"Hm. While I may not speak for everyone here, I believe it was only the natural course of action. There is no need to feel indebted, Ms. Steeler." It was normal to be concerned, but to be this oddly invested meant there had to be more than worry. Did Steeler have a phobia of death? While it was natural to fear for one or another's safety, to be driven to tears by a classmate known for less than half a week. It was an enigma to Chunji, but one that wouldn't bother treading on.

"If it's the duty of nobility or weight of consciousness, I will begin compiling a list. I'll inform you by the end of the week of what my potential demands are." With the delivery of a brick wall, Chunji replied in earnest to Steeler. However, he quickly went to her side as a flash of pain painted her expression. He helped her over to the bed and laid her comfortably in it. It seemed her symptoms were worsening past the minute.

"Understood. I, too, have questions that I desire to be answered." With a nod, Chunji began to leave the room. Just before he opened the door, he spoke up. "Regarding your illness... If you have any troubles with it, you may request my assistance. While I may not be a licensed doctor like the Overseer or Dr Kann, I'll try to provide aid in any capacity I am capable of." With that, he left the room. Steeler provided that same concern to Davil, so the natural action was to show the same to her.

With that obligation now fulfilled, rest was now required. Taking a seat inside the busied clinic, Chunji contemplated. Without his Ethos, there was no way to tell what was happening outside the clinic, and he wasn't in a condition to leave it either. If there was a possible interrogation for the Academy's staff, he would have to prepare a proper response as well. He could, however, fulfill one duty while waiting in recovery.

"Davil and Steeler are currently in the clinic being treated. Everyone else in our Compact is here as well. May I inquire about your location as of right now?"

Sent. Dayin disappeared as Chunji rested against the chair. Who knows where Rio was in all this? Chunji, as a classmate, did his job of informing him about the circumstances. He closed his eyes and tuned out the hectic noise of the clinic to recover from his ordeal.

---

Wingram Clinic
_@Nanaya

---

Her head buzzed. A whine in her ears sent ripples through her body. Still, despite the drugs still in her system, Ciara tried her best to listen.

”Should it not awaken by first light tomorrow, I'll end its life; though its true controller likely won't mourn it, wherever they are.”

Ciara's eyes bugged, before they squeezed shut. Her excitement sent her head reeling a million miles a minute. ‘It’... ‘end’... The shadow imp. It had to be. The imp, the-

Her eyes snapped wide open again, her breath catching. She was going to kill it! What- what time was it now-

Her mind reeled again, and Ciara groaned into her pillow. If she had the strength or the means to punch Otis, she would. Though, she was still the idiot that would accept anything from the dark one. Being betrayed was in her nature, she supposed.

It was then another voice floated through the room, and Ciara listened from her bed behind the curtain.

"I will simply acquire a new one, later. Efficiency requires sacrifice.”

Ciara's brows furrowed, struggling to think. The voice seemed familiar, but for the life of her, she couldn't think why. Something about a page…?

Wait-

Ciara's eyes squinted up at the curtain. From the sounds of it, the voices unhurried, it sounded like a crisis had been averted. Did that mean Davil was alright?

A shaky breath released from her.

Her mistake, as it must have alerted the principal. Instantly, a phantasmal hand threw aside the curtain. Light shone in, and Ciara stared down the glowing hot tip of an active staff. If she could move, she would have flinched or recoiled. Instead, she settled for tightening her eyes anxiously, her lips drawing back in an uncertain grimace.

"Don't run. I know that's what your cult does best, but do not try to flee. An attempt to run now will seal your fate - I will find you, catch you, and kill you.”

Ciara sweated, staring down the staff leveled at her. She couldn't bring herself to speak, desperately trying to think through the buzzing euphoria that drowned her bones and her flesh.

She saw flashes of angry mobs with torches in hand against a backdrop of white snow, but quickly pushed that down. Not need to dwell on one more thing that made her uncomfortable. Instead, she tried to listen more carefully to the principal's anxiety-inducing pass of judgement.

"You will be dealt judgment by the Star Court and High Bishop Verne on the 6th of March, 9:00 AM sharp, in the Grand Cathedral of Nero. You may request an aide to take your side, though they must be faculty or attendees of Wingram itself.”

Ciara's lips parted in shock. The High Bishop Verne? The one who issued the invitations to Wingram? He was the true leader of it? The administration?

Gah- Ciara's ears and body buzzed at a terrifyingly high level, anxiety being torn apart by euphoria. Her insides felt hallow.

She seemed to almost deflate on her bed, in shock and bitter remorse in her judgment, and in her grace period. So she would be a prisoner in principle for the next… Well, it was March 2nd today, wasn't it? The fated day of the duel… So, four days.

Four days of grace before the hammer would be brought down upon her, for better or worse…

”I… want Michael. As an aide.” Was all she managed to croak out.

"All students of Compact 3 will also be required to attend.”

Seeing the faces of those whom she betrayed, and those who betrayed her as she potentially walked to the guillotine. It was almost poetic, if it didn't make her blood run cold, causing all kinds of weird sensations to mix with the drugs holding her in its grip.

”What sort of punishment… can I except… if I walk willingly to this…?”

She didn't want to know. But it had to be said. She had to know if she was truly walking to her death.

“Efficiency requires sacrifice,” Otis echoed. He decided that he quite liked Doctor Sylv, even if their areas of expertise weren’t necessarily aligned. Using poison as panacea was a well-documented medical practice, but to go for such extremes, such extremes that, through training, could perhaps be replicated by any amount of doctors and practitioners? That was the mark of someone interesting. He’d have to find the time to talk with her sometime. Maybe see what it takes to create such a serum. See if he could replicate it for his own means.

Busy, busy, busy. The days were becoming shorter, even as they seemed to extend infinitely. The Strigidae could probably shut himself in his room for a whole day and not be done with the sheer amount of things he had to puzzle over. Wingram Academy, for all its heroes and villains, was proving to be a powder keg of rare occurrences.

But he couldn’t shut himself in his room. He’d have to settle, instead, for remaining outside for a while longer, as Raja had seen it suitable to set the date for the trial in such circumstances. He glanced over at Iraleth, then towards Ciara. Michael…the only human janitor in the Academy?

Hm.

“I’m a witness,” he said, keeping his thoughts to himself. “I’ll be there. Are we otherwise dismissed for the night? Is it expected that we’ll go to class as normal tomorrow? Or will the school’s regular activities be suspended for Compact 3 for the next few days?”

Four days. And with the High Bishop himself in attendance? It hadn't been that long since Iraleth had seen High Bishop Verne last, but still. This was deathly serious, if he was in attendance. Still, there wasn't any other decision she would make in this moment.

"Of course I will attend." Iraleth nodded dutifully to Raja, taking a brief note of Otis's reaction. In all honesty, she'd expected him to try to somehow weasel his way out of this. "It will be good to finally have a conclusion to this madness, regardless of whatever judgment is dealt."

Astra, what a headache this situation had turned out to be. If they hadn't fought to a farce of a draw, Iraleth would have had no compunction against slaying her in open battle. But summary execution of a prisoner? Without so much as a trial? No matter how much Iraleth would have liked to after seeing what Ciara was capable of, it was still wrong.

@Estylwen@ERode@Psyker Landshark

WINGRAM CLINIC, ROOM 106

"Apart from Ventura, the rest of Compact 3 is free to go for the night. If you wish not to remain in the clinic and feel recovered enough to move about, you'll be escorted back to your dorm rooms by security mannekin, and that is where you'll stay until tomorrow morning. Mannekin will patrol the halls of the dormitories, the perimeter, and naturally the school grounds as well. Two will additionally remain on standby within each of your rooms," Raja would explain, removing her right hand from her staff and allowing it to simply float in place.

With her now free hand, she would reach into a pocket of her robes and withdraw what appeared to be a ring box, but far wider. As she held it out towards the students, she would look them over; the latch on the box would release, springing it open to reveal a series of wooden rings. "All of Compact 3 will be required to wear one of these rings until the end of Ventura's judgment. They each bear a curse of nullification, entirely halting one's capability to manipulate essence or cast spells for up to seven days, or sooner should the enchanter consent to an early dispel. Naturally, this includes Ethos use. They also can't be removed until either of those conditions have been met, once slid on the finger. As I said a second ago, the bigwigs. If we weren't at least this decisive, it wouldn't have been long before Mirris got wind of 'Umbralist terrorism' and sent one of their Stalwara here. So, please just put the things on to make it easier on us, okay?"

After speaking so casually to Otis and Iraleth and handing them their rings should they agree, the principal then turned towards Ciara with no attempt to hide the smoldering spite. "You can expect a life of repentance in the underground dungeons of Wund Tower, perhaps. Surrounded by the greatest guard dogs of the Union, and made to cough up all details of your life and ties to the Dark God, by the finest talents of our nation. Or maybe, in the Court's mercy, they'll elect to skip the repentance, extract what they can, and execute you. The best thing you can do, in this moment, is accept your punishment and die. If the janitor is who you wish to bring with you, then so be it - so long as you're satisfied with him being the last supporter you'll ever have. You and Compact 3 will be led to the gates of the school at 7:00 AM sharp tomorrow, and begin your journey to Vaal Nero by guarded carriage ride."

Raja spat the words with so much hostility, so much bile, that Sylv would begin to walk over to the principal's side. With the same neutral expression, she would put her hand on Raja's shoulder. "Perhaps the messenger has too great a bias in this task. Understandable. Allow me to make this simple."

Sylv would remove one of the rings from the box and move closer to Ciara's bedside, slowly extending it towards her while looking her in the eye with little regard, positive or negative. "She speaks the truth, yet also lies. Eternal imprisonment or death are possible, but a better future is not out of grasp. It would be suboptimal to idealize a bloody outcome."

A scoff would escape the principal, turning away, her eyes softening for a moment in reflection. "A better future, huh?"

The tension left Raja as she exhaled it out, beginning to recompose. Yet at the same time, all that was required for what would happen next would be that she had finally relaxed for the first time that night. From the time of the start of the duel until now, she had been vigilant. All it took was a half-second in which her grip had loosened on the imp in her left hand.

Thwunk.

It was fast. Faster than a blink as a result of desperation, losing out on on power and potency for the sake of speed, seeing the one path it had to making it out alive. A thin tether of a tar-like strand shot out of the imp's mouth, landing squarely on the face of the idling gargoyle on the other side of the room. The imp ripped itself out of Raja's grip in that same moment, propelling forward with the connection of the tether and smashing against the stone frame of the gargoyle with a sickening wet splat, sinking through its cracks. The imp's laughter could be heard echoing from underneath the rock as the gargoyle struggled and stumbled about, its shrieks of panic mixing with the imp's cackling. After all of this, a full second had finally passed, and Raja reached for her staff on instinct to aim towards the creature. All the while, the imp's voice rang out from inside the stone sentry.

"Jackpot! You losers ain't able to follow where I'M going in this thing, ya won't! Once I get it under control, anyway... STOP MOVING SO MUCH, YOU FUCKIN'-"

A flame would return to Raja's eyes, clearly preparing to blast this entire room of the clinic down if she had to.

---

@AThousandCurses

WINGRAM CLINIC, HALLS

The last thing that Chunji would see before leaving Chloe's room is her faint smile of appreciation, which she would hold just long enough for the boy to close the door. While the interaction may have lightened tension for the half-elf's situation, Chunji would perhaps not derive any joy from the lack of response from Rio. The message had indeed been sent successfully, but as minutes passed in this hour in which consistent contact was crucial, the status and location of the final student of Compact 3 remained unknown. Was he ignoring the messages sent, or in some manner of danger himself? Such things wouldn't be immediately apparent at the moment, at least.

A tip-tapping of shoes echoed from further down the hall, and soon, turned the corner towards Chunji. He would see Dr. Kann move closer, hurriedly typing away on the Adapa at his side, stopping near the boy. He would type one final sentence, click his tongue in frustration, and then look downwards towards the seated student. "Your classmate - Steeler, was it? Unusual case, that one," he'd grumble, scratching his head. "She's apparently an anomaly, as far as essence is concerned. Normally, she can live her life without issue, but it was a case of unfortunate timing today. She won't tell you as much, though, seeing as she denied treatment to lessen the pain. In hindsight, treating her wounds from earlier deeefinitely hastened the process."

With slow blink, and then a faster one, Kann would realize what he'd done with a panicked expression. "And I guess I broke the patient confidentiality agreement to tell you that. My bad! Please keep this between us, alright?! I just..."

After dismissing his Adapa with a shrug, he'd lean against the wall next to Chunji, looking up at the fluorescent lighting of the hallway.

"All you kids take care of each other. Steeler's not strong, even if she thinks she is. I get what Wingram's goal is, but it's just not feasible for a lot of the students. If an Umbralist, of all things, is the norm? I can't see most of the kids here making it to graduation without some serious self-reflection."

The look of concern shot Chunji's way was made apparent; this was worry, first and foremost. As the doctor walked past Chunji and towards Chloe's door, he would look back one last time.

"But that's just my opinion, and I'm not out to be a hero. Us here in the clinic, we'll do our part to keep you guys from dying, but we can't keep you guys from dying, know what I mean?"

Kann would enter Chloe's room after one last look, the audible click of a lock a second after the door was closed.

"For all the protectiveness, you don't even show up at your friend's side." There was bitterness in his words. It was as if somebody had told him an obvious solution to a complex equation. All the evidence from this point suggested that Rio and Steeler held a close bond with each other. Why was he not here when she needed him the most? It only leads him to two conclusions. The first was that Rio only cared about himself. That conclusion wasn't surprising considering the track record of the Compact 3. The second was that it was entirely for Steeler, which didn't make sense to him either.

It didn't make sense for Rio to suddenly walk up to the fountain and teleport himself to who knows where.

Teleporting himself to an unknown location...

Chunji's eyes narrowed in suspicion. The last time he saw his peer was a little before orientation, and then he sucked himself inside the fountain with that strange coin. This happened during Steeler's incident, during which he didn't show up to her aid. Then, after or during orientation, Davil got into an altercation and was taken into the domain. During this time slot, everyone was gathered to spectate the duel, but Chunji decided to check on the status of both Steeler and Davil.

This timing...

"Dayin-" Before Chunji could issue a command, as a voice interrupted his thoughts. His head was a blur as Dr Kann appeared out of nowhere. "Yes?" Chunji couldn't mask his surprise as the dwarf came up to him. The aspiring doctor nodded at Dr Kann's informative yet blundering reveal of Steeler's information. "I understand; I will ensure this information will not be divulged to anyone else." Admittedly, it was a little obvious judging by what he knew about Steeler and her current state.

Chunji thought that would be the end of it. Of course, much like everything that happened today, Dr Kann continued talking. The lack of context and information that Dr Kann had for the situation was as apparent as the expression on his face. How could care be given when one person within the compact was going to be potentially sentenced to death? "Of course, I understand. I will keep it in mind for future cases." Watching as Dr Kann disappeared back into Steeler's room, Chunji brought back his original chain of thought.

From what Chunji understood, someone must have manipulated the leylines.

Based on what he knew about leylines, the set locations were often places that held an abundance of people and the concentration of the land's essence. Furthermore, someone could overcharge the leyline and take control of it.

But there was a problem. The location that Davil was in lacked the first two requirements. Not to mention that the leyline stretched out of its range to reach the alley. An Ethos, while capable, seemed too unlikely as his investigation didn't divulge that information. Something else must have facilitated its change and acted as an intermediate.

Something like the coin that Rio used at the fountain?

There was a pause before Chunji shook his head. It was a coincidence, but he'd have to confirm it later when he next saw Rio. Chunji wasn't familiar with teleportation, but Rio couldn't have been an expert. He needed more evidence before continuing this theory. There were still too many mysteries of today.

Though with Dayin reporting back of the whereabouts of Rio's Adapa, it seemd that was more or less a coincidence.

How did the Umbralist with the leyline network? Who was the third person in the alley that Davil attacked? Where did Rio go and his association with Steeler? Why did Otis and Iraleth ignore his initial message? What was Ciara's problem?

Regardless, he needed to inform someone of Rio's absence.

Hello, Professor Alto
Currently, the entire Compact 3 is under watch if you haven't heard of it already. All of us, except for Rio, are here, which brings me to the subject of this message. Can you locate where Rio is? He hasn't responded to my message. The last I saw him was at the Plaza, where the fountain was.

---

Wingram Clinic
_@Nanaya

---

"Apart from Ventura, the rest of Compact 3 is free to go for the night.”

Ah, figured. Not like she could really move from her bed, anyway. It was probably for the best. What on earth would she say to Iraleth in their room…? What on earth could she say…?

"All of Compact 3 will be required to wear one of these rings until the end of Ventura's judgment. They each bear a curse of nullification…”

Ciara eyed the rings from her bed. Jewelry?

”You're still high as ever. Those are obviously torture devices.” The Voices spoke lazily within her.

Ciara's brows furrowed. ”Noo, they just stop essence use. Hey, you think they'll shut ya up?”

”Oh shut uuup, little Hunger.” Came the lazy reply.

When the principal turned back to Ciara with venom dripping from her words, enumerating all the ways she could be punished, one of which being death, Ciara couldn't help the darkness and shame that sunk in her chest. Even the euphoria couldn't keep it at bay.

It was over, wasn't it? Her life?

Ciara's lips pressed. The least she could do was do this gracefully. If she was walking to her death, she would simply tell the High Bishop ‘I have come hither to die.’ And that would be that. She didn't want to die, no. She didn't want to suffer. But her entire life had been suffering up to this point.

She would hold her head high, and keep whatever dignity she had left. So as the principal continued to beat her with her words, Ciara simply laid there, her eyes tight, and was silent.

"She speaks the truth, yet also lies. Eternal imprisonment or death are possible, but a better future is not out of grasp. It would be suboptimal to idealize a bloody outcome.”

Ciara recognized her. How could she not. This was the doctor that healed her just recently with the page. And now, this was the doctor that was sending out a lifeline so she wouldn't drown in her despair. Was it fake? Was it idealistic to even entertain the possibility of not suffering or dying over this?

”...Thank you, doctor.” Ciara said softly, doing her best to concentrate. ”I'll fight for my case, and accept whatever the High Bishop decrees.

“Also, I uh- I can't move.”

And she was content with that. That was, at least, until the shadow imp decided to sink into the gargoyle. Ciara's eyes shot wide, and she opened her mouth-

Before shadowy hands in her mind reached out, and controlled her body, making her freeze.

”Let me talk! She's gonna kill the imp!” Ciara said, thrashing about in her mind.

”Silence, fool! Anything you say now will be used against you!” The Voices bit back.

And so Ciara was stuck in that frozen state on her bed, staring in fear and disbelief, at what could be the final moments of the shadow imp.

"Understood." Iraleth took the ring without complaint, putting it on her left hand without hesitation. The stipulation made sense, and it was likely better for her own health that she not engage in any strenuous Essence or Ethos use for some time. At least this way, the temptation was removed.

Her expression shifted slightly at the mention of returning to Vaal Nero. Back home for herself so soon? Iraleth didn't deny that she loved her adopted home, but it had barely been two days. Imagine if she'd arrived back before her letter to her father did.

She was torn from her thoughts, however, by the imp making a last-ditch attempt at escape. Raja was clearly willing to risk some collateral in order to prevent that, which Iraleth wasn't at all against. At the same time...

Iraleth turned to Otis, glancing down to his fingers.

"If you've not put the ring on already, I need a hammer. Like you did for Davil. Otherwise..." She glanced around the room, looking for anything sturdy and blunt enough to smash into stone. Obviously, her own sword wouldn't do in the absence of any Essence to enhance it.

"Don't be stupid," was Otis's response to Iraleth.

Unlike the elven paladin, the Strigidae hadn't put the ring on. He had wanted to take a few moments, while he still had control of his essence, to analyze the curse of nullification. Who could've predicted that it was in those few moments that Raja would slip up and let the shadow-imp go?

Well, it had been a busy, chaotic evening, and the matter of an Umbralist was certainly something that'd weigh more heavily in the minds of those with tragic pasts than himself. The principal looked like she would destroy the entire room (why didn't she stick the imp in a box?). The doctor didn't look terribly flustered, but she didn't seem to be the emotive type to begin with (another point for Doctor Sylv). Ciara was curiously silent, outside of the wide-eyed look of fear in her face, and Iraleth, as previously noted, was being stupid.

Sure, Otis could activate his Ethos and call forth a hammer, but why do that, when he could instead see how this ring works against amorphous creatures and their unwilling hosts?


As the gargoyle stumbled and thrashed, the floor of the hospital warped, tiles, stone, and wood surging upwards in the form of a hand to grasp upon its extended arm. Otis acted quick, seizing upon the stone construct's hand next, then pulling upon a finger wreathed in shadow, before jamming his own ring of nullification into it.

Now then, in the case where two souls dwelt in one, whose essence would be sealed away?

@Estylwen@ERode@Psyker Landshark

WINGRAM CLINIC, ROOM 106

"Hey... HEY! Don't do tha-"

Clunk.

The gargoyle, all at once, had ceased - as did the encroaching layer of shadows that had begun to cover its earthen hide. Not only did it no longer struggle, the lights in its eyes appeared to entirely dim, leaving behind nothing more than a stone husk. It simply stood there, lifeless and slumped over. After another moment, gravity would take its course, the stone guardian tumbling to the ground in a static position. From within, the sound of erratic tapping and even punching against the immobile creature could be heard alongside animalistic growls and grunts. "You can't seriously expect that to hold me! I'll break out. I'll get out and pummel the lot of you! Just give me a second... RAAAAAAHHHH!"

Ting.

An amount of effort was put in that sounded as if the imp had put its full bodyweight into the escape attempt, and yet the immobile stone body held firm. It stamped its little feet and slammed its little hands from inside, screeching in frustration at the prison of its own making. From within the chest of the gargoyle, it was well and truly trapped. "Ooooh, there's gonna be hell to pay when I get out, bird boy. Mark my words, you're meal prep in the making..."

It would go silent after that, apart from grunts of rage. Raja would cease casting and move closer, inspecting the unconscious gargoyle top to bottom, taking care to seal up any cracks in its frame as she did so by mending the stone together. "Apologies, I was careless. Well done. This won't happen again," she would declare as her eyes remained on the stone sentry. "This gargoyle is Ascendian. I can only assume it's the result of Kann's continued carelessness, but that's a matter for another time. Its body won't hold on this side forever, so I'll need to transfer the imp to a more suitable prison soon."

Raja would lift the gargoyle up over her shoulder and begin moving away with it. She'd look back towards Otis, then throw the ring box towards Sylv, who clumsily caught it. "Make sure all of Compact 3 receives a ring, doctor."

Sylv would nod, and Raja would leave, awkwardly shuffling out after cramming the gargoyle through the doorway first, as if trying to push a couch through an entrance that wasn't quite wide enough. The doctor would then move towards Otis and extend the ring box to him. "Please withdraw and wear one. A guard force will escort you back to your dormitory rooms after you have complied."

As that statement was made, several mannekin would enter the room and stand at ease, heads turned towards Otis and Iraleth.

---

@AThousandCurses

WINGRAM CLINIC, HALLS

Chunji, surprisingly, would receive a rather quick reply. Within a minute of sending, his Adapa would ping, and a reply from Alto would appear. It would read:

"Hey, Chunji. Currently finishing up some business at the tower, people're still on guard around here. Some suspect the fight's not done yet, while others think it's time to tend to the wounded and wrap things up for the night. I lean with the former, which is why I wanna stay around for a bit. Once that's handled, though, I can follow up on Rio. Plaza's way away from the tower, though, so it's probably fine? Kid's probably just antisocial and moody."

About a minute later, a second message would ping on Chunji's Adapa, again from Alto as a further follow-up.

"Oh yeah, and Ventura's got a trial coming up in Vaal Nero, and we're all going. To my knowledge, everyone else has been briefed, but feel free to check in with your buddies when you can. You'll also be required to wear an essence nullification ring, and we'll all be heading out by carriage tomorrow morning. A dorm escort should arrive shortly. Thought I should let you know, so you're not caught unawares. Talk more later, stay safe!"

As if on cue, a group of security mannekin turned the corner and marched towards Chunji, eventually stopping in front of him. The guard leading the march stepped forward and opened a box of rings, presenting it to the boy wordlessly.

---

Wingram Clinic
_{In collaboration with @Nanaya}

---

And just like that, the shadow imp was defeated. Ciara watched with a sinking feeling in her gut that the euphoria couldn't quite mask as the principal left with the imp trapped in the gargoyle. It was the last time she would likely ever see the imp.

Then the mannekin arrived.

Sylv would take note of the arriving guard force, and move over towards Ciara after ensuring that Otis had slid on the ring he was offered. She would first place the box on the nightstand, and then withdraw another ring while looking toward her. There was little in the way of emotional bias, to the point that even the sudden turn of events regarding the shadow imp had failed to draw out as base a human reaction as surprise.

"We have all made choices to lead us to this point, Ventura, and I am afraid this is simply the result of that. Regardless of religious allegations, blood is indeed on your hands, and nothing can change that. It would be best to use this time before judgment to reflect on what that means to you."

With that, the doctor would place the ring on Ciara's left ring finger, before stepping back and looking to the door where another group of four mannekin would enter and stand at ease on either side of the shadow mage's bed.

"I will soon have more patients to attend to, so I would advise you to stay put with these constructs. There is nothing more regrettable than the lost life of a child.”

Ciara glanced down at the ring on her finger, her lips pursed into a thin line. That was it, then. She couldn't defend herself now even if she wanted to.

The mannekin stood like towers over her bed, and that sinking feeling in her stomach churned even more. Her fleeting thoughts of a rescue attempt on the imp were further squashed and swept away. Hell, to even rescue herself, it was a pipe dream, wasn't it?

Her voice was a little hoarse and shaky when she spoke. ”...Thank you, doctor. I'll stay put.”

Not like she could move anyway. Her limbs still felt like jelly.

After the doctor has taken her leave, Ciara laid there in the moderate quiet of the room. Everyone had left. It was just her and these mannekins. They stood there, the quiet threat if she ever had the funny thought of leaving.

Maybe she should be thanking the Dark One for the drugs. She imagined how she might have felt in her raw emotions, and her desire to leave might have had her fighting these contracts. Yes, she had to count her small blessings, lying here, immobile and wrapped in sweet euphoria.

The struggles of the day came back in her thoughts, like waves lapping at the shore. How she almost killed Iraleth. How she did, in fact, kill some of the guards with too much pressure on the ribs. Was she really so desperate for her own survival that she would sacrifice others so selfishly?

Her little rescue stint with Davil seemed like a token effort to redeem herself, in comparison. She was disgusted with herself. She had gone too far. Tears pricked her eyes.

This wasn't what heroes did.

”Who said you were a hero?” Came her own thought. Not the Voices. Everything attached to her Ethos was shut off. But she knew her voices so well, it was reflexive at this point.

The thought shocked the tears from her, drying her eyes. However, her heart still sank. Could a villain even be saved?

She would defend herself, yes. But, perhaps she could only redeem herself through death. If that was what the High Bishop decided… She wouldn't fight it. She'd hate it, but maybe it was what she deserved.

Fuck, no!

Her lips curled back into a snarl, and she groaned from her bed. Alas, no matter how hard she tried to relax and accept her fate… she couldn't. She wouldn't die here. She wouldn't go out like this!

That fire continued to burn inside her, warming her insides as she fell into an exhausted sleep.

@Estylwen

WINGRAM CLINIC, ROOM 106

The remainder of the night in the clinic would proceed without issue. It had been a long day of danger, deceit and duels, and undoubtedly very few would rest adequately. Wails of pain would resound through the clinic's halls as more were dropped off, and those such as Sylv, Kann and the receptionist would tend to their pains and agonies well into the night; more than likely, well past the sun's rising. It was a disastrous second day at Wingram Academy, and the mixture of wailing patients and patrolling mannekin through the halls and rooms of the clinic served as a constant reminder of this.

The same squadron of mannekin would keep watch over Ciara as she slept. Were she to try anything, they were prepared to respond accordingly; and they were certainly programmed with lethality in mind, that night. Weak wheezes escaped Davil's mouth on the other occupied bed within the room, followed promptly by the occasional check-in from one of the clinic's doctors - Sylv's dark-ringed eyebags being the most common sight to peek in throughout the night.

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@ERode@AThousandCurses

BOYS' DORMITORY

Otis and Chunji would each be escorted back to their rooms at the boys' dormitory, were they to comply with orders. Sylv would form an essence link with Otis if asked - for all the good it would do at the moment - before promptly encouraging him to return to his room with the guards, as, in her own words, "The screams of the pained are the burden of the obliged."

The dormitory halls would be agonizingly quiet; the footsteps of those escorted by mannekin, and the mannekin themselves, would be the sole reassurance that noise remained in this realm. Even without the ability to perceive the immaterial, tension hung in the air like a brewing storm. Were the boys of Compact 3 to meet in the halls on the way to their rooms, there would be precious little time for face-to-face conversation, as the mannekin would insist with mechanical assertiveness to proceed ahead without delay.

Upon returning to their respective rooms, Otis' would be predictably unchanged, Davil's wheezing body naturally having been left behind at the clinic. As for Chunji's, he would see Rio crouched down, digging a drink out of the mini-fridge on his side of the room. Upon seeing his roommate, he'd stand up and point to the ring on his hand. "Was gonna be here before lights out, all nice 'n tidy, but I suppose it couldn't wait, huh? Had to sic teach on me."

He'd crack open the can he'd retrieved from the fridge, the cartoonish smiling mermaid logo of the Shaktan arcmage-sponsored drink, 'Feemie's Fizzyfun', in heavy contrast to the dour demeanor of the dagger-eyed loner. The can hissed with carbonation, and he'd down the whole thing back while making eye contact with Chunji, before crumpling the can and tossing it into a nearby trash bin. That much fizz at once clearly made him uncomfortable, noted by the immediate rumbling of his stomach and the fact he was biting his cheek, but his expression would not refuse to break away from a scowl.

"I explained myself to Alto 'n he gave the okay, and that's all you need to know. Our Adapa don't work with these rings on unless it's an emergency broadcast, so you'll have to take my word on that for tonight," he would spit out, before retiring to his bed and immediately turning on his side for sleep, clearly wishing to spend as little time interacting with Chunji as possible.

Indeed, were any with the nullification ring to attempt it, the Adapa and all of its features would be locked. It was like living the life of a citizen outside the Union, which to some people within the country who grew on the luxuries of its leyline, would perhaps consider that a fate worse than death.

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@Psyker Landshark

GIRLS' DORMITORY

The travel back to the dormitory would be uneventful, were Iraleth to allow it to be so, with the mannekin hurrying her along to a consistent march through campus and the halls of the girls' dormitory. A pin drop would be thunderous in this place tonight, with many almost definitely preparing for a night attack by crazed apocalypse cultists that - thankfully, for the sanity of staff and students alike - would not arrive this evening. It would take time for that feeling of safety to come back, as even though the tower was the only place attacked this time, who was to say it would remain that way, were a future threat to unveil itself? The events of this evening would likely be the catalyst for change, whether for good or ill.

As Iraleth was escorted back to her room, she would find it to be just as silent as the rest of the building. It was unchanged, with the only sound welcoming her within being the whistling wind of the open window, curtains blowing freely; but then, had the window been left open when she had left? Maybe it didn't matter. Her Adapa wouldn't work with the nullification ring on, so non-essence-based entertainment would be her only companion, if exhaustion hadn't yet set in.

Whenever the paladin would decide to turn in, she would see a piece of paper peeking out from just underneath the side of her pillow. Were she to inspect it, she would see a blank strip of paper, and then after another moment, letters in black ink would begin to form from it.

Scrawled hastily, almost as if scratched in, it would read: "THIS ISN'T OVER | THE JANITOR LIES"

The next time Iraleth would blink after taking in the message's contents, the words would disappear entirely. The wind outside would intensify, and it was clear that it would be a stormy night.

Slam.

The windows of the paladin's room would slam shut. Even were she to have closed the windows earlier when she entered into the room, they would indeed slam shut.

The way back to the dormitory was met with complete silence. Otis and himself didn't exchange any words as they were escorted into the respective rooms. Unlike Otis, Chunji was greeted with a familiar yet unfriendly face. Rio, as expected, didn't seem entirely happy that Alto managed to catch up on his return trip. Where Rio went was not Chunji's concern; he didn't get involved in a perilous situation like Davil or Steeler.

"Soft drinks are ill-advised to be consumed prior to rest," Chunji began. Yes, Chunji was more concerned about Rio's diet than he was about where he went. "It is common knowledge that soft drinks tend to contain high concentrations of caffeine and sugar..." For the next ten minutes, Chunji elaborated on the health issues related to consuming soft drinks before bed. Connecting the fact that most soft drinks, including 'Feemie's Fizzyfun', have around 40% of sugar for daily consumption to the body's reception of sugars and caffeine. In conclusion, Rio will have a harder time sleeping.

For the past ten minutes, Rio was forced to listen to the elaborate explanation of why sugary drinks are bad before sleep. If Rio was intuitive enough, he could detect ill intent, but Chunji didn't display any in his tone or expression.

"I would suggest consuming water or any substitute that doesn't have amounts of sugar in it." Finally, the obvious conclusion came. Chunji finally decided to lie down on his bed and closed his eyes. However, the act of resting didn't mean the immediate state of unconsciousness. There were a few minutes of silence before Chunji spoke up again.

"Steeler and Davil were stable the last time I saw them. I will not question your whereabouts as they aren't my concern. What is my concern is the wellbeing of individuals I am aware of. With two students being attacked, another being held under suspicion of being an Umbralist, and another incapacitated for the foreseeable future, I thought being prudent was the best course of action. That is all." With that, Chunji spoke no more. Rio didn't care for reasoning, but reasonings were all Chunji could provide. The only reason Chunji explained himself was to alleviate the sense of stress he now endured.

While he could no longer use essence, the feeling of snakes slithering through his skin became more prominent. No matter how much time has passed, no matter what obstacles sealed them away, they were always with him. Thicker than blood, the covenant that was made at conception was eternal.

His blood boiled, yet his skin felt as if it was cold as a corpse. Nausea swept through his stomach, and his eyes began straining from a non-existent light source. Although Chunji was impassive, there was a certain feeling in his heart. Fear. Fear for not being able to fulfill his life-long contract, fear for the loss of connection, and fear of failure.

His breaths evened out as he calmed himself. It was only seven days. At the end of those seven days, the nullification ring would come off, and everything would return to normal. Then, he'd find himself a routine to immerse himself in. Talk to Professor Lumyr, study at the library, and attend classes. That is all he had to do once everything returned to normal.