Children Of Infinity (IC)

[Charmera]

It did not take long for the aspirant to reach Juna's bed, and once she was at her side, she looked down at her charge. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

Juna absently looked at Aressa, rolling over slightly onto her side to see, pausing to consider the question and her answer. She sighed. "I'm feeling..." She struggled to search for an adjective which described her current state. "Physically well. The pain from my ankle has begun to dissipate. I'm still feeling aches... but not as bad as before." She reported. Then she rolled over onto her back and looked up and the ceiling for a moment. She also felt worthless. She had spent her life learning magic as best she could and now found herself loosing a magic tournament in the first round. She wouldn't say that to Aressa. It was embarrassing to admit, even to herself. She paused for a second again.

"How's Elsis doing?" Juna asked. Then paused. "Bet she's won the whole tournament by now."

[Mortelatuzia]

Gawiëhr stood his ground as the last of the wave of shadows disintegrated. He had not drawn either of his weapons, but he still readied himself as the instructor conversed with the rest of the team. He smiled just barely as she explained the situation, as he scolded himself for neglecting his training.

"It always has to be a test, doesn't it? This should be fun." He observed the instructor leaping onto a different platform and debated on whether to do the same and explore. He stole a quick look at his allies, ironically enough it was both girls that he had accidentally encroached on just a while before. He began to speak but quickly cut himself off as more warriors of the darkness arrived to combat them. 'Survive first. Socialize later.' He thought to himself as he picked out a group of three shadows preparing to charge their circle. As they approached he remained stoic in his defensive form, despite being unarmed and vulnerable. Then, just as the spearpoints of the enemy were mere meters from his from his face he shouted.

"Perish! Noturnersa!"

A faint, silver glow was all that could be seen in the instant that the knight-in-training summoned his shashka in his left hand in the reverse grip and swiftly cut down the charging creatures in one fluid upwards slash. In the next he sidestepped momentum bound spearpoints and swapped his blade into his right hand. He switched into the armed stance of Form IV with the hilt of his sabre tucked close to his chest, blade pointing forward and up, and his left hand tucked behind his back. For a moment he enjoyed the familiar hum of his blade as he assessed the amount of assailants that prepared to assault the band of three. With a relaxed sigh and a genuine smile, the calculating mind of the scholar reeled back and became the mind of the monster once again.

[Atlannia]

Lillin Kihari

Elysia smiled at the violet girl's comments, as though she were complimenting her personally. Though in the back of her mind she could plainly hear the backhanded remarks and presumptuous attitude, she realized she must keep up appearances. Besides, it's not as though this girl was the worst person she had ever met. That special place belonged to someone else. With a deep breath, Elysia calmed her adrenaline pumped nerves and replied teasingly but still with her light, and friendly voice.

"I'll try not to, but I think you should worry about Rítze. I'm sure she won't go easy on you." She teased at the girl, whilst giving a wink and a smirk to Ritz as if to say 'I have your back.' Elysia prepared to continue her friendly taunting but was stopped abruptly by a booming voice calling her name. She quietly clicked her tongue before politely bowing to her company as she prepared to depart. "It looks like I'm up. Vaarwel." She began to walk away but not before tiptoeing herself up to whisper in Kal's ear. "Watch out for her."

"Oh I'm not expecting her to go easy on me," replied Lillin, her smile unchanged. "That wouldn't be fun at all." with that she paused and considered it for a moment. "Actually I guess beating people is basically alway fun but in this case it would be less interesting."

When Elysia departed Lillin gave her a little wave and a wink and settled in to watch the fight, not paying any apparent attention to the effect her presence was having on the rest of the group.

Well this should be interesting at least, if she actually beats Elsis than she really will be someone to get interested in. Ahhh this is fun but...

Lillin glanced towards her Laughing Dog, still rooted in the ground.

I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out without a real fight.

[b]Alfenn Cortagne[/]

As Kyrissa, Gawiehr and the others arrived at the dimension where the sword statue had brought them, they would indeed see both Ellyn and the professor locked in combat already, keeping the shadows at bay to the best of their ability, Ellyn taking advantage of her spear's reach to keep the enemy away and using her sword whenever any single shadow got too close, while Cyranis went forward and tore through the ranks of the shadows like a cyclone using naught but her fists and her feet, occasionally using magic to aid herself and causing unnatural torrents of water to wash away the enemies as though they were naught but specks of dust in a river. However, despite all of this, there seemed to be no end to the influx of shadow beings: though they could be and in fact had been beaten back a few times already, more always seemed to jump into the platform from out of nowhere, aiming to surround and overwhelm the group, something that the new arrivals could easily witness, as they landed on the platform just in time to see the remnants of the present wave be destroyed, the shadows that Gawiehr and Kyrissa annihilated being among the last, for the time being.

"Dear, I'm a teacher. I don't know the first names of anyone in the student body." Sapphira quipped as she stood before the last shadow currently present on the platform, dodging an attack of it's dark sword with such speed and ease that she might as well have teleported to the side of the creature, as far as anyone watching was concerned. With a simple twirl and a movement of her leg, she dug her heel into the back of the shadow being's head, sending it flying through the air even as it dissolved into dark particles that sank into the golden grounds the students stood on, disappearing without a trace. Now that there was a moment of respite, the professor turned to the recruits who had come to her and Ellyn's aid, raising an eyebrow.

"So, your guide did not come? That is surprising. He can be quite a worrywart sometimes, him and his entire Order." The one-eyed woman snickered, evidently entertained with poking fun at Arcander, but quickly enough she wiped her smile from her face and looked towards Kyrissa. "I don't know what this place is, but if I had to guess, this is a Mindscape Battlefield. There are plenty of accounts depicting- actually, how about I give you all this lecture once we're done here? I would hate to give your minds something to digest while your bodies have to move around to fight. Suffice to say, we were teleported to an artificial battleground, and now, I presume, we will have to fight our way out, which should answer your second question. If I had to guess, this is a trial of sorts, but of what, I do not know." She said as the shadows once again filled the platform all around her.

"At any rate," She continued, unconcerned. "I appreciate that you all arrived. Consider this a trial from me as well and do your best; I will keep an eye on you all and try to find out what is going on in this place." She said, before promptly tearing off the arm of a shadow that approached her from behind. With that done, she closed her eyes and began chanting, her words flowing at an astounding rate. Mere moments had passed when a coiling serpent made of water swept away all the enemies around the group, giving them some breathing space. The next moment, she leaped off to another platform, becoming bound to its own gravity instead and being met with her own host of shadow enemies, about as many as the ones closing in on the students.

"I knew it," sighed Alfenn, massaging his brow with one hand and drawing his rapier with the other. "Of course this wouldn't just be a normal vacation, that's something that happens to other people," Alfenn dropped his hand and summoued his dagger into it as a shadow dashed towards him. "If our instructors didn't provide the challenge-" he continued, drawing back his arm and throwing the dagger so that it through the neck of a shadow, turning in a wide arc and coming back to him. "Then fate iself would intervene!" he snapped, thrusting forward and catching another opponent in the chest.

Realising he had been ranting somewhat Alfenn pulled his sword clear and coughed into his hand. "In any case," he said, rolling his shoulders to loosen them up. "We should probably try to stay relatively close together, they don't seem very strong but there are rather a lot of them, it will be easy to get split up and overwhelmed if we aren't careful."

[Zarkenis Ultima]

"No, not quite." The fiery-haired aspirant replied as she observed her charge carefully, briefly walking away to grab a chair and prop it against the wall next to Juna's bed before sitting down on it. It was good to hear that the recruit's wounds had been superficial enough that even without Arcander's presence they were sure to heal swiftly, but even a blind old man would be able to tell that there was something else wrong with Juna, and, having been present to watch the duel that had landed her here, Aressa had a very good idea of what it was. Nevertheless, bringing it up out of the blue would be tactless, so she decided to follow the line of conversation laid down by Juna for the time being.

"In fact, your sister had to make an effort against her first contender, so, I presume things will only get harder for her. In fact, I suspect there is a chance she might lose the current duel. I believe she was going up against Elysia as well." The redhead recounted for Juna, opting not to make a remark on how coincidental it would be if both of the Salasanger sisters were to lose against the same individual. She crossed her legs before continuing. "Now, she may not be one of my charges, but to tell you the truth, she still worries me, to a degree. Losing could prove to be quite a blow to her pride, and believe me when I say that I know how disheartening it can be to lose so early in a competition. Like you might have heard already, for many of us this is not our first time visiting Cathedral Gladia." The guide told Juna. "Anyway, if she does lose, I sincerely hope she realizes that it does not reduce her value as a Redemit, or as a student of the Silver Hand Academy. After all, personal growth is one of the reasons we are here, is it not?" Aressa concluded, placing a hand on Juna's arm. "But that's enough rambling on my end. Do you need anything, or are you comfortable here? I can stick around, if you want."

[Charmera]

"No, not quite." The fiery-haired aspirant replied as she observed her charge carefully, briefly walking away to grab a chair and prop it against the wall next to Juna's bed before sitting down on it. It was good to hear that the recruit's wounds had been superficial enough that even without Arcander's presence they were sure to heal swiftly, but even a blind old man would be able to tell that there was something else wrong with Juna, and, having been present to watch the duel that had landed her here, Aressa had a very good idea of what it was. Nevertheless, bringing it up out of the blue would be tactless, so she decided to follow the line of conversation laid down by Juna for the time being.

"In fact, your sister had to make an effort against her first contender, so, I presume things will only get harder for her. In fact, I suspect there is a chance she might lose the current duel. I believe she was going up against Elysia as well." The redhead recounted for Juna, opting not to make a remark on how coincidental it would be if both of the Salasanger sisters were to lose against the same individual. She crossed her legs before continuing. "Now, she may not be one of my charges, but to tell you the truth, she still worries me, to a degree. Losing could prove to be quite a blow to her pride, and believe me when I say that I know how disheartening it can be to lose so early in a competition. Like you might have heard already, for many of us this is not our first time visiting Cathedral Gladia." The guide told Juna. "Anyway, if she does lose, I sincerely hope she realizes that it does not reduce her value as a Redemit, or as a student of the Silver Hand Academy. After all, personal growth is one of the reasons we are here, is it not?" Aressa concluded, placing a hand on Juna's arm. "But that's enough rambling on my end. Do you need anything, or are you comfortable here? I can stick around, if you want."

"I... wouldn't mind someone to talk to. I haven't talked with people too much since I arrived...." Juna paused, sitting up. "Failure would be a blow to any of our Order." Remarked Juna. As much as she felt divorced from her order, she still felt like it was part of her to and extent. "In the Fang, your worth is measured by accomplishment. By deed. It has to be proved beyond a shadow of doubt, or you are worth less than dirt." She paused, wondering if Aressa already knew and understood this. "Knowing her, she would be disheartened. She's not used to failure. At least not public failure." But then Juna smiled. "However, knowing her. She'd probably win. I'd be willing to bet my glasses on that." She spoke.

Her smile faded. "You know... I thought I could make a good impression." Juna spoke. "I mean. I'm not very well liked at home, as you can imagine." She took off her glasses for emphasis. "I mean... I wanted to win. Or at least do well. I really did. I'm quite good at magic after all. I study it all the time..." She paused, stopping herself from making excuses. She awkwardly rubbed her glasses with the bed covers. "I blamed Elsis the last time I screwed up, now i realise I have no one to blame but myself."

[Saleon]

Elysia: "I'll try not to, but I think you should worry about Rítze. I'm sure she won't go easy on you." She teased at the girl, whilst giving a wink and a smirk to Ritz as if to say 'I have your back.' Elysia prepared to continue her friendly taunting but was stopped abruptly by a booming voice calling her name. She quietly clicked her tongue before politely bowing to her company as she prepared to depart. "It looks like I'm up. Vaarwel." She began to walk away but not before tiptoeing herself up to whisper in Kal's ear. "Watch out for her."

Elysia reintroduced herself to the arena circle just in time to here the announcer call the duelists names once more. 'Salasanger? So that means...' She quickly observed her opponent, her walk and her form housed an aura of...confidence. She couldn't quite find the words to explain it. Gawiëhr might have told her in an instant that it meant she was of noble birth, with high hours of combat training, and a determination to prove herself but with a seedling of doubt unrelated to herself. However, Elysia on her own simply knew that she would definitely be a worthy opponent. She looked closely at the girl's eyes, they hinted at something that she could tell in an instant. As she prepared her stance in the aggressive Form II, she made no quick jest or comment. For Elysia knew the slight glint in her opponent's eyes could only be the glint of revenge.

Kal couldn’t help but feel the tension that covered them and the area. It left a dark, cloudy, dense feel to the air which it transposed. Elysia maintained a calm head, but her actions were still laced in that dense cloud. He was worried to an extent, though he’d picked a side in this fight, if not by accident. His eyes followed Elysia as she made her way to the coliseum floor. She gave only a small shuffle towards her and gave a cryptic warning to stay far and away from the Lillin girl. It wasn’t something he hadn’t already understood, yet it did seem a wise thing to keep a wise eye too.

He walked to the railing and laid his hands down to support his weight. He gave a large sigh when thinking this over. Elysia still seemed death-gazed, and Lillin had the look of blood-gazed.

Death-glazed, by his heathen’s religious, was what happened when one’s sight was blinded with hatred and wrath. A want wish leads to agony. Blood-gaze is that which blinds the sight with wanton power and destruction. This was the danger of what an old theologian mentioned of the Gaze. “The eyes do lie; they lay obstacles on the path as to lead to tragedy,” his old words were, “such is the nature of gaze, when we are consumed by physical sight, we become tempted by emotions. The eyes blind us from the truth. To rely on physical sight is to lose one’s spiritual sight.” The Gaze which surrounded both made a harrowing image, really.

He half wished they would not meet in a fight during the finals. They both were too clouded, and when one it clouded, it leads to self-destruction. If they did meet in combat, he only wished that Elysia had the wherewithal to stop the damages become irreparable.

Lillin Kihari: "Oh I'm not expecting her to go easy on me," replied Lillin, her smile unchanged. "That wouldn't be fun at all." with that she paused and considered it for a moment. "Actually I guess beating people is basically alway fun but in this case it would be less interesting."

When Elysia departed Lillin gave her a little wave and a wink and settled in to watch the fight, not paying any apparent attention to the effect her presence was having on the rest of the group.

Well this should be interesting at least, if she actually beats Elsis than she really will be someone to get interested in. Ahhh this is fun but...

Lillin glanced towards her Laughing Dog, still rooted in the ground.

I'm not sure how much longer I can hold out without a real fight.

Kal kept tight on his small post. He looked to both Lillin and Ritz. They were going to fight each other before the finals. It was almost fascinating that everyone from the Silver Hand had been doing so well. Of course, others did better than worse.

“good luck in your matches,” he said to no one in particular. He could see Elysia before she went, but at the same time he knew that Ritz and Lillin were to fight as well. For this reason, he left the line hang to a number of people, though he did have favorites.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

The five students fought valiantly on the floating golden platform, driving back the horde of shadows at every moment, no matter how many times they came back. Though greatly outnumbered, they were not outclassed, not even close, and tirelessly, they battled on, ignoring their bodies' will to stop and rest as wave after wave of enemies appeared before them, only to be cut down. They were not yet refined, no, and they did not fight as one, like an organized force of warriors would, but as she saw them in their struggle, their teacher could not deny that they displayed great prowess and potential, not to mention their unyielding spirits. At that moment, she thought, they truly acted like students of the Silver Hand Academy.

Unfortunately, Cyranis could not devote all of her attention to observing her students, as she was dealing with a battle of her own. Shadows surrounded her as well, and though she was far more powerful than her students, in turn she was alone, making it more difficult to deal with large numbers of enemies as she had no one to watch her back. Still, since the arrival of the five recruits, the shadows had split up, and now the forces attacking her were more than manageable. Far more worrisome was the fact that she had not yet figured out what the exact purpose of that Mindscape Battlefield was, or how to get out of there. She was certain that it was a trial; a trap laid by something capable of creating a Mindscape Battlefield in the first place would've been far deadlier, an active attempt at attacking the staff and students of the Silver Hand Academy would have targetted far more people, and in any case, both purposes could have been achieved, perhaps even more efficiently, with far less complicated magic.

In the end, finding herself with no clues to solve the enigma, Sapphira Cyranis did what a warrior does: she trusted her instincts. A spell began to be born from the words that flowed from her lips even as she weaved her way through her own solitary battlefield, dodging the onslaught of shadows and carving through it with her bare hands, moving in no direction in particular as her enemies danced a silent dance with her. Then, once the spell was almost ready, the professor calmly moved to the edge of the platform with the same ease as before, and unleashed her own magic at last.

"Fall."

The incantation reached its conclusion, and the effects came without warning. Silently, magically generated drops of water coalesced above the center of the platform on which Sapphira stood, forming into an increasingly large vortex of water swirling violently above the battlefield, its constant crashing making not a sound, even as it reached its maximum size. Then, the water formed into a spear of cyclopean proportions, pointing straight down at the golden platform. Just as the last word of Sapphira's incantation commanded, the water spear descended, slamming against the center of the platform, the sound of thunder arriving as a loyal companion to the violent crash. The shadows were inevitably swept away by the force unleashed, and Cyranis herself struggled to remain on her feet, but none of that mattered for long: the blow had been so powerful that the platform shattered into several pieces which soon began disintegrating. At this, however, the professor grinned. Her keen senses, honed through at least a century of combat, could detect the magic around her being fractured, if only partially. Quickly, she jumped towards another platform in order to repeat the process.

Meanwhile, Ellyn continued fighting alongside her fellow recruits. From her perspective, the battle had raged on for quite a long time, though she of course had no way to measure the course of time within that dark place, and was merely basing herself on how many waves of shadows they had vanquished thus far. Even though the enemies sent towards her and her allies weren't special, they were still quite numerous, the waves seemingly endless, and despite being one of the more resistant members of her group, she was tired. Yet, she was not willing to yield, and so, she continued. Words of power were spoken with no end, controlling her sword, which floated some distance in front of her, doing a fair part of the battling on her behalf as she wielded her spear, taking advantage of its reach to dispatch any enemies who moved past the sword before they got close to her. It was a defensive application of the same technique she had attempted to use to attack Xan during her first day of school, and it seemed to be working quite well so far.

However, suddenly, a voice called out to her and the other students. "Out of the way!" Cyranis shouted, and Ellyn was momentarily puzzled, but as she looked up, she saw what appeared to be Cyranis falling to the ground alongside an enormous spear that looked more than capable of crushing everyone there, despite being made of water. Swiftly, her eyes traveled from the shadow horde, then to Cyranis, and back to the shadows. Deciding that she'd rather face them than her teacher's magic, she dove straight into the thick of the horde just as the spear crashed into the center of the platform, her classmates rolling away from the impact as well. The platform was swiftly destroyed, and the shadows faded away. No red auras remained, and the only thing visible beyond the all-encompassing darkness were the students and Cyranis herself.

"Why aren't we falling?" Ellyn questioned as she tried to set herself upright in relation to the position of most of her companions, and more or less failing.

"If I had to guess- and I do realize I've been saying that a lot lately- it would be because the only gravity in this place was generated by the platforms, given our ability to jump from one to the other and instantly align ourselves to it. Since there are no platforms anymore, there is no gravity, either." The professor stated, before using a bit of water magic to place herself in a more comfortable position, causing Ellyn to realize that she could do the same with a simple telekinetic spell.

"So what now?" The student with the golden mane asked once again, slight disappointment in her voice. This had been one of her few experiences in the Silver Hand Academy where there had been nothing remarkable to draw. "Is the trial over? Can we go home?" She inquired, curious.

"Likely, but if I had to..." Sapphira began, but had no need to finish, as suddenly, bricks of gold like the ones that made up the platforms appeared once again, creating solid ground for the students and the teacher to stand on. In front of them, flanked by a pair of ethereal torches, was a golden stairway that ascended into a temple of sorts. "Ah, there we go. The rabbit's hole." Cyranis stated with a chuckle as they all slowly descended until their feet touched the ground. She then turned her back on the staircase and looked at her students. "Before anything else happens, I would like to say I'm quite happy with you all. You may not have given the best performance there, but the fact that you endured without my help speaks volumes already. Especially for you two." She nodded at Jynna and Alfenn, who had been involved in the fight against the two heathen warriors the previous day.

"Now the question is, how far are you willing to go to find out what's going on here? Speak freely. I won't bite."

---

Aressa nodded as her charge stated that she'd like to continue talking, removing her hand from Juna's arm as the latter sat up, but remaining there for her. She listened as Juna spoke of her Order, and what was expected of its members. From her words, it was not difficult to see that Juna was not too fond of her Order's traditions, but despite that, the redhead knew that her words were true. She had, during her stay in the Academy, heard about the nobility of allied Orders on occasion, and much like the Black Cup, the Valiant Fang was no exception, though she opted against saying anything on the matter, believing that continuing to talk about her Order would likely anger or sadden her, which was not in her best interests. Seeing her cheer up at the mention of her sister, however, Aressa couldn't help smiling herself. It was clear that they shared a close bond despite their differences, and that Juna held Elsis in high regard. To a degree, the aspirant felt slightly envious; being an only child, she had never experienced such a relationship.

Hearing her begin speaking about proving herself, it was easy to see that Juna was disappointed at having failed to win a single match, which was understandable, given her apparent devotion for the practice of magic. Aressa sighed, and then patted Juna's shoulder.

"You know what the problem is now, then, don't you? All that you need to do now is fix it." The redheaded aspirant spoke. "I know it's easier said than done, and I know that you feel disappointed, but trust me, you've taken a big step today." She smiled at Juna, hoping to reassure her. "The next step is to keep your chin up and try again. It's not much, but it's all we can do, isn't it?" Aressa concluded with an awkward shrug.

[Mortelatuzia]

Legions of shadowy soldiers formed and assaulted a small group of students with all of their might. And yet, miraculously, this small band of unorganized trainees never once faltered against the onslaught. Wave after wave of these ethereal beings emerged to fight and yet all would eventually be cut down by one of the students. Among this weary bunch stood a young ruby-eyed male dressed in a black suit and brandishing a silver energy sabre, a shashka by the name of Noturnersa.

Gawiëhr fought ferociously, as though with a vengeance against every single opponent that dared to enter his sight. His single edged blade became a blur amidst the sea of battle though it's silvery glow almost seemed to write words along the air itself. He stayed true to his Rusose discipline and remained in a defensive positive, in dire contrast to his violent and precise attacks. He stood wordlessly beside the artistic Ellyn and a yet unknown lad who appeared to practice rapier and dagger. As per the rules of Form IV, Rusose, the student never broke formation or advanced in order to attack. He remained in a defensive stance until an opponent broke the critical distance wherein he would simultaneously parried, dodged, and attacked in one to three fluid motions and finished confidently in another stance. Though this stance reduced fatigue immensely and gave the boy time to observe his surroundings, he began to grow weary as the fight dragged on for what seemed like an eternity.

The swiftness and ferocity of his attacks never once faltered as his fiery ruby eyes glistened amidst the vast expanse of darkness. However, his strength continued to drain out of fatigue and Gawiëhr had to switch hands seemingly every other attack in order to stay on top. Eventually however, salvation was found for as soon as he cut down another duet of beings with a left-handed decapitation. The familiar casual voice of his instructor signaled his near immediate reaction of rolling forward out of the makeshift formation and into the arms of the enemy. Those arms, however, never reached him as the platform disintegrated into the darkness along with the rest of the nocturnal dimension.

In relation to his teammates, Gawiëhr lie flat in the gravity-less air, calmly catching his breath after the exhausting debacle. Of all the things his father taught him, endurance was not one of them. 'Never fight a fight you can't win.' The words of that shattered idol entered his mind once again as he uncomfortably attempted to rest on the nothingness around him. He closed his eyes for a mere moment only to find his rest disturbed by the appearance of another platform underneath his body. Irritated, he opened his eyes to the bright glow of gold and begrudgingly forced himself up as he habitually dusted himself off. He listened to the words of his instructor and acknowledged that this would not be the end of their misadventure. He sighed heavily before turning back towards the group with an almost sinister smirk.

"If there is an answer, than we should find it. Besides, I'm finally starting to enjoy myself."

[Elysian Kentarchy]

Rache

As Lillin talks I see Kristina quietly place her hands in her lap and subtly moves her lips. Knight-Commander-sama? I hear her voice in my head causing me to jolt slightly.

Hymenaios, haven't I asked you not to do that by surprise? Having someone come into your mind to talk to you is not the most pleasant sensation when one is unready.

And entering most people's minds is not pleasant in the first place. I hear a dryness in her tone, strange how she manages to express emotions through her telepathy but maybe that is because her mind can be felt in this process. There are far too many dark corners in everyone's minds for people to willingly tread.

I am sure then reading my mind is extremely harmful to you given all the darkness that dwells in it.

She subtly shakes her head. Not really. We both walk the same path after all, as Knights of Vi...

Comperior I practically hiss at her letting my true view slip into the conversation.

Right. As Knights of Comperior, Knights of the Ninth, and how we both have been mandated to wear the black our journey has been the same. So we share in our sins, in our darkness, as Brother and Sister. Therefore your mind, and by extension the rest of the Ninth, is not dark but instead pure and light, your sins are virtues, to me and others like us.

I close my eyes. Her words still haven't changed since we were thirteen, back when I committed the first sin, I have to suppress the nostalgia and tears from remembering her from how she was before I failed her, before I committed an unforgivable sin as her commander. Noted. But I do not need the pep talk Kristina, I am the Commander here not you so speeches are my job and I can't have my subordinate take them from me. I say with a slight tease in my voice. This talk will drain your energy so if you have something to say make it quick.

I would like to request a changing of permissions concerning a possible upcoming duel with Lillin.

If you make it it will be granted what is it?

"Permission to kick her ass?"

I chuckle out loud. "Permission granted Hymenaios. Kick her ass like there is no tomorrow."

"Understood, I will proceed with a prompt combat boot up her bottom. For the Ninth."

For the Ninth. I tell her and she ends the connection and I lean back in my chair with a small smile. "Truly it will be an enjoyable match." I look across the field my eyes looking for a familiar face and sure enough she happily waves when our eyes meet and I tilt my head in acknowledgement and another smile but this one more closer to pure desire for blood and battle. Oh how I do oh so want to charge out there right now and lock blades with her once again, as we were meant to do, but I can wait, when hunting a dragon patience is the best option after all.

After that we wait and I watch Elysia head off to the ring. "Best of luck!" I call after her.

[Charmera]

The five students fought valiantly on the floating golden platform, driving back the horde of shadows at every moment, no matter how many times they came back. Though greatly outnumbered, they were not outclassed, not even close, and tirelessly, they battled on, ignoring their bodies' will to stop and rest as wave after wave of enemies appeared before them, only to be cut down. They were not yet refined, no, and they did not fight as one, like an organized force of warriors would, but as she saw them in their struggle, their teacher could not deny that they displayed great prowess and potential, not to mention their unyielding spirits. At that moment, she thought, they truly acted like students of the Silver Hand Academy.

Unfortunately, Cyranis could not devote all of her attention to observing her students, as she was dealing with a battle of her own. Shadows surrounded her as well, and though she was far more powerful than her students, in turn she was alone, making it more difficult to deal with large numbers of enemies as she had no one to watch her back. Still, since the arrival of the five recruits, the shadows had split up, and now the forces attacking her were more than manageable. Far more worrisome was the fact that she had not yet figured out what the exact purpose of that Mindscape Battlefield was, or how to get out of there. She was certain that it was a trial; a trap laid by something capable of creating a Mindscape Battlefield in the first place would've been far deadlier, an active attempt at attacking the staff and students of the Silver Hand Academy would have targetted far more people, and in any case, both purposes could have been achieved, perhaps even more efficiently, with far less complicated magic.

In the end, finding herself with no clues to solve the enigma, Sapphira Cyranis did what a warrior does: she trusted her instincts. A spell began to be born from the words that flowed from her lips even as she weaved her way through her own solitary battlefield, dodging the onslaught of shadows and carving through it with her bare hands, moving in no direction in particular as her enemies danced a silent dance with her. Then, once the spell was almost ready, the professor calmly moved to the edge of the platform with the same ease as before, and unleashed her own magic at last.

"Fall."

The incantation reached its conclusion, and the effects came without warning. Silently, magically generated drops of water coalesced above the center of the platform on which Sapphira stood, forming into an increasingly large vortex of water swirling violently above the battlefield, its constant crashing making not a sound, even as it reached its maximum size. Then, the water formed into a spear of cyclopean proportions, pointing straight down at the golden platform. Just as the last word of Sapphira's incantation commanded, the water spear descended, slamming against the center of the platform, the sound of thunder arriving as a loyal companion to the violent crash. The shadows were inevitably swept away by the force unleashed, and Cyranis herself struggled to remain on her feet, but none of that mattered for long: the blow had been so powerful that the platform shattered into several pieces which soon began disintegrating. At this, however, the professor grinned. Her keen senses, honed through at least a century of combat, could detect the magic around her being fractured, if only partially. Quickly, she jumped towards another platform in order to repeat the process.

Meanwhile, Ellyn continued fighting alongside her fellow recruits. From her perspective, the battle had raged on for quite a long time, though she of course had no way to measure the course of time within that dark place, and was merely basing herself on how many waves of shadows they had vanquished thus far. Even though the enemies sent towards her and her allies weren't special, they were still quite numerous, the waves seemingly endless, and despite being one of the more resistant members of her group, she was tired. Yet, she was not willing to yield, and so, she continued. Words of power were spoken with no end, controlling her sword, which floated some distance in front of her, doing a fair part of the battling on her behalf as she wielded her spear, taking advantage of its reach to dispatch any enemies who moved past the sword before they got close to her. It was a defensive application of the same technique she had attempted to use to attack Xan during her first day of school, and it seemed to be working quite well so far.

However, suddenly, a voice called out to her and the other students. "Out of the way!" Cyranis shouted, and Ellyn was momentarily puzzled, but as she looked up, she saw what appeared to be Cyranis falling to the ground alongside an enormous spear that looked more than capable of crushing everyone there, despite being made of water. Swiftly, her eyes traveled from the shadow horde, then to Cyranis, and back to the shadows. Deciding that she'd rather face them than her teacher's magic, she dove straight into the thick of the horde just as the spear crashed into the center of the platform, her classmates rolling away from the impact as well. The platform was swiftly destroyed, and the shadows faded away. No red auras remained, and the only thing visible beyond the all-encompassing darkness were the students and Cyranis herself.

"Why aren't we falling?" Ellyn questioned as she tried to set herself upright in relation to the position of most of her companions, and more or less failing.

"If I had to guess- and I do realize I've been saying that a lot lately- it would be because the only gravity in this place was generated by the platforms, given our ability to jump from one to the other and instantly align ourselves to it. Since there are no platforms anymore, there is no gravity, either." The professor stated, before using a bit of water magic to place herself in a more comfortable position, causing Ellyn to realize that she could do the same with a simple telekinetic spell.

"So what now?" The student with the golden mane asked once again, slight disappointment in her voice. This had been one of her few experiences in the Silver Hand Academy where there had been nothing remarkable to draw. "Is the trial over? Can we go home?" She inquired, curious.

"Likely, but if I had to..." Sapphira began, but had no need to finish, as suddenly, bricks of gold like the ones that made up the platforms appeared once again, creating solid ground for the students and the teacher to stand on. In front of them, flanked by a pair of ethereal torches, was a golden stairway that ascended into a temple of sorts. "Ah, there we go. The rabbit's hole." Cyranis stated with a chuckle as they all slowly descended until their feet touched the ground. She then turned her back on the staircase and looked at her students. "Before anything else happens, I would like to say I'm quite happy with you all. You may not have given the best performance there, but the fact that you endured without my help speaks volumes already. Especially for you two." She nodded at Jynna and Alfenn, who had been involved in the fight against the two heathen warriors the previous day.

"Now the question is, how far are you willing to go to find out what's going on here? Speak freely. I won't bite."

"Well, we did just fight a bunch of shadow things. It would be nice to get some answers, considering this whole trip has been rather... trippy." Remarked Jyn as she slung her axe over her shoulder. She was smiling, surprisingly considering what they had just been through. But the comforting apearance of an authority figure help make her feel better about the random assault. "If you'll forgive the pun Miss." She added, knowing it was quite a horrible pun, but she couldn't help herself.

Aressa nodded as her charge stated that she'd like to continue talking, removing her hand from Juna's arm as the latter sat up, but remaining there for her. She listened as Juna spoke of her Order, and what was expected of its members. From her words, it was not difficult to see that Juna was not too fond of her Order's traditions, but despite that, the redhead knew that her words were true. She had, during her stay in the Academy, heard about the nobility of allied Orders on occasion, and much like the Black Cup, the Valiant Fang was no exception, though she opted against saying anything on the matter, believing that continuing to talk about her Order would likely anger or sadden her, which was not in her best interests. Seeing her cheer up at the mention of her sister, however, Aressa couldn't help smiling herself. It was clear that they shared a close bond despite their differences, and that Juna held Elsis in high regard. To a degree, the aspirant felt slightly envious; being an only child, she had never experienced such a relationship.

Hearing her begin speaking about proving herself, it was easy to see that Juna was disappointed at having failed to win a single match, which was understandable, given her apparent devotion for the practice of magic. Aressa sighed, and then patted Juna's shoulder.

"You know what the problem is now, then, don't you? All that you need to do now is fix it." The redheaded aspirant spoke. "I know it's easier said than done, and I know that you feel disappointed, but trust me, you've taken a big step today." She smiled at Juna, hoping to reassure her. "The next step is to keep your chin up and try again. It's not much, but it's all we can do, isn't it?" Aressa concluded with an awkward shrug.

"Story of my life." She remarked with an awkward chuckle. She sank deeper into her bed, her expression returning to a mild almost frown. Not quite sad, but more contemplative. "I suppose I'm just tired of being a disappointment, to my family, to my order and to myself." She remarked. "I have this dream at night. It's a nice one." She explained. "I somehow manage to achieve something great. I slay some big beast or win some competition..." She paused then waved it off. "It changes every night. But whenever I have the dream, I see myself walking to the door of our house, and seeing my family, Father, Mother, Elsis. Even a few of the cousins sometimes. One or two times I have an imaginary boyfriend." She remarked with an absent chuckle. "I see them smile and pat me on the back. I see their eyes, alight, aglow with pride. Pride. I walk though the door, the door opens for me, I don't have to do it myself. This big ceremonial door opens and... then..."

"Then I wake up." She finished.

She paused. She had never told that dream to anyone, least of all Elsis. She would have been laughed at had she said anything of the sort. She blushed red, sure she would be laughed at now.

"Anyway. It's just a silly dream. I had it last night." She remarked, a small smile on her face. "The night before it was a nightmare about jesters... They freak me out."

[Atlannia]

Alfenn Cortagne

--

---

"Well, we did just fight a bunch of shadow things. It would be nice to get some answers, considering this whole trip has been rather... trippy." Remarked Jyn as she slung her axe over her shoulder. She was smiling, surprisingly considering what they had just been through. But the comforting appearance of an authority figure help make her feel better about the random assault. "If you'll forgive the pun Miss." She added, knowing it was quite a horrible pun, but she couldn't help herself.

Alfenn lifted his arm to wipe his head with the sleeve of his jacket and looked around warily. Unlike Gawiehr he was standing, his posture stiff, almost at attention as he looked around and below him, taking in the strange sensation of standing on a surface that had so recently not been there at all.

"I don't disagree," he said after the others had spoken. "We might as well get to the bottom of this now that we're here or else this will all have been little more than an irritating diversion." Alfenn looked let his arm drop back to his side as he looked up at the golden staircase thoughtfully. "It certainly seems as if someone wants us to proceed. I suppose as we go further in it will become more dangerous but we're hardly at our limit either. What exactly are the consequences of being injured here? Can we expect physical injuries when we return? And now that I consider it how exactly do we leave this place if we want to?" with this question he turned to Ellyn. "How did you return the first time exactly? Will we be able to do so easily if the situation becomes unmanageable?"

---

Lillin lifted her head up from the railing she was leaning against and looked around slowly, almost like a wild animal detecting some change in the air. Her eyes passed uninterestedly over the boy she had beat in her first match, the annoying teleporter and zeroed in on the girl that was always tagging along like his shadow.

Is she...

The girl was a hard read, there was something off about that placid expression, like a painting stretched over a gaping hole.

She is, definitely.

Lillin couldn't tell what the girl was thinking or feeling but she could always sense when someone wanted to fight her that was nothing to do with the complicated machinations of another person's mind, it was something more primal.

What is this about? Revenge for her little boyfriend? Or does she just think I'm immoral or something? Either way it's something to look forward to. Ahh I'm so glad I got out of bed today.

Slowly, very deliberately Lillin turned her head to lock eyes with the girl and winked at her before turning back to watch the match that was about to start

[The Starlight]

As the hordes of night and shadow progressed, Ellyn fought alongside her fellow students. Sidesteping one lunging shadow and dispensing of it with a backwards thrust of her spear, she was almost slashed by another shadow which was luckily stabbed by another student.
Sufficiently rattled, nshe purposed to keep it simple, for the shadows were not capable of advanced trchniqurs, and she did not have the energy for anything fancy.

Having an idea, the golden-haired student hurled her sword, which slashed through about three shadowbeings, but instead of the sword disappearing from sight, as it slashed through the last shadow, she grasped it with her mind and began wielding it in front of her, using wise, sweeping slashed fo keep a sufficent number of the shadows at bay while her spear, grapes with both hands, was enough to fell the rest of them. Such a task required her singular focus, and so, her mind was firmly focused on defending with her sword from afar, until the professor's shout broke her semi-trance, Ellyn diving towards the horde as the water spear crashed into the platform, the shadows quickly disappearing.

Creating a telekinetic platform underneath her feet, she observed the staircase before them. As Cranks asked for their opinions, she tilted her head, considering the staircase. "Faithless is he who says farewell when thd road darkens." It's a quote I read in a book, though I don't remember which one it was. But I think we should follow this out. I'd be curious for days if we didn't continue. "

"As for your questiom, Alfenn, to return, I simply closed my eyes and focised. I can't guarantee if it'll be that easy in future situatons though. But I believe we are all in agreement, Professor, to continue. So shall we?" she asked, her spear materializing in her hand.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Professor Cyranis looked at each of her students as they expressed their desire to go deeper down the rabbit's hole and find out exactly what had caused them to end up in this Mindscape Battlefield. Truth be told, she was a little surprised that they seemed so eager to continue on without yet knowing the nature of the spell they seemed to be caught within, but as far as she was concerned, the least exposition she had to make, the better, and so, she smiled, cringing at the Ayendor girl's awful pun, but otherwise quite proud of what her students had done so far, and of the resolve they showed, not backing down from the mystery that spread in front of them. "I will not forgive that pun, miss Ayendor, but I am willing to grant you reprieve until we sort out this mess. Now then." The instructor spoke, looking at the group of students after addressing Jynna. "If you all agree, then we will continue. We have, as far as I can see, passed the trial without issue, so I do not think we will encounter any more enemies, but keep your guard up, students. Wise men are wary of the unknown." She nodded.

Then, she turned around and began walking up the golden staircase in front of her, the steps seeming to continue on far beyond the reaches of Sapphira's sight. As she walked, the one-eyed woman continued speaking, this time opting to address Alfenn's questions. "As for your doubts, Cortaigne, I will start from the beginning. I doubt that injury in this place would be of much consequence in the real world; if I am indeed correct and this is a trial as I suspect, we would likely be deemed unworthy of whatever the trial guards and nothing more. However, I may be wrong, and in any case it is unadvisable to let our guards down on the off chance that we might not receive injury while in here." She explained, adjusting the fingerless black gloves she wore. "Leaving can be done simply by closing your eyes and focusing; that will let you return, though the body that you use here will remain. Perhaps complete escape is possible now, however, if any of you care to try." The professor stated.

After ascending for what seemed like hours, the students growing weary and their legs stiff, they saw in the distance the end of the staircase. Cyeanis immediately hurried forward in order to ensure that there was no threat ahead, and the students soon caught up with her, reaching the end of the stairs, and arriving at another platform where a temple stood. At first glance, it seemed like an exact replica of the Temple of Glarkanios, but as the group walked in, it was easy to see where the two structures differed. The central area, where the statue of Aradain and his eight swords stood in the real qorld, was empty, save for a throne on the far end of the circular area. Sitting on the throne was a man, a tall, elderly man with a short white mane for hair and silvery eyes, his presence wavering and ethereal, as if he was not quite there. As the group approached, the man stood up and spread his arms.

"Welcome, children." He spoke with a deep voice. "I am pleased to see that someone has passed the trial at last. We have much to speak about."

---

Much like Juna had predicted, Aressa giggled, though not quite for the reasons the recruit had expected. "Jesters? Really? That sounds awfully childish, Juna. Most people your age who still have nightmares usually dream of dragons, despite having never seen one for themselves- not that I have either, of course." The red-haired aspirant spoke, shaking her head for a moment before looking back at Juna, a kind smile on her face. "Let me tell you now, though, that there is no reason to be ashamed of the other dream." The aspirant stated. "All it shows is that you're eager to succeed, to make your family and your sister proud. There is nothing wrong with that, Juna, nothing at all. It doesn't have to be just a dream either." She assured. "One day, I believe you will achieve something great and make them all proud. No, 'm sure of it. You are a student of the Silver Hand Academy after all, and my charge. The odds are ever in your favor." The redhead said with a small chuckle. "But you are at school right now, so don't put too much pressure on yourself just because you haven't achieved something great. We Redemit live long for a reason. Besides, there is also the boyfriend part for you to work on." She concluded, playfully patting the braveblood on the back.

[Atlannia]

After ascending for what seemed like hours, the students growing weary and their legs stiff, they saw in the distance the end of the staircase. Cyeanis immediately hurried forward in order to ensure that there was no threat ahead, and the students soon caught up with her, reaching the end of the stairs, and arriving at another platform where a temple stood. At first glance, it seemed like an exact replica of the Temple of Glarkanios, but as the group walked in, it was easy to see where the two structures differed. The central area, where the statue of Aradain and his eight swords stood in the real qorld, was empty, save for a throne on the far end of the circular area. Sitting on the throne was a man, a tall, elderly man with a short white mane for hair and silvery eyes, his presence wavering and ethereal, as if he was not quite there. As the group approached, the man stood up and spread his arms.

"Welcome, children." He spoke with a deep voice. "I am pleased to see that someone has passed the trial at last. We have much to speak about."

Leaning forward slightly to rest his hands on his knees Alfenn took a deep, measured breath and then exhaled before straightening up and glancing back at the stairs they had ascended with a baleful expression.

That's the problem with illusory architecture he thought. There's never any consideration given to practicality.

Turning back to take in their surroundings and in particular the old man standing before them Alfenn was unable to supress a slight quirk of one eyebrow.

There's got to be easier ways to talk than this he thought, conscious of the sweat dampening the back of his neck. Sensibly though Alfenn decided to keep that thought to himself, he also supposed that the topic of conversation the old...hologram? Ghost? had in mind was not the itemised list of critiques of this mindscape's design Alfenn had been mentally compiling on his way up the stairs.
Item one, overuse of gold is tacky and distracting, especially during combat, Alfenn recalled, before quickly dismissing the thought.
"...Anything...in particular you wanted to speak about?" he asked in a level tone, breaking the brief but pregnant silence that had enveloped the virtual temple after the old man spoke.

[Charmera]

Much like Juna had predicted, Aressa giggled, though not quite for the reasons the recruit had expected. "Jesters? Really? That sounds awfully childish, Juna. Most people your age who still have nightmares usually dream of dragons, despite having never seen one for themselves- not that I have either, of course." The red-haired aspirant spoke, shaking her head for a moment before looking back at Juna, a kind smile on her face. "Let me tell you now, though, that there is no reason to be ashamed of the other dream." The aspirant stated. "All it shows is that you're eager to succeed, to make your family and your sister proud. There is nothing wrong with that, Juna, nothing at all. It doesn't have to be just a dream either." She assured. "One day, I believe you will achieve something great and make them all proud. No, 'm sure of it. You are a student of the Silver Hand Academy after all, and my charge. The odds are ever in your favor." The redhead said with a small chuckle. "But you are at school right now, so don't put too much pressure on yourself just because you haven't achieved something great. We Redemit live long for a reason. Besides, there is also the boyfriend part for you to work on." She concluded, playfully patting the braveblood on the back.

"I blame many a poor carnival in my youth." Juna joked with a smile and a soft chuckle, surprised that what she predicted happened, yet not as she thought it would. The giggle was more comforting than mocking. She kept a smile. "I suppose you're right." She spoke. Then paused. "I don't remember the last time anyone said anything that... supportive before." She spoke, feeling a renewed faith in herself. Elsis has said similar things before, but Juna never really believed her, regardless of how sincere she was being. "Thank you..."

[Ularn]

Kyrissa knelt on the staircase, one hand on resting its glossed surface, other on the pommel of her sword which she had extinguished and returned to her belt. Long, steady breaths flowed along her back as she regarded her yellowishly reflecting face in the marbled floor. She looked the same, she thought; no different externally from what she had been minutes (hours; days; it was impossible to tell in this 'mindscape') before her first battle. Somehow she had always expected to be different after this.
Her fringe was flecked with a little sweat but not even as much as she would pick up during a moderate training session. The shadow beings had been numerous but they attacked with no skill or finesse or even sense of self-preservation and they fell to gas if so much as touched by a blade. Their numbers had appeared daunting at first but to a trained knight they had posed no threat.
She closed her eyes flexed her neck, shoulders, working her way down the muscles of her spine, feeling the faintest of twinges where Rache's wound had been knitted together that morning, before standing. "I'm not going anywhere," Kyr declared with a faint smile that was the faintest vestige of the excitement and adrenaline still coursing beneath her skin, "I dragged you all this far; what kind of knight wouldn't see this through to the end now?"
The ascent up the golden staircase and the accompanying silence let Kyr have time to sort out her thoughts. As the sense of jubilation at their victory over the shadow creatures was able to subside, familiar doubts returned. How much of this was real? Had the shadows been real enemies? They had fallen so easily. Was this her real body? Her real armour? Real sword? Was the sweat on her brow real, or anything about this victory? Had they ever been in any danger or was Cyranis right and the worst that 'death' in the mindscape entailed was a return to the real world and whatever shame could ever be gleaned from some nebulous entity considering her unworthy? If that was all, Kyrissa had faced greater loss in her duel against Rache. As laughable as the idea seemed, she found herself wondering if this even counted as a victory.
At the top of the stairs and an age-long climb, Kyr was regarding the same temple they had left that afternoon - if afternoon it still was; time in this place was as easy to grasp as water. Over there was the plinth where she had meditated before the statue of Lady Sylvalladine, although the sculpture that occupied it now was only an amorphous blank-faced figure like in every other alcove.
Kyr eyed their surroundings uneasily as Alfenn tried to converse with the spectral figure occupying Aradain's place. To be secure, she flexed the fingers of her left hand and whispered, "Ewiphist, ettincmi!" casting a thin, simple shield about the group, enough to absorb the first blow of a surprise attack and keep them from being ambushed if ore shadow creatures or anything worse were to appear.