[IC] Of Blood and Magic

[WeepingLiberty]

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

Amaris watched with keen eyes as the cards were flipped, their final bets resting on Aaron and the boy known as Salem. She was less concerned about a win or loss than she figured she would be, instead enjoying the thrill that accompanied the gamble. Until this game, she had always found reasons to not act, to shy away from taking sides on most subjects. For her, unless a win was a guarantee the game wasn’t to be played, but ever since her first nights at the academy this outlook had been challenged. It was becoming increasingly obvious that without a little risk, there would be no growth on her part… and if she, herself, could not grow what hope did she have of supporting her partner.

Despite the dealer’s confidence in their loss, Maddie’s smile graced the table as her image was revealed as the kill card. It came with a small sense of relief to the Countess who hadn’t realized that she had lingering thoughts on the matter. She didn’t doubt her partner’s honesty, but it would have been more of a hassle than she preferred to look into Maddie’s family. The last thing Amaris wished to do was betray her partner’s trust, or worse yet, force her partner into an uncomfortable position with her own family.

Having avoided the loss, Amaris turned her gaze to the drawing of the next card. If they were correct in selecting a mage, the odds of winning were much higher than that of a draw. The answer would be interesting regardless of who was shown, but Amaris couldn’t help but hold out hope for the Starag child’s reveal. It seemed the fates had other plans for her, however, as Salem’s card was revealed instead. An Astorio mage with a secret was an interesting subject indeed, yet Amaris couldn’t shake the disappointment she felt. Perhaps someday she would find a worthy conspiracy to fill her time.

“Way to go Maddie. Be it luck or instinct, you certainly have a decent amount of it.” She chuckled cheerfully to cover up her disappointment in the results. There was no need to ruin what was still a win for them.

A bell sounded from somewhere behind the dealer, assumedly some kind of signal meant for him; an assumption he quickly confirmed. A shift change. She thought the ideal rather humorous seeing as, as far as she was concerned, they weren’t based in reality. Why would a mannequin brought to life with magic inside a bubble reality need something so mundane as a change in shift? Be it an attempt at authenticity or some sort of mind game, the tone was set as the dealer held up two cards. She stared back at herself as the challenge was set before shifting her glance sideways at Maddie. Amaris could tell that her partner was beginning to tire, and was likely already more exhausted than she was letting on.

As much fun as the Countess was having, she couldn’t very well ignore her partner’s needs. A double or nothing final round… If she was correct, a win would grant them full marks so long as they could find their way out of the forest before time was up. While she wouldn’t feel the fatigue that prolonged use of magic brought, her blindness for the trek home would be just another obstacle for her partner to work through. Winning the round and thus successfully passing the challenge might very well be the only truly useful thing she could do to support her mage for the time being.

“I certainly hope this final round proves to be just as interesting as the rest. Let’s play.”

[Hero]

---

---

Max was so weird.

Eris lightly rubbed his temples, soothing his annoyance a bit. How was he supposed to explain something so simple? What could he even say to that without sounding like an idiot? Maybe he gave the kid too much credit if he really didn't get it, but his response could be interpreted as understanding but not caring. Which was much more Max-like so that was probably it. Eris really was overthinking things and getting all flustered and feeling weird and--alright, he needed to get himself out of this.

He did openly roll his eyes, reluctantly conceding. Whatever, in the future he'd be dealing with Ismene anyway and she could figure out the game of tag. All he needed to do was send him a text if he didn't feel like seeing his face. He might've had a point on the whole 'without asking' thing but like hell was Eris going to admit it.

"Terribly inconvenient is one way to put it," Eris muttered, dropping his hands. "I'll have to add it to the list of improvements. You'll learn what's worth talking about and what isn't." If he can teach a dog not to chew up his slippers he could whip Max into a proper mage. Maybe he should employ a rolled up newspaper or a plastic water bottle, neither one of them could get turned on him. "Worry not, you're in capable hands." He did applaud himself for not adding 'in more ways than one' for once, even if it was because he was tired. Well, he was more generally annoyed than anything if he was being honest, but it wasn't the mage standing in front of him that he was annoyed at.

Deflating slightly, Eris sank into the couch, throwing a glare at his phone. His inbox was getting spammed, it looked like his favorite mage didn't like getting blown off. They had that in common at least. "What is with this woman tonight..." He pinched the bridge of his nose before he began typing something out. After a few seconds, he tossed his phone aside. "Anyway, you're too green to whore out just yet, but it's good to know you're mentally preparing yourself. Initiative is very attractive in mages."

Text to Max from Ismene

> Fumbling is one way to put it. Cinnamon has probably tempted him with something, I received an email to prepare for a transfer of assets.

---

Blah blah blahing with @Scribe of Thoth

[Scribe of Thoth]

---

Max stared at Eris humorlessly as the leech mused about how to condition him. He made metal float, it wasn't exactly esoteric. If Eris couldn't infer his skillset from that, he was an idiot. What the hell was his problem tonight? It was like Eris couldn't decide whether to play spurned girlfriend or flippant pet owner.

"Yeah, I'm sure you'll be positively enamored with all my initiative." If Eris was smart, he should've figured lending Max to someone important was a disaster waiting to happen. And if not, well, he'd only make that mistake once. The mage rolled his eyes as he reached for his buzzing phone. What did Aaron want now?

Oh. Ismene finally got back to him. It wasn't lost on him that she probably just wanted to sic Max on Eris for ignoring her, though. The corner of his mouth quirked upward in amusement at her adoption of his 'Cinnamon' nickname, though he wasn't entirely sure if she was poking fun at the count or just trying to look inconspicuous in case someone glanced at her messages. The grin quickly faded as he got to the second half of the message. Eris walked back to the dorm with a spring in his step, yet here he was, apparently whipped enough to mail Varis all his money. Either they made some weird property trade or the leech was full of shit.

> Should I be worried and/or yelling at him rn?

"You should probably get that. She starts telling me things when you don't answer," Max said with a halfassed attempt at a playful lilt as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. He'd have to proceed under the assumption that Eris had no semblance of control over the situation no matter how much of a confident front the vampire put up. How the fuck did Max keep getting fooled into taking an actor at his word?

---

@Hero

[Hero]

---

---

Lilie sighed in relief, giving Ben a smile. Okay good, it looked like he was relatively back to normal. Or as normal as he could be. Honestly she was more surprised they were still in one piece! But she wouldn't linger on the thought, focusing more on drying herself off. She had seen Esi take the water right off her clothes once to dry herself, but her heightened control still needed some work--she was pretty sure she'd end up accidentally tearing everything off if she tried, so she opted for the old fashioned way.

As she squeezed everything she could out of her ponytail, she made sure to carefully put on her boots. She was pretty sure she was dry enough to walk comfortably through the forest and to the exit, though she was a little more worried about her wet head. Her earmuffs were cute but they didn't offer too much protection. Oh well, they did have tomorrow off, if she got sick it wouldn't be the worst thing.

Once Ben was ready, the pair left the way they came, having little clues on where to go otherwise. The return of the cold caused Lilie to shudder, rubbing her arms for warmth. As she looked back, she was surprised to see the mist was gone, and only a blob of water remained. She stopped Ben from walking, deciding to examine it closely. She could see the glittering pebbles inside, and she wondered if she would move it. If it was sticking around, maybe it would give them directions if she interacted with it. Lilie decided to poke it, waiting to see what would happen.

---

Taking on the challenge with @Bert Macklin.

[Achronum]

_{Time: 3:26 am - The Forest}

Lilie/Ben

The little ripples cascaded over the surface of the bubble as it floated back out of reach for the moment. The pebbles shifted inside and formed two small circles facing the pair. They moved up and down as the bubble whirled, coming closer again, until it was inches from Lilie’s face. A thin strand of water stroked her cheek and then zipped across to Ben, repeating the process. It wriggled for a few more moments, the pebbles whirling and clashing together violently inside.

The surface shimmered with the same light of the pebbles as the bubble changed, growing longer and lankier. The water darkened and pinpricks of light whirled across the surface. A tail popped out of one end, four legs from the bottom, ears from the top, and the face of a black cat underneath the ears. It hovered in the air until a single eye opened on the left side of its face, pupiless light staring at the vampire. A thin hairline crack of light shimmered where the other eye should be. It stretched in the air and groomed it’s paw, looking between the vampire and mage. It settled on the ground and stared walking back the way the pair came, looking over its shoulder to check if they were following.

Maddie/Amaris

“Excellent.” His grin turned sharp and he drew three cards, placing them face down on his side of the table. Each one had a different colored back: yellow, blue, and red. The card box and the abacus went under the table. He leaned on the table as he spoke. “This round will be a little different. Instead of your usual pile of chips, you’ll only have three.” With a snap of his fingers, all of the chips on the table vanished and left behind three in the same colors: yellow, blue, and red.

“In this round, you’ll be betting which card is which face. Place the appropriate colored chip on the face you think it is and once you’ve placed them all, we’ll close the betting! All you need is two out of three and you’ll win!” He clapped his hands excitedly. “A mournful tune that plays along this mournful man beneath the long gone sun left behind a daughter now who holds his light above the crowd, Yet from the sea does slither to her neck laid bare and blind a foe long thought a friend, no longer bound by blade and blood while the daughter’s brood turns her kin to ash.”

---

---

_{Time: 4:39 am - Study Room 6}

“We are uncommon but you’ll find you’re more likely to run across more of us running around the Academy than most places. We have one a year ahead of me and we had another one that was partnered with Ser Bordeleaux but they left the campus together it seems so I’ll be by my lonesome next year.” She shrugged at it. “I hope your Aunt had an easier time with hers. Mine presents as a tertiary and even though it’s mostly manageable, I still struggle with it some. As a fellow conditional, what does your present as?”

“A bit of trouble? You amplified your alarm loud enough that you woke up Rowan through her ear plugs and she sleeps like the dead. She was pissed all day.” Alex teased and Lilith sent him a withering look. “I’m just playing with you. I’m just glad I got a primary. You guys can keep all the complicated shit.”

“Ugh, magic this, magic that. Like, can’t I totally just get my degree so I can like, just get a job and spoil my sweet darling?” She complained. “I have control over my magic. That’s all I need!” Everyone but Lilith rolled their eyes at Hilda.

“But magic is money! Hell, just get Natalie to sign off on selling your blood and you'll be raking in the dough.” Ander pipped up as he poured himself a glass of pink drink and shoved a glass at Aaron. “The only reason I show up with these losers is ‘cause Lilith’s hibiscus iced tea is literally to die for. I would sell all of you to an Astorio for a gallon of this stuff, no questions asked.” Alex slapped his shoulder as Ander chugged the tea.

“Rude! I am worth two gallons alone!” Hilda screeched, throwing a napkin at him. Ander just shrugged and went to grab more but Lilith slowly pulled it away from him, keeping it just out of reach. “And like, I would sell my blood but I don’t want to. First of all, Natatlie would like totally kill me first and then she would pay someone to bring me back and then kill me again. And mages are getting more jobs these days! I’m going to get a job, I don’t know, doing something so I can drown my darlin’ in all those pretty things.” Hilda sighed dramatically. “Aaron agrees with me, right Aaron? I’d look great on television.”

[ReusableSword]

Victor Astorio

Victor Set Salem down after they cleared the forest. The count waited patiently for the attendant to clear his vison and soon he was able to see once more. The proctor took his medallion, the duo was soon greeted by a very happy looking princess Ryner. Her comment made him smile and he nodded towards her, “Your highness, it was definitely a different kind of challenge but one that I enjoyed.” Pausing for a moment to look over at Salem giving a slight laugh at his weary attitude of the situation. “I am quite curious though, were those illusions planned or going off of our own experiences and memory’s?” he had a vague idea of how exactly the illusion spells for the test worked but wasn’t too sure himself.

Salem seemed rather insistent on leaving, he didn’t blame him. For once victor could understand him being tired. Victor would still wait for her response before heading back to the tent with the boy. “Well it seems my Mage is rather tired we should be heading back. If you still have others out there missing by sunset I would be happy to help locate them.” The large vampire highly doubted that she would need it still he figured it wouldn’t hurt to offer.

Stepping up to the tent that they were motioned too, the count set the figurines on the table in front of the next proctor and expected to receive his confiscated blades and shoes. “After this, we can go back to the dorm and rest. I think today will make up for one of your workout days so you can take tomorrow off and count it as a bonus rest day. Still have to do your stretches and get your day light in though.” He spoke quietly towards Salem while he put his shoes back on. “If you still have questions, they can be answered at the dorm. Oh and thank you for the compliments earlier.”

@Trainerblue192

[Obscene Symphony]

Aaron listened with interest as Lilith said her piece, a bit melancholy at the mention of Lucan but otherwise happy to hear someone speak with a bit more normalcy. “Mine just presents as a bog-standard secondary,” he replied jovially, holding up his left hand to show his ring. “I’ve been lucky, though. I’ve never had any trouble getting my magic to cooperate. I used to push myself a little too hard, but that’s another issue altogether.” He grinned as memories of minor magic burns shortly after his awakening resurfaced, not to mention the excitable talkings-to he’d get from Sariel afterwards.

He turned his head when Alex jutted in, and just like that, the conversation took off again. Before Aaron knew it they were on the subject of blood selling and show business, both confusing him and reminding him that Varis’ blood tasting with the other nobles was coming up faster than he’d prefer. He cautiously accepted the glass shoved in his direction, pleasantly surprised at the flavour as he considered his answer.

He wasn’t sure how realistic Hilda’s aspirations were, but he cautioned himself against rushing to his immediate judgement that she had her head in the clouds. She sounded like she wanted to be some kind of breadwinner, which of course on the face of it seemed ludicrous, but it occurred to him that he really had no idea what sorts of vampire-mage dynamics were common among… well, among commoners. Not every vampire was an aristocrat, he reminded himself. And she did have a point; he’d heard down the grapevine that mages were entering certain professions considerably more in recent years. Show business, as luck would have it, was one such industry. Aaron himself saw mages in shows and movies surprisingly frequently, a change he always attributed to the convenience of using actors capable of real magic rather than having to spend the money to add the effects in after the fact. The way Eris talked about mage actors made them sound more like exotic pets brought in to entertain co-workers than colleagues in their own right, but there was no denying their increasing prevalence.

“The industry is opening up,” he replied noncommittally, offering Hilda an innocent shrug. “Besides, you do see a lot of Primaries in movies. They can be very flashy if done well, and I think they appeal well to vampire and human audiences who don’t have a great understanding of the workings of more complicated affinities.”

_{Warming up with @Achronum and gang}

[Hero]

---

---

The movement freaked Lilie out as she recoiled, half expecting an explosion--you'd think she'd learn after the whole shark incident--from the magical blob of water. She thought it was going to grab her as the small stream touched her face, though she saw it zip over to Ben. Was this good or bad? Fortunately the consequences of her actions hadn't revealed themselves just yet as she watched it morph into some sort of creature. After a few seconds, however, she let out an excited gasp as she realized it was basically an aquatic kitty! That was so cute!

As she watched it gesture to the way they came, she hesitated. Well, they didn't get the usual post-challenge instruction thing as usual, so maybe they were missing something and this was the practical's way of telling them? If it was meant to be a punishment it probably would've been made clear.

Lilie crossed her arms, frowning to herself. She really, really wanted to follow it, especially when it looked back at them. "We should follow it!" She decided, taking Ben's arm and dragging him along.

---

Taking on the challenge with @Bert Macklin.

[WeepingLiberty]

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

The Countess should have suspected a change in rules other than the reward payout, but she found herself momentarily distracted by the reappearance of the trio of color. It was just like before with the ‘challenge’ of selecting a bell as she once again faced the three primary shades, this time as part of the cards and her now limited chips. She initially thought the whole thing absurd, as what was the point of anything they had done previously in the game now that everything had changed so much, but she couldn’t help the excitement that fueled her.

“You’re quite the magician. So if I am to understand this correctly, a victory on our part is a simple two thirds majority. Betting closes at the end, meaning we can change our bets accordingly at any time until then, and I assume we are free to decide together as before? Let me ask you this then; the order in which we are betting… is it a set order yellow, blue, red or is that also part of our riddle to figure out?” The last thing Amaris needed was to get tripped up on a technicality. There was something about the dealer that reminded her of the serpent, though she couldn’t exactly place what it was. She got the sense that a trap had been placed and that she had danced her way right into the midst of a spider’s web, yet the thrill of hunt only spurred her on more.

Despite having just asked her question, the Countess’ mind was already at work breaking down what she could. The easiest place to start was by filtering out the gender of the selection, the riddle seemingly pointing to the ‘mournful man’ over his daughter but it was going to take a lot more than that to narrow it down. That had only eliminated five of the potential faces leaving more than she would have cared to sift through, but a better start than none. Amaris also thought it rather safe to eliminate the mages as well based on the daughter mentioned in the riddle. She doubted any of the children had spawn of their own so young, and certainly none that would have spawn old enough themselves to be turning anyone to ash.

Having narrowed her personal guess down to the house heads, Amaris shifted her gaze to her partner to see if Maddie had any thoughts of her own. As far as the Countess was aware, the noble representatives were in the same boat as the mages concerning offspring. Based on her assumptions, that left her with Count Lutheran, Lord Peiron, and the late Lord Ralmevik.

It’s been a while since I’ve looked at the family trees. Who all has daughters again? Amaris thought to herself silently.

[Achronum]

_{Time: 3:31 am - The Forest}

Lilie/Ben

The cat sauntered down the path that brought the pair to their last challenge, bringing the pair back to the site of their challenge with Geoffrey. The clearing looked as it did the first time they encountered it, trees and bush alive alive and flourishing. As the cat passed the area, the trees and bush shimmered and turned into particles of light that engulfed the clearing in a kaleidoscope of colors before settling onto the cat’s skin. Only the marble remained as the cat continued, ignoring the spectacle and sat at the path they could have taken. It chirped at the pair.

But a strange whispering came from the forest behind the marble block and the cat whipped around at the sound. The cat’s coat changed from black to rainbow stripped and it grew as it growled, shaking as it turned into a large tiger. It growled again and bolted in the direction of the whispers.

Maddie/Amaris

“Sounds like you have a grasp on the basics! Won’t tell ya the other but I will say, it’s probably the easiest to figure out of the whole thing!” He leaned forward, clearly confident in their failure. Maddie ignored him and focused on the riddle; they didn’t suffer through that snake just to fail.

“So a mournful man beneath a long set sun left behind a daughter… I’m inclined to believe that means the man isn’t here and the first part is about her daughter, especially since the enemy targets her.” Maddie spoke slowly as she organized her thoughts. “I think the foe is a Sinnenodel. Their symbol, the snakes, slither but the sea part is confusing. I don’t know why the sea would have an importance and I don’t know how they were bound by blade and blood or how they escaped it. The last partI’m not so certain about either since I don’t know who the daughter is but it’s odd they chose brood, like they aren’t entirely related or there is more than one. Maybe that means more than one option?”

---

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_{Time: 4:44 am - Study Room 6}

“See, even Aaron recognizes my potential and he’s only been here for like, ten minutes!” Hilda exclaimed smugly.

“Yes, yes. You’re amazing and you’re going to prove you don’t need magic to be successful.” Lilith interjected quickly, cutting off Ander who was almost guaranteed to turn that comment into a jab before returning to her conversation with Aaron, a curious look at Aaron’s ring. “What an interesting focus. Is that an awakening crystal?”

Meanwhile, Ander lunged for the tea while Lilith was distracted. She jerked back at the sudden movement, nearly spilling the tea across the picnic blanket and herself as the pot went tumbling but instead the liquid just hovered above the cloth before whirling together in a neat ball and slipping around Lilith and Aaron to settle just in front of Diego’s outstretched fingers. With a flourish, the liquid flowed between his fingers in a constant stream and he smacked Ander on the back of the head with the other.

“Careful there, shit-for-brains.” He grumbled, refilling everyone’s cup while Lilith picked up the pot. She held it out and the remaining ice tea was sent over to it with a flick of his fingers. “Focus aside, Firefly, what’s your plan for arcane majors? You seem like the overachiever type so I’m guessing Summoning.”

“He gets Firefly and I’m still stuck with shit-for-brains?!” Ander screeched indignantly. “We've been friends for over a year!” Diego gave a noncommittal shrug that only made Ander more annoyed.

---

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_{Time: 4:44 am - Staging Grounds}

“At this time, I am unable to explain the workings of the challenges. Academy policy only permits a select few access to the workings of the magic employed, for both the safety of those in them and maintaining them.” Ryner explained. “and do not worry about those who may find themselves in the forest. We’ll be able to recall them when the time is right. Enjoy the rest of your morning.” She waved as they headed away, moving onto the next group that escaped the forest.

Once the pair turned in their tokens, a car took Victor and Salem back to the dorms.

[Hero]

---

---

Lilie followed the little cat with a lot more energy than before. She ignored the cold biting at her cheeks, more occupied with making sure she didn't lose track of where the thing went. Her surroundings did look a little familiar, but she couldn't say she knew exactly where they were. Sure, she had gone hunting with her dad a few times, but she was way more likely to get herself lost in the woods than mapping out a path and remembering where she went. So much so, in fact, that she only realized they went back the way they came when they reached the clearing. At least the wildlife recovered! It was weird that it was relieving to her, but she had felt so bad that the forest had to pay for her failure.

The multitude of colors made her stop in her tracks as she shut her eyes, disabling the spell as she shook her head. The multitude of colors was shocking, to say the least, and as she watched the cat absorb everything. What sort of magic was this? Light? And here she thought it was more about little orbs and stuff, though Aaron did mention once that there was more to light magic than that.

She let go of Ben as she approached the cat, frowning. Was it trying to tell them something? Before she could ask, she gasped as it grew in size. At first she thought it was going to turn out to be some sort of panther, but seeing its full size made her hesitate. But it wasn't angry at her, instead growling at something she didn't realize she had missed. More whispers? She thought that they were part of the other challenge, what were they doing here?

The cat/tiger chased down the source. "Ah, wait! What's wrong?!" She called, moving to chase after it before stopping and remembering Ben. She turned to grab his sleeve and pulled him along as she broke into a run, knowing a vampire would easily be able to keep up.

---

Taking on the challenge with @Bert Macklin.

[Obscene Symphony]

“Oh, yes,” Aaron replied to Lilith, a bit curious about the ‘you don’t need magic to be successful’ comment, but a little too polite to ask. Instead, he held up his ring once more, spinning it slowly to show off the intricate, gem-like cut of the surface. “It’s something of a family tradition, I suppose. This one was my Awakening crystal, and my relatives all have foci—or just jewelry, in the case of primaries like my mother—made from their own crystals.”

He held the ring up long enough for Lilith to look her fill before he dropped his hand to his side, shrugging in veiled disappointment when he once again came up empty. “Unfortunately I can’t show you tonight, but I’m also working on using my sword as a second focus. Though, truth be told, I’m starting to think that might be a little more flashy than useful.” He offered with a laugh. That was true, at least; he’d always thought it would be cool, but as time wore on (and Varis showed him how precarious his relationship with Dawn really was) the endeavour was starting to seem like more trouble than it was worth.

He was drawn from his thoughts when Lilith jerked back, and he almost jumped as well as pink tea flooded the picnic blanket. Rather than soaking him, however, it was like the tea spilled on a hovering sheet of glass, soon to rush obediently over to the blue-haired one who’d been laughing before—Diego, if Aaron remembered correctly. The display was impressive, and Aaron couldn’t help the fond smile it put on his face as he pictured Lilie in Diego’s place, commanding tea around like it was second nature with precision he had no doubt she'd achieve in no time. He also couldn’t help but smirk at the reprimand—and the smack—Diego gave Ander, but schooled his features back to something polite when he was addressed.

Aside from the mixed feelings he had about getting yet another nickname, the actual question brought back some of his earlier apprehension, though this time he was at least lucid enough to hide it. Despite the weird sense of treading somewhere forbidden whenever it came up, his arcane major wasn’t really a secret, but after all the grief it caused him and the apparent stigma (admittedly, probably deserved stigma) against the field, he still hesitated to admit his association with it.

“You know, I never really put much thought into it until I arrived here,” he replied blandly, biding his time. Diego’s assumption was interesting. He wasn’t entirely wrong; the difficulty, danger, and incredible potential inherent to Summoning had held passing interest for him in the past. Still, the arcane disciplines had never really stuck in the forefront of his mind for any length of time. No, even before his Awakening Aaron had always been more interested in affinity magic, first dreaming of the wonders he could accomplish as a Fire mage like his mother and grandfather, and later digging into everything he could find about the diverse and incredible feats possible with Light magic. Honestly, if his Lady hadn’t instilled in him an urgency to protect his thoughts and memories, Aaron wasn’t sure how he would have chosen his major. Maybe he would have flipped a coin, or asked Varis if he had any preference.

But he was stalling. “But, yes, while Summoning does seem like an exciting challenge, I actually ended up going with Mental magic,” he finally answered, outwardly composed but inwardly bracing himself for a negative reaction.

_{Sheepish with @Achronum and gang}

[Hero]

---

---

Enamored was one way to put it, but not the word Eris would've used. The blond had to admit he was a little more invested in finding out why his phone was blowing up instead of the conversation at hand. Or he was until Max made his comment. Either the kid was smarter than he thought or he was sticking his nose where it didn't belong. Since he did catch the kid with his tongue down Plant Boy's throat he wouldn't put it past him, but then again, trying to seduce Ismene was about as effective as trying to put the moves on a houseplant.

Maybe he was being presumptuous, not everyone was trying to get into other people's pants. But with his earlier warning and previous conversation, Eris could deduce that the kid wasn't a complete idiot. Initiative indeed, even if he didn't want to admit it. For someone who probably thought everything was a pain, the kid was sure a pain himself. Oh well, Eris would be lying if he didn't enjoy that.

This time he would respond to Ismene's latest email, though afterwards he gave Max his full attention, clearly intrigued. Instead of half-assing he should full-ass his playfulness, it was such a refreshing change from the usual grumpiness. "I'm offended, it's supposed to be Wells and Eric against the world, not you and her," He whined, throwing Max a pout. "If you're trying to make me jealous, it's working." He couldn't help but tease.

Text to Max from Ismene

> Maybe. I'm convinced it's yet another stipulation to entangle them further. I'll update you once I have more information.

---

Blah blah blahing with @Scribe of Thoth

[Bert Macklin]

Ben was not entirely sure what was happening at first. The loss of his sight led to the assumption that the challenge was over. However, the feeling of something foreign stroking his face had come as both a shock and worry, especially after his mage had decided to hurry after something. What was that something? He did not know. Lilie neglected to inform him of anything that was happening and left Ben to stumble awkwardly after her. Keeping up with the mage shouldn't have been such a hassle but in her excitement he found himself nearly tripping more than a few times.

To his relief they would eventually come to a halt. He sincerely hoped she had stopped to find direction; the lack of noise dashed any hopes that they had reached the exit by now. A shame, he had hoped whatever they followed would have freed them from the forest. He extended his arm out slowly and found nothing; had Lilie abandoned him? If he focused on his hearing, he could faintly make out her footsteps along with another. An animal, it would seem. Had they reached another challenge?

There wasn't a chance to ask, either, especially with Lilie asking whatever it was she was following to wait. It was time for him to say something at this point, lest she lead them on a wild goose chase.

"What is happening?" Ben asked as he was once again pulled along. "You've yet to explain what we're chasing or where we're going. We should be cutting our losses and trying to leave to avoid timing out the exam with what we have."

[Scribe of Thoth]

---

Max clicked his tongue at his phone as the reply came through. That told him nothing, and asking Eris about it would just be wasting all his cards before he had a winning hand anyway. Better to keep the leech guessing; that had to have tipped Eris off on Max's game, but he doubted the vampire knew how he was playing it yet.

Eris' comment was... unexpected. Very on-key for Eris, but unexpected. Max swore the vampire told him to get along with his pet siblings at one point or another; he should've been happy. Then again, he probably never expected his crabby new stray would be teaming up with his well-behaved purebred show dog against him. Hell, this wasn't even against him, it was just confirmation the leech wasn't making a dumb mistake. He should be grateful. Either that or Eris was fucking with him to try and get him to spill how much he knew.

"Nonsense, we're just collaborating on how best to serve you, master." Max gave a big, fake-as-could-be sunny grin, clasping his hands together behind his back like an eager to please little servant. The alarm bells would be ringing in Eris' head regardless, might as well be confident in his stupid nonanswer. "Don't confuse apathy for passivity, yeah?" His warning had a bit more of a bite to it, but he kept up the jackass charade anyway.

---

@Hero

[WeepingLiberty]

Amaris Marivaldi

_{Interacting with: Madalyn @Achronum}

Why must everything be a riddle? Would it be too much to ask for a single baseline of information around here? Amaris griped to herself in silence as she tuned in to Maddie’s words. The mage had a slightly different take on the identities they were choosing from, following a path that pointed to the daughter over the father. Maddie’s assumption was that the father had passed on in some form or fashion whereas her own theory had only taken into account the father’s absence from the events. She had to admit, following Maddie’s path narrowed down the selection considerably, which would give them a far better chance at figuring it out. Yet, they were still running into the issue of no one person completely fitting the description they were gifted.

“The dealer’s response to my question about the order of our selections was just that it would be the easiest portion to discern. If you have an inkling that we’re talking multiple selections here, we might only be getting one riddle split into three parts. He placed the cards down yellow, blue, and then red… The riddle sort of mirrors that order with ‘sun’ or ‘light’, ‘sea’, and then ‘blood’ so it’s possible those keywords might have less to do with the identities and more to do with how we place our bets?”

The Countess sat back and tapped her fingertips lightly along the surface of the table. She could see what Maddie meant about the subject favoring the daughter, however, Amaris still found herself in partial disagreement. While the subject did seem to be the daughter, each segment focused on the relationship and actions of another. To her, that might suggest that each of the selections would be the identities of those relations or her identity alone.

Deliberation wasn’t made any easier with the dealer’s presence, his smug attitude throwing the Countess off her game. She couldn’t rely on nearly anything he said or did. If the House desired their loss, Maddie and Amaris would find deception at every turn at this stage.

“I’m uncertain about the first bit. I think it could be about either the daughter or the father, but that would depend on the rest of the riddle. A Sinnenodel being the foe makes sense enough to me, so we could try to start there and work our way out… But who here truly considers the Sinnenodels a friend?” Amaris refrained from touching on the final portion as she was just as stumped as her partner. Every detail she looked into pointed her in a completely different direction.

“Or I could have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about and I’ve just doomed your exam grade.” She growled with frustration. The colors would have made so much sense but the phrasing of the lines just didn’t seem to fully cooperate with her ideas. Reading it one way she agreed with her partner while reading it another had her disagreeing with her partner. A riddle on top of another riddle; why couldn’t the dealer have just answered her damn question?

[Trainerblue192]

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Interacting with:@ReusableSword

During the car ride back Salem didn't speak a word. He allowed for silence to fill the air as he leaned against the car door and peered out the window. He didn't care if Victor had anything to say to him, opting to listen only to the sounds of the wind blowing past them as it rustled his hair and cooled his skin. It was no doubt that Salem needed Victor for that exam, he was smart enough to handle the riddles and saw in anglea that Salem didn't. But there was something more than that tonight. Between the murder of a mage and a lover no less, and the knowledge of the amazing perversion of plant magic that his family had created. It was clear the pair didn't share as much as he thought they had. Victor still held back and whats more could be using him as a pawn in a smarter way than Varis could.

Were they one and the same? The Astorio and Sinnenodel, one building up his mage to be used for his own purpose on the board while the other only broke his mages will to be able to reshape that pawn into a more valuable piece when the time was right? His stomach was in knots as he thought on about it until the car finally arrived. Salem slipped out of the car and made his way into the kitchen, putting on a kettle before opening a cabinet and grabbing out a clear glass jar with Willowbark inside. He awaited in the kitchen, preparing the ingredients for his brew until he would hear the front door close behind him and if possible, foot steps.

Salem stopped his motions, staring down at the wooden board before him, the knife, and pieces of bark that were now angrily and roughly chopped. "Did you ever plan on telling me? Or was I just to find out if I ever met the same fate?" His gaze stayed on the board, back turned to Victor. "And what of that plant mage? If you had known who he was why not give me notice? Give me knowledge so that I may find a way to fight back? Or were you hoping that I fell on thar field as well?" His voice was now shaking. He knows Victor had just complimented him as they left the forest, but how much of that was truth and how much was just for show? He must've known that the princess was just beyond the trees, waiting. "I thought we were partners, that we were to trust each other."

[ReusableSword]

Victor Astorio

The trip back to the dorm was quiet, a little tension combined with what Victor assumed was exhaustion kept it that way. The count was otherwise focused on cleaning his feet and putting his shoes back on through the short trip home. Salem was quick to exit the vehicle and head inside as well. With a sigh he thanked the driver and got up out of the car. His demeanor turned almost annoyed but figured he might as well see what was bothering his mage.

Entering the home and closing the door the large vampire took off his shoes and his dirty shirt, placing it by his door. The sounds from the kitchen sounded rather irritated he wasn’t quite sure how someone cutting on a cutting board could sound irritated but he figured it would be best to try and understand his mage and the mood swings humans were prone too.

Entering the kitchen he could see Salem chopping up what looked like bark, the boy always had to have some tea after activities such as these. “Better than drowning himself in alcohol.” Victor thought. Salem began to speak while the count was pouring himself a small glass of blood from the fridge. The count took a drink while his mage continued his questions. Clearly he was upset following the events of the evening.

Patiently Victor waited for Salem to finish as he leaned against the opposite counter with his arms crossed. “Hmm so how about we start with the plant mage. I have only heard of Edmond? Edward? Whatever his name is, in passing. I personally have never seen him fight only heard about it. At any rate, you charged off far too quickly for me to relay any useful information to you in the first place. So in short I didn’t expect anything until after I saw that vampire try to strike you.”

Picking up the glass again, swirling the blood and thinking of how to continue. “As for the first trial, I don’t think I’ve made this clear to you as to what exactly my job on the council requires of me.” Taking another drink the count sat the drink down and continued. “I am a head hunter that specializes in live capture of individuals that break council or treaty laws. That much I’m sure I have told you but what I failed to mention is that if the target or their cohorts are too dangerous and I am unable to take them alive… then I have the authority to... terminate the target. But that’s a last resort option.”

Stepping away from the counter to stand behind Salem waiting for him to turn and look at him before continuing. “I cannot tell you everything, for some of the secrets I carry are better left secrets. That’s why I warn any mental mages around me to not poke or prod my mind, some secrets could very well make those who know it disappear.” Victor still did not move he had a point to make as he towered over his mage. “I cannot tell you who they were, I cannot tell you where, when, or why. However, I can tell you that currently I have killed three humans, four mages, and five hmmm… six vampires.” He wasn’t entirely sure what point he was making but he was going to make it.

“As for Sarah? Let’s just say where Astorio’s are generally traditionalists. You can say that my clan, the Strigois clan, is ultra-traditionalist.” Victor’s muscles began to flex and his jaw tightened, “I killed Sarah because I loved her and my father wouldn’t stand for it. That is why I push for you to have extra etiquette classes… So there’s your secret for today and it best be kept that way.” Turning from him and returning to the glass of blood Victor downed the rest of it and smashed the plastic cup on the counter. It wasn’t as dramatic as glass but it sufficed for his burst of anger.

@Trainerblue192

[Achronum]

_{Time: 3:36 am - The Forest}

Lilie/Ben

The cat turned tiger loped off into the forest, leading the pair through dense undergrowth. The tiger flowed through the spaces and openings with ease. Following it would result in more than a few scratches. Whatever it was looking for seemed deeper still and it pushed on after a few stops as it sniffed and pawed at the ground.

The cat didn’t slow down until it reached a grove of trees that were evenly spaced apart. No light penetrated their boughs but the way through them was crystal clear. It was faint but in the center, a small, dilapidated hut rested in the middle. The tiger approached the grove cautiously, pausing after every step to sniff the air and would step carefully after doing so. The whispers grew louder and the tiger hesitated for a moment before…

A crack of thunder, a flash of light, and the cat was gone in a burst of multicolored light. A man wearing a simple black robe under a heavy leather belt and a breastplate stared at the pair blankly. Lightning danced across his fingers and the staff that laid on the ground where the tiger once stood turned into electricity and arc’d back to him, turning into its normal shape once more.

“Turn back now or forfeit your grade.” The man demanded.

Maddie/Amaris

“The colors make sense which means if we agree that the Sinnenodel is the enemy, that would make her the blue chip.” She paced the blue chip on Lady Sinnenodel’s face. She considered the rest of it. She still couldn’t connect the pieces of the first part so instead she figured she’d focus on the last part.

“No longer bound by blade and blood… Physical restraints and a sense of duty? Threats and obligation?” Maddie thought out loud. “While the daughter’s brood turns her kin to ash… Normally I’d hesitate to consider vampires without a direct biological link but the fact that they say brood rather than offspring makes me think it may be related to a turned vampire rather than a pure one. And of all the faces on this table that leaves us with the Princess and the four nobles and the only one I know that is a mother figure of sorts is Princess Ryner. But she’s known for being nonviolent.” Maddie frowned. “And if it was her well… the daughter in the first line would be the Queen but her face isn’t on here.”

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_{Time: 4:49 am - Study Room 6}

Everyone went quiet at the admission. The group eyed him with a mix of surprise, suspicion, and fear on Hilda’s part. After a few awkward moments, Lilith cleared her throat loudly and stared at everyone with reproach. “Well shit. You’re signing up for a whole fuck ton of trouble aren’t you, Firefly?” Diego laughed and the moment passed, tension dissolving away like it hadn’t been there.

“Language.” Lilith muttered, Diego rolling his eyes and laughing again.

“Yeah no kidding. They’re kind of the terrors of the school.” Alex added, putting down the instrument and leaning forward. “I mean the things they can do are pretty cool but starting is rough. What made you decide Mental, if you don’t mind me asking.”

[Hero]

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In her rush to follow the rainbow tiger, Lilie had completely forgotten about Ben. Not literally--she had made sure to drag him along as she tried to keep up with it--but maybe not informing her blind count wasn't the best idea. Of course, she was also more focused on keeping up. It was pretty fast and she could only follow so quickly. Where was it going, anyway? It was definitely trying to lead her somewhere, and as much as she hoped it was the exit, she was starting to think she was being lead elsewhere.

"We're following a cat made out of water that lead us back to that challenge we failed and it absorbed the rainbow and turned into a tiger and now we're following it!" Lilie hastily explained as she made sure to keep an eye on it. She didn't miss the whispers growing, though she couldn't really make out what they were saying.

Once the tiger came to a stop so did Lilie, and she was glad to take a second to catch her breath. A hut? Oh no, another challenge, Ben said it was best to take what they could and just go. Did this count as disobeying? In her defense, she thought it was going to lead her to the way out or at least to the next riddle that would give them instructions or something. Well, since they were here anyway, there wasn't any harm in at least checking it out, right?

As the thought crossed her mind, though, suddenly the tiger was just gone, killed by lightning. She gasped, horrified, though she let out a squeak of surprise as she only then noticed the man when he spoke. When did he get there?! She backed up, bumping into Ben as she looked at where the tiger once was.

"Who--Who are you?" She asked nervously.

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Taking on the challenge with @Bert Macklin.