Davil must've neglected his Adapa if he hadn't learned essence manipulation from it. However, his problem regarding Personal Barriers might be a unique case. Davil being unable to encase himself in a barrier and traveling into a leyline was a curious case. Maybe it had something to do with his Prime Essence? The incompatibility of a prime essence, say, 'Traveler,' versus enclosing oneself wall seemed quite disjointed and would prove why he could travel from leyline to leyline.

Purely conjecture. In general, Chunji didn't know enough of the essence to make that theory more than a theory. It was a fun thought, but ultimately needless in the end.

Chunji was more interested in his Adapa. The principal said it should cover weaknesses, enhance strengths, and more. Under that statement, it seemed possible to modify Dayin further. Another subject of future interest. He'd need to allocate two more hours to researching his Adapa. He'd like to ask for Otis's insight if time and place were allowed.

Little time left meant little time left to ponder. Students started to gather around for the attunement ceremony.

If Chunji were to give his honest opinions on the event, he'd prefer to flip a coin and join whatever side. The event was to formulate teams and create a competitive environment that would boost the growth of both sides. Chunji despised conflict and, in turn, disliked the need for competition. With or without conflict, he'd reach his end goal.

How would others see the attunement? It was obvious that Iraleth was on Nero's side. With her faith and protector behavior, it was fitting for someone like her to join that side. He presumed Chloe would join Nero based on her 'pacifistic' actions and personality. Rio was a package deal with Chloe. Davil would most likely follow the group that most people he was familiar with. Otis and Ciara were the same as Chloe and Rio, but he didn't know what side they would join. He didn't have enough information on Hildegrunde.

"Dayin. Flip a coin."

A static hum was emitted from Dayin. A coin was flipped. A result was found. An answer that he would provide at the attunement center.

Wingram Clinic
@Nanaya

---

It was searing.

It was refreshing.

It was healing.

Air hissed through Ciara's teeth as the torn page made their mark and fused with her. She could feel skin being mended along her back - blisters reducing to normal skin, gashes stitching together to become whole skin and flesh. Even her own mind was soothed from the horrors she heard in the fight against Professor Alto.

She felt… much better. To say she felt much better was an understatement. Her strength and her vitality was restored to her, and she sat more upright on the patient's table.

"Your page as my patient will regenerate in this book twenty four hours from now - March 3rd, 1526 SR at 9:47 AM. Should you sustain injuries like this before then, I can administer basic healing magic or medicine, though it will not be as effective against more serious wounds."

Ciara blinked at that before her brows delicately furrowed. That could prove problematic, seeing as her duel was set to be at 6:00 PM that evening. It seemed this was a one-time shot, and any injuries sustained after this… would be more troublesome to mend.

She would have to be careful.

Doctor Payton concluded the healing session, and Ciara stood from the patient's table.

“Thank you for seeing me so quickly, Doctor. I appreciate it.”

She took her sword in hand and excused herself from the room, and walked past the other waiting patient's and out of the clinic. Once outside, a shadow limb took the sword from her hand again, hovering just behind her as she strode forward. It didn't take long to reach the crowd gathering at the Leyline Attunement Zone, and Ciara thanked the fates she was early. She spotted Chunji in the crowd. Good, one other had made it, at least.

She moved among the crowd so she was at the front, able to easily see the pillar. The same pillar that she had seen the first day, that had called to her. Now, her curiosity would finally be sated. Now, she would finally experience proper attunement.

Ciara stood there, arms crossed, feeling slightly grimey in her bloodied and torn clothes, but knowing she didn't have the time to change. She waited patiently, eager to complete this final task so she could rest for the fated duel later that evening.

Gorias Velyphus.

Otis did not react physically, but there was a longer pause as he considered the situation. He recognized the opportunity here, after all, the chance of being able to pick at the man’s brain regarding the possibilities present. A stupid question would simply cause any message or future correspondence to be discarded from the get-go.

“I will investigate this on my own for the time being. If it turns out to not just be an oddity coming from the irregularity that is an Ethos, then I’ll draft a letter for you to send to Headmaster Velyphus then.”

The Strigidae released his grip on the chains, and with that, the arcane constructs disappeared, Davil tumbling onto the floor once there was nothing to hold him up. He turned to Iraleth, nodding once to her. “A clinic may be useful. Bringing him to Ciara will have the same effects, but she’s likely over there too, so it works out either way. Please record his ramblings on your Adapa and send them to me as well; it may be useful as a reference.”

No more reason to wait and faff about; he was on the move to search for Chloe now, to make good on his offer.

Astra help her, she was surrounded by sociopaths. Iraleth glowered in general as she made to help Davil up, draping one of his arms across her shoulders. A withering glare was shot the professor's way.

"If it's all the same, Professor, I'll leave that to trained professionals." She spat as she started escorting Davil out, shooting Otis a curt nod along the way. Iraleth had no intention of actually aiding him with recording Davil's words, of course. "Come along then, Davil. It won't be far."

Of course she'd known where the clinic was. She was just there yesterday. It didn't matter that the trip would make her likely late to the attunement ceremony. What kind of horrendous, self-absorbed scumbag would just leave a traumatized person without aid solely to not be late to an assembly of all things? Alright, well, Iraleth could name several people from the past day that could meet that category. It didn't mean she was going to be one of them.

Iraleth left Davil at the clinic with a brief explanation to the doctor of what exactly had happened to him before leaving. If she hurried, there was probably enough time to head from the clinic to the Leyline Attunement Zone at a brisk pace to either be just barely in time or fashionably late by a small amount.

Hildegunde wasn't sure what she had walked into, but it felt immediately much bigger than herself.

Freischütz, she thought, make a record of this. A detailed one.

As you wish, Fräulein Nachtnabel.

She did not care for how pleased her Adapa sounded, but she gave it no further thought. Not when her attention was drawn in by the mystery voice and the conversation at hand.

Then, like Chloe, her eyes widened and her hair stood on end.

"Not as long as you can still let yourself be followed so easily by unwanted eyes."

The first choice was whether to run or not.

Her first instinct was the former. Who could blame her? The child with a hand in the cookie jar - why linger at the scene of the crime? Why risk capture?

The second choice was whether to hide or not. Once again, her first instinct was, indeed, to hide.

Fräulein Nachtnabel, if you will. I think it best now to flee.

For once, Hildegunde considered the words of her Adapa seriously. She thought, weighing her options. She could run - probably much faster and further than Chloe. But if she were noticed running, Chloe's wrath would be surefire and swift. She did not understand who or what the other voice was, or what they were capable of. Hiding seemed futile, when the other voice already seemed aware of her location. Chloe would likely find out within seconds if she did hide.

If she revealed herself, there was no variable of whether she could escape or not. But perhaps it'd be better to bet on mercy than escape.

The fibers of her muscles that ached, screamed, to run - she would ignore them. She also strangled the urge to wisecrack - last time she had done that, it seemed to alarm Chloe.

Silence, she told the voice.

She would show goodwill. Or, at the very least, she would try. Hildegunde made a few silent paces, making a significant distance between the two of them - giving herself headway in case she needed to bolt.

Gloves removed, hood down, and palms raised out, Hildegunde would step forward. The rest of her body was still hard to make out, melding into her surroundings.

She channeled the energy of a lost child as best as she could. As unusual as it was on the hunter, it came all too naturally, all too authentically - she often felt this way and hid it. The world she grew up in and the world she lived in were two vastly different ones, and it often made her feel as if a childhood lack of understanding was something she'd simply never grow out of.

"Sorry. You looked upset leaving class, and I wanted to say something, and I didn't know what to say. And was scared you'd snap and prune me if you noticed me following while I took my sweet time deciding what to do. I didn't mean to step into whatever this is," she says, gesturing vaguely. It was technically not a lie. As curious as she was, she never knew what she was getting into. She was no spy or malicious actor.

A beat. Hildegunde's heartbeat rushes in her head.

"Scared of you as I still am, I misjudged you. You don't seem half bad. And I can tell you're stressed. And frustrated. And I want to help. But if you want me to leave and never speak of this, or to you, I can do that too. Sorry," she would end her speech as she started it.

Her muscles still ached. At the moment of provocation, she would run.

@Sifr

CAMPUS GROUNDS, FOREST

"How much did you hear?"

These words would flow coldly from Chloe's mouth as she stared at Hildegunde, back facing the hunter and the left side of her face locked onto the unwanted witness as if she were all that mattered in the world. Dry leaves kicked up around the half-elf's feet, wind tossing them about haphazardly on the ground. The forest remained dead still, to the point that the cracking of a tree branch or the rustling of bushes would be deafening in contrast. "...But you are right, I would be all of those things."

A sigh, and the leaves came to a stop. Turning to face Hildegunde fully, Chloe's shoulders sank. "But I don't think I understand what you mean. What did you think you were 'stepping into'? Your classmate's venting session? I'm just tired, don't worry about it, I wasn't talking to anyone."

Another pause hung over Chloe as she kept eye contact, a bead of sweat forming on her forehead as she almost appeared to hold her breath. Then, all at once, the sound of rushing footsteps across grass, tearing through bushes and vines, could be heard. Movement from behind the tree shot out like a bullet, drilling through the foliage and ripping apart all in its path as this blur of aggression dove towards Hildegunde. Chloe would raise out a hand in the direction of the blur, eyes wide, shouting, "No, don't! Stop!" Her pleas would go ignored, however.

With the hunter fleeing, the blur would seem to stick to the bushes, crouched low. Based on the sounds of its thumping across shrubs and dirt, it was a smaller quadruped that cloaked itself among the forest's shadows. A growling could be heard, and after giving chase for more than a few seconds, what appeared to be arrows would begin loosing out of the bushes, aiming towards Hildegunde. The arrows, on a brief glance during the chase, appeared to be made of pure obsidian, or otherwise some other kind of solidified black substance.

"Children are oh-so-quick to wander where they shouldn't," a raspy growl would emerge from the bushes behind the hunter.

A loudspeaker rang out from further away in the direction of the main building, echoing throughout the entire campus as the voice of Principal Raja, announcing, "The attunement ceremony will commence in five minutes. Make your way to the leyline attunement zone, where students will familiarize themselves with Wingram's leylines and declare their choice of Wund or Nero! And speaking personally, I respect, but do not expect fashionably late individuals. That is all."

---

@ERode

MAIN BUILDING

Alto nodded at Otis' request, giving yet another thumbs up to the owl as he continued to devour his sandwich. Gorias was known across the country to be quite the oddity himself, and so chances of contacting him were the highest over any other Arcmage that Vaal Shakta had to offer. "Old Vely's always busy, but there's no doubt in my mind he'd make time for an old friend like myself, if I let him know I was carrying on his legacy as a proud teacher of the Union. If you want a talk with him, I'm your man." The professor sometimes chewed with his mouth open, or spoke even as he continued to chew, while letting loose these words.

While attempting to locate Chloe, who would have likely been seen exiting down the northern hallways towards the exit into town, Otis was also bombarded by rushing crowds of students attempting to make their way to the attunement ceremony. Without proper care, some wouldn't even care to evade him as they shoulder checked their way through others walking at more even paces through the building. One particular klutz even kicked over a bucket of soapy water, and emerging from a nearby doorway upon this noise was Michael the janitor. He swore under his breath as he witnessed the soapy wet trails spread outwards in all directions across the hallway, raising an aggressive fist upwards as he watched the student sprint away out the northern exit. "Next time I see you, it's on sight, fucko!" Michael shouted this with conviction as if making a blood oath, before turning towards Otis with an apologetic shrug.

"Sorry, kid. Take care around the water, yeah? I'm gonna be cleaning these halls for hours. Kids these days really ain't the considerate type, y'know what I mean?" The hooded janitor once again muttered cusses as he retrieved his now empty bucket, withdrawing a mop from the nearby storage closet to get to work.

A loudspeaker rang out throughout the main building Otis found himself in, echoing throughout the entire campus and the halls as the voice of Principal Raja, announcing, "The attunement ceremony will commence in five minutes. Make your way to the leyline attunement zone, where students will familiarize themselves with Wingram's leylines and declare their choice of Wund or Nero! And speaking personally, I respect, but do not expect fashionably late individuals. That is all."

---

@AThousandCurses@Estylwen@Psyker Landshark

CAMPUS GROUNDS, LEYLINE ATTUNEMENT ZONE

Iraleth's trip to the clinic would prove rather uneventful. It was a short wait by the point that she arrived, and even shorter when the receptionist saw the state Davil was in. The boy's words mostly consisted of gibberish and senseless flailing as he was guided towards his appointment with Doctor Payton, whom requested absolute privacy with the shivering Wund due to the delicate procedures necessary for his full recovery. There were some grumbles from other students in the waiting room about it not being fair that another person got to skip the line, but the state of Davil's health convinced people easily enough on appearance alone.

The paladin would certainly arrive to the attunement ceremony later than many, though enough time remained that she would even see other students from across the campus grounds still approaching as well. With a glance around between those present on the platform and within eyesight of it, the notable names from the events of yesterday would almost all appear to be present, with the exception of Otis, Hildegunde and Chloe. Most notably was Valen, who stood near the back of the crowd with a small semi-circle of students chatting amongst each other and occasionally turning to the crimson Leuvalt for advice on one thing or another.

A loudspeaker rang out from the main building nearby, echoing throughout the entire campus as the voice of Principal Raja, announcing, "The attunement ceremony will commence in five minutes. Make your way to the leyline attunement zone, where students will familiarize themselves with Wingram's leylines and declare their choice of Wund or Nero! And speaking personally, I respect, but do not expect fashionably late individuals. That is all."

The speaker would screech off, and as it did so, Raja would appear in a puff of flame and smoke near the central golden pillar that crowds gathered around. She snapped her fingers, and a podium would appear. Another snap, and handles each storing an ornate sword and shield would appear attached to the podium. The principal would cast her gaze outward across the student body, arms crossed, her eyes seemingly scanning each and every person in attendance.

Wingram, Leyline Attunement Zone
@Nanaya

---

---

---

---

And then just like that, her focus shattered. The announcement was a blur in her ears. Principal Raja's presence was muted against the new focal point of Ciara's backdrop.

Her mouth hung open for a second as her eyes were cast back, and she saw that unmistakable crop of red hair.

Valen Levault.

Ciara's lips curled back, baring her teeth. This was the boy that considered himself on top of the world. Who essentially told her that death was the only fate awaiting her, an Umbralist.

The boy who quelled the fight in the rest of the student body simply because no one was a match for him.

The boy who threatened destruction, but then waved it off as a joke.

She eyed him now, standing amidst other students. He had cemented himself as a central power figure, and other students flocked to him.

The boy who looked at people like they were less than dust on the wind. The one who Ciara swore one day, she'd make him eat those words, encroaching on her honor and labeling her as an Umbralist who was better off dead.

It made her blood boil.

Without thinking, her feet found their way over to Valen's group, sword trailing behind her. She pushed past the students and stood in the center of the semi-circle, staring daggers at Valen.

“Well, well. Mr. High-and-mighty. I thought nobility like you would be enjoying it up in your ivory tower, instead of standing with the common rabble like us. I'm surprised these students surrounding you aren't cowering in fear. You must like having everyone under your thumb.”

Ciara.

That was the intruding thought that came into Chunji's mind as he heard her voice behind him. Ciara was en route to approaching Valen and his group of followers. Chunji knew that Ciara despised Valen based on what he said at the auditorium. Still, he honestly didn't expect her to act this rashly, especially in the presence of the principal.

Should he stop her? It seemed too late, as Ciara had already started provoking Valen. Even if he did try, Ciara would not appreciate his efforts. They did not have any sort of bond that would provide a strong persuasion, nor could he have constructed a proper sentence that avoided criticizing her for her rash decision.

It was better for him to not interfere at all. Ciara was confident she could handle the aftermath, and Chunji didn't see any point in dragging himself into someone else's problem.

Chunji headed inside the leyline attunement zone. After experiencing an overcharged Leyline, leylines became a topic of interest to Chunji, from its immense amount of essence to the potentially horrifying ramifications that dwelled within the artificial leylines. It would have had a lot of potential if Otis had been both knowledgeable and interested in it.

There were four leylines, from what Chunji could feel. Four of them had distinct feelings, and one actively rejected him. It was out of compatibility, but the Primal Leyline felt stiff as he observed. Leylines were like rivers, a comparison many people must have agreed with as they stretched across the academy.

The Arcane Leyline felt 'solid.' In the way of a tower that breached the skies, the Arcane Leyline felt endless and disappeared beyond the horizon. It stood above everything below and held command over the essence stored within. A foundation that was built and continued to be built as time progressed.

An inverse to it was the Divine Leyline. While the Arcane Leyline was solid, the Divine Leyline felt as if it was fluctuating. The Divine was more encompassing in how the Arcane Leyline was encapsulating. An idol upon the hill that stood over the town. It shined radiantly in the day, yet it cloaks itself in the darkness of the night.

The Occult Leyline, in contrast, was unstable. Not in the way that it could be used, but it was considerably unpredictable. In the way that man can never predict the weather, the tide of the Occult nearly lashed out at random when Chunji tried to sense it. A feeling that Chunji was familiar with and didn't seem to be particularly bothered by it.

The Primal Leyline was left relatively untouched. Once Chunji received no response, he didn't bother to try to tap into it again. A matter of incompatibility for all, he was considered.

What was most curious was how each connected to the Golden Pillar, where Principal Raja was standing. Was this the precipice of leyline knowledge? How did the leylines not combust once connected with every one of them? It was a question that Chunji both mused and discarded. He felt that connecting them like that came at a great cost.

The announcement would come soon. Dayin had gave him the result and he would provide it at the ceremony.

The Sword of Wund. It was fitting admittedly. If blood was drawn by a sword, then so too will a healer be nearby.

“It’s that same sort of behavior that caused them to fight amongst themselves yesterday,” Otis replied, glancing towards the janitor. “The presence of a goal does not excuse an unawareness of one’s surroundings.”

With the principal’s voice alerting him of the attunement ceremony, however, it looked as if it wasn’t feasible to find Chloe outside anytime soon. He could form a spell to track her down, of course, but on the other hand, her hair and her countenance stood out enough. If all were destined to flow towards a certain space, then why chase, when one could wait? He drew a sigil in the aether instead, whispering an incantation for a spell well-used during his own alchemical mishaps.

The soapy fluids rose up from the ground in dark globules, fusing together one at a time in the form of a perfect sphere. By the time Michael returned, there would be but a single ball, floating two feet off the ground.

And there would be no Strigidae to be found.

---

Instead, Otis floated above the Leyline Attunement Zone, amber eyes gazing down once more at the clusters of students that formed. There was the shock of red hair that marked out Valen, as well as the brambly black of Ciara who approached him with ill intent. Iraleth, gleaming silver, had arrived as well, but he didn’t catch the glimmer of Hildegunde’s rifle anywhere in the auditorium.

Nor did he see the vibrant strawberry blonde of Chloe.

Hm.

With a flexing of his fingers, his Adapa manifested before him once more, and an e-mail was drafted moments later, sent to all his contacts within Compact 1.

I do not see Chloe or Hildegunde. Has anyone else?

At the very least, she wasn't the last one here. Good enough, after the necessary detour she'd had to make. Hopefully Davil would make a full recovery.

A brief look around. Most of the people Iraleth had gotten to know over the past two days were already here. Including...

Her eyes narrowed. Valen Leuvalt. With a band of sycophants in tow, apparently. How in the darkness had he gotten himself a pack of hangers-on? He'd literally just threatened mass murder yesterday! As a joke! Unbelievable. She stormed forward, gnashing her teeth.

Once again, Ciara apparently had the same idea, arriving just before Iraleth could and giving Valen a piece of her mind. The paladin afforded the other girl a curt nod, ever mindful of the fact that she'd be raising a sword to her by the day's end, and proceeded to give Valen and each of those around him a searching stare. Her gaze narrowed.

"You do realize," Iraleth said pointedly to Valen's entourage, and not Leuvalt himself. Ciara had that well in hand, anyway. "That he would just as likely kill you as he would allow you to remain within his presence? Is that the sort of person you want to shackle yourselves to? Each of you has more worth than that." Admittedly, that worth wasn't exactly showing itself when all of them were hanging off a potential mass-murderer. But it was the thought that counted.

Her Adapa pinged, but Iraleth barely registered it, so focused was her attention on what was in front of her.

@Estylwen

How long had she been listening? Did it matter? If Chloe wanted to think Hildegunde had seen little - had not heard her talking to anyone - she would feign ignorance. There was no need to answer her question when she came up with her own happy falsehood.

"If you say so-" Hildegunde says, but cuts herself off. Her shoulders rise and her body tenses. The sudden rustling of bushes, the tearing of vines; Hildegunde instinctively goes on the defensive, summoning her PB. By the time arrows go flying, she had begun to run; forget gracing the quip of her attacker. For reasons she couldn't understand right away, she can feel the curling lips of her Adapa in her mind.

And then it hits her.

She was leaving Chloe behind.

Why did this bother her now? She'd have been glad to leave the half elf behind yesterday. She'd have left most anyone behind then. She had thought her classmates unwell of mind for risking their safety for each other the day before. Why did that smile compel her so against her own instincts? Why was she now doing the same?

Despite all of her own logic, Hildegunde stops in her tracks, one of the obsidian arrows whizzing past her head as she does.

"The attunement ceremony will commence in five minutes. Make your way to the leyline attunement zone, where students will familiarize themselves with Wingram's leylines and declare their choice of Wund or Nero! And speaking personally, I respect, but do not expect fashionably late individuals. That is all."

The announcement gave her a moment's hesitation. She'll be late if she stops. Ultimately, she knows she won't make it in five minutes anyways.

She makes a motion towards Chloe, gesturing for her to follow. And in case it wasn't clear enough, she punctuates the gesture with a single word.

"RUN!"

Otis's message would be left unread. Her focus was elsewhere. Perhaps, if she checked, she'd have sent a distress call. As it were, Hildegunde was focused on two things: To ensure her own survival, and to ensure Chloe's. If Chloe did not follow, she would run back for her and drag her out of the forest herself.

@Nanaya

@Sifr

CAMPUS GROUNDS, FOREST

Chloe at first froze, but began to move when she saw Hildegunde's concern for her. She was lagging behind, clearly not as physically fit as perhaps anyone else in their class, and struggled to sprint in the torn dress that was quickly becoming closer to dirty rags. Even so, she ran, continuing to shout for the pursuer to stop. Eventually, it began to fire these arrows towards the frill-elf as well, which were only just barely dodged or would only graze her Personal Barrier as she fled. It was unclear how, but the creature appeared to be able to loose the arrows at each of the two girls simultaneously, growing in speed as the chase continued. It snapped and snarled hungrily from under the cover of bushes and trees as it gained speed, its breath quickening with adrenaline. "Succumb," it would growl, as a new volley of arrows launched forth.

This particular volley broke through Chloe's already diminished defenses, cutting through her barrier and slashing at her ankles. "Aghhh," she would screech as she tumbled to the cobblestone ground, focusing her Personal Barrier almost fully into her hands as she defended against yet another volley of arrows that seemed to now focus on her far more than Hildegunde. "I'm sorry, Rio... and..."

Her eyes would begin to close as her barrier weakened, breaking piece by piece to the arrows as cuts and burns began to appear upon Chloe's skin - the signs of rebound becoming all too apparent with her last burst in an attempt to survive. The next volley would be on its way shortly, this time fully focused on the half conscious half-elf.

---

@AThousandCurses@Estylwen@Psyker Landshark@ERode

CAMPUS GROUNDS, LEYLINE ATTUNEMENT ZONE

The awkward shuffling of feet and avoidance of gaze from those gathered near Valen spoke more than any response ever could. A few muttered weak defenses here or there, before from the gathering, a projectile of spit splattered on the concrete near Iraleth's feet. Stepping out in front of Valen to stare at Iraleth and Ciara was a pale boy in raggedy clothing, with dull eyes that rarely seemed to blink. Valen's expression remained neutral as he took in the words of those who approached him, only briefly looking over at the gi-clad boy who stepped in.

"Leuvalt casted pearls before swine - to most, and to you. While you saw cruelty or murderous intent, we few who dared accept our fate would bear witness to true genius. It was all but a test in the end, and Leuvalt of course never intended to end anyone's life. I suppose only some could see that, though," the unblinking boy would finally speak in monotone, the others behind him seeming to devolve into a mixture of uncertain head nods and reluctant compliance. "All with the perception to see such things differently than they appear will find the spark of ambition, you see. It can sometimes require the flames of certain death to see what one lives for."

With neither acknowledgement or agreeance of his defender's words, Valen would turn his head back between Ciara and Iraleth slowly, then place a hand upon the grey one's shoulder. "That is enough, Ozhiah. Not all can understand, nor should they be expected to. While true glory can only be obtained by those who lead, those like them - those that follow and cling to the conventional - may still find a lesser shine to give their existences meaning. It is no more pitiable, in the end, than watching a domesticated animal live and die in their enclosure."

Ozhiah would step to the side with a nod, pacing backwards with his hands clasped behind his back while facing the pair he had preached to.

"It matters not what I enjoy, all I meet eventually grow dim in my shadow or lose themselves in the dark world it creates for them. While unfortunate to admit, all exist under my thumb from birth," Valen would continue as he shifted from one foot to another, crossing his arms as he stared into Ciara. "It would be best that you both take heed in such truths for the future, as there will be no hesitation should we find ourselves opposed. The humiliation will be far less, would you accept your place in the hierarchy."

Nearby, Chunji would hear the sound of slower footsteps and clashing of wood against stone from behind. Emelie would limp over to him with the same brittle oak cane, looking sickly as ever with a smile much to the contrary. "Checking out the leylines early, huh? I getcha, I'm the same. It's nice to get acquainted with yer surroundings sooner 'n later," she would muse, following a joyful sigh as she stared over at nearby ongoings. "But still, sometimes ye gotta see what's goin' on right in front of ye, right? Take a gander o'er there, look at those wee kittens puffin' their fur like issa war of the worlds."

With her cane, she would direct Chunji towards the scene of Valen engaged with Iraleth and Ciara, chuckling as she took it in. "Can't say I know where they get their energy from. Youth, I s'pose. How 'bout you? Any grand rivalries like they're all wafflin' about? How's your first day in Compact 3 treatin' ye?"

From Otis' Adapa, he would hear an odd notification sound - as if his Adapa were defending against a foreign essence that then proceeded to rip through the baseline defenses, allowing a message through from someone who was not properly added as a contact. It simply read, "The two are in danger along the forest path. Best find them quick, dear Seeker."

As soon as the message was received and acknowledged, it would erase itself just as quickly, with the sound of crackling static overtaking as it did so.

Chunji regarded Emelie with the same dispassionate look he often wore. The metaphor the librarian said could be to both the figurative sense and the literal sense. A war was starting soon between Ciara and Valen. Moreso with Ciara as she bore a look that could kill people. "I don't intrude matters that are unrelated to me," Chunji said in a flat tone.

Aside Emelie's odd choice of words, Chunji seriously considered Emelie's rhetorical question. Did he have any particular enemies? There were none that he could think of, but maybe he did unknowningly create a few enemies. "None that I am aware of. If there are, they're completely one-sided." His dislike for Ciara was present, but not enough to turn into animosity.

"Today... One of my classmates had to be sent to the clinic after he failed to manifest his personal barrier. My Professor has soured the class's perspective on him. Now, two of my classmates are involved in another engagement." Chunji didn't seem particularly unhappy nor elated at the details of his day.

"To state the conclusions of today's events requires for the day to end. A large sample data is also preferred as having experiencing only one day is not conclusive enough. Today's event will serve as a baseline of expectations for future reference." A complicated answer to Emelie's rhetorical question. If there was anything that could be read, it was the content of Chunji's words that expose some depth of his feelings regarding today's events.

Dayin popped up in front of him.

Otis had sent a message regarding matters of Chloe and Hildegrunde. Chunji was the second to last to leave class, but he had seen a glimpse of Chloe as he exited down the hall. Soon after Hildegrunde left as Chunji waited outside the classroom that Otis and Iraeleth had entered. Thinking back at it right now, she looked like she was trying to catch up to Chloe.

If you are referring to Ms. Steeler and Nachtnebel may be together. I do not know where they headed, but I remembered Nachtnebel following Chloe.

With that message penned, he looked back at the leylines. "Ms. Emelie, what are you thoughts on these leylines?" Chunji inquired. It seemed random, but this was the only topic they had in common at the moment. "I have felt them out and I can understand the importance of their power. Other than the Primal Leyline, the others were responsive. Did you have a leyline that was incompatiable with you?"

Would using his Ethos expose terribles truths once more? Emelie, the leylines, and the mysteries the Academy kept all held some sort of terrible knowledge. If the Golden Pillar was the culimination of these four leylines, then what ultimate sin did it carry?

Wingram, Leyline Attunement Zone
@Nanaya, @Psyker Landshark

---

---

”I just might do it…”

---

---

“You do realize that he would just as likely kill you as he would allow you to remain within his presence?”

The Voices were warm, infatuated. “The Light speaks so well.”

Another Voice, light and feminine. “Yes, we could just gobble it up.”

A deeper, husky Voice. “Palette the intelligence and the sweetness.”

Ciara’s brows flattened. “Now is not the time-”

“While you saw cruelty or murderous intent, we few who dared accept our fate would bear witness to true genius.”

Ciara's glare latched onto one of Valen's lackeys, acting as if he was a priest of some new cult. He might as well be.

She gave him a closer look, trying to gauge his aura. This was the aura of a man easily influenced, susceptible to darker influences given his grayness. No hidden gems of light like Hidegunde had, or soft, cotton-white silver to offset the dull and dark grayness.

It was no surprise this boy liked Valen, despite the absolute horrors the boy had apparently committed against the school in the first day.

“That is enough, Ozhiah. Not all can understand, nor should they be expected to.”

That brought Ciara's eyes over to Valen, and what she saw-

She froze.

With her eyes focused, actually seeing him- there were no words. It was as if the air itself was contaminated with the sick, palpable aura Valen exuded. Using Otis as a reference, Valen made Otis’ darkness look like saintly light. Valen was a black hole, eating up every hope and shred of goodness in his path. Blacker than pitch. Blacker than anything she had ever witnessed.

How was that even possible…?

"While unfortunate to admit, all exist under my thumb from birth.”

While Valen's words sent a spike of ice through her heart, the Voices in Ciara's mind were choking on their own glee.

“It's dark! Darker than the Dark One!”

Ciara was furious. “It single-handedly wiped out the rest of the school!”

A light, feminine Voice with a girlish accent. “Duh, that's logical of darkness such as this. It's soooo pretty. Can we get closer?”

“We are not-!” Ciara pressed a hand over her face, a frustrated stream of air escaping her lungs. “It's responsible for nearly incinerating the entire student body present at the Auditorium!”

“Wow, it should have. Less competition. Don't imagine we could feast on burnt corpses though.”

Ciara’s jaw dropped a little. “What-”

“Why don't you ask it to bring the entire student body into one place, and you can do a mass feast?”

“We are not having this conversation.”

The Voices cackled with glee, dropping to a more menacing tone. “You're right. Maybe we should just ask it directly.”

Ciara was taken aback, a tremble in her body as her mind’s voice was a hoarse whisper. “You can't, you wouldn't…!”

Arrogant laughter. “You still know so little of us, little Hunger.”

“Just shut up.”

"It would be best that you both take heed in such truths for the future, as there will be no hesitation should we find ourselves opposed. The humiliation will be far less, would you accept your place in the hierarchy.”

The Voices at this point were screaming, shrieking in Ciara’s mind.

“Attack it! Show it you are the darkest of dark here, Hunger!”

“Bow to it, Hunger! What glories await following a darkness so pure?!”

“All of you are nuts! There’s no way I’m following what any of you-” Ciara shouted back desperately in her mind, before a strange sensation overtook her.

It was as if the Voices rose up, reaching down through her brainstem and into her muscles. Her body snapped and contorted, appearing as if being pulled in in a multitude of directions. She lurched forward, her back half-bent, gaze on Valen’s feet in a half-bow. Meanwhile, the sword held by shadows launched forward, coming to a stop just inches from Valen’s chest.

It was clear, Valen was a very, very bad influence on her.

Ciara panted, the influence of the Voices turning her eyes dark and red. She struggled against their sudden hostaging of her limbs, and couldn't move to save her skin. Her body quaked with the multitude of forces, attempting to straighten, attempting to bend, attempting to attack and kill.

Just as she was about to give up, the hollowness of her own emotions gave her clarity. Gritting her teeth, Ciara began to exude a shadowy smoke that seeped up from her body. Her body shook and quivered as her hands slowly formed fists, and she stood up straight. The sword hovering dangerously close to Valen was pulled back as Ciara glared hot at the crimson-haired noble.

“When the day comes where we do cross swords.” Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll make you lick my boot.”

Ridiculous. The amount of mental gymnastics required to believe that Valen Leuvalt gave a damn about anyone besides himself bordered on delusion. Iraleth glowered at everyone involved, with the exception of Ciara.

"Cowards and sheep, licking the boots of a sociopath." The half-elf spat, her eyes blazing with anger and disgust. "Rather than raise yourselves up, you would kneel before someone who merely uses you as monuments to his ego. And here I thought you came to Wingram to be heroes, not lackeys." A closer look at the toadies. Had any of them been among the crowd that had begged for entrance on the first day? Should that be the case, it wouldn't surprise her, but it would be disappointing.

She didn't even bother saying anything to Valen himself. Why gratify his self-importance with acknowledgment? Iraleth turned to Ciara, only for her eyes to widen. She was just a moment away from actually attacking Valen. While understandable, it didn't help her assessment of the other girl at all. At least her heart was in the right place, though her control was...extremely questionable. If she wasn't actually an Umbralist, there was certainly something dangerous influencing her, even if it was just Ciara's own animal instinct.

"Crossing swords? Not before I get my chance at him." Iraleth glowered, this time at everyone gathered in this sad little group in general, Ciara included.

@Estylwen

Hildegunde's head snaps back at the scream. Her eyes widen. Time simultaneously moves too slow and too fast. Her heart thumps hard in her chest, blood rushing in her ears.

Run. Save yourself. Her own inner voice. Every fiber of her muscles cries out in solidarity.

And yet something nagged at her. A growing consciousness, those little white specks of light that Ciara hungered for? Or perhaps just guilt at the idea of being responsible, even if only in part, for else's corpse in the woods once again.

She reassesses her position in that split seconds. Their pursuer is gaining speed. Could she even manage to outrun them at this point, Chloe or no Chloe? The rebound on Chloe's end didn't inspire much confidence either in how much longer her own might hold.

"Shut up," Hildegunde hisses, which was probably a mangled attempt at urging her to save her breath. As she does, she dashes towards Chloe, focusing. Pulling on the air, then the ground. The earth surrounding Chloe would dip and rise, cobblestone tumbling away in wake of dirt and debris, roughly in the shape of a C formation, trying to pack itself solid. At the open end stood Hildegunde, back to the half-elf. By no means the sturdiest of barriers, but Hildegunde doesn't have much to work with - or much time to think things through.

Breathe. Focus. She still has a bullet left. She is a hunter, damn it. Whatever was aiming at her, if it were of flesh and blood, was just as vulnerable as she was.

She just needed to spot the thing. And if she doesn't?

If she doesn't...

She unsilences her rifle and gives her Adapa a command, sending a brief, scattered message out to all her contacts.

Forest. Help.

It was a long shot, but she tried.

She peeks over the dirt tower and straight ahead at the enemy, eyes narrowed. Looking for any inkling of a paw, the wagging of a tail, the glint of fangs. Something, anything, for her to latch onto the entity that pursued her.

Only then could she identify a target.

@Psyker Landshark@Estylwen@AThousandCurses@Nanaya@ERode

What was with this Academy and its ever-present danger?

From the Adapa proving itself to be easily interceptable (he’d have to look into that later and figure out how to reproduce those same effects upon others) to the danger that Chloe and Hildegunde both found themselves in, it felt as if Wingram Academy was just filled to the brim with dangers that appeared entirely separate from academic progression. At least in Strigari Academy, one could presume that the destruction of flesh and the warping of mind would enable further advancements towards the understanding of Essence. But this?

Otis clicked his tongue.

This was just danger for the sake of danger, a powder keg placed besides children who’re told to play with fireworks.

He took one last glance at the seething auditorium beneath him, and left.

---

Airborne he ascended, wind twisting around his limbs as he rose higher and higher. Otis had no wings, but that was why he had magic, elementalist spells granting him a flight far more controlled than Davil’s Ethos as he scanned the broadening horizon. What he sought was a sign, the crack of a bullet. If Hildegunde was in as much danger as that self-destroying message claimed her to be, then he would hear something, whether it be gunfire or simple screaming.

He had nothing from either of the girls, after all, so it could only be through a stroke of luck or a present stimuli that he found them.

Good thing there were both.

His own Adapa pinged, and he did not read the message. It had been only a split-second, but he had caught the direction in which that essence had been received, a beam of light through the treeline, where the canopy shook in response to something inside it. It had to be a message for an SOS. He could expect, even, that Ciara and Iraleth would respond, breaking off their silly conflict with Valen in order to do so. Funny, that the days events conspired to exhaust both of them before their own duel in the evening would begin. At this rate, they’d be duelling with pistols rather than Ethos.

The tinkerer from the Empire had no such restrictions himself, however, only the incantation of his familiar power.

“Show me wonders of this world.”

A Door opened, and through indistinct cosmos, came a board, wheeled and ensorcelled. In that moment, he cancelled his flight spell and plummeted, picking up greater and greater speed as gravity pulled him further down. His hair streamed upwards, his flesh rippled back, his clothes inflated. And his board, placed beneath his boots…sprouted wings.

Wings of canvas, like those of sailing ships, spread open and drank their fill of the air. He slowed immediately, but only because his sheer vertical descent was redirected to a diagonal dive, curving towards with a sheer ferocity! He had no wings, but owls preyed through the descend, not the ascent, and Otis’s eyes burned bright as his Personal Barrier encased him.

This would be his first test.

The board smashed into the canopy, snapping apart before dissolving into the aether and stardust that all summoned creations were made of. Otis himself slingshotted further past, a beastfolk bullet that crashed into the scene, bounced twice, rolled head over heels, then somehow, rather miraculously, found his feet before sprinting to a stop. Was it fortune, instinct, or a deliberate calculation that found him stopped right beside Chloe?

The Door manifested and without a thought, he grabbed the half-elf and pushed her through the abyssal gap, then drew his own firearm, a musical chime sounding as he flicked off the safety.

“Flee or fight?”

The Door remained open, the easiest escape route conceivable. But the pursuit of knowledge was not performed by running the other direction.

@Sifr@ERode

CAMPUS GROUNDS, FOREST

Obsidian death met sturdy rock an instant before impact with its original target, leaving Chloe kneeling with her eyes nearly bulging out of her sockets and with breathing soon to become closer to hyperventilation. The moment death was avoided, Hildegunde in front of her, Chloe's arms fell to her sides, the swirling wall of wind dissipating immediately as her eyes began to fall shut. It was in the next moment that Otis arrived, and as she was shoved inside the doorway, her last utterance before disappearing to the other side was a meek, "My apologies..."

A snarl emerged from the bushes across from the owl and hunter, as the sound of metal scraping and dragging across dirt and twigs echoed out from inside the bushes where it hid. "I suppose there isn't much else for it, then," the being muttered, its uneven rasp contemplative. "Too much noise now, to where children drop from the sky. Annoying!"

Bursting out of the bushes was a shadowy canine with what appeared to be a longsword attached to its tail - or perhaps it simply was its tail. It was featureless, cloaked in shadowy mist in the shape of a wolf, apart from the grey wisps that functioned as eyes. It leapt over the earthen barrier and descended quickly towards Hildegunde, its blade-tail aiming to cleave into her with downward force. At the same time as its direct attack towards the hunter, more of those dark arrows would loose themselves from the creature's stomach, firing off towards Otis.

---

@AThousandCurses@Estylwen@Psyker Landshark

CAMPUS GROUNDS, LEYLINE ATTUNEMENT ZONE

"Oho?"

That was the only sound that escaped Valen's mouth as events transpired, his steely ember glare continuing to focus towards Ciara. Ozhiah, off to the side, had reached into his left pants' pocket in a blink as the girl raised her sword, but stopped upon seeing that things had not progressed further. He grit his teeth as if he were personally insulted by the threat, though said nothing and soon stood at ease. The Leuvalt heir, for his part, scoffed with a soft exhale through his nose as Ciara finished. "For one of your ilk, I would advise a search for inner peace. With the turmoil that plagues you, plain as day, your blade would not manage to strike true towards those that serve me, much less myself. Your sword is a construct of plastic, when held with hesitancy. You stand as a slave to emotion."

The scarlet noble would use one hand to run through his hair, and the other to raise towards Ozhiah and others that grouped around him, and in doing so, quell the building frustration upon their faces upon Ciara's actions and Iraleth's comments. Then, his burning irises set upon the paladin. "When the time comes when you are deemed worthy, I will allow any number of my inferiors to face my power simultaneously, such that their combined efforts produce the miracle of equality. Thankfully, you will all have an agonizingly long time to strategize and ponder on such things. Perhaps, even, post-graduation - well into our professional years."

This statement would result in some chuckles from those around him, and a small clap and chortle from Ozhiah, mouthing the word 'splendid' a few paces behind Valen. The Leuvalt would not seem to take any kind of satisfaction in this, ignoring their existences and merely waiting for them to be silent before waving his hand outwardly in dismissal towards Ciara and Iraleth. "Now, I trust that concludes our business at this ceremony. You must understand that I value the final moments of preparation more than anything else. I bestow upon you both my blessing to take leave."

Close by, Emelie's eyes narrowed in concern as Chunji spoke of recent events. She didn't comment on much of it apart from nervous chuckles, perhaps not even expecting the boy to elaborate in any real capacity in the first place. This troubled look faded, however, when the topic took a hard turn towards the leylines running through Wingram. "Mmmmm..." Finger to chin as she stared at the ground, then at the sky, then at Chunji, taking many beats to figure out what to say. As she leaned on her cane, her eyes drifted once more towards the ground near the pillar.

"Sour. The whole dang thing comes off as sour. An' I don't mean the good kind that's all gummy 'n gooey like those weird little alchemical candies in the capital. Sour like... expired milk or maggoty cheese. Somethin' about it just comes off as weird, y'know? I know Strigari Academy's got a similar kinda leyline convergence set up like this, buuuut... I dunno, I ain't quite able ta explain it."

A shrug and a shudder betray some level of discomfort, her body turning away from the pillar. Eager to change the subject, she immediately latched onto Chunji's other question.

"Yeah, an' the primal leyline just wasn't callin' for me either, truth be told. I guess it just ain't for us, huh? Couple o' occultists, us! Hehe."

The pale girl turned to fully face Chunji, her expression brightening. She pointed her cane at Chunji's feet and looked at him curiously, tension from the prior topic removed. "And if that's what the two o' us are, I s'pose an exchange of superstitions is in order, just for fun. In your life, from what you recall, have you ever accidentally worn your socks inside out?"

If he would respond, she would continue, explaining, "In the village I grew up in, they always said that everybody is born on the right path for themselves. But the moment they wear their socks inside out, they'll inevitably take a wrong turn on their fated path, 'n stray towards a worse life. An' the more they wore their socks wrong, the worse their future would get, an' the farther from the best version o' themselves they'd become."

She'd giggle and shrug, exclaiming, "And as a result, so many people that I knew growin' up would just stick to sandals or go barefoot! Buncha weirdos, I swear. Love 'em, though. How 'bout you?"

Dayin dinged and Chunji split his attention off of Emelie for a second to address the notification.

Forest. Help.

Chunji turned back his attention to Emelie. The librarian had a high sensitivity when it came to emotions. None of his classmates, Chunji included, detected anything wrong when they first entered the domain. A theory would be that the demon that was apart of her allowed her a higher sensitivity. It could also be her personality or Ethos.

"If natural leylines are a river of life, what does that make of the artificial leyline?" A question that was seemingly posed to no one. While he hadn't read much on alchemy, he knew the Law of Equvalient Exchange. For the output to be balanced, the input must share the same amount of importance as the former.

The inland occultist kept letting words escape her mouth. Chunji listened closely and heavily considered her words. After pondering an appropriate tale, Chunji relayed his own family's superstition. "While I may not have grown with the main family, I heard it was common practice to find a poisonous snake have it bite children when they come of age." He still had the small scars on his forearm that were like black dots on a blank paper.

"When I was five, my parents went out to find the most poisonous snake that could find in these lands and had it bite me." Those were unpleasant times. Back when his body was not use external pains, did the tears flows. His throat hoarse from the screams and the insincere courage that was curried to put a strong front. "The Mirage Python, known for its vibrant colors, was the poisonous snake that my parents could find. I ran a fever for several weeks after it had bit me." It was said that the more vibrant the colors, the more deadly the animal was. Chunji didn't know if that was true, but it did feel like his flesh was boiling under his skin.

"The reason why it was done was because it was believed that it would bring us closer to our ancestors. That and the belief it helped build poison resistance." It didn't of course. Poison came it different shape and forms and needed a specific antidote to alleviate the worst of it. The poison did grant him a greater resistance to pain, that other than that nothing.

Knowing Emelie well enough that she'd be even more perturbed, Chunji decided to move the question along. "What do you think of my classmates? The two of them right now are expressing their values, but I'm sure what happened at the auditorium gave you a first impression." If Emelie would ask who which one was, Chunji would supply her the information to identify the correct person.

Forest. Help.

The message came loud and clear through Iraleth's Adapa, and she finished glowering at Valen and his cronies long enough to pay attention to it. She frowned. Hurried and terse. Hildegunde might actually be in legitimate danger. If that were the case...

The mental math as to whether or not to intervene didn't take as long as someone else might have expected it to. Yes, she would be abandoning the ceremony. Yes, making her way at all due speed would leave her at a disadvantage for the duel tonight. But none of that mattered compared to saving a life. She'd make for a poor paladin if this was the sort of equation that gave her pause.

Iraleth turned her back on Valen and company, closing her eyes.

"On borrowed wings."

The Inheritor's armor manifested, no doubt to the surprise of those around her. Iraleth didn't care. Her helm fixed its gaze upon Ciara.

"You heard the message. I'm going after her. You have five seconds to hitch a ride, and then I leave, with or without you." No matter Ciara's decision, in exactly five seconds, Iraleth would take off, soaring into the sky on wings of light and making her way towards the forest.

@Estylwen