[h1][u]Ciara Ventura[/u][/h1]
[i][color=gray]Wingram Academy, Main Building[/color][/i]
[@Nanaya], [@ERode]
[hr]

Ciara listened carefully as Otis spoke, absorbing his advice readily. The leylines of Wingram had a nexus. And, with the fates that be, she just so happened to be fighting against an ordained knight who would be taking full advantage of that. Ciara didn't have as much of an opportunity to study Iraleth's fighting ability, but form what she gathered in the auditorium, she wanted to be very, very careful when approaching that sword of hers, especially with the nexus at her back. 

Ciara held back a roll of her eyes. Iraleth could also fly. That would prove troublesome. 

Was there anything else Ciara was missing, though? She had only seen Iraleth's flying, her armour, her sword, and her shield. These would all be enhanced by the nexus. But... was there anything else?

Ciara pursed her lips, staring hard at the ground as they stood. She supposed she'd find out later that day. And why she was an anointed knight. What that meant.

[b][i]"You [/i]are[i] doing this because you can't afford to lose, right? If not, then I can puzzle out how to make for a reasonable defeat instead."[/i][/b]

Ciara's temper flared slightly as her amber eyes locked with his. They paced down the hallway, exiting the cafeteria, Ciara catching a glimpse of Chunji out of the corner of her eye.

[i]There's no time, focus.[/i]

She glanced back at Otis, trying to hide that he had ruffled her feathers.

[b]"Defeat is not an option. I'll happily destroy the proving grounds if it means Iraleth is caught in the blast."[/b]

[i]Did she actually mean that?[/i]

She had to. There wasn't any other option. Not for a dark soul like her. Not for a broken toy left out in the cold, not for a bruised and battered haunt that didn't understand her place in the world.

As they stood outside room 103, a familiar dark aura started seeping off Ciara's form.

[b]"I.. can't afford to lose."[/b]

As soon as the aura started, it stopped. There was a ringing in Ciara's ears. Her eyes widened in realization.

Iraleth had no [i]temporal lord[/i]. She served the [i]church[/i]. The church was known for its use of Ciara's ultimate bane: [i]white magic[/i].

She got a bit pale in the face, hoping against all odds that she was wrong. That she had come to an incorrect solution. Her hands pressed on her knees.

She might actually be severely outmatched, if white magic was going to be amplified in the nexus.

[b]"...I think I'm going to be sick."[/b]