[@ERode]

[b][h3]TOWN[/h3][/b]

The path Raja took was rather direct, admittedly. Seeing as how there was almost nobody wandering the town's streets proper yet, the vast majority of students still settling into their rooms or taking to the clinic for healing. Her every breath was measured, but with all the cussing under her breath even from a distance, it was as if all professionalism dropped while lugging the sleeping Bronsteel through the streets. After taking proper care to not drop the boy out of sheer frustration, the most notable thing was that she had long since cleared away from many of the primary establishments by the main plaza, including the clinic, continuing to hobble along until turning down an alleyway.

This alley, however, led nowhere. A tried and true dead end, by all accounts, except Raja did not seem to pay that any mind. She would briefly set Gulliver down against a wall, and removed the lids of three nearby trash cans clumped together in a triangular pattern, placing each removed lid on top of the trash can to its immediate right. Upon doing this and tracing a symbol at the top of each with arcane writing, a portal would open from the ground near the dead end wall. It almost sounded like waves crashing against rocks - a raging ocean, an all-consuming whirlpool, an eldritch azure with its open maw awaiting the arrival of the one who summoned it forth. Unlike some portals, there was no way to see what was on the other side. It was an inky world beneath, and all that seemed to await was the murky depths of uncertainty.

"Can't believe this," she would mutter as she once more slung Bronsteel over her shoulder and hopped into the portal. The moment she disappeared inside, the portal would close and the lids would each return to their original cans. The signs burned into the lids would fade soon after this as well, leaving no trace that anyone was ever here. All at once, mundanity returned to the alley. The slightest lingering of essence, felt by those looking for it, was all that remained as proof that such a scene moments prior was even real at all.

[hr]

[@AThousandCurses]

[b][h3]LIBRARY[/h3][/b]

As Chunji sat with his book studying, the specifics of 'Heal' were revealed to him. It began with the concept of what it means to heal, and how that basic goal has been diverged from over the course of centuries. It would describe the origins of the spell in the year 87 SR, when a forgotten Umbralist cleric wept for the deaths of her comrades on a hunting expedition to drive back a foul beast known as a 'Lycan', or, in more modern terms, a 'Werewolf'. Nowadays, such a curse was one long since extinct after Rekordian Queen Carmine made the decree that all sufferers of lycanthropy were to be wiped from the face of the planet, deeming them a mockery of humanity. Regardless, this unknown Umbralist reportedly found a single comrade that survived their battle with one such beast, but barely. She loomed over them, her eyes drowning in tears as she channeled every last ounce of essence within her towards her dying friend. The emotional essences of 'compassion' and 'regret' mixed with the newly building essence of 'desperation' within her, fusing into what became known as the first healing brought forth through willpower alone. It was weak, but it provided enough to close off the most fatal injuries - long enough for a second party to find them. 

The woman, however, did not make it, instead succumbing to rebound with a body that was not prepared to channel essence even one more time that day. The book recounted this with the note that it would be vital to think on this woman's experience and internalize what she must have felt in order to properly become a caster of Heal to its fullest potential; a true desire to save others and a compassion for their struggles was paramount. It ended that tale with the detail that the woman, though her original name long forgotten, was commemorated as Healer Guide Jeiros, one of the Six Guides of the Umbralist faith - comparable to saints, in other religions.

After covering the origins and lore of the spell and how integral it was to the progress of magic on a grander scale, the rest of the section detailed the finer points of casting. The actual motion was the simplest part, being an open hand raised towards the intended target. More importantly was the specific fusion of emotional essences invoking kindness and empathy towards others, inner peace, and above all, the true desire within the caster's mind to mend another's wounds and see their life continue. The simplest cast of Heal was to touch someone with this casting motion and these emotional essences channeled, though it also detailed other, more complex methods such as ranged casting or radial channeling. Such methods were not recommended for beginners, however, noting that emotional essence quickly dies amidst the world's winds after a short period away from its emanator, and so it would require immense focus and practice to see such targeted essence to its intended recipient in full.

It would be up to Chunji how, when and where he would practice these things, of course. Battle raged on from Emelie's screen, and she even laughed a few times before covering her mouth, realizing she was not only in a library, but was indeed [i]the librarian[/i]. With the memory of a goldfish, though, it wouldn't be long before this cycle would repeat.

[hr]

[@Estylwen][@Sifr][@Psyker Landshark]

[b][h3]GIRLS' DORM[/h3][/b]

"Oh, that bitch? Yeah, her victims recovered right away. Can't say I know what her malfunction was in the first place, but at least it got sorted. Heard she was extra crispy after that, and that's exactly what I wanna hear. Didn't bother to look at her once she fell, was just really glad she was out of the way. Who gave such egotistical brats such power, anyway? If Astra's real, she's lost her gods-forsaken mind."

The dagger perked up immediately upon being tapped on the shoulder by her unwilling roommate, ending her rant short after seeing that the pair was now next in line. "Alright, let's get this sorted and never see each other again, got it?"

"Oh, we'll see each other again. I'll mash you into the pavement once they start asking students to spar with each other!" Sparks flew, the hallway heating up with loose essence, and the two stormed into the advisor's office without breaking eye contact.

Three minutes passed before the two trudged out the door, their eyes painted with defeat. The dagger girl would look at the trio and merely stutter out a pitiful, "Good luck..." She and her new roommate would begrudgingly shuffle off after that, all fight having left them in an instant. A woman's laughter could be heard from the other side of the door alongside banging against a desk. After a few beats, it would decline into chuckles and then muttering sighs, before the voice would announce, "Next!" There was no one else in front of the trio, signaling their turn to enter.

Should they enter, they would find themselves inside a humble office space, complete with bookshelves detailing various arcane studies with a particular bias for abjuration - protection magic and wards. Seated behind an imposing oak desk was an [url=https://i.pinimg.com/564x/6e/b7/96/6eb7965f19335c9a9604429514dac40b.jpg]elven woman[/url] with her eyes closed and a dark blue hooded cape with golden lining and a velvet red inside. Those vaguely knowledgeable of Vaal Shaktan culture would know this as the cape of an Undermage - the rank directly below Arcmage, the pinnacle of magic accomplishment in Shaktan society. "A plight awaits, I can almost hear it. Do take a seat, darlings, and do not but fear a wit!"

Three wooden chairs would appear in front of the woman's desk, her eyes still remaining closed, with a quill and levitating scroll now at her side as she awaited them to be seated and state their case. A small smile graced her, devious and yet curious as she leaned in over her desk.

"I am Nyxhoilv'phvamineknmos, but you may all call me Nicole, or Head Advisor if you prefer."