Nanaya

Iris Ascendis

@ERode

There would be no response from the gloves, with what he'd do to search for it. Which would indicate that either the gloves were destroyed so fully that not enough essence clusters remain intact to determine its specific existence as gloves, that the gloves had their essence suppressed by some means of either magic or manipulation that his current methods would be unable to break through, or that the gloves are in a different realm of reality (such as Ascendia itself) for which something like a quick spell usage would not be able to pin down.

In the case of the third possibility, Otis would know that the means to track essence across other realms would require expensive, lengthier rituals typically involving the purchasing of alchemical and magical materials, if attempted conventionally.

Iris Ascendis

So, remember those fingerless gloves Otis made for Davil?

He’ll be using his Prime Essence as well as some general magic shenanigans to see if he can track that down.

@ERode

Just to clarify, are you asking for results so you'll have details to write in your post ahead of time, or just stating what your plans are?

@Nanaya

Chunji use his Ethos on Alto's leg wound. How bad is it? Did it hit an artery?

@AThousandCurses

It would appear to be a pretty serious injury that struck an artery, yeah. Though over the next several seconds, Chunji would also see the bullet slowly being pushed out of the professor's leg by healing flesh while also taking precise care to avoid causing further damage. Not enough to fully heal his own leg immediately, but enough to avoid anything that could lead to more permanent injuries. Alto would've made no gestures or spoken any incantations to indicate that a spell would be responsible, however.

Iris Ascendis

@Estylwen@Psyker Landshark@ERode@AThousandCurses@Sifr

ASCENDIA, ROOM 103 FOUNTAIN

From within the leyline, Chunji would witness the same event repeat itself, the same axe-wielding figure cleaving apart innocent commoners. As far as he could tell, nothing was changing within its landscape, and nobody stuck out as new or different - certainly no panicking Davil to be spotted darting about. Any trace of the boy seemed to vanish, at least within Chunji's vision. It was clear that the boy had vanished entirely, and was nowhere in sight. Alto regarded Chunji with a nod, cringing slightly at the boy's wounds and the creature he had brought forth from them. Then, he would return to face Iraleth. "Davil will be fiiiine. Otis was correct - if the kid disappeared, he'll show back up when we're out. There's really nothing to it!"

Chloe, stunned into silence, would finally pipe up with her jaw agape after Iraleth's jab. "What in winds' name did you just say? Say it again. Speak!"

The girl hopped to her feet and took a stomp forward, but was met with Rio's arm blocking her path, giving her a disapproving shake of the head. "We're done. All that's separating you from naptime is one smack," he would state plainly, then look towards Iraleth with a grin. "Besides, paladin's got a lot of juice left. I guess Astran knights really are trained as well as the preachers preach, yeah?"

Letting out a sigh, the frill-elf turned away in a scowl as she rebuilt her barrier for the exit trip. There was uncertainty in her eyes as she turned away, looking out into the woods, scanning back and forth with her limited vision as best she could amongst the sea of green. Rio stood by her, his own defenses repaired as he closed his eyes in thought.

"Alright! Taking us back now. No need to panic, we're all going to be okay," Alto would shout out so that students could hear him regardless of their position - perhaps even calling for Davil, in the hope that he'd somehow hear.

The sounds of breaking branches would echo across the area, and the familiar heat from Compact 3's entry into this place would return. Would Chunji look towards the leyline again, he would see the rivers of vines underground begin breaking apart and seemingly burning to cinders, falling as ashen rain onto the burning farmlands further down. The trees around them would begin to light ablaze as well, catching fire slowly. Alto seemed to pay this no mind, as if it were expected, and snapped his fingers.

And just like that, once again, vision would cut out for all inside, once the last vine had broken - seemingly in tune with the snapping of the professor's fingers. The same feeling of gut-wrenching speed across vast distances would overtake the students, impacting again and again against the Personal Barriers of all involved.

And then, they would be back. Vision would return, and the moderately warm room of 103 would be before them. They would already be at their desks, with one notable exception: Davil was nowhere to be found.

The instructor, with the smile on his face slowly breaking, would weakly utter, "...Oh no."

Upon lowering his barrier, a defense no longer required, Hildegunde's bullet would fly out of nowhere and drill straight into his kneecap, exactly where it was trying to hit minutes prior.

"FUCK."

He collapsed against his chair, a growl of pain as blood ran down his leg and onto his pants through the torn hole in them.

Iris Ascendis

<Snipped quote>

Ey, Nanaya, to confirm (because Otis's backstory involves this), all who dreamt of her were killed, but that doesn't mean that all who rebelled were killed, ye?

@ERode

Yep! All who dreamt of her were killed, but not everybody who rebelled was killed.

Iris Ascendis

@ERode

That's a good point. If he were paying attention to Davil at any point during the plan, the main thing Otis would've remembered would be that the last time Davil would've been visible or audible was when he dove prone to take cover behind some fallen trees as the dome was being broken and Rio and Chloe descended inside.

Iris Ascendis

@Estylwen@Psyker Landshark@ERode@AThousandCurses@Sifr

ASCENDIA, ROOM 103 FOUNTAIN

The screams of people rang out across the forest as the makeshift swamp grew. They continued to move even as they sank, doing their best to wade through, but all eventually succumbed. Even as this occurred, more clusters of approaching farmers and knights moved in from farther out, from what Chunji could see. As he peered into the leyline itself, deep beneath his feet, it would at first appear to be a mass of writhing plants flowing through the very ground as if liquified. As his eyes would take in more of the scenery, however, something much more illogical would begin to form: a small village. It was lit ablaze, a sea of crimson burning the crops and forcing people from their homes. These people fled, only to be cut down by an individual cloaked in shadows, the blood of countless victims coating the massive greataxe this obscured executioner wielded.

It was impossible, as it appeared to be a bird's eye view of this situation from above, and yet it was underground within the leyline's roots. A vision or memory was the most likely reason, projected from inside the leyline's core as a result of mixed essences from the instructor and the primal powers he had temporarily merged with. Regardless, it would seem to repeat this scene after a while, were Chunji to keep looking. One thing would be clear, however: the clothing and general looks of these people being cut down appeared very similar to that of the people that wandered from out in the forest.

As rain fell heavy upon the smoldering marshlands, slowly but surely the embers would fade out. Chloe grit her teeth and let loose pained growls as her index finger slowly dug past the gap in Alto's barrier, giving it her all just to merely make contact with his Adam's apple, just to graze him long enough to age him - even two or three decades would do, if only to receive the satisfaction of seeing greying hairs or a receding hairline. Even as her clothes tattered and her barrier broke down further and further, she needed to just poke him!

Her vision tunneled, focused solely on this one task, not realizing the sword raised to be brought down upon her in another blink, Alto's eyes sternly focused on her as if seeing a challenger to be incapacitated rather than a student to be taught. Even as the flames dimmed from the downpour, a swing of steel alone would be enough to shatter Chloe's defenses at that point.

Ting.

In the next instant, the professor's weapon was flung aside, landing halfway into a nearby mud puddle. At the exact same time, the pink half-elf was tackled away. As if on a whim, the remaining embers and heat in the area that fought against the rain all subsided at once. Alto's eyes met Iraleth's as she made her statement, and it was as if a spell was broken on the man, recognition returning to his gaze. He'd nod his head, raising both of his hands in surrender. "Right. It's a win for you guys, you punched a hole in my PB."

His demeanor had shifted once again, returning to how he appeared before the overcharge, his shoulders sunk low in relaxation. "I thought it'd be a lot to ask for day one, but you all pulled through. Nice work." His tone was casual, his disregard for the heat of prior seconds made apparent in his unsympathetic yet vaguely proud expression.

Chloe, meanwhile, struggled against Ciara. "Let me go! I was almost able to really teach him a lesson. Then he'd learn not to take us so lightly." Her frustration shone through plain as day, her desire for vengeance obvious. Rio stumbled over bruised and muddy and looked at Ciara, perhaps for the first time, and let out a small smirk. "Thanks for that. I'd have done it myself, but apparently I overestimated where I stand in comparison to our 'amazing' instructor."

He'd then look down at Chloe, who by now had stopped flailing and instead elected to sigh and pout as rain fell upon her unsatisfied glare at Rio. "Don't act like you were really gonna do somethin'. Another second and you were in for a week in the infirmary in the best case scenario," was all the muddy leather boy would respond with.

All at once, the screams from further out in the forest would stop. Were Chunji to look, he would witness all of the nameless shamblers vanish into thin air. Alto would clap his hands together three times above his head as he looked out amongst his students with a glint of satisfaction. "We've about run out of time, and this leyline's been spent for now! Recover your Personal Barriers and prepare for re-entry into the school building. Compact 3 has claimed victory in this introductory lesson to survival, and so when we get back, you're all getting a big pizza party! Later, anyway." The last line was said under his breath, but Iraleth would, at least, be close enough to hear.

Almost everything appeared to wrap up in a neat little bow, with one exception - Davil was nowhere to be found. It was unknown exactly when, but at some point during the chaos of the battle's final moments, the boy had vanished. Even with a scan of the area through Chunji's eyes, the winged Wund wouldn't be visible. Even so, Alto appeared not to realize this, and had slowly begun the process of ending the overcharge...

Iris Ascendis

Sorry again, today's been absolutely terrible. I should be able to get the next round out tomorrow.

Iris Ascendis

Sorry for the delay, next round tomorrow morning.

Iris Ascendis

@ERode@AThousandCurses@Sifr

ASCENDIA, ROOM 103 FOUNTAIN, OUTSIDE THE DOME

The land itself began to wither with the serpent's rampage, very similar to the way the Umbralists' Seedspawn during the Five Year Apocalypse were said to rot and decay the world with their presence as they absorbed essence. Whether the connection held any true meaning was unknown, but to one not versed in the study of such creatures, it may even appear identical in these abilities. The various humans that approached from beyond visibility would fall without issue, becoming more victims of the beast as they crumpled. Yet even as it moved and killed all in its way, the sound of movement could still be heard - it seemed as if anywhere Chunji looked, yet more of these people would begin moving ever closer.

Davil, still numb and heal-drunk - if that were even a thing - staggered about as he bore witness to the serpent's moves with confusion, unable to fully process the situation at hand. Rio and Chloe each looked on with almost matching scowls, the frill-elf in particular clutching herself as if unnerved. They were safe, however, thanks to Otis' levitation, and nodded in acknowledgement as the owl went over his plan. "I can't vouch for her, but I can do my part," Rio replied mentally. This earned a slap on the shoulder from Chloe, flustered with her scowl now directed towards the object of her annoyance. "We'll both do our parts," she would conclude, staring down towards the dome.

And so they would.

---

@Estylwen@Psyker Landshark

ASCENDIA, ROOM 103 FOUNTAIN, INSIDE THE DOME

A hurricane of darkness spun around Alto, the instructor unable to match the sheer speed of each slash as Ciara darted about. Small barriers of vines and thorns would begin to sprout up from his blind spots, though they were constructed so hastily that they were only able to mitigate the very smallest of damage before being cut through all the same to continue assaulting the teacher's barrier. Slowly but surely, as the assault progressed, the wind that rose to guard each strike seemed to lessen, as if flickering as opposed to the solid and definitive shields of essence from before. A bead of sweat dripped down the good instructor's forehead as he endured the onslaught, slowly but surely becoming more reactive to it and anticipating Ciara's next location. He'd finally smirk once more, muttering, "Now...!"

However, as he turned and brought his sword down upon Ciara as she appeared, he was staggered into a near miss when Iraleth's strike further smashed against his defenses. He opened his mouth to speak, but was immediately pulled into a choke as he stared directly at the paladin. Heat continued to build as he was dragged to the point that, by the time he was in position to execute Otis' plan, embers danced through the air within the makeshift prison. His barrier further crackled against her grip, showing less resistance than the last attempt - it was clear that the dozens of blows were beginning to take their toll on his PB, and it wouldn't take much longer for a gap to form at this rate.

All attention towards Iraleth left, however, when near blinding light overtook the dome. Its ceiling had been shattered, the walls of vines and thorns falling as shattered shards of ice. Through the rain of ice and the blinding of light - Alto's eyes unable to adapt quickly enough to the sunlight after adjusting to the dark - a duo descended. Rio shot down like a bullet of his own, Chloe quickly behind, as the two set their sights on the professor like he was the only thing their eyes were made for. Chloe, a bundle of adrenaline at that moment, would shout out triumphantly, "We finally get to do our paaaaaart!"

Alto's eyes grew wide once his brain had put together, in a flash, what was about to happen. With strength and speed unlike any before, seemingly out of nowhere, he would rip away Iraleth's hand from his throat and kick her backwards with force as if he were closer to an ogre in musculature than a human. However, it would prove to be a moment too late, as Rio immediately dove in. He would shout through grit teeth, "Wake Svalinn!"

The golden giant appeared, materializing directly behind Alto, two of its shields disappearing from its lower arms as its free hands reached towards the instructor's sword arm, grasping tight. As he landed, Rio would contribute further by grasping as well, digging his heels into the dirt as he wrestled with Alto's wrist for further control of his sword. At that same point, Chloe followed, dashing forward with her hand extended towards the weakened area of his PB around his throat.

All the while, as the dome crumbled, Alto's eyes darted about as if to process everything to catch up mentally, clearly surprised by this coordination. In another blink, his gaze focused. A pulse emanated from his sword arm, sending out a ripple that pushed the golden giant backwards towards a crumbling wall of the dome, and simultaneously pushing Rio's grasp away as well. The boy was kicked away all the same, sent tumbling into the dirt a few meters away; his barrier shattered like glass as he tried his best to stumble to his feet. Through all this, Chloe persisted, her hand making contact with Alto's throat just as this transpired. The wind itself seemed to crumble in that moment, forming a fist-sized hole in the professor's barrier where she had touched.

The instructor's eyes widened in surprise at this, staring directly at Chloe who kept pushing further against his Personal Barrier, seemingly aiming to go beyond the original plan. She didn't just want to break his defense, she wanted to make skin contact. Both individuals seemed to be caught in this interaction, solely focused on this clash.

As this happened, perhaps not of his own intent, Alto's sword began to gather the stray embers floating about the area, the metal slowly catching ablaze. Just being near him at that point, the presence of the heat radiating at its strongest off of the instructor, Chloe's own dress appeared to ignite as well, burning at her barrier such that it couldn't fully mitigate the heat even when pushed to its fullest.

Iris Ascendis

Got it! Next round coming tomorrow morning.