AThousandCurses

Iris Ascendis

Chunji nodded before looking back at his Adapa. Someone had responded to his message. Anticipation soon turned into disappointment when he realized only one of the five recipients responded to his message. What made things worse was that only Hildegrunde answered to him. Were Ciara, Iraleth, and Otis not concerned? Especially the latter two? A frown graced Chunji’s features before smoothing out as he looked back to his escort.

Be careful would be the message Chunji would emphasize in his reply to Hildegrunde.

"In truth, I had no interest in spectating a clash between my teammates." Not that anyone notified Chunji that it was happening in the first place. "After the Attunement Ceremony, I headed to the infirmary to check on my classmates." Chunji needed to be careful. If Chunji says one wrong word, he might be placed in a disadvantageous position. "While I couldn't visit one of them, I did visit the other. Davil Wund. However, once I entered his room, he was gone. The only trace of his being would be several empty potions that contained no prescription. What was more concerning was the receptionist didn't even realize he was gone, nor was he logged as leaving the infirmary." Chunji gauged the escort's reaction.

"So, I investigated his whereabouts. All I could find was that he went into an alley far from here and some signs of leyline activity. Which lead me to some fears." The subtle movements of Chunji's eyes gave off an emotion of frustration. "You see, the reason why Davil Wund was injured was because of our Professor's lack of safety measures; not only was my peer hurt when he was teleported inside the Overcharged Leyline, but he was transferred into a different leyline when the Professor dispelled it." There was a curiosity about whether his words managed to hit home with Alto.

There was a pause in Chunji's next words. "My fear then was that my classmate had been caught in another leyline accident and had been spirited away elsewhere." While he was uncertain about the implications of his next actions, Chunji needed to ensure Davil was safe, even if it meant that it would result in expulsion. "With no lead, I decided to track Davil's Adapa with my own. Which led me here, to the Iris Record." Now, he wanted to ask the guard the main question. "Tell me, did Davil Wund go pass you to enter inside. And if so, where is he now? I am concerned for his health."

Was this a mistake? Chunji didn't know. He could hear some commotion off in the distance, but Chunji ignored it. Surely, his classmates were rational and didn't decide to rush up the stairs themselves.

Iris Ascendis

@Erode @Sifr

Are either of your characters going to reply back to Chunji's message? I'm considering of making a post soon.

Iris Ascendis

Damn, that's rough. Hope your situation gets better.

Iris Ascendis

Say is @Sifr still alive? I know they've haven't posted in a while due to personal obligations, but they were on when he got @'d around two times.

Iris Ascendis

The plot really do be thickening huh.

Iris Ascendis

Say Nanaya. Is the mote still active and secured in Chunji's Adapa? It hasn't fizzled out yet, right?

Iris Ascendis

Chunji wasn't faring well mentally and physically at the time. The amount of breathing exercises he had gone through became paramount in his effort to stay calm. No doubt he looked worse for wear when he appeared running straight towards the Iris Record. However, that disheveled appearance provided enough reasoning for the guards to allow him inside. They thought he was heading for the duel. He 'dumbly' nodded yes and followed along with their logic.

Despite achieving the first stage of his plan, Chunji was now stuck. Along with being escorted, there were guards stationed everywhere. The moment he'd use his Ethos would be when the guards would arrest him before he could get a good look at the interior. Chunji had no luck with the exterior, as its magical wards prevented even his Ethos from breaching outside. It was a blow to his pride, but he had to make do with what he had now.

Trying to persuade the guards was out of the question. Chunji had been a student for approximately two days and held no weight within Iris Record. They would scoff at his request for help.

Though he wasn't out of options yet, while the guards were talking to him, Chunji could discern some information about the details of the duel. Iraleth and Ciara were fighting off what Chunji didn't know. Nobody told him about this, which led Chunji to believe that everybody had already ostracized him from the group. Was it because of Professor Alto's duel? Chunji swayed away the negative emotions and focused on the matter at hand.

While his hands were tied, his classmates were not. Otis, Iraleth, Ciara, and Hildegrunde were within the Iris Record. They were in a much more unrestricted position than he was. Dayin manifested beside Chunji as he compiled a message to his friends. To the guards, he was hoping that it gave them the impression that he was contacting his classmates about the state of the duel.

Davil is in Iris Record, and his life is in grave danger. I have no idea where his location is, but I can confirm that he's inside the building. The Shade lurks.

Chunji prayed to the Great Lotus Serpent that at least one of his classmates saw his message. This was not a time for his friends to ignore his plea when someone's life was at stake. He was desperate for their help.

@ERode @Nanaya @Estylwen @Psyker Landshark @Sifr

Iris Ascendis

Good luck, Chunji!

Iris Ascendis

He was gone.

For minutes, Chunji stood there trying to solve the wicked problem in his head. Chunji took labored breaths, but still, it proved fruitless. Chunji wasn't a hunter nor a hitman, detective, or dog. If he was a writer, he might create a solution to draw him closer to the ending. Alas, he was a simple student training to become a doctor.

Chunji knelt and touched the burn mark, proving Davil's presence. It was starting to get cold. Even after hours had flown by, Alto's horrendous class plagued his mind. Chunji's eyes furrowed as he tried to figure out who Davil was meeting with. They had to be with someone, considering Davil ran all this way into this specific alley. Not to mention, he tried punching them the first time he met them.

So, who was it?

If Chunji had more time, then he'd had a better grasp of the situation. But for now, he could rule out potential suspects. Judging by the time frame, everyone in the attunement zone could be ruled out. They were all accounted for unless they had a duplicitous nature like Gulliver. That left with a few people that Chunji personally knew. Chloe, Rio, and Gulliver. Chloe was held up at the clinic, and Rio disappeared. Rio was still a potential candidate, but Chunji found it hard to believe due to the way he fights. Chunji didn't know Gulliver's whereabouts, but he could act anywhere in the academy by manipulating puppets.

It was either those two, the faculty, or a third party hidden in the academy. The sample size was too big and left too many holes for Chunji to deduce who the perpetrator was. Though that could wait, finding where Davil went was paramount.

Chunji could not do this alone. Dayin manifested beside him as Chunji drafted a message.

Davil's gone missing. I need assistance in finding him. The perpetrator remains unknown and may be responsible.

Chunji sent the message to Otis and Iraleth with directions to his current location. Those two were the ones who went out of their way to locate Davil, so they may have a better chance to do so again. Time wasn't on their side as the heat faded, and so was their lead on Davil. However, Chunji didn't plan to sit idle while waiting for them to appear.

Removing his glasses, Chunji covered one of his eyes to avoid any more strain. As much as Chunji didn't want to do this, someone's life was potentially at risk. It was a doctor's job to ensure the safety of their patient. If he could find a clue, then he'd be able to pursue it with Otis and Iraleth's help.

On the other hand, the perpetrator may still be around. The consequences be damned if he at least found someone nearby.

"透过现象看本质!"

The world revealed itself once more. No concerns with his primal essence, as his Ethos seemed to be functioning normally. The perpetrator had long since left the scene of the crime, most likely taking Davil with him. However, it wasn't fruitless at all.

His eyes darted toward the ground, noticing something he had missed. A small leyline fountain that was like a needle in a haystack. Chunji's sight then followed to the mote of the wall.

With a swift movement of his scalpel, blood started dripping down from his palm. He didn't know what to expect, but it was clear that it would be dangerous.

Chunji tried to interact with the mote on the wall to see if he could do anything with it.

Iris Ascendis

Okay. I debated this for a long time, but Chunji's going to use his Ethos.

What are the effects of using it after attunement and if its still functional are there any people around, Chunji?