study each one in turn. “The feast will be ending soon. I would suggest not staying up too late. You’re first class will be at dawn, bring any equipment you have with you.” He turned and looked at Rodrick for a moment. “And you should drink some water.”

With that Sir Vermont turned and strode back the way he had come. When Rodrick looked up most of the teachers had already exited the room, except for the beautiful Drow woman who was still standing there watching the group with a smile. She waited for Sir Vermont before the two turned and left the room as well. Rodrick carefully sat himself back down, his head spinning a little less though it still felt light and foggy, and poured himself a glass of water. Some of the students were leaving, while others were still piling food onto their plates. It seemed like it was up to each student if they wanted to leave or not.

Upon returning to their rooms each student would find a list of classes and required equipment sitting beside their beds. The classes later on in the afternoon would depend on their individual skills and interests, these would include things such as stealth training, musical theory and practice, runecrafting, blacksmithing, as well as special classes for clerics and paladins to practice their faith and craft. However, the first two classes on the list would be the same for every student. The first class, taking place just after dawn, was combat practice. The second class, which followed right after breakfast, was magical theory and practice. All students were required to take both classes regardless of skill in either.

---

Calven shifted in his seat, feeling uncomfortable as he watched Anise get ready to leave. Thankfully, Selena’s request to touch her horns brought her back. For several minutes, the feast went on as normal. Arm had decided to introduce himself to the group. Even though their earlier introduction proved to be quite awkward, he was sure they’d warm up to each other as time went on. Right after, Karya sparked up a topic of conversation that Cal would have loved to continue, before a loud BANG cut it short.

The scene that followed was a mess. A small sigh escaped him, followed by a thought that deemed the whole thing tiring and unnecessary. Earlier, he spent his time blushing like a young schoolgirl at all the different interactions. It was nice then. After all, they were here to eat well, get to know each other’s names, and get a good vibe going before classes began. And yet, this clown decided to pick on the easiest possible target? For what joy? he had no reasons to come up with. The boy clicked his tongue at the thoughtless course of action. Selena was hurt for practically no good reason!

Upon Finn, Karya, and Lorelei’s fierce intervention, it was clear that the brute did not think any of his plans through. Calven rolled his eyes. Bump into a helpless girl, then what? The guy was reprimanded right then and there, by sir Vermont no less, and now he had to deal with fighting Finn the next day.

"Good for him."

From the corner of his eye, he spotted Rodrick taking huge gulps of wine at a time, and stifled a laugh. There was a reason why many people encouraged mindful eating and drinking. With Rodrick behaving like a long blade of grass on a windy day, Calven started to understand why.

”The feast will be ending soon. I would suggest not staying up too late. Your first class will be at dawn, bring any equipment you have with you.”

Before he could do anything, Ixius had already got up to leave. The mage frowned in his direction and wondered where was planning on going, and if he could come along… but the tower of food still on Cal’s plate was not going to eat itself. Since matters were resolved and it was getting late, he started to carefully arrange the food into a neater, more organized tower. The boy was past the point of fullness, and he didn’t want to be left alone waiting for his food to digest, so he took the next leave. He stood up, plate in both hands, and turned to wish the group farewell.

”I’ll get going now too!” the boy placed the plate in the crook of his elbow, cradling it, and proceeded to give them a wave. ”I’ll look forward to meeting you guys as my classmates tomorrow. Adieu!”

On the way, he cycled between looking for Ixius, or calling it a day. The boy was eager, but he was not too horribly inconsiderate. At least he’d like to think so. With a newfound ability to think for his roommate, he returned in the direction they came from. The walk back was made easy thanks to Athena. Even their room door had the heart to welcome him in. Thankful about not having to struggle with the huge plate of food in his hands - it was clear Hoseforn’s convenience knew no bounds.

He hummed a made-up tune as he opened the windows to welcome the evening air. The melody was finished off with a light spin, before he greeted his dinner and finally sat down. Tonight was a good night. Many names were willingly shared that day, and he was eager to make use of them starting tomorrow. Not only that! In front of him, in that little tower of food, there was knowledge to be had. So, with every bite from each new dish, his hand busied itself and neat notes began to stack up the night went on. The student chef's day ended as he promptly remembered to finish all the food and get rid of the evidence before Ixius returned.

---

---

Lorelei hadn’t even heard Sir Vermont Baleth approach and this fact alone surprised her a little. She glanced over the man, quickly taking note of him and deciding he definitely wasn’t one she wanted to piss off. Anyone that was that big and could move so silently was dangerous. As things seemed to deescalate she finally deemed it safe to go sit back down. She heard the teacher suggest Rodrick drink some water and Lorelei looked at the tiefling. Well he definitely didn’t realize how strong that wine was. She sighed as she grabbed her glass of wine and downed it quickly before turning her attention to Rodrick. ”How are you feeling, bud?” She asked him, a kind smile on her face to hopefully make it clear she wasn’t judging him in the slightest. She herself could feel the warmth and calming effects of the alcohol, but that was it. She’d need to drink quite a bit more to be on the same level she guessed Rodrick was on right now. Perhaps it was best if she didn’t, though, as she had a feeling she’d need to help her roommate back to their room.

Rodrick took a healthy sip of his water, knowing that his instructor was probably right. He turned to look at Lorelei when she spoke to him. She was very nice to ask. And very pretty. He though to himself, the self consciousness that would have normally never let him think such a thing seemed to be missing at the moment. Still, there was something in her eyes that he couldn't quite place that made him pause. It was like mix of danger and....sadness maybe? Perhaps not, but there was certainly more to her then she let on.

After a moment, Rodrick realized that if he didn't respond soon, their conversation would become rather awkward. He smiled at her, giving her a more goofy smile then the charming one he had been aiming for. "I'm not really sure..... I think I might be drunkk." He said, the last word slurring just a little. "I've never had a chance to try wine before.... Good shit." The urge to grab the glass of wine was rather intense, but Rodrick managed to hold himself back.

The goofy smile mixed with the slight slur caused Lorelei to giggle, genuinely giggle. "Yes I believe you are as well. I can't blame you though, this wine is top notch. I'm even feeling it a little bit." She gave him a playful wink as she said this. It wasn't a complete lie as she was feeling some of the effects of alcohol, but she felt like she still had her wits about her. There was the dark side of her that urged her to use this situation to her advantage. She silenced that part of herself for the time being, however. She wasn't on a job, there was no sense in using people right now.

"Did you have anything else you wished to accomplish for the day? If not then I'd be more than happy to navigate you back to our room?" She offered as she poured herself a glass of water and took a drink. She personally didn't wish to do anything more for the day, wanting to rest up before classes began in the morning. Besides, she'd drawn enough attention to herself when she stood to stop Finn. Better to make herself scarce for the rest of the day.

Rodrick was glad to hear that he wasn't the only one feeling the effects of the wine. Maybe it meant he wasn't a total lightweight after all when it came to drinking. "Heading back to the room sounds like a fantastically wonderful idea. My lutes there, and I frankly feel a little naked without it." He said, realizing for the first time that he did indeed feel oddly vulnerable without his lute. He had barely been anywhere without it in the last 8 years. It felt like he had left an arm behind.

Rodrick went to stand, wobbled, and braced himself against the table. He still felt slightly...spinny. Well there went his lightweight theory. Still, it wasn't so bad that he couldn't walk. He looked around at the other first years, one of the most fascinating groups he had ever met, and managed to give them all a halfway respectable bow. "Friend's, it has been an honor to meet you, dine with you, and watch you all fight the urge to punch a Biq ao marwy wmuz (Bag of horse shit) in the face. I wish you all a good night." He said this all in the most charming voice he could muster, again slurring every so often.

"Wonderful, we'll go back to the room and you can serenade me with your lute and I'll in turn sing you a lullaby." Lorelei joked, though wasn't actually opposed to playing music and singing. She still needed to take a bath as well, but she'd likely wait till Rodrick was out for the night. She wanted a good, long soak in the water as she hadn't been able to do so in quite some time.

She stood shortly after Rodrick did, preparing to try and catch him if he decided to fall over. She knew that the likelihood of her falling with him was high, but she'd try nonetheless. Thankfully he steadied himself and went on to bid everyone farewell. She watched him with an amused smile before looking at everyone else. "It has been lovely meeting you all and I'm sure we'll cross paths again. Have a wonderful night everyone." She linked her arm with Rodrick's once again, but this time she did it in an attempt to help keep him steady. Last thing they'd need was him accidentally bumping into someone and she'd have to ward off a fight again.

"So you play the lute, you can be quite charming, you're rather handsome, and today was the first time you've had wine." She said once they were away from the group. "What else should I know about you, dearest Rodrick?" She gave him a charming grin as she kept a slower, yet steady pace.

Rodrick let Lorelei guide him back towards the room, doing his best not to stumble or rely on her too much to hold him up. He felt as though he was doing an okay job. Rodrick took a deep breath before answering. The air here smelled so clean and pleasant, that was quite the change. "Hmmm what else should you know. Well... I don't snore, so that's a plus. I traveled from one end of the continent to the other when I was young. And my horns are abnormally hard and give off heat, which is supposedly rare among my kind." He said smiling, oddly not feeling as awkward having his arm linked with Lorelei as he had before.

He left out the darker parts of his past out. Kind of a mood killer to tell someone you've lived on the streets for the past 8 years. All the lessons his mother had taught him about being charismatic and charming towards others had started to come back far quicker then he ever would have thought, though he knew he was still rusty. Still it felt good to talk normally with someone again. "Now what about you? You sing, your hair is glorious enough that it makes ME jealous, much less all the other girls, you carry yourself like someone who knows how to fight, and your way to good at making others blush. I get the feeling you think the last one is funny." He said looking at her out of the corner of his eye.

"Oh, and you're here to get rich." He added, though a small part of him felt like that last one was off. The reason felt shallow, and Lorelei didn't seem like a shallow person. "What have I missed? Are you a dragon slayer? Bet you're a dragon slayer." He said with a smile.

She giggled a little at him informing her he didn't snore. Yes she would consider that a good thing. She merely smiled and nodded as he continued, that is until his comment about his horns. This statement took her aback and she found her initial instinct was to want to pull a Selana and reach up to touch them. Her hand even betrayed her and had begun reaching up, but she caught it and quickly dropped it back down. She did look up at his horns for a moment though.

It was now her turn, it seemed, as he began to list off things he'd observed of her. She smiled and nodded, a little impressed. "Oh yes, I'm definitely a dragon slayer." Lorelei looked up at him and winked before letting out a small laugh. "No, honestly I'm not all that interesting. I moved to the content here from an island off the coast when I was little. I was raised by a man who deemed it necessary I learn how to talk to and charm others while also learning how to fight. He always brought in the best of the best to teach me. I've always had a natural affinity for singing and apparently that also means I should be a natural at playing any instrument, but that is far from the truth. So now I'm here to hopefully learn more about music and how to combine music and magic." She shrugged, knowing she was leaving out a lot of details. Those details weren't important, though, at least not right now.

They were outside their room now and she paused. "Oh and I DEFINITELY don't know what you're talking about. I would never purposely make someone blush and find enjoyment out of it." As Lorelei said this she turned to face him and gave him a smirk. She leaned in closer to him and placed a hand on his chest, just meaning to tease him for a minute before spinning and opening the door. "Well here we are. Home, sweet home."

Rodrick had decided two things by the time they had arrived back at the dorm room. The first was that Lorelei was anything but uninteresting, no matter what she said. The second was that he enjoyed hearing her laugh and giggle, and he truly hoped they could be friends. He paused for a moment when she placed a hand on his chest and leaned in close. His face turned slightly redder again. He paused for another moment when she spun away from him. He squinted dramatically, pointed at her, and in an overly suspicious tone said, "Im on too youuu." He held those pose for a moment before losing control and laughing at his own stupid joke. He realized he was acting out of character, more bold and out going then he had been in years. Was this from the alcohol? If it was he'd have to drink wine more often.

He entered the room, and without even thinking about it walked over to his bed and plopped face first onto it, making sure to avoid landing on his lute that he had left sitting there. He let out a long sigh of relief, the bed felt amazing. How long had it been since he had been able sleep in a real bed? Hell, had he ever been able to sleep in a real bed for more then a night or two at a time? He could certainly get used to it. He opened his eyes, and gasped a little as he noticed a large glass of water sitting on his bed side stand. It had certainly not been there when he had left. It even looked cold. "How are they doing that?" He whispered to himself. Was someone coming into their rooms when they were gone and leaving things for them? Or was there some strange magic that just plopped useful items into existence for them?

It was then that he noticed a pair of white pants and a shirt folded perfectly sitting next to his pillow. They had provided him with pajamas? That was just too much. "This place is too strange. How do they know what were going to need before we even say anything?" He sat up a little and took the glass of water, taking a deep drink. It was refreshing and surprisingly cold.

"On to me? I am innocent in all things." Lorelei jokingly said as she turned to face him again, trying to give the most innocent look possible, but then grinned at him. She watched him faceplant on the bed and shook her head in amusement as she moved over to her own bed. Rodrick was quite an interesting person, though she felt he was rather harmless. Alcohol helped to bring out the true nature of people and she was beginning to feel a tad more relaxed around him because of it. Perhaps it was also the alcohol affecting her too, but she really didn’t view him as a threat. In fact, she’d even venture to say she was enjoying his company. Was this what it was like to begin making friends? It was strange, but she didn’t entirely hate it.

He made a statement about this place being strange and she had to agree. ”Magic!” She answered in a joking manner, but she also knew she may not be far off. There were pajamas sitting on her bed as well and it made her a bit uncomfortable to think someone may have been in their room. She may have to set up some alarm system while they slept just for her own peace of mind. Part of her actually hoped she wasn’t too off with it actually being magic. She picked up the pajamas and looked back to Rodrick. ”However they obviously don’t know everything we need otherwise they would have know I don’t need these as I like to sleep in the nude.”

Rodrick choked on the water he was drinking, just a little bit. She was teasing him again, obviously, and he was slowly getting used to it. Still when a pretty young woman said she liked to sleep naked in the very room you were staying in, a little shock was normal. "You're lucky its me you have as a roommate then, as I am a perfect gentleman and would never impede on a young woman's honor to try and catch a peak of anything sensitive. Regardless of how she chooses to sleep." He said in the most dignified voice he could manage. He even closed his eyes and put his hand on his chest to try and strike some sort of regal pose. "Also, I think you would have caused anyone else to die of shock by now." He said opening one eye to look at her. He cracked a little smile. This was fun, he hadn't had a chance to talk with someone like this in a very long time.

Rodrick let out an involuntary yawn. Damn he was tired. He laid back down on his bed with another sigh. He could feel the sleep sneaking up on him. He wasn't sure what it was, maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the trip getting here, or maybe it was the fact that he actually felt kind of safe for the first time in a very long time. But whatever it was, he felt like he was going to be able to sleep very well tonight. "Mmmmm, I think I'm going to close my eyes for a.. little .....bit......."

”Oh you’re no fun.” Lorelei gave him a pouty look for a moment, but then smiled and sighed as she tossed the pajamas to the side and sat down on her bed. ”You’re probably right though. I’m glad I got stuck with you.” She teased him, but it was true as he was taking her flirtations and bold statements like a champ. She went to say more, but stopped as she noticed him closing his eyes. He was drifting off to sleep and she giggled a little as she stood up quietly. ”Goodnight Rodrick.” She said softly before going to grab some of her things.

She spent the next few minutes rigging a small bell up to the door so that it would ring if it were opened at all. She then did something similar with the window, just in case, before grabbing some of her own pajamas and heading towards the bathroom. With Rodrick safely asleep she was ready to take a bath and relax. She started the water and began humming to herself, partially as a comfort and partially to quiet the darkness of the siren inside of her. She glanced at herself in the mirror for a moment and gently traced a portion of a fresh scar that was peeking over her shoulder from her back. A moment of anger filled her before she quickly looked away and entered the bathtub.

She took a deep, shuddering breath as she sat down in the water and allowed herself to transform. She took a long moment to fight off the dark urges that always rushed over her when she did this. Finally she sighed in relief and relaxed as she reached up to pull her long blue hair out of the updo it had been in. The ends of it floated all around her and the end of her tail flicked over the side of the tub. Slowly she began to sing a lullaby she’d heard her mother sing before. Before she realized it, she drifted off to sleep there in the bathtub.

After the teacher told them to get some rest for classes the next day, Finn looked back to Selena, Who was still looking away from everyone, her tail tucked in and ears down. He walked over to her as karya had asked if she was ok.

After she nodded her head, he would then say softly. “Come on then, let's get you back to your room.” after which she quickly got up and with a head down made a beeline for the door. Ignoring any politeness of saying goodnight or goodbye. Leaving Finn to quickly catch up to her.

For most of the altercation, Valencia had just been watching quietly. She had wanted to get involved, however everyone else had decided that they were all going to fling themselves into the altercation first so she decided to stay back; Her hand was, however, perhaps a little closer to her sword then it would normally have been. It never hurt to be safe, particularly when it seemed like things were going to spiral out of control at any moment. Plus, it would be a huge embarrassment if she had to end up fistfighting someone, especially since with such a mean punch, she’d likely break something of the opposing side.

Thankfully, things began to de-escelate thanks to the teacher that had gotten himself involved. Letting out a little sigh of relief, Val allowed her hand to return to the table, away from her sword. A duel sounded like it would be entertaining to watch, especially if the asshole got his butt whooped by Finn. Though, with a slight smirk on her face, she wondered if she’d get a chance to duel the bully if Finn couldn’t attend the duel, though she knew that wasn’t going to happen.

Her focus returned to Selena, watching the girl with some sympathy, though that sympathy was soon spread to Finn as he quickly tried to catch up to the kitsune. Val decided that she would join them, both to try and provide some sort of comfort to her roommate, and also to get the hell away from the ruckus that was the hall. Before she left, she did pick up a bowl of strawberries to take with her. She hadn’t eaten too much, after all. Quickly, she began to catch up to Finn.

Finn had managed to catch up to Selena who slowed down once outside the hall. But he didn’t say anything, only walking next to her. He didn’t know what to say at the moment. He was still angry about what happened, at the guy, at himself. If Lorelei didn’t stop him. He was sure to have decked the guy right then and there. He always had an almost non existent fuse when it came to bullies. Or any outward expression of superiority over any other race. He winced and rubbed his prosthetic forearm...despite not actually receiving the normal relief someone would get from rubbing it.

He was lost in his own thoughts when he was surprised to hear footsteps behind him, glancing back he noticed val catching up with a bowl of strawberries. He gave a small forced smile and nod as he slowed down a tiny bit. “Um.. sorry about that…” he said softly.

Val took a few moments to think about how to respond about that, before shrugging her shoulders a little bit. “I understand,” she replies, quietly. “Well… I do and I don’t. But I understand trying to defend someone. Even if it was with force. And a lot of flair.” She gives him a little bit of a smile. She knew it wasn’t so much flair, as much as it was brute force with all eyes on him as he tried to fling himself toward the bully. She extends the bowl of strawberries toward him as they walked. “Duck?” She joked quietly, trying to brighten the mood a little.

He only smiled for a split second when she smiled at him, confused by the fact she didn’t understand as well. But he figured he just let it be. She even offered him duck to try and brighten the mood a bit. Which he appreciated the new inside joke. It took him a moment before deciding on allowing himself to take one. Quickly popping it into his mouth and walking in silence for a moment while he ate it.

”To be honest, I was saying sorry for just running out of there.” He said calmly with a slight smile. ”Not really for my actions against that… well other student “

Val couldn’t help but smirk just a touch at that, offering just a little shake of her head. “If I was in your position, I suppose I wouldn’t be apologising for my actions against the other student, either,” she replies softly. She takes a strawberry out of the bowl, popping it into her mouth. After a few moments, she adds, “Though, I think it’s far superior to launch an attack like that out in the halls, alone in the dark. Much less chance of a teacher stopping the act, no?”

“While you are correct…and admit I have thought about it.” He said glancing at her. “Perhaps a duel would be better….” Looking back forward to Selena who was ahead of them still. “No better place to send a clear message to everyone.” He said with a hint of foreboding in his tone.

Selena stopped at the door and looked back at him. She was so completely lost in her thoughts wondering why that boy would shove her. She never had anyone do that to her before… well mostly because she was a ‘Goddess’ Anyone that would even look at her wrong would be punished by others. Not that she liked that. But straight up shoving her for no reason? Never happened, or even occurred to her. She didn’t know what she did, she knew kitsune were not liked, that humans were naturally racist towards other races. She heard the stories… but she almost didn’t believe them. Living with the Renards she hid her identity at their request and her protest. It was still a nice bubble though as they were really nice to her.

She didn’t know what to say, really. She felt embarrassed still after everything. All she could muster was a quiet goodnight. Before walking into the room. Honestly she didn’t want to be alone just yet, but She felt horrible that because of her, Finn was in a fight already. She only managed to say goodnight in her tongue in a tiny voice. Before slipping into the room.

Finn answered with “Goodnight” in the common tongue. Val, however, remained paused at the door, not quite entering the room yet and allowing Selena to go in first. However, once Selena had gone inside, the silver-haired girl turned to Finn.

“I… Am not sure how to go about comforting people,” Valencia admits, very quietly. She knew that she would feel a little awkward about staying in the dorm with Selena whilst she wasn’t in a good mood. The lack of true social contact didn’t very much help with that, she hadn’t had to deal with many upset people before. “It might be better if you came in for a little bit. Because you’re her friend, that is. I don’t know. She might feel better having you here for a bit. Instead of… Well, a stranger.” She was talking about herself for the latter part.

Finn hesitated. Scratching the back of his head “To be fair, i’m not the greatest either.” He said softly. But he understood completely where she was coming from. He didn’t know what to say to make her feel better. He did have one idea though. “You don't need the bathroom for a bit do you?”

There was a slight look of humour on Valencia’s face at what she perceived to be a bit of an odd question by Finn. She supposed that he had some sort of a plan, though; to ask her a question like that, she certainly hoped he had one. With a questioning look resting on her face, though a smile resting upon her lips, Valencia shook her head. “I do not,” she answers.

Finn only nodded. ”Good. May I?” he asked while motioning to the door. To which he received a nod of the head as a voiceless response from Valencia. Then he proceeded into the room. He could smell the strong scent of the soap that Selena had used earlier. Much to Selena’s surprise, who was sitting on her bed at the moment. Her ears perked up at the sight of him.

He smiled warmly at her and went straight for the Bathroom. At which the confused kitsune got up and walked over to the door. “Finn?” She asked hesitantly. Peeking her head around the doorframe. She would see him kneeling next to the tub, already turning on the hot water, allowing his hand to test the water till it was hot enough, and plugging the drain. By now, Valencia, who had entered the dorm and shut the door behind them for privacy (and to make Selena feel a bit better) had caught onto Finn’s plan.

Finn looked back as he stood up flicking his wet fingers over the tub. Having some time to think about what to say now, he then said. “You’ve had a really long and quite stressful day. Especially with what just happened. I just hope you can relax a bit before you get some much needed sleep. I know how much you enjoyed the hot baths, so...yeah..” He said scratching his left cheek while getting slightly embarrassed for some reason.

Selena smiled a bit at Finn’s attempt to make her feel better. She reddened “Thank you...Finn.” She looked away, “I… Sorry for…” Was all she could before Finn said quite firmly.

“NO.” raising an index finger, half pointed at selena and the ceiling. While he moved back towards the two of them. “No apologies. You did nothing wrong.”

Selena flinched only slightly, startled only at the sudden interjection of Finn. “S...sorry.” was all she could come up with, even though she was still smiling. Which caused Finn to lower his head in defeat as she apologized again.

Meanwhile in the background, there was a THUD sound as Valencia practically leapt onto her bed, which creaked loudly in protest before settling. She hadn’t thought about the fact that the bed wasn’t made to take an exhausted half-gargoyle flopping herself atop it as hard as she could after the stress of the day. Though her head was half-buried in the blanket, it was turned in the direction of the bathroom door, watching and listening to the interaction between the two.

This thud had caused Selena to turn around suddenly, and Finn walked further out, peeking over Selena’s shoulder at what had caused that loud thud. Selena smiled slightly as she didn’t expect it to be Val that made that noise and to be sprawled out on her bed/.

Finn then asked. “Eh… you ok over there?” He said with a small smile. Not expecting the prim and proper looking girl to flop onto her bed. Surprised even more on how loud that thud was.

“I’m fine. Just, wow, today has been… Quite the experience,” Val replies, half-murmuring into the bedsheets. She reaches down, removing her sword from her belt and lazily reaches over to rest it against the wall behind the bed, inbetween it and the bedside table. Just within reach. She returned to lazing about after that, keeping her eyes on the two with an innocent smile.

Selena nodded quietly. Realizing she had stuff out on her bed still and quickly moved over to put it away, slightly embarrassed at her ‘untidiness.’ Shoving her small bag into the trunk of her bed.

Finn nodded, “Yes it has… He said glancing around the room. Now that he had a chance to, he noticed the heavy armor on the rack. He blinked a few times. Despite the fact it was plate armor, it had intricate designs and was dark steel. Clearly, Valencia was from a VERY Rich family...perhaps nobility even.

He narrowed his eyes and looked from it to her then back to it. She didn’t have the frame to hold that much weight up. Let alone in a battle. Though it was her height clearly. ”Wait… that’s your armor?” He asked clearly confused. He had seen women in armor before, but usually it was a lighter plate armor. But this one looked quite heavy.

Valencia had slowly rolled herself over onto her back, so she could at least look around the room without mushing her face further into the bedsheets, and was now resting on her back, head on her pillow. It was odd to have someone that she liked hanging out in her room; previously, the only people hanging out in her domain were those that did so in hoping that she would take favour to them, and in turn, that would cause her father to like them more. Those people bothered her, but having Finn hanging around did not.

The question, however, brought a bit of a smile on her face. She almost instantly knew why he was questioning if it really was her’s or not; it certainly wasn’t Selena’s, and Val knew that she didn’t exactly have the type of figure that would be expected to hold up heavy armour. She nods her head, smiling at him. “Mine, and mine alone,” she responds proudly.

Selena kept quiet still as she looked over at the armor, which she did see Valencia wear. It did seem quite heavy, but she clearly didn’t think it was a problem. Not being as observant as Finn. She was feeling a little better that Finn was there, making conversation so she was comfortable. To be honest, she was looking forward to the bath. So she found some flower petals that she gathered for this very purpose.

Finn blinked a few times as if trying to figure out if it was enchanted to be lighter or she was just joking with him, either way he gave an impressed look before looking towards the bath once again. Bolting over quite suddenly as he realized it filled faster than he thought. Turning it off, he sighed as he got to it in time. Rolling up his sleeve he reached down with his right arm and pulled the plug for a few moments before plugging it again. Wincing at how hot it was. But he knew Selena loved it hot.

He then walked over to the sink and wiped his arm off before walking out and looking at Selena. “Ok that’s ready for you. I hope it makes you feel a little better.”

Selena came over with her flowers, her tail up and swaying softly now. She nodded. “Thank you Finn.” She said with a smile. She slipped by him and then turned…”You...um...Come back in morning? We walk to class together? All three of us?” She asked, looking at Valencia as well, who gave a little nod of agreement for her part.

Finn nodded as she smiled. “Of course. Have a good night Selena…” He said, as she closed the door. He then realized he was in a room alone with another girl and scratched the back of his head. Looking to Valencia. ”She will be in there for a long time… So…” He made his way to the door. “I probably should be heading back to my room.”

Valencia notes Finn scratching the back of his head, and moves her hand up to tap her lip a little bit, thinking. Then, she shrugs. “Alright,” she replies. “Any more plans for the rest of the night, or are you just planning to lurk in your room alone?” She asks, out of curiosity. Her casual smile seems to grow a little. “Or, do you have a roommate of your own waiting for you?”

Finn looked over as she was laying in her bed still. Wondering what she meant by if he had any more plans for the night, was that meaning she wanted him to stay?. ”I didn’t have any plans really. Probably just go to bed. He was even more confused on her smile when she asked if he had a roommate waiting for him. “I actually haven’t met my roommate yet. So I doubt they are waiting for me.” he answered as he wondered who his roommate would be. Hopefully it wasn’t a girl...he probably couldn’t get any sleep if that was the case.

“Who knows, maybe you don’t have one?” Valencia suggests. She wasn’t sure if she would prefer it that way or not. She had to learn to be social somehow, and a roommate helped with that. She privately wondered if the school picked roommates intentionally and with purpose, depending on each student’s personal circumstances.

”Well, I’m sure I do, there were two beds in the room.” He said thinking to himself. All he did know that the roommates were random, and it was coed. But there was a possibility that the person would never show up or whatever.

“Well, if you don’t, push the two beds together and make an even larger bed,” Valencia playfully suggests. She sat up a little, folding her hands together on her lap. His words brought up a point of curiosity for her; she wondered what would happen if the school received an odd number of students. Would one student rein king, as the only one of his dorm, or would there be one dorm with three students? She wouldn’t want to be in that situation, that’s for sure.

”Maybe, The beds are already bigger than what i’m used to, so I wouldn’t know what to do with all that extra space.” He said with a small laugh. Looking back to her as she sat up in bed.

Valencia tilts her head a little at that last statement, taking a glance down at her bed, and then up at Finn once more. “Are your beds larger than these ones, then? These beds are small, at least, smaller than what I’m used to,” she replies. Her bed at home had certainly been larger, but she had thought that was a normal size. Room in a bed was nice.

That confirmed it, she was a noble. Finn thought to himself. Scratching the back of his head. As she tilted her head to the side. The innocent ignorance reminded him a little of Selena when she saw one of their beds/cots for the first time. “N-no, they are the same size. I just grew up sleeping on smaller beds, or hammocks or even the forest ground.” She would probably think he’s a peasant by the sound of that, he thought to himself.

Valencia took another uncertain glance down at her own bed, and then across at Selena’s bed. “Oh. I see. I mean, it’s not really a tiny bed. It’s got room, I suppose. Not too small,” she replies, stammering a little. She didn’t want to seem pretentious, tilting her nose up at protest at the beds being smaller than she was used to. Acting like a snobby noble was what she wanted to do the least.

He chuckled. “Yeah not as small as i’ve seen before.” he said as he realized he’s being awkward now. Didn’t help that she was being cute with her innocent look. “Tomorrow is probably going to be more exhausting.” [/color] Especially for him as well. “I probably should let you get some rest now.” He said taking a backwards step towards the door.

“Definitely going to be exhausting,” the silver-haired girl agrees. At the very least, people wouldn’t be hopping over eachother to meet one another as much. Hopefully with a teacher controlling a classroom environment, things would go smoothly. And hopefully she got enough sleep, she liked sleeping in her own bed, and sleeping in a new bed was strange. “Everything is just so unusual. It’s going to take some time before I can get used to it all. Well, go and get some rest, Finn. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Ill see you tomorrow, Goodnight Valencia.” He said with a smile and hitting the door with his back before turning and opening it, and slipping through. Giving a small wave to hide the fact he just walked into the door.

Valencia waved back at her friend as he left, and waited until after he had left to giggle at the fact that he had backed into the door. Taking a glance towards the bathroom, she figured it would be a while before Selena came out. With Selena apparently frequenting baths, Valencia trusted that the kitsune wouldn’t drown, and proceeded to make the preparations to get herself some sleep. Sleeping like a statue, some could say.

Anise was happy to have Selena interested in her. It made her feel a little better for what happened earlier. Of course that moment was short lived as some giant imbecile came by and knocked Selena flat on the ground without any regard for the poor girl. She was just about to stand up and say something, but was quickly overtaken by half the table. They all really seemed to care for her. That was good at least. Anise didn't feel she was needed in that matter any more. So she stilled herself, and let them take care of everything else. That said the idea of a duel sounded enjoyable. "Well I'll have to clear my schedule for such an event. I wouldn't want to miss it." she quipped to no one in particular.

The professor informed them it was time for the feast to come to close. That was fine with Anise. She had quite a bit she wanted to write down on her own from the group. She gave them all a wave goodbye and returned to her room, though she did take note of the drunkenness of her fellow Tiefling (as well as the curious spectacle of the vibrant haired woman taking him with her). There was much to note on what had transpired today.

As she returned to her room, she was quick to change out of her uniform and into a simple dress designed for lounging and relaxing. The uniforms felt incredibly comfortable, though they were new and different. She preferred the the feel of her old clothes. However, she took a moment and sat down at her desk, pulled out her tome, an inkwell, and a quill and untied the straps, dipping the tip of her quill in the ink and started scribbling away with drawings and notes of those she met.

She wrote what she had learned from Selena, noting that she wished to learn more about these weapons and particularly the magic they used. It seemed to be drawn from the moon, much different than what she was used to. Her own magic drew power from mana and the world, using the mana to turn manipulate the energies of the world. What was different about the moon? There was a lot to ask. She stayed awake late into the night writing and hypothesizing, with only a lit candle to light the desk. The tome ate every word she wrote almost as soon as she had it written down so she was fortunate to not need to worry of running out of pages.

However soon she felt her eyes begin to grow heavy. It was time to close up shop. She shut her book, and tied the leather around it once more, and rested her head against between her arms at her desk. This was all a new experience. She had always been so critical of these universities and colleges. Parts of her were mocking, others were curious, and others still were anxious. As these thoughts swirled throughout her mind her eyes fluttered closed, and she quickly drifted to sleep, resting her head on the desk as the candle burned itself into torpor as well.

As the night came to a close and the students went off to wherever they chose to spend the night, the staff of hoseforns wandered off to their own private study. It was a tradition every semester to gather and speak about how they would handle the incoming class and prepare them for the treacherous life of an adventurer. This year, however, felt different. The world was changing. It became more and more dangerous each day. And what was worse was that no one was entirely sure WHAT was causing the changes.

The staff entered a well decorated and comfortable looking room. Chairs and couches were placed around a large crystal that hovered and spun slowly in its center. The crystal shifted colors, revealing it be a part of Athena, although a larger one then those present in the student’s rooms.

“Well, that was a rather uneventful night. Only one fight broke out.” Gilor mumbled as a he hopped into a large chair. He kept his book firmly in front of him and never seemed to stop reading it even as he walked.

Sir Vermont harrumphed a little. “Not even through their first day and I already have to officiate a duel. They will be trouble.” Vermont sat at a couch and picked up an already filled glass of red wine.

Maya, who always seemed to dance everywhere she went walked around the back of the couch that Vermont had sat at and ran her hand across his shoulders in an attempt to sooth the large man. “It was bound to happen sooner or later. They are young, full of life, and have a lot to prove. If I remember right you weren’t so different at one time.” When she spoke her voice was soft and clear. It almost sounded as though she was singing.

“Almost exactly the same. Other then the stick you had shoved up your ass.” Came the muffled voice of Dex as he sat at a seat in the furthest corner of the room. It was always hard to tell with Dex, but it had almost sounded like he was making a joke.

Vermont made a sound between a growl and a chuckle, his face not changing in the least. “It’s still up there I assure you.” Maya laughed as she came around the couch and sat next to Vermont, she too picked up a glass of wine and took a light sip of it.

“How lewd.” Maurine laughed as she slithered into the room. As she moved across the floor the lower half of her body changed, the long snake like tail forming into a pair of long slender legs. She never seemed to break stride as she moved towards Athena’s crystal. It was obvious how hard Vermont tried not to look at her until a long white skirt materialized and covered the lower half of her body. “Prude.” Maya whispered to him teasingly.

“Still, Vermont is right. This seems like a rambunctious group, promising or not we will may have to work extra hard to make sure they make it to graduation. I would hate to lose any of them. They all show potential, and we may need all the help we can get in the coming year.”

The last to enter the room was Hoseforn. He puffed slowly on his pipe, the crystal in it shifting colors as he did. He released a puff of rainbow colored smoke that twisted and turned through the air in an unnatural way. Hoseforn walked over to the crystal and the rainbow colored lights within it shifted until they revealed a young kitsune woman with pink ears and a fluffy tail. “Selena, a kitsune. I haven’t seen one of her kind in centuries. Which raises questions as to why she here.”

“She will be hard to miss, I’m afraid. I think finding a way to disguise her for the time being may be wise. She is lucky Fenros found her first.”

“Regardless, the new’s that she is here is bound to get out. Someone will likely come looking for her. We will have to keep a close eye on her.”

The picture in the crystal shifted again to show the young archer, Finn. “Ahh, our young duelist.” Hoseforn said, studying the young mans mechanical arm with some interest. “How will that arm affect him in combat Dex?”

“It shouldn’t be much of a hindrance. Krum always does excellent work. As long as he keeps it well maintained he shouldn't have any trouble with it. Might even prove to be an asset.” Dex said without bothering to turn his head. It was always difficult to tell where that man was staring.

The picture shifted once again, this time revealing a purple tieflling woman. “Heh, Fiddlefen’s student. Never thought that old gnome would take an apprentice on, she must be something special.”

“Almost more surprising that he would send her here. It will be interesting to watch how she grows. Though from what I’ve heard we may need to make sure the wards on the library books are touched up.”

The pictured shifted to one of the new magus who had enrolled. “Ixius, I believe his name is. He shows a great deal of potential as well. Though from what his teachers told me his attitude requires...refinement.”

“A problem many young mages face. He believes to hardily in his craft’s superiority. A mistake that many only get to make once. Still, I think he will learn quickly once he is given the proper guidance.”

The picture shifted once more to reveal the other young magus who had joined their ranks. His blonde hair and bubbly attitude giving him a pleasant face. “Calven. A unique gift, being able to imbue magic into food. Still, his unstable core is worrying. Mari, I think you will have to work closely with him and help him develop his gift. Perhaps find a way to cure his mana leakage.”

“Of course. He is not the first to have this issue. I’m sure we will discover something. A good magical chef is a terrible thing to waste.”

The picture shifted once more. This time it showed a young woman with long silver hair and pale skin. “Valencia, the daughter of Jaune Coquerdale.” Sir Vermont said Jaune’s name causing venom to leak into his voice, and his body to tense slightly.

“A very interesting young woman. There is something odd about her. I don’t believe she is entirely human, though I cant be sure.” Maurine said as she turned to look at Vermont. “Vermont, I know your hatred of her fathers actions, however....”

“Don’t. She is her own person. The sin’s of the father are not the sins of the child. I will train and protect her as I would any other.” Vermont said, his body loosening up a little.

Maurine nodded, satisfied with the answer. They all knew Vermont’s hatred of evil, but his word was as binding as any contract. If he said that he would train and protect the girl, that was all that mattered. Once more the picture shifted to portray the young dwarf soldier, Arn. “This one comes highly recommended. It seems he has talent. But he is still young for a dwarf, and too stiff. He has much too learn, especially when it comes to being a cleric. Obviously you will have to work closely with him Vermont. But Maya, I would like for you to work with him as well. See if you can work away at some of his...awkwardness.”

“Sounds fun! I think the roommate we placed him with will help.” Maya said with a smile as she sipped her wine again. It had been her idea to put Arn and Karya together. The picture then shifted too Karya, as if in response to Maya’s words. “She is already quite skilled. I think she will do well here once she has the experience she needs.”

“Yes, but her reasons for being here are...unsettling. Her sister disappearing. It might not be related...”

“But its safer to assume that it is. We should look into the woods as well. If these disappearances have reached even the wood nymphs then we may be in for more trouble then we are prepared for.” Hoseforn said as he stared at the crystal. “Dex, I know that I have already worked you too hard. But I will need your help even more in the coming weeks. That scroll you found is...unnatural. It is a language I have not seen before, and even Athena is having a difficult time deciphering it. If this is what I fear, all of Ealinata may be in danger.” His words hung in the air for a while, darkening the faces of every teacher. Even Maya, who had a talent for staying positive even in the most dire of situations frowned a little.

“You know I will help however I can.” Dex said simply.

After another moment of silence, the picture shifted once more. This time it showed a pretty young woman with long blue hair and piercing yellow eyes. Maurine’s face brightened just a little as she looked at the young woman. “Is it her?” Hoseforn asked as he turned to look at Maurine. “Yes. I have no doubts now. She is older, and there is something more dangerous about her now, but that is certainly her.”

Hoseforn nodded. “Good, its a relief that she is alive. I don’t know how much she’ll remember, but I think its important that we help her.” A song began to emit from the crystal. It was the lullaby she had started to sing. The young woman may not have realized it yet, but small tendrils of magic leaked out of her song as she sang. “I don't think she knows how to use her voice yet, but she is close. It wont take much before she can use her singing to its full effect.” Gilor said, looking up from his book for the first time. “Yes, she has the talent. She just needs the guidance.”

After the song ended the picture changed once more. This time it showed a young man with tan skin and a muscular build. “Toma, his application was done by another paladin. Rather rare for your lot, isn’t it Vermont?”

“Yes. Tarkus’ student. I knew Tarkus a little, though not as much as I’d have liked. He was a good man. Said that the boy showed a lot of promise, he just needed refinement. And to get out and see the world.”

“His sword is odd. It’s very obviously magical. It looks like it has a great deal of magical potential as well. It’s not a normal enchantment though. Almost looks like it has a spirit inside of it.” Gilor said, the item seeming to have peaked his interest. Spirits bound to objects was not unheard of, but it was rare, difficult to pull off, and sometimes incredibly dangerous.

After a moment the picture changed again. This time it showed a young half-elf woman with white hair. “Alexis. It seems she uses gambler magic.” Maurine said with a smile. She always enjoyed unique magic, and it didn’t get much more unique then gambler magic. “I will be most interested to see how she progresses.”

“Being a gambler doesn’t often lead to a long lifespan.” Vermont said, studying the young woman with interest.

“No, but those who manage to master it can become quite powerful, and pull off unique magics that few others can. We will just have to make sure she doesn’t accidentally blow herself up.”

The picture finally changed to that of a red skinned tiefling. The picture showed him earlier in the day as he had been playing his lute. He seemed to play almost out of instinct. The teachers watched for a moment until the song ended, none of them saying anything until he had finished.

“He plays just like Anabella used to.” Maya said. She was still smiling, but it was sadder then it had been before.

“And he looks exactly liker Za-kei-al.” Vermont said. His face darkened and he spat the name like a curse, his body visibly tensed. The room fell quiet, each teacher knowing that this was a delicate subject for the Paladin. “He isn’t Za-kei-al though. The similarities are certainly there, but you said it yourself. This sins of the father, are not the sins of the child.” Dex said. He had leaned forward, and his mask was turned to look directly at Vermont.

Vermont’s shoulders slouched a tiny bit. “Yes, I know. I would never do anything to the boy. You should know I would never do anything to dishonor Anabella’s memory. The fact remains though that if Za-kei-al finds out about the boy….”

“He already knows.” Maya said, her voice almost a whisper. Vermont’s head whipped around to stare at her. He seemed barely able to mask his rage. “You spoke with him?! You have a way to contact that bastard?!”

“I wrote him when I found Rodrick. He doesn’t know where Rodrick is. Although he’ll assume that he’s here. He deserved to know that his son is alive at least. No matter what happened, he loved Anabella. And Rodrick deserves the chance to know his father. He’s been alone to long.”

“Does he know who his father is?” Dex asked. “No, I don’t think so. Still, he’ll find out. He’ll need too at some point. We owe him the chance at a family Vermont. We owe it too Anabella’s memory for not finding her son sooner.” This caused another pause. Vermont looked down, as though ashamed while Dex leaned back in his chair.

After a moment Hoseforn cleared his throat. “All of these young men and woman are here for a reason. They showed great potential. We will need them shortly, I fear. I know that you all are excellent at what you do, and one of a kind instructors. But we must work even harder in the coming months to make sure they are as ready as they can be. I don't know for sure know what’s coming, but if it’s what I fear, we will need every able bodied person we can find.”

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@Inertia@StOpossum@LuckyBlackCat@Tae@Omni5876@Aerandir@datadogie@Heartfillia@Ryik@Duoya@mantou

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Finn sighed as he walked to his dorm after walking Selena to her room. He was still angry at what had happened back in the feast hall. But he was much more in control of his anger at this point. As such as he was realizing he should have healed Selena before confronting the other student. Mentally kicking himself as he did. He heard the door unlock with a click and walked into his room.

He immediately unbuckled his front bandolier/leather chest guard, with the bow still attached and lifted it off his shoulder and hung it on his bedpost tilting the bow just so it rested against the wall and didn’t come out of the loop. Then the quiver was a quick release latch on his belt which he propped next to the wall as well. He then unbuckled his uniform and hung it up, leaving his pants on and just a tank top undershirt. He fell onto his bed in a sitting position and rubbed his face as he wondered what his father and mother would think of him getting into a duel before even classes started.

His head tingled as he felt an imaginary back of the head slap from his father and scolding of his mother. Honestly it felt weird being away from them both, or knowing the fact he will be away from them. Usually stuck to his fathers side all the time even on trips. Or with his mother.

The bathroom door creaked open as a shirtless Toma entered the room, adjusting his pants and seeming quite surprised. His hair was still soaking from his bath - Oats had been very excited to be fed, and Toma ended up being pushed in a pile of manure by the larger animal. Toma didn’t really mind - he lived on a farm his whole life and had grown used to the smell, and the bathing tubs at the academy were far more comfortable than a stream.

Still, no one in their right mind would sleep covered in manure. Toma was one of the earlier students to leave the feast for their dorm, eager to bathe and get an early start to the next day.

Toma noticed the human sitting on one of the beds, and sighed in relief. He’d initially rushed out of his bath because he had heard noise in the room and assumed an intruder was there - now that he was thinking clearly and seeing them so relaxed, Toma realized that it was almost certainly the owner of the second bed in the room.

“Hey there - I don’t think we’ve met. My name’s Toma. I’m guessing this is your room too, right?”

Finn looked up as he heard the door to the bath open. Surprised as well, forgetting that he had a roommate for a brief moment. Finn stood back up and with a polite smile. “Hey. He said as he nodded to Toma’s question. “Yep, pretty sure it’s my room too haha.” He offered his right normal hand for a handshake. “My name is Finn, It’s nice to meet you Toma.”

With the door open to the bathroom, he eventually got a wiff of manure. He knew it well, as most people did. It did remind him that he had to go look after his own horse. He wrinkled his nose only slightly. “ You eh… had an accident in the stables I’m assuming?” he said, touching his nose with his prosthetic hand’s index finger with a small smile. Indicating he could smell the clothes now.

Toma reciprocated Finn’s offer of a handshake, but was quick to break it off. He was, after all, still dripping wet from his bath. Toma was a little surprised to see Finn’s prosthetic hand - he had initially assumed it to be some strange glove or sleeve, but it was definitely a replacement limb of some kind…

Toma shook the thought from his mind. It didn’t seem that different from a regular arm, other than the weird look, and Finn at least offered to shake with his normal arm. Instead of questioning the limb, Toma chose to excuse dirtying their room the first day they were staying in it.

“Oh, uh… Yep. My donkey isn’t too gentle. Ended up pushing me into a crap pile.”

Toma offered an apologetic shrug.

“Won’t stink for too long - I’m working on cleaning my uniform now. Sorry for the trouble, man.”

Finn was surprised when Toma mentioned a Donkey. He didn’t expect that.But he smiled. ”Yeah, they tend to be ass’s some times.” He couldn’t help himself. He shook his head, “And don't worry about it, I was always taking care of my family’s horses growing up. Being the youngest and all. So I get it.” Just as long as he keeps up on keeping the room clean and not smelling of manure. He thought to himself. He wasn’t too worried about it. But you never know.

Walking back into the bathroom, Toma retrieved a towel and tunic before closing the door and quarantining the smell. He quickly began drying off his hair as he continued talking.

“You excited for classes tomorrow? I’m kind of anxious, but the good kind, you know?”

“Yeah, I’m excited as well. It’s going to be a nice change of pace not training with just my dad or my brothers… or mother.” He added with a side note. He sat on his bed and pulled his boots off, setting them neatly near the foot of his bed. He unwrapped his cape from around his waist and took his belt off. Placing them in his wardrobe. Glancing around the room he noticed the sword. “That’s a nice sword. You must be a pretty skilled swordsman to have that this early.”

Toma shook his head in response, laughing slightly at the assumption.

”A moon ago, I never even held a sword before - I’m just better with that one then others. I got it as inheritance from a good friend. If you’re ever looking to spar, I plan on visiting that Hall of Combat the teachers spoke about sometime tomorrow.”

Finn blinked when he mentioned only having it for a month. Yeah sure he could understand inheriting it. But that he never held one before then?Finn thought only the talented got into this school. Or those with enough money. Looking at the luggage, and the fact he owns a donkey, and this new information. It was clear he lacked both. He glanced at the sword once more. Not that it was his place to say he couldn’t come, but he was probably going to have a really hard time.

His next comment made him realize that he probably didn’t see what had happened in the feast hall. That he already had a duel tomorrow after classes. ”Uh.. Sure...sometime.” He said politely. Which in honesty he would probably wouldn’t go out of his way to spar with him, unless he personally asked. He also found it odd he would bring it up. Not many people would spar with an archer, but perhaps he didn’t see it.

Toma dragged his luggage to the side of his bed and grabbed one of his water skins, before he placed it on the bedside table. He had a nasty habit of waking up from nightmares, and having a bit of water nearby helped ease him back to sleep. Sliding into his own bed, Toma was once more reminded of how awful those bed rolls felt when you had to sleep on them for weeks at a time. Yeah, he was definitely going to just pass out and leave his uniform on the floor of the bathroom.

”I’m gonna hit the hay and try to wake up early. I grabbed some breads from the feast, so if you want a snack you can just take some from my luggage.”

Mentioning that, Toma reached into his bag and pulled out a strangely shaped bread roll that was coated in some kind of buttery seasoning. It was a type of Elven Bread eaten during celebrations, and was especially popular in the High Elven Capital, the All Tree…

Not that Toma knew that, of course. He just thought it tasted good. He had eaten his fill during the feast, but he always liked to snack before sleeping.

Finn had turned to take off his pants and hang it with a crease neatly folded. When Toma offered a snack…. He paused and looked behind him to see Toma in his bed and pulling a bread he pocketed from the feast. He looked back to his wardrobe with his eyes wide, a slight twitch under his scarred eye. “N-no… I’m good.” He managed to say with a semi controlled voice.

His roommate was a goblin. The fact he left the soiled clothes in the bathroom… probably crumpled up on the ground. And was now eating in their room... IN THE BED OF ALL PLACES. He immediately apologized to his mother in his head for all the times he did that growing up. While very few because he feared her wrath. He could understand her pain already.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. Closing the wardrobe he thought to himself, maybe. Just MAYBE. It was a one time thing. It was a long day for everyone. Maybe he would get better. Wincing at the ghost pains in his left forearm, he had a sinking feeling that...no it wouldn’t. At least for a while...

He got into bed after shutting off the lights without another word, he easily pulled off his prosthetics and set them in the conveniently provided stand next to his bed before promptly falling asleep himself. Doing his best to ignore the fact he might have just gotten the roommate from hell.

(Collab between @LuckyBlackCat and OMNI. Sorry No banner but you can let your imaginations run wild)

Arn followed the milling masses out of the Hall of Nourishment. His ears filled with sound as conversations of old and new friends floated in the wind. As the students dispersed to their respective dormitories, the cacophony of sound diminished. The cool night air, combined with the waft of fragrant flowers which adorned the common areas, left the young cleric feeling at ease and hopeful.
Many things and many first had been experienced during the feast and the young dwarf needed time to sort them out. Thankful, unless a roommate had arrived late, which did not bode well, his dormitory would be a sort of solitude.

While he would not begrudge a roommate, after all he had share many an open room with plenty of cadets, he would prefer to not have to interact more than necessary with his fellow students. As it was, his recent experience with all the new people he met left him exhausted mentally and emotionally.

As if materializing out of his mind, the woodland sprite or fey or whatever she was, who had made him a bit uncomfortable due to her initial appearance in wet clothes that hugged her body much too efficiently, appeared to his right. Being polite and respectful, Arn looked in her direction and nodding an acknowledgement continued on his way hoping she would not try to initiate any sort of conversation.

Karya had spent the rest of the meal trying to lift the mood, the decline of which she felt partly responsible. More wine had been involved, and her head buzzed pleasantly as she made her way through the grounds, but the talk of the disappearances still lingered in her mind. All the more reason to put 100% into the training tomorrow, she thought, clenching her fists as she separated from the crowd.

To her left, she noticed someone looking her way. Through the darkness, she recognized him as Arn, the dwarf who hadn't said much throughout the meal, but had stood up for Selena. Karya responded with a grin. "Looking forward to classes tomorrow?" she asked. In her slightly tipsy state, she didn't pick up that Arn may not have the energy to chat. "Since we're supposed to bring equipment, the first one's got to be some kind of combat class, but I wonder what else there's gonna be?"

Her eyes shone with enthusiasm, partly from curiosity, partly from fierce determination to succeed.

The young cadet noticeably winced as more words than a simple good night passed the tan lips of the lady. He almost cursed himself for acknowledging her but he felt it would have been proper rude to ignore or pretend she was not there. He took a deep breath and forced himself to look in her direction as she talked. Her voice was pleasant, to him it sounded like the breeze that moves between the trees in spring mixed in with the tweets of birds.

Karya. To her left, she noticed someone looking her way.

"Looking forward to classes tomorrow?"

He nodded his response. Something in her gait told the dwarf that she was not entirely in full control of her person. The dwarf himself had drank only five or six mugs of ale but as dwarfs had much stronger stuff, it had not even dazed him. Still, the majority of his table mates did seem to have enjoyed a glass or two of wine or other drink. He hated to admit it but he would have to offer to accompany the girl to her dormitory.

"Since we're supposed to bring equipment, the first one's got to be some kind of combat class, but I wonder what else there's gonna be?"

His baritone voice was calm and polite. “I am sure that each training and academic regimen is particularly tailored to each student. I am sure we will know more in the morning.” He continued to keep his pace which should have enabled her to pass him as easily as the other average size students were doing. She was almost a whole foot taller than he which meant that her strong toned legs would propel her at a much faster rate than his short muscular ones.

The fact that she was staying with him meant that she wanted to talk which made the dwarf groan inwardly. Still, his requirement to be polite, coupled with his own sense of honor, did not allow him to try and evade his way out of the conversation and company.
“Please forgive me if I am inappropriate, but do you require an escort to your room?” He did not know how else to ask if she needed help getting to her room as she looked buzzed. The young dwarf hoped she would say no and then this would give him the window to politely excuse himself.

"Sure, always good to chat along the way!" Karya replied. Even in her woozy state, she could probably find the room, and a ranger needed to know their way around anyway. Still, she wasn't going to turn down company. Right now especially, she didn't want to be alone with her thoughts.

Her footsteps slow, and a little less graceful than usual, she kept pace with Arn as they neared the dorms. "And yep, since we're all specialising in something different, I figured that'd be the case. Oooh, I hope there's some kind of crafting class! As for combat lessons, it'll be interesting to see people's fighting styles. Y'know, who'd be best as a team. Covering each other's weaknesses, playing to each other's strengths, and all that..."

She was talking entirely too much, but she figured some lively conversation would help the tired-looking dwarf's energy levels, and ease any shyness he may be dealing with. Besides, the relentless chatter helped keep her troubling thoughts at bay. "So, what kind of training are you going for?"

Arn inwardly did a face palm. He had feared the response but knew that it was a possibility. However, the dwarf had hoped that the young girl would find his quiet and possibly grumpy looking demeanor as a detractor to accepting the company. He tightened his jaw as he steeled his resolve in seeing his offer through.

The pair passed building after building. Each passing one the dwarf’s suspicions of possibly occupying the same building as the lively ranger increased. He continued along, his step tempo increasing just a bit hoping that once he delivered her to her room he could seek the quiet sanctuary of his own.

Even if a roommate had materialized during the feast, Arn knew males tended to keep to themselves seeing other males as competition and those to be wary of. A sudden image of a blonde black robed mage came to his mind. Ok maybe not all males kept to themselves.

The young cleric nodded as the young lady talked. He was not fully invested in the conversation but he was not rude enough to ignore her all together. The dwarf surprised himself when he actually offered his own opinion. “I must admit that it would be intriguing to see your skill in comparison to Finn Rineheart….” He stopped himself and quickly cleared his throat.

What was wrong with him? Had he just truthfully shared what he thought? Maybe he had more Ale than he thought and it was messing with his self control. It would be best if he delivered the lady to her abode and got some rest. He found himself looking at the building number for his own dormitory. He looked up slightly at the lady and seeing as only a few more dormitories were possible for her to reside him he said reluctantly.

“My dormitory is here but I will accompany you to yours if you desire.”

Finn Reinheart. Karya recalled the human boy, his movements quick and agile as he'd leapt up and run across the table. "That's a thought, I could challenge him to a sparring match. Practice for the duel." She paused, thinking over the teacher's words, hoping the fight would turn out in Finn's favor. The teachers wouldn't let anyone get badly hurt, right?

As she neared her dormitory building, she was just about to wish Arn a good night and head inside, when he pointed out it was his hall of residence. "I'm here too!" Karya beamed. "Neat, so we're dorm mates!" Already knowing one the other residents made her feel more settled in.

She kept up her chatting as he accompanied her along the hallways. "We should throw a dorm party, get to know each other. I mean you never know who you'll be sent out on a quest with, so it's best to get along." On the subject, she wondered who her roommate would be. Hopefully someone who enjoyed company - and who wouldn't get too upset over the state of the bathroom. The bathroom. She cringed inwardly. She'd almost forgotten about the soaked towels and steamed-up surfaces. That wasn't going to be a great first impression. On the plus side, maybe her roommate could help her get used to the school's technology.

It wasn't long until they reached door 725. "Well, this is my room," she said, gesturing to it. "Thanks, and later! Nice talking with you."

If her roommate was already here, now to meet them.

Arn only offered a grunt of agreement at her notion of fighting his so called cousin. It would definitely be a learning experience watching two rangers at work. The dwarf was also looking forward to the duel. He longed to duel himself and almost envied the young human. The brute was more suited to fighting him than a nimble ranger.

The young cadet’s mouth almost hinged open at the declaration of inhabiting the same dormitory as his temporary companion. He felt as if he had gotten hit in the stomach and that it had dropped to his feet. The term “dorm mates” made a shiver run down his back and it was all he could do to keep himself from shaking. All he could muster was an “Ah.”

He sighed and continued to follow her up the flight of stairs. The young cleric’s steps were heavy as if walking in full armor through mud. His head hung and he resigned himself to silent torture hearing her chat away. Each floor was a new hope that she would be leaving his company. Each floor was also a disillusion as his hopes were dashed when she continued their climb. Two floors, then three, now as they rounded the landing to head up to the seventh floor a sudden terrifying realization began to manifest in his mind.

Could it be possible that they were in the same floor? The idea running into her more often than desired left a sour taste in his mouth. It would be best to drop her off at her room first then make sure he was not seen and go to his room. This way at least, she could not come knocking wanting to chat.

When Karya finally announced arrival at her room Arn was so relieved that he barely caught the room number. He half smiled, more out of relief than politeness, and slightly bowed his head. “Then since you are safe at your door, I bid you good night.” Before she could say another word he bowed and shuffled off. It was not until he looked a few doors down that the numbers were increasing that he figured something was wrong.

He retraced his steps and his horror grew. His eyes widened and his mind ran confused circles trying to decipher how his room could also be the woodland archer’s. He placed his hand on the door and heard the audible click. He was about to walk in when he decided to knock.

Entering the room, Karya found herself alone once more. Well, alone except for Athena's company, but no roommate had arrived. Disappointing, yet something of a relief. Karya sank onto her bed, letting the facade fall. The calming buzz of the wine was giving way to alcohol-induced fretfulness. So much for trying to drink away her fears.

"She's alright, she's got to be alright..." she muttered. Taking several deep breaths, Karya attempted to pull herself together in time for her roommate to turn up. She turned her gaze from the floor to the crystal shard. "Uh, all's ok," she reassured Athena. "Just rambling. Too much wine."

"If you require water and sleepwear," the ever-formal voice replied, "both have been provided for you."

Karya's eyes widened as she spotted the glass of water by the bedside, and the pajamas folded on the pillow. Surely they hadn't been there before. Had school staff brought them in, or was this another part of Athena's magic? "Yeah, water and rest sound like an idea," she said. "Not gonna sleep just yet though. Got to meet my roommate first."

It wasn't a long wait; right on cue, she heard a click and a knock at the door. She stood and hurried over, putting up her usual cheery smile as she turned the handle. The figure in the doorway was one she hadn't expected to see again so soon. "Hey again! Who'd have thought it?" She hadn't thought she'd room with a guy, and Arn wasn't the most talkative person, but he was polite and respectful at least. She'd help him settle in no problem.

"Looks like we've already got everything we need." She gestured around the room. Glancing at the bathroom door, she grimaced. Best to address this sooner rather than later. "Well, that's the good news. The bad news is, uh, the bathroom. I can explain..."

Arn waited. He hoped against hope that he was wrong and that the room he had dropped of the pretty woodland sprite was not his own. However, his hopes were dashed when the door actually opened and there she stood. All smiles and charm. The dwarf gulped as his mouth suddenly felt very dry. He dreaded the prospect of sharing a room with a female dwarf, let alone a female that many lads would find extremely attractive.

He managed to lubricate his throat enough to manage a weak, “Um, yes Hi.” He was cut short by her melodic banter. Arn stood at the door unwilling to enter the same space that a lady was occupying. The young cleric waited until she had finished before he awkwardly expressed his view.

“Ms. Karya, please do not take this the wrong way but I believe there must be some sort of mistake.” He kept his eyes down. He felt ashamed that he needed to address this with a lady and he definitely did not want her to feel unwanted but such a mistake could not be overlooked. He produced his acceptance letter/map and held it up straight in front of him so that the lady did not have to get closer than what as necessary. “See, it lists room 725. Could you have perhaps read yours wrong?”
The inquiry was a long shot in the dark. After all, apparently the locks were attuned to the biometrics of the inhabitants. The only thing that would make sense is if the lock had sensed him nearby and opened allowing her access. The young dwarf was banking hard on this supposition but in the back of his mind, a whisper told him that she was here to stay. He fought back that thought and banished it to the dark recesses of his mind.

However, before the young lady was able to speak, the serene voice of Athena chirped up. “There is no mistake. This room has been reserved for Arn Thurson and Karya of Brackenglade. Each room inhabitant is selected based on various criteria that ensures both members are complimentary to each other. Re assignment request are reviewed on a case by case basis. Both inhabitants have to be in agreement.”

The dwarf’s mouth almost hung open as the magical assistant addressed the current situation. His eyes started to tear up. The logical aspect of it was undeniable which made his current plight that much more overwhelming. Knowing that he would not be able to win against a disembodied and probably vastly superior intellect of the magical gem, the young cadet instead appealed to his would be roommate.

His voice was shaky as he addressed the woodland archer. “Um miss Karya, I hope you do not consider me unkind but I feel that we perhaps need to be re assigned.” Thinking of how to soften the bow he added. “You seem like a quite the endearing and nurturing person. Because of that, I feel your time would be best valued by somebody more deserving.” His face was contorted into an awkward apologetic smile.

Karya's eyebrows furrowed as Arn teared up. Had she done or said something wrong? She'd tried to put him at ease, but it clearly hadn't worked. Maybe classes had been the wrong subject to discuss. Maybe it had made him nervous.

When he suggested reassignment, and explained his reasoning - that she deserved better - she returned his smile with a reassuring one of her own. "Aw, I'm flattered, but you don't have to move out," she replied. "I mean, you've been really polite to me. And Athena says we're likely to get along."

She glanced at the magical crystal. How much did Athena know about everyone here? Unnerving as it was, Karya couldn't deny this was some fascinating magic at work, and Athena's judgement was likely correct. Admittedly she and Arn were rather different, his shy and reserved demeanour contrasting with her outgoing one, but she could help him out of his shell, couldn't she? And they could turn out to have some interests in common, or skills that would complement each other well on missions.

"Obviously I can't stop you," she went on, "but how about we try for a week or so before we make any decisions?"

Arn felt the weight of the words she was saying fall on him like a ton of bricks or a cart full of drunk dwarves. It was not that the idea of spending time with the lovely woodland maiden seemed repulsive to him. In fact, it was the very opposite of that which made him cry out in the most undignified tone for a dwarf.

“But Miss Karya please!” The last part reached a pitch that would elicit praise from a certain Tiefling and Siren who would be impressed at the range of his falsetto. The young cleric coughed and swallowed regaining his composure by slowly stroking his beard. He took a deep breath and in his most political voice tried to reason with his would be room mate.

“Miss Karya. There is no personal dislike of you in my part. Indeed, as I have stated, you appear to be a very ideal roommate and I have seen enough of this school to believe that what Athena spoke was truth. However, I fear that occupying the same apartments would give rise to rumors that would besmirch your honor. After which, I would be honor bound to challenge.” He looked up at her, the truth in his words very apparent. “I would suffer nobody to tarnish your honor, not even me. Therefore, if you are indeed firm on the fact that you wish to remain int his dormitory, then I shall camp under the stars as I have done many times before.”

The young dwarf turned to leave but another ping sound and the serene voice of Athena made him freeze in his tracks. “Please be advised that students are not allowed out of their dormitories at night nor to erect any non sanctioned campsites.”
The blow of this announcement struck him like a well placed arrow to the back and he nearly arched it in real pain. He turned, looked at the crystal gem, looked at Karya, back at the mini Athena and gave a defeated sigh. He reluctantly entered his dormitory.

He passed by his bed and grabbing his own set of pajamas, which he had spied while standing on the doorway, he mumbled just audibly. “I will be sleeping in the restroom for now. Please knock if you want to utilize it.” His head was hung and his arms to his side in the most spectacularly whooped visage one could hope. The last thing that the young woman heard before he closed the door behind him was . “Good night, may Stolara bless your dreams….”

"Hm?" Karya tilted her head. "Tarnish my honor? What, just because we're a guy and a girl?" It didn't make sense to her. Even if people did get the wrong idea, why would they think badly of her for it? Was this another part of cultural modesty?

It seemed that way, judging by Arn's utterly despairing expression, and decision to sleep in the restroom. Karya winced. "Ehh, I hope it isn't too much of a mess, with the towels and all," she called as he trudged into the room at the back. "You see, I had a little trouble with the artificial lake in there." Her presence had troubled him enough, and the state of the bathroom wouldn't help.

She stared at the door for a few moments, wondering what would put him at ease. Something comforting to come back to in the morning... Her eyes scanned the room, settling on the plant pots. The shade and smell of a vibrant green canopy was comforting, apparently even to non forest dwelling races. She headed over to the plants and crouched, placing her hands on a pot and muttering an incantation.

A green glow flared in the middle of the container as the branches shifted and grew. They spread across the walls, climbed up shelves, at a much faster rate than Karya had intended. She cringed as the pot toppled into its side, spilling soil everywhere.

Maybe doing that while tipsy hadn't been the best idea, she thought as she righted the container and surveyed the overgrowth. She made sure to drink some water before changing into her pyjamas and climbing into bed. The first day of classes would be an important event, one she'd have to be well-rested for.

Arn closed the door to the restroom and sighed deeply. As a dwarf, every fiber of his being demanded that he go out there and face his fears. Defeat is only acceptable in an honorable duel. Though proud, dwarves not stupid. Their race is not as numerous as humans or demi humans. Even elves tend to populate faster than the under-ground dwelling humanoids. Thus, the race tends to minimize anything that could be dangerous and harmful. Hence their mistrust and limited contact with other races.

His every fiber was on high alert since he had arrived at the Academy and now his room, the one place he had hoped would be a sanctuary or retreat, was ground zero. A measly door separated the young cadet from not only a strange species but one that was so perfectly and beautifully represented in the lovely Archer, Karya.

The cleric in training made doubly sure that the door was closed and the proceeded to take off his uniform. Well muscled arms and legs were covered in almost fur like hair. Though not dexterous as the elven people, it was still no problem for the strong leg muscles to balance him as he took of his pants and put his pajamas on. He pulled the pajama shirt over his head and it fell on broad shoulders, a wide back and a barrel chest. While it was true that his midsection was not chiseled, the abdominal muscles were as taunt as steel.

Soon, he noticed the strewn about towels, puddles of water and trail of wet steps and remembered the woodland lady mentioning something about it.

"Ehh, I hope it isn't too much of a mess, with the towels and all," she called as he trudged into the room at the back. "You see, I had a little trouble with the artificial lake in there."

He could not help but smirk slightly at the scene and her comment. His race was very mechanically inclined and almost had a built in sense of how things worked. The young dwarf wondered where the girl came from and how they lived that something as simple as a faucet seemed to have gotten the better of her.

The young cadet caught himself smirking and immediately corrected himself. He shook his head as if to re arrange his thoughts and set his military training correctly. Before him was a mess that needed to be corrected. This he knew. So thankful for something to do, he proceeded to clean up.

Service duty was required of all cadets. The dwarf soon finished drying up and even making a makeshift hanging place for the wet towels. Having finished too quickly he proceeded to vent his anxiety and awkwardness about the place in making the rest room prim and pretty. He refolded the towels to maximize the storage and make it more efficient.

When he ran out of things to arrange or optimize, he sat down on the floor cross legged. He dug into the med pack that he always carried with him and which had fit perfectly into the school provided satchel that went with his uniform. He produced a small book titled “Spreading Storalla’s Light: A call of faith.”

It had been written by a High Priest of Storalla and all cleric initiates were required to read it. It held not only instruction and introduction into the monastic structure of the clergy, but also it had many passages that the cleric could use for faith edification.

The book was well worn. It had actually belonged to Hardal. There were very few copies but enough for the small unit of clerics from Iron Gate Fort. The dwarves allowed religion and the worship of a god other than Ugrad only because the clerics were essential units. However, very few joined their ranks due to the skill and temperance required to be a medic. Also, there was an underlying belief that clerics were not true dwarves.

The race delighted in the din and struggle of battle. Indeed, the first “toys” a young dwarf plays with are hammer and shield. Their whole society is geared towards the outfitting, training, and conducting of war. Soft feelings such as mercy and blessings that are a core belief of clerics are taken with a tongue in cheek attitude.

Still, to Arn, the words of the High Priest were a balm that help cure the wounds of his mind and which gave him purpose and direction. As he read, his mind became at ease and he achieved an almost serene and detached mental state.

This state allowed him to review and analyze the events of the evening from a calmer vantage point. He closed his eyes as he meditated. A calm that was not known to many dwarves surrounded him like a cloak. In his mind’s eye he saw the feast hall, and the people who had sat at his table.

Via this vision, he was able to pick out small details and impressions he had not allowed himself to pay attention to earlier. Each and every one of his table mates had been interesting in their own way.

Starting with the blonde mage who spoke to him first, Arn winced at his realization that he had been rude. However, the bubbly and positive energy (or was it something else) that was radiating from the mage was a bit too much for his first experience. Then there was his self-proclaimed cousin and his lovely entourage of ladies. The young cadet made it a personal goal to visit more with Finn. After all, the archer was the only lifeline to his uncle that he knew.

Selena’s pink haired and foxy appearance was reason enough to make her stand out yet Arn had felt a sort of energy from her too he could not describe other than it reminded him of the times he had felt power pour into him while he was in prayer and divine training. The was not much he could say about the regal looking white haired Valerie other than she looked very confident and that in itself is a mystery worth learning.

Arn shifted his position and after a few shuffles, he decided to just place a fluffy towel under him and lean against a wall. He took a deep breath and went back to his meditation arms left relaxed on his lap. If anybody were to enter and see him in that state, he would look by all appearances as some tree loving individual that eats paleo natural foods and is concerned about peoples auras.

He had not really experienced much of the two demon horned individuals and the red eyed blacked robed mage who seemed to have a sharp mind and sharp tongue. The Tieflings, though he did not know they were called this, acted much different than their looks projected. However, the dwarf was sure that he was not the only one who was instinctually averse to their looks. His gut reaction made him feel ashamed. After all, they seemed like nice individuals.

Last but definitely not least, was the blue haired lass whose eyes held back some sort of secret. What it was the dwarf could not tell but her aura was deadly. The way she had asserted herself when holding back Finn had a certain confidence that came from experience in dangerous situation. At least, situations that could lead to violence.

A sudden crash from the other side of the door startled the almost tranced cadet. His little smirk returned. Ah yes, how could one forget his very own roommate. Ironically, now that she was hidden from his sight by the wooden door, was when he could truly appreciate her visage. His mind conjured a tanned skinned beauty. With barely contained tussle of hair that sported small flowers. The small detail was not lost on Arn. It added to her attractiveness.

His home above ground sported greenery necessary for food of man and best only. There was no flowers other than those that grew wild. Trees were sacrificed for the need of wood and clear spaces that would prevent an army from getting too close to the Iron Gate Fort. So to Arn, Karya was as exotic as they came. She was delicate and long limbed as an elf but her golden-brown eyes sported none of the contempt and airs of superiority that often triggered the proud dwarves.

The young cleric suddenly felt flushed by his private analyzing of his roommate. Somehow, doing that with the person being just a room over felt like he was some sort of creep. Instead of continuing with that mental path, he decided to study more of his book. Eventually, a tired mind caused tired eyes to close.

Thanks to his internal clock, the dwarf’s eyes flew open. Something in his gut told him it was nearing the dawn. If he remembered correctly, combat class would be held at dawn. He was not sure how far away the training grounds were, and he had to take into account the time to don his armor and how long it would take him to get to the fields encumbered and the disadvantage of his short stride.

The young cadet got up with a grunt. Sleeping sitting down on the hard floor of the restroom did not agree with him. He approached the door and then stopped. His mind reminded him that there lay a lovely lady on the other side. He debated hotly in his head whether he should knock or just go in, or wait until she was awake. The dread of being late to a formal and mandatory event finally won the argument. He steeled himself and cautiously opened the door to whatever lay on the other side of the door.

"Attention first year students. Classes will begin in approximately 30 minutes. Please report to the Hall of Combat with any equipment that you require. If you do not have the appropriate equipment it will be provided for you on site." The sound of Athena rang out in each of the first years dorm rooms about an hour before the sun had risen. Her voice was loud, loud enough to presumably wake the students regardless of how hungover or deep asleep they were.

The Hall of Combat was a massive arena. Bleachers went up nearly four storeys, allowing for thousands of spectators. The ground floor of the Arena was a large oval shaped pits, made mostly of stone and sand and was roughly 350 feet in length and 250 feet wide. A plethora of runes lined the walls of the Arena. It was safe to assume that these runes were responsible for ensuring the safety of any combatants, as well some other interesting changes that the arena could undertake.

In the center of the arena stood Sir Vermont. The man was covered in thick plate armor that shone as if it had been polished for hours. His hand-and-a-half sword was strapped firmly to his side. To his left stood Maya, her face always holding a pleasant smile, and to his right stood Dex, whose face was completely unreadable considering you couldn't see it. Behind the teachers stood a small army of strange wooden dummies. Each was roughly human shaped with their heads bowed slightly. On the wall across from the teachers and the dummies were two racks of weapons. One contained wooden training weapons, each one roughly in the shape of a different common weapon one might chose to use. The other rack held actual weapons. These weapons differed greatly in size and shape but each looked well made and strong.

The first year students all stood between the weapon racks and the teachers. There was probably 30 or 40 of them in total. The students all appeared to be in different states of awakeness. Some seemed almost eager to up before the sun, while others looked as though they'd rather be dead then standing in the arena right now.

"Morning students." Sir Vermont called out to them, his voice booming and commanding. "For those who do not yet know, my name is Vermont Baleth and it is my job to make sure you are physically ready for the life of an adventurer. Before we begin there are a few rules. First, no magic is allowed during these training sessions. We are here to train you bodies. There may be times that you will not have any magic to fall back on, a strong and well trained body may well save your life. The second, is that anyone who is late, will be required to work twice as hard. You must all learn the importance of punctuality and being where you need to be, when you need to be there. The third rule, is that anyone who fails this class will be removed from the school for at least a year. So don't fail. And the fourth rule....is that you'd better keep up."

Without warning Vermont turned and began running along outside of the wall. He looked as if he was only jogging, but he moved at what a normal person would consider a brisk run.

---

---

Rodrick

Rodrick felt like someone had hit him upside of the head with a brick and had stuffed a pillows worth of cotton down his throat. Getting up when Athena had mad the announcement that morning had been one of the most difficult things he had ever done. He had also not managed to change out of his uniform the night before. Luckily another one had appeared in his wardrobe the next day. He somehow managed to arrive to the training field on time. He stood, slightly slouched forward, while Vermont spoke. He was only half listening when he heard Vermont tell them to keep up and started to run.

“Wait, what?” Rodrick mumbled to himself. He saw the confused looks on some of the other students faces as well. It took a moment before it dawned on him what Vermont meant. “Ahh shit.” Rodrick said as he took off after the instructor. Rodrick was pretty athletic, if a bit on the skinny side right now. But Vermont was running quickly, and in full plate, which made him look and sound like some kind metal monster charging down the Arena.

It didn’t help that every step made Rodrick want to vomit just a little. His stomach was not prepared for this kind of movement. Still the idea of failing on his first day felt unacceptable. His unwillingness to fail pushed him and he managed to stay just shy of 5 feet behind the tank of an instructor.

It was on the third lap that Rodrick noticed Dex pull his bow off of his back. The sight of the man sent a fresh shiver down Rodrick’s spine. There was definitely something unsettling about the man. Rodrick slowed just a little as he watched the leather clad instructor pull out a large arrow with a thick blunted tip. What is he doing? With one swift movement the instructor nocked the arrow and let it fly at one of the students in the very back of the pack. It hit the student in the side with a powerful thud and the student cried out as the momentum of the arrow knocked them over.

Rodrick’s eyes widened. “SHIT.” Rodrick half yelled. He gawked for a moment, subconsciously slowly along with some of the other students. Don’t stop you moron, run faster! A voice inside of Rodrick’s head screamed at him. Getting hit by one of those arrows would definitely make Rodrick throw up. Deciding that that would be a horrible way to start his first day, Rodrick ran faster.

Toma was used to waking up early - back on his family's farm the Rooster, Egg, was far louder than his father had been and was eager to crow hours before sunrise. While Toma wasn't very fond of the bird, his journey to the academy had shown him how much he relied on Egg to wake him up in the mornings. More than once he slept in until 9 AM (So late!), and Oats wasn't very eager to wake Toma up to continue their journey. One of the reasons Toma had gone to bed earlier than usual last night, along with limiting how much he drank, was because he wasn't sure if he'd awaken on time for classes.

Luckily, Athena was more than capable of fulfilling Egg's role as an alarm clock.

"...report to the Hall of Combat with any equipment that you require. If you do not have the appropriate equipment it will be provided for you on site."

Athena definitely said something before that, but in the time it took for Toma to wake up and fully remember where he was, he only managed to catch the last part of her announcement...

Well, at least he heard the important part! Assuming the announcement was about their first class, Toma hopped out of his bed, stretching his arms and legs. More than a few crumbs from his late-night snacking cascaded to the floor as he did so.

"Morning Finn - I'm not taking a shower, but I'm going to clean up the bathroom real fast if you need to."

Toma was used to taking showers maybe once a week, and while he wanted to bathe at least once a day to fit in with his wealthy classmates, Toma didn't really feel comfortable taking one and risking being late for class.

Besides, he took a shower last night - surely that'd be good enough until lunch. What mattered more was getting his uniform ready.

But when Toma walked into the bathroom, ready to clean his uniform of leftover donkey feces as quickly as possible, he found... nothing. Well, nothing out of place - the room looked just like it did the first time Toma saw it, with no sign of his sullied uniform in sight, the floor cleaner than the bowls that Toma had in his pack.

Toma had only ever heard of magic from the stories that Tarkus told him - and while the old Paladin seemed so fond of the fireballs and rays of light that spellcasters used so often, Toma was starting to grow infatuated with this 'convenience magic' or whatever it was that the academy used to amaze him. Maybe he could take a magic class and learn some of these tricks? A cleaning spell would have given him so much more time to play when he was younger.

Walking out of the bathroom, Toma checked the drawer - and as he expected, Toma found a perfectly clean uniform. He couldn't tell if it was a new uniform, or it was cleaned so thoroughly it just appeared new. Either way, it fits him perfectly, and Toma began packing one of his smaller bags with any equipment he felt he needed for class. A few filled waterskins, some snacks, a candle or two, a flint...

What did you need for class? Toma had never been in formal education, so he really didn't know what to bring. His hand hovered over one of his few vials of holy water, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Tarkus only left him a few of those, and he wasn't eager to accidentally drop and break them.

Pulling his bag over the same shoulder as his baldric, Toma made his way to the door. Suddenly, he remembered his roommate - reaching into his pack, he pulled out one of his bread rolls and tossed it at the foot of Finn's bed.

"In case you get hungry and don't have time to get breakfast - I'm going to stop by the stables and visit Oats, but I'll say hi to you in class."

---

Oats seemed to have been quite annoyed to be awoken so early in the morning - and when he realized that his master didn't come with treats this time, he ignored the young man's attention and went back to sleep. Toma was just glad that the stables at the academy seemed to be as well cared for as the rest of its facilities. Making sure his donkey didn't wake up and being extra careful to avoid another manure pile, Toma made his way for the Hall of Combat - he wasn't used to the layout of the school yet, but luckily the map-scroll from yesterday was still working.

Despite his detour to the stables, Toma was still among the early arrivals. It was to be expected - he left the feast earlier than he would have liked, but from what he saw, more than a few students were drinking pretty heavily. Toma silently thanked his past self - he could handle his alcohol better than most his age, but he was no dwarf. Maybe if most of the students were hungover, the teacher would go easy on them and Toma could catch up to the others...

Eventually, everyone arrived, and Toma quickly realized that he was one of the few that brought a bag. Hopefully he wouldn't get in trouble...

Several of the senior staff were present. The man, Vermont Baleth, had a name that Toma recognized somewhat. He had no clue where he recognized it - he had never met the man before, and he hadn't spoken during the feast. Toma was a little too distracted to remember. Next to Baleth was the Drow, putting Toma a little on edge. While she was attractive quite attractive, Toma had heard many stories about how the Drow treated other races, especially the men - although, according to his father, 'Drow men had it the worst.' The masked man... Well, Toma didn't feel as creeped out by him.

"...The third rule, is that anyone who fails this class will be removed from the school for at least a year. So don't fail. And the fourth rule....is that you'd better keep up."

It took nearly a second for the young Paladin to realize what was happening. Almost instantly, he dropped his bag and quickly grabbed a waterskin from it, before immediately running after his instructor. While the threat of expulsion was intimidating, Toma was actually a little relieved - if it was a writing assessment, Toma would have been in serious trouble. He wasn't the fastest. Hell, he wasn't even the fastest back in his village. But when it came to Stamina, Toma felt confident that he wouldn't be the last person in the class...

Toma was right. After a few minutes of running, he was near the middle of the herd of students, but he could already see a few students near him beginning to slow down. It helped that among all the students, it seemed Toma was one of the few that had water. Hell, many of the students probably didn't eat yet, and Toma felt he had energy to spare. Even with those advantages, the Instructor was still leading the pack, dressed in full plate and running in the sand. Toma was really starting to wonder if the man was as old as he looked...

Suddenly, a pained gasp from near the back of the group. Toma turned his head, just as he heard someone ahead swear loudly. A human student was lying on the ground, clutching their side. Next to them was a large mace, and they had seemed to have modified their uniform somewhat - it seemed he wasn't a runner, and his larger weapon had slowed him down. Toma would have thought the taller student would be faster, but maybe he wasn't taking the class as seriously. Or he was teasing one of the students in the back...

It almost seemed like everyone slowed down except Baleth had slowed down, if only to gawk at the audacity of the masked instructor. As he began to reach for another arrow from his quiver, everyone began to speed back up again, redoubling their efforts to keep ahead of one another.

Toma frowned. Looks like this wasn't going to be easy as he thought - endurance wouldn't help if he ended up near the back and was being pelted by arrows. Even if they weren't tipped, they could easily make a student slow down and get left behind. At his current pace though, Toma wouldn't have to worry - he didn't need to be at the head of the group, just ahead of the slower students.

Toma turned around, quickly racing to the student that got knocked down. Toma grabbed his arm and yanked the other man to his feet as he spoke.

"C'mon, hurry - grab your mace after class, you don't need the weight."

As soon as the injured student got to his feet, he pushed off of Toma, knocking the paladin on his ass.

"Thanks for the help, dumbass! See you in a year!"

Toma looked to his side - luckily, the student had taken his advice and left the mace behind. Toma could already see the student catching up to the others, running much faster than before. Toma began to get to his feet, but the masked instructor loosed another arrow. It struck Toma in the side, knocking the breath out of his lungs and causing him to fall again.

Toma learned his lesson and got up faster, ignoring the burning in his chest. He broke into a faster run, eager to catch up to the class that had gained a respectable distance on him. After maybe a dozen seconds, another arrow was nocked. Toma suddenly remembered a story Tarkus told quite often - he had once known a Paladin from his order that would slice an arrow out of the air if asked. Toma unsheathed his sword as he saw the arrow was about to release.

_{Light, Justice, Vigilance... Light, Justice, Vigil-}

Toma swung the sword, and it cleaved through the air with ease. A half-second later, the arrow hit Toma in the legs, knocking the man to the ground again and making him drop his sword. Of course it didn't work - even if it was a pretty lucky first try, Toma was far too unskilled with a sword to do something so advanced. And even if he could pull it off the speed Toma lost wasn't worth it if it just resulted in him falling. Getting to his feet was harder this time - even if they were blunted, an arrow from a good bowman could move very fast. And this instructor was a very good bowman.

Toma grabbed his blade and kept running, sheathing it as he did so. He was closing the distance pretty quickly, but even after such a short run, he was breathing heavily. If he was less tough, he'd probably have worse than a few bruises. Toma would have to make sure he didn't get knocked down again - a few more good hits and he'd slow down too much to catch back up. Looking ahead, it seemed the student that fell earlier was near the middle of the group - he and Toma seemed to have traded positions.

When Toma saw the instructor ready another arrow, he internally groaned.

'Why the hell did I do that...'

Valencia had, thankfully, managed to sleep well the previous night. It had taken a little time, as she was not used to the bed (it not being the same one that she had slept in for so long), but she found it to be at least decently accommodating once she had allowed herself to settle into it's comfort. Though she doubted it, she wondered if she would have been able to send off for her own mattress, or perhaps a new one made to it's same specifications. Even if the school didn't allow it, she refused to do so anyhow after some thought, due to the embarrassment or awkwardness she may have felt if a carriage arrived with a new bed and mattress just for her.

The silver haired woman was pleasantly surprised that the first class was hosted in the Hall of Combat, especially since combat was what she had primarily been preparing for. The primary exception to that was that Valencia knew that she was catching glances. The pretty woman from last night was now in her full equipment; Black steel armour covering her from head to toe, expertly made with it's intricate patterns and freedom of movement despite it's heavy strength, her sword, Lazarus, resting in it's place in her belt, masterfully crafted to be a top-of-the-line sword, and fully enchanted with runes to be a weapon of great utility, should she call upon it's tricks. It was a stark contrast to how she looked in her uniform.

That pleasantness slipped down a shallow slope once it was revealed that the instructor, Sir Vermont, was going to be making sure they were physically ready for adventuring, which just sounded like the equivalent of physical exercise lessons. She allowed herself to believe it just for a moment, before Sir Vermont began to 'jog'. Valencia took a moment to process what was going on before she began to pursue, partially because that was what she believed she had to do, and partially because she was following the example of the others. Though she was decked out in the heavy armour, she was managing to keep up just like everyone else, clunking forward at around the same speed, though perhaps breathing a little heavier. She was determined to keep up.

Valencia was fine for the first lap, she was still doing well on the second lap, and it was on the third lap of continual running that she was just starting to feel the workout get to her. Don't stop. Keep up. Show everyone else that you're the best, because you're the one clunking around like an anvil with legs, whilst they step like horses in a plain, she thought to herself. Keeping up with the unarmoured folks was what drove her to push on.

Her confidence withered a little upon observation of the other instructor, the awesome looking one who had not came with them on the run. She was smart enough to know what was happening once he pulled out his bow. Without the use of her runes - Sir Vermont had said that no magic was allowed - she was going to have to rely on purely her armour to push her through this. Though she was able to see Dex, and roughly tell if he was aiming at her or not, she would have trouble dodging anything that came her way after running so much. So, she hoped, and was rewarded when a different student was struck by the first arrow. Sucks to be him.

However, her eyes fixed on someone she recognised from last night helping the victim of the arrow to their feet. It was a kind gesture, but whilst kindness should be paid with kindness, in this situation it was not. Valencia's eyes narrowed as Toma was pushed by the jerk, which she now recognised from the altercation at dinner the previous day. Well, it was time to get some payback. Hopefully the asshole would challenge her to a fight afterwards, and she could kick his ass without having to be sneaky about it.

The asshole, who Valencia heard was called Patrick from students he was overtaken (yelling at him in frustration), began to catch up to her, clearly planning to just overtake her from the right. She allowed him to move just a bit closer, almost in line with her... And then jutted out her right arm, stopping in her tracks. Whilst a few more students were able to overtake her, she still wasn't in last, and the result was what she hoped for; He ran straight into her arm, caught on it, and was clotheslined, falling onto his back with a yell. "See you next year!" Valencia called to him, as she started running once more to get back into the middle of the pack. There was a satisfied smirk on her face.

She wasn't out of it yet, however. Valencia separated her arms from her sides a little, to provide a buffer between them and her body should she get hit by the mysterious yet wondrous Dex's arrows, to take some of the impact. Combined with her armour, she figured she wouldn't get knocked down from a hit itself, though would have to watch her footing to make sure she didn't trip over herself from it. What she didn't do was follow the example of Rodrick, who appeared to have started running faster. All that would do is sap at her strength and make her all the more likely to fall over if she was hit. Ducking her head down a little, she continued to pound the ground with her feet, clunking away as she continued to run.

After all, if others fell over and she didn't, she wouldn't come last.

---

---

While mornings weren't Lorelei's thing anyways, this morning she was particularly sour. She was used to waking up early every day, though she always hated it, her falling asleep in the tub and in siren form resulted in some of the best sleep she'd had in a long time. So when Athena's voice rang out it startled her and water from the tub splashed everywhere. In turn, the pajamas she'd planned to change into and her clothes from yesterday were now soaked. She'd gotten out of the tub quite irritated and wrapped herself in a towel before walking out of the bathroom. It seemed Rodrick was awake too, but she didn't make any eye contact with him nor did she even say a word to him. She simply grabbed her change of clothes then disappeared back into the bathroom.

Once dressed she proceeded to strap various knives all over her body, some hidden, some visible. She then made her way to the Hall of Combat where she immediately began to stretch, figuring they'd obviously be doing something physical soon. This reminded her a lot of her mornings back at the thieves guild with Zendan and his training sessions. She was determined to be prepared for whatever they threw at her. So when Sir Vermont took off running she didn't even pause as she did so too. While she knew she could easily be at the front of the pack, she instead stayed back near the middle. She wasn't looking to stand out currently. She was actually only a few steps behind Valencia, but had yet to say anything to the girl. She also spotted Rodrick near the front, impressed to see him there.

She quickly took note of Dex nocking an arrow and letting it fly towards someone at the back of the pack. Incentive for everyone to keep up. She watched the student go down, immediately recognizing who it was. Then another went to help him up, but the poor guy got knocked over by the dickhead. She almost sighed, but then noticed the change in Val's demeanor in front of her and had a feeling the girl was about to do something. Lor decided to take advantage of whatever was about to happen and silently pulled a dagger out of her sleeve. The bully, Patrick, was about to pass on her left and she silently caught her dagger in the belt that held his pants up. In a quick move she sliced through the belt without him even noticing. Moments later Val knocked him on his ass once more.

Lorelei feigned being concerned for the guy as she stopped and did what Toma did earlier, offering to help him up. He likely would have shoved her over too, but as he stood his pants dropped to his ankles, exposing him to everyone. She glanced down at his waist and smirked as she spoke up. "Oh! Now I understand why you carry such a big weapon! Gotta compensate for that little guy." She watched the guy's face turn quite red, but she turned away before anything could happen. She also caught sight of an arrow being released in her direction. She had a feeling her antics would earn her this and she was prepared. While the arrows still hit her side and hurt like hell, she slowed it some by catching it. She looked to Dex and smirked, throwing the arrow back to him before blowing him a kiss and taking off quickly.

While she knew the arrow would leave a nice bruise, she ignored the pain in her side and ran past a bunch of students. She now was near the front of the pack, just a bit behind Rodrick.l, and seemed to show little sign of tiring just yet. Running was one thing she actually really enjoyed and it was slowly putting her in a better mood.

---

From the back of Hoseforn Academy, a dot of blond could be seen making its way tirelessly around the gigantic premise.

Calven huffed and puffed, his body feeling more energized after yet another 6 miles in just under an hour. Morning runs were almost a ritual at this point. Aside from cooking, this was another thing he truly enjoyed. One would wonder why an aspiring chef like himself would be in pretty good shape under all his robes - a rarity when it comes to being capable of making great food every day. Alas, there was no secret. Only consistency (and way too much time growing up than he knew what to do with). After his endurance run, he proceeded to finish off his routine with one last 100-meter sprint. Many people would find this to be torture, but to him, it was a great way to pass the time growing up in a home that only housed himself. Plus, he could eat more throughout the day.

Athena began to call for their first class’ assembly by the time he arrived. In a hurry, he washed up, then donned his uniform and robe. A groan left him; the magus robe had already begun to make him sweat. Oh, well. Another shower at the end of the day wouldn’t hurt.

By no means was he late, but he rushed to the Hall of Combat anyways, energy and adrenaline still rushing through him. Cal was nowhere near capable in combat as he was in the kitchen-- the reason being, he’d simply never bothered to try fighting anyone. Though this was the case, he didn’t care too much. A self-proclaimed pacifist through and through, but he’d try his best. Would it be reasonable for anybody to give up on their very first day? Also, where was Ixius?

The Hall of Combat looked like something straight out of his mythology books. Great colossal cyclops and warriors alike battled to the death here. A bead of sweat formed on the concerned chef’s brow, totally unsure what to make of the grandiose setting. Should anything similar have to occur, he’d gladly excuse himself to the cafeteria. Shattering this plan were resolute words from a man in full body armor. Sir Vermont from the cafeteria! However, he wanted to asked: Sir, are you not feeling hot at all in that get-up? The student cursed in his head as he noticed another person in full body armor-- Valencia? That was Valencia! But why on earth does everybody seem immune to heat? He had half a mind to call out to her until a sentence interrupted his thought process.

“...you’d better keep up.”

In a blur of black and yellow, Calven took off in a sprint and beamed all the way. Boy, if there was anybody who keep up, it was him. The energy pent up in his body from the run fueled him, boosting him across crowds of students still processing the words. The chef easily tagged along right beside Sir Vermont, happy to be using his excess of adrenaline for a second morning run. The wind rushed against his smiling face as he took this peaceful time to think. Things were rather pleasant, and he’d even caught the faces of some of the people at his table just last night! How wonderful; how were they all holding up? Presumably, rather well--

“@%$#!!!!!!!!!”

A chorus of “holy shit”s and “oh no”s erupted from behind him as the herd sped up.

Calven swerved his head back after a quick glance, only to bump into Sir Vermont and land on his ass. A great line of people passed by him in a blur. Taking his sweet time to get up, he noticed a person proceed to knock a boy down, wish him a greeting for the next year, only to have himself knocked down and exposed to the rest of the stadium. A witness to this magnificent scene, he took sight of Valencia, Lorelei, and the boy who fell, jog past him.

Great job, all of you! he mentally commended the trio.

Easily lost in his thoughts, a good group of people passed him as he wiped away his sweat. There were many yelps and exclamations of panic, only now realizing that one of the teachers from the Grand Hall’s feast had been shooting students one by one. A look of disbelief ran across his face, then immediately switched to one of determination.

With a swift motion, he unclipped his robe and threw it over his head, obscuring a good majority of his body. To complete this plan, he’d run like the wind--

Just then, a feeling similar to being stuck outside during a thunderstorm came about. From next to him, a familiar face slowly jogged past. Ixius had been at the back this whole time! A wide grin bloomed on the chef’s face as he damned his plan to hell and threw his magus robe over the both of them. With a firm grip on Ixius’ wrist, he zoomed forward at full speed, a pair of black after-images bolting past groups of students that had begun to wane. During their speedrun, the blond stuck out a tongue at Dex, fully believing in the cover of his robe. The boy’s body was light and extremely energized from his morning run, and had no trouble dragging along an extra person. There was no way in all the realms he’d be caught at the back!

The wrist in his hand began to struggle, but by that time they’d already reached Sir Vermont’s side. Perfect! Now, all they had to do was keep up the pace, and this kind sir would act as their meat shield. It seemed difficult for Ixius to keep up, but Calven was determined to keep their position, energy unmatched.

“SEE YOU ALL NEXT YEAR AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA”

Athena beckoned her awake, as Anise lifted her head up, readjusting her glasses. Her hair was flattened to one side, and she the side of her desk and arm was wet. It seemed to really had just passed out on her desk. This wasn't unusual. In fact it was perhaps the most comfortable place for her. It reminded her of all the times she spent late into the midnight hours studying whatever left over tomes Krampernap had left over. She groaned as she stood up from the desk, stretching herself into a more appropriate posture. She was supposed to be heading to class real soon.

She pulled herself up and flicked her wrist, letting her magic gather her clothes for her as she washed off her face fixed her flattened hair. Still didn't seem to have anyone else in her room. She wondered if anyone else was alone in their room. There had to be others, right? I mean its a big school. She was still slightly asleep as she walked off in the direction of her first class. The Hall of Combat it seemed. Everyone she was with yesterday was there. Rodrick, Lorelei, Selena, Valencia, Finn, Cal, even that Ixius was here. She yawned, still dozing off as her teacher began speaking.

Something about no magic, not failing, and not falling behind? Whatever, follow the crowds. Everyone is all together now. Save your energy, no need to exhaust yourself. She started running at a modest pace, as many of the more athletically inclined started passing her by. That's fine. This is all physical training. Everyone has their own threshold, and while she wasn't unable to keep up with a few others, she didn't feel the need to at this moment.

That was until the first shot was fired, and Anise was startled fully awake by the sudden ftwang of the bow string and the comical cry of the student who thudded on the ground off the track. Dear lord, this Sir Vermont person was mad!... Mad was just the thing that Anise was used to! She let out a little cackle as she sped up. This was no longer a simple run. This was a game. And boy did she love games.

She sped up and soon found herself running at a similar speed as her fellow tiefling, who was clearly in distress. "Quite thrilling yes? You get the surge of adventure to some degree without the fear of actually dying!" She looked back to see the rude mage from before, Ixius in the back. this put a little smirk on her face. She watched in anticipation, expecting to see the arrow fly true, but her gaze was stolen by the gilded haired chef as he hurried back the other way hurry and, with much panache, sweep the mage off his feet, and then proceed to gain upon them again. This turned her smirk into a pout. "Drat... I was hoping to see him get knocked down..." She looked back at Rodrick. "It looks like their gaining on us. If that happens we'll be two people closer to being next in line for Master Dex, yes? Though if that were the case I wouldn't think twice about leaving my kin to the wolves!" She let out another light-hearted cackle and sped up her pace, moving past Rodrick.

---

---

Finn was up long before everyone else. While training with his father, he gotten used to sleeping about 4 hours a night, as he would train well into the night, and have to get up early to continue. It was like his mind had an internal alarm clock. Every morning at 4 he would just suddenly wake up. Usually to get ready for the day and train. After placing his prosthetics back on, he stood up and stretched his arms and legs to help wake him up some more.

Once he was ready, he quickly made his bed and threw on his normal tunic and trousers instead of his uniform. He also put on his bracers and quiver, along with the bandolier that held his bow. The whole amount of time that it took to get ready was ten or so minutes before he was out the door. Jogging to the stables to check on his own horse, quickly feeding him, and leaving a note that he did. He continued to the Hall of Combat Where he would find some targets to use.

It took him a bit longer to find what he needed, so he decided to use only one target. Aiming for different spots on the target as his bullseye’s. Proceeding to unload his quiver 3 times before knowing he needed to get back. Hopefully he could do this more quickly now that he knew where everything was.

Once he got back he noted his roommate was already gone. He paused as he saw the bread and crumbs on his bed. He took a deep breath and took it and tossed it in the trash, quickly wrapping up his blankets and taking them into the bathroom. Unfurling it in the tub he brushed his hand down it to knock off all the crumbs before placing it neatly on his bed once more. Only to see a grease mark from the butter that was left on it the night before.

Gritting his teeth as he controlled his anger, he tossed the whole sheet into the dirty clothes hamper before switching into his uniform. He didn’t sweat enough on his jog to take a shower, and he was now almost going to be late because of that. He also grabbed his small bag just in case. Basically wearing what he would normally wear while on a journey. (Except for the uniform.)

---

He managed to make it a few minutes before the class started, sighing he gave his roommate a glare (that his roommate of course didn’t see) Before falling in and taking it easy at first. It helped that he didn’t have any actual armor besides his uniform’s pauldrons on...like Arn, and Valencia. He wondered how long they would last while doing this. But it wasn’t long before he decided to push himself, deciding to make up for the poor workout this morning. He suddenly started moving faster, not winded at all like many of the other students. As he passed each of the students from his table the previous night he would nod with an encouraging smile. Especially those who were looking like they were having a hard time already. Passing Valencia with a wink.

It was fairly quickly when Dex started pelting students with blunted arrows. Finn wasn’t too surprised. His father did similar things to him and his brothers. Perhaps they were both thought the same way? Finn watched as the dickhead from the night before pushed over his roommate who tried to help him up. He felt conflicted...almost justice for tossing a crumbly bread on his bedsheets. Almost. However it would seem other students from his table decided to take justice in their own hands...a bit more directly. Valencia clotheslining the dude, Lorelai roasting him after pantsing him. Though she received an arrow for her efforts. Impressively seemingly catching it. That’s something that took him forever to learn.

He shook his head as the blonde haired kid named Calven sped past him with Ixius in tow. He noticed Selena upfront near Vincent. As expected, she was always quick and agile. This pace would be easy for her. He decided to sprint up to the front of the pack to catch up to Cal, Selena, and Ixius. It was only after all this he started to sweat a little. But his breathing was controlled and collected.

@Omni5876 @Duoya

Karya was awake well before Athena's announcement. As an early riser, normally she'd have been buzzing with energy from the get-go, but the headache that made its presence known as she sat up reminded her of last night's excess. As did the branches growing across nearly an entire wall, and the soil on the floor.

Yeah, this wouldn't exactly help Arn accept the living arrangements.

Thankfully, either Athena or the school's magic had set a fresh glass of water on the bedside table. Blinking away bleariness, she sipped at it. Classes would start soon, and she'd have to shake off the hangover before then. As well as put other issues right before Arn got up. She placed down the glass and hurried over to the plants, placing her hands over the pot once more, speaking the incantation clearly. Vines started to shrink and uncurl themselves from shelves - knocking down several books in the process. Cringing, Karya set about gathering them up. Damage to provided school property wouldn't go down well. "Ehh, sorry Athena!"

It was just then that the bathroom door opened. "Ah, morning!" Karya's smile was more of a grimace as she faced Arn, with her arms full of books, and the still-considerable overgrowth shrinking behind her. "No need to worry! It's all under control! Eheheh..."

Hopefully this wouldn't set the tone for the rest of the day.

---

The morning's start didn't diminish Karya's enthusiasm as she headed into the sprawling arena, clad in leather armour, her bow and quiver on her back. Her fingers clenched around the map. After what she'd heard yesterday, about the disappearances and worse, she HAD to do well at this.

At Vermont's announcement, her stomach dropped. Anyone who failed would be removed for a year? She closed her eyes, shaking her head. No, no, she couldn't let that happen. She couldn't wait a year. Not when it came to such urgent cases. The clang of metal jolted her from her thoughts - with no warning, Vermont had taken off running. The students' cue to start.

Karya launched into a sprint. Agility and endurance, two vital skills for a ranger. As she'd been taught, she kept her breathing as even as possible, gradually building up running speed. Focused as she was on surpassing those ahead of her, a sudden thwack took her by surprise. A glance over her shoulder revealed arrows raining down on the students in the back. Blunted arrows, but they still struck hard enough to knock a guy over. Karya winced, but as she recognised who he was, her sympathy diminished. Especially as she witnessed the fiasco with the boy who tried to help him.

She pressed on, conflicting thoughts nagging at her. This whole situation was far from fair. She was no stranger to harsh training - nature was also harsh, for all its wonders, and those who lived in it had to be prepared to face its dangers. Yet punishing someone for something that wasn't their fault? How was that helpful? It was only fear of failure that held her back from intervening. Fear of losing the chance to grow stronger, to look into the cases, to find Xanthe...

In the end, however, her community-focused mindset won out. Clenching her fists, she turned back and sped towards the struggling young man. Adventurers typically worked in teams, so what good was an adventurer who left their allies behind? Hopefully the teachers would see that. And as somebody used to running, she could catch up. Surely she could... "You ok there?" she called, placing herself beside Toma just as Dex unleashed another arrow. She grunted and staggered as it struck her shoulder, but she didn't fall. Her natural defenses meant the blow barely hurt.

"C'mon, there's no time to lose!" As she gripped Toma by the arm and rushed forward, she spotted someone else doing the same for another - Calven, helping out Ixius. Karya sped up her pace. She and the other student would have to do as good a job of catching up as those two did.