Mana Academy: Beyond Borders IC

[Luminesa]

Saturninus Rise - The Creep of Paranoia

The spider being stomped had not brought much peace to Saturninus, and Manfred did not seem to understand the boy’s fears. Yet he did understand that the Rise heir could not think properly without food, and so he invited Saturninus to come eat before talking. In the meantime, he burned the spider simply by glaring down at it, a feat which the Rise heir had been certain his mother could only do. Then again, he did not know the strength of the Mages of House Von Kressel, except for that of Henry.

Yet even so, Saturninus’s eyes scanned the room for more spiders. He tried to wipe the sweat off his brow and off his face with the napkin at the table, and he tried to ignore any black specks he saw on the walls, in the molding, or in the rug. It’s just dirt. It was just one spider. Yeah. Maybe it was just one spider. Maybe I really am just going insane. Hahahahahaha! As he panicked internally, however, the scent of delicious food met his nose, and his eyes turned toward his plate of food.

He tried to remember what his last meal had been, before he had died in that alley. He had breakfast in his room in Paris, but he had not paid attention to the food. He recalled more clearly the lemon pound cake that Mercillia had served him to console him, how he had cried at receiving such a small, sweet, homemade gift. Once again he received a homemade gift in the form of a hearty meal, his first meal after having resurrected. Spices fluttered in the air as he cut into the baked, buttery chicken, which was served with hot, roasted potatoes, a cold, fresh salad, and sweet red wine.

“...I’m...actually quite glad that I waited until now to have my first meal...” Saturninus murmured, looking to Manfred. “...My mother cannot cook. It’s better...for my first plate of food after such a morning...to actually be something I can digest,” he joked. His delivery was uncertain, as if he was not sure that he could joke with these unfamiliar Mages. Yet he still managed a smile, despite his anxiety. For a few moments, he did not check the room for more black specks, even if some of them seemed to be creeping along the rug in the living room...

Eglantine and Family - Stories of Fires

“Heh...‘long vacation’ is one way to describe it, I guess...” Eglantine mumbled through her tears. She continued to wipe her eyes, trying to keep her composure so that she could speak. As she turned to look at Henry, her smile was crooked from sobbing, but she was still grateful for his company. She had wished that he could have met her parents under less chaotic circumstances, but now was a better time than never. She looked back to her parents, and nodded. “...I...I was tired of...all the training...the burden of...being a potential heiress...I didn’t want to be Bound, not after...seeing...”

Apollinaire nodded solemnly. “...Saturninus and Celestine...” He finished her sentence, recalling the horror he had seen in her face when she had watched the ritual. All of the family was forced to watch the Bindings, and Eglantine had refused to be Bound, despite being the same age as her now-alive cousin. “...We didn’t want it either...You were strong even without a demon’s power...”

“They were too,” Eglantine interjected.

“Well of course...but...we tried to do everything to avoid that from happening...Saturninus and Celestine...lost their lives that day...” Eglantine’s father looked toward Henry, as if to make a point to him as well. “...If she had been Bound, you never would have met her...” he added.

Calixte remained silent, letting her husband speak. She had things she wanted to say, but she did not know how to communicate them. As she put the pieces together, she began to realize what had happened. Eglantine had always known more than her parents had thought, and she had been aware that she could not avoid being Bound forever if she had stayed at home. Even Soleil had just barely managed to escape it, ironically due to Solaine’s own secret meddling. Knowing what awaited her if she had stayed at home, Eglantine had gone to extremes and had faked being dead. More tears welled in Calixte’s eyes, and she stared at her daughter. “...You knew...even at such a young age...how badly we had failed you...” she muttered.

Eglantine turned to her mother, surprised to hear her talk in such a deprecating way about herself. “...Mom, you...you didn’t fail...”

“If we had been successful, you never would have left home! What family is so awful that a child burns her bedroom and runs away to...to...”

“Spain.”

“Spain?! You ran away to Spain! You did not even stay in the country, you traveled hundreds of miles to get away! Just like Victor-Pierre, and his parents are shambling shells of their former selves. We were not, so...why couldn’t we do more?...” Calixte charged her daughter with the question, as she got the energy to talk, but in reality she was charging herself with the damning questions.

Apollinaire could tell that his wife was breaking-down, and so he reached his better arm to touch her hand. “...Calixte, don’t be so hard on yourself...”

“I have to be! It’s our fault our fourteen-year-old daughter was so scared that she ran away from home for four years! Who else can I blame?! Blanchefleur?! Her children didn’t run away!”

“Calixte, they were Bound, just like I said! If they had wanted to run away, they would have done the same thing. They weren’t allowed to leave. They weren’t even allowed to bring boys or girls home!”

“Apollinaire, our daughter could have died in some foreign country, and we never would have known it! What’s worse, fearing your daughter died in a fire in her own home, or fearing that she died in another country where we can’t even find the body?!” Calixte was shaking, her eyes wide with anger. The nurse in the room seemed to wince at her sharp voice, while Eglantine sat and just watched, waiting for a chance to calm her mother.

As a pause came to the room, Eglantine stared at her mother and gulped down some tears. “...That’s all...over now, mom. My room can be rebuilt. I...I’m alive, too...I ran away...I went to school...I made friends...and I got a boyfriend...” She nodded and smiled, trying to keep tears down her throat. “...Celestine...never got that chance...and Saturninus...never got a chance either...but...I’m here...I didn’t explain why I was running...I was scared...I thought you would stop me...b-but it’s just like Dad said...I couldn’t stay...I-I’d...never have a life...s-so don’t hate yourself, Mom. I’m...I’m here...and...I’m so sorry...”

Calixte stared at her daughter, and the vault in her heart slowly turned until it fell open. She started to wail in pain, as she grabbed her daughter and hugged her as tight as she could. Eglantine took a turn patting and rubbing her mother’s back, and her mother only felt the bittersweetness of such a motion. The daughter was consoling the mother for her failures, and not the other way around. She knew that Blanchefleur’s children would never forgive her, and that Solaine’s child would never go home, after being sent to the States. Victor-Pierre had left France for good. Thus Calixte received a gift that was rare for a Rise parent to receive from their children.

Forgiveness. The Balm in Gilead which did not repair the past, but which secured the future. She did not know how her daughter could forgive her so quickly, but then she realized that just as she had mourned for four years, Eglantine had thought about her family for four years. “...Eglantine...my baby...it’s okay...I’m...I’m sorry too...”

Henry von Kressel

The pain Eglantine carried was also the pain that her parents carried. The same fear her parents had was the fear she had: they could've died years ago, without even seeing their bodies. No mourning could be given or no flowers could be sent, yet certainly they would cry for their absence. They shared this affection, even if it was shaped through the pain of not seeing each other for years.

Calixte and Apollinaire were no longer specters that lingered on Eglantine's mind. They were physical figures, their sadness being displayed through their eyes and how tight their hugs were. The reconciliation between them was a tearful moment filled with joy and the apologies they firmly believed they owed each other. Yet Henry knew very well that Eglantine didn't hold any grudges towards them, and that her parents never held any grudges towards her. They all understood that the shadow that stood upon them, modeled with cruelty and a firmness of hand, known across Europe as Blanchefleur, was the real cause of their separation.

Yet deep inside his firm posture, Henry was shaken. He was shaken as he realized that he would never have this reconciliation for himself. He would never watch his father hug him or be truly happy with his presence, even though he got it from his mother. As a fine balance of fate, the Rise got their numbers - the good ones - being strengthened, and Henry watched his house divide.

Shoving his selfishness away, Henry allowed himself to just appreciate the moment where Eglantine was reunited, in body and soul - if such thing even existed - with her parents, who also became alive again. The doubt that was killing them softly was finally cast away as Eglantine, sassiness and sensibility, pride and feelings, all in one blonde bundle, finally arrived.

"Well... I am sure Eglantine will enjoy the time she'll spend with you, soon as you are... properly recovered. And there are more Rise around Europe... I think I should tell you that Michel came back from the dead, but in his case, literally from the grave. You can always shed light in the past, but the road ahead is certainly less painful or at least less absent for you. So... Just enjoy each other presence in this small isle of tranquility."

Eglantine and Family - Between Ashes and Stone

Various nurses had come to check the room to see the family reunited, crying their apologies and admitting their long-buried mistakes and insecurities. It was an intimate setting, but given the recent events, people flocked to this scene of hope, desperate for some happy image in the face of incredible terror. Apollinaire, Calixte, and Eglantine continued to hug and cry for a few moments more, but seemed to settle and to become more comfortable simply sitting in each other's presence. Noticing that Henry's eyes lost their glitter after a few moments, Eglantine turned back toward him and gazed at him. She could tell by now when he was trying to place a front over his vulnerabilities, and now she could see that inside, he was feeling some sort of pain. She knew that Henry's own family was broken, much like hers, and neither of them could know how to fix the wreckage of House Von Kressel. Just as House Rise had sacrificed its family for pride, so had Von Kressel, but now that same family threatened to break it further, rather than to unify itself against larger foes.

Thinking of the topic of larger foes, the room's inhabitants were reminded of the ashes floating above Grenoble and its surrounding areas, and of the potential dangers that came from that mountain having been devastated in such a sudden, mysterious, and ultra-violent fashion. Blanchefleur's whereabouts were now uncertain, if she was not already dead. Her death had to be confirmed, but at the same time, Henry released another key piece of information. At the sound of Michel's name, Apollinaire and Calixte's eyes both widened with shock.

"...Michel...You don't mean...There's a hundred-thousand Michel's in France, aren't there?" Calixte questioned.

"I don't think that he would mention some random 'Michel' in the context of this discussion," Apollinaire answered, his brows knitting as he grimaced with pain and worry. He turned his eyes toward Henry, and a sharp glare gleamed. In his gaze, Henry could see the same flames that he could occasionally see in Eglantine's own eyes, though subdued for the moment. "...Now, listen. I am thankful that you have brought our daughter here...and I am sure that she thinks well of you, if she has traveled all the way here with you...but men don't just rise from the dead with their minds and bodies intact, not without some odd miracle or without some...forbidden Magic. If you're going to tell us that a man who died twelve years ago is now alive, we're going to need proof."

Sensing conflict, Eglantine interjected as soon as Apollinaire finished his sentence. "But Dad, I saw him too! Uncle Michel is alive! We met him in Krakow and he came back with us to Salz-"

"Krakow? What on Earth would that mad man be doing in Poland?! Robbing some grave?"

"Apollinaire, there's no need for that..." Apollinaire had interrupted with some shock, but Calixte put a hand on his wrist and spoke softly, trying to soothe his already-stressed mind. She turned and looked at Henry, calm but wearing a chilly look. "Michel Rise being alive is incredibly important news for our House. If he is alive, then we have to meet to discuss our current line of succession...So we need proof that he is alive, and that you did not see some impostor. This could cause a fundamental shift in our House's transfer of power. And given you know this information, if this is true, I would like to know if you know any other information on our House which we have missed, Mr. Von Kressel."

Eglantine's eyes began to fill with worry, and her head shifted from looking at her parents to looking at Henry. She wanted to aid him, but she knew that her parents wanted this discussion to be between him and them. This conversation would give them a better understanding of the young Mage whom Eglantine had claimed as her boyfriend, and would give them a glimpse of his worth. As she waited for Henry to answer, Eglantine found herself cheering for him in her head. ...Henry...you can do it, don't be scared...

[Wiland Noria]

As Cleo walked towards the Aquo Dorm, some of her nervousness returned. Would she make friends? How well would she do in class? No, I'll be fine. I bet I'll make plenty of friends, and do good in class too! She thought hopefully. She wasn't the best at math or science, but she could improve, couldn't she? Would science be taught here, anyway? This is a magic school, so maybe magic would be taught instead... Suddenly, some instinct told her to look over at the forest. Blue yipped, trying to get her attention. Cleo looked down at her and smiled. She continued on to the dorm, but some feeling told her she was being watched.

The Wolves - An Introductory Test

The moment the small dog yipped, the two wolves took a few creaking steps back, shuffling the snow under their paws as they moved. Their golden eyes remained unblinking, but they crouched low and continued to watch. They did not want to be caught, but if they were, they knew where to bring the girl. Not into the center of the forest, which was so cold and deep, but perhaps to her dorm. First, however, they wanted to see how she would react when she saw them. After a moment of crouching, one of them craned their head upward so that Cleo and Blue could see their eyes and ears.

The wiry, silvery fur was darkened by the black, moonlit sky, but the silhouette was still faintly visible. Upon seeing the gold in the wolf's eyes, Cleo would feel a supernatural presence. An intelligent presence, not that of a mere wild animal. It recognized that she was a Mage, as it recognized that all of the students and teachers were Mages. Yet they could not guess this particular girl's behavior until she moved. Florian had given them no commands about this new girl, as he was focusing on Rene and Tsukiyomi, and was allowing them a little bit of autonomy.

Cleo looked back at the forest and froze when she saw the silhouette of the wolf. She looked into it's eyes and realized they were a beautiful golden color. They're not just wolves, A part of her mind told her. She took an instinctive step back. They're something more... Blue whined, backing away from the forest. Cleo wanted to pick her up and run to the safety of the dorm, but she stood where she was. "I... I don't think they're going to hurt us Blue..." She whispered to the puppy.

[Luminesa]

The Wolves - An Introductory Test

The moment the small dog yipped, the two wolves took a few creaking steps back, shuffling the snow under their paws as they moved. Their golden eyes remained unblinking, but they crouched low and continued to watch. They did not want to be caught, but if they were, they knew where to bring the girl. Not into the center of the forest, which was so cold and deep, but perhaps to her dorm. First, however, they wanted to see how she would react when she saw them. After a moment of crouching, one of them craned their head upward so that Cleo and Blue could see their eyes and ears.

The wiry, silvery fur was darkened by the black, moonlit sky, but the silhouette was still faintly visible. Upon seeing the gold in the wolf's eyes, Cleo would feel a supernatural presence. An intelligent presence, not that of a mere wild animal. It recognized that she was a Mage, as it recognized that all of the students and teachers were Mages. Yet they could not guess this particular girl's behavior until she moved. Florian had given them no commands about this new girl, as he was focusing on Rene and Tsukiyomi, and was allowing them a little bit of autonomy.

Cleo looked back at the forest and froze when she saw the silhouette of the wolf. She looked into it's eyes and realized they were a beautiful golden color. They're not just wolves, A part of her mind told her. She took an instinctive step back. They're something more... Blue whined, backing away from the forest. Cleo wanted to pick her up and run to the safety of the dorm, but she stood where she was. "I... I don't think they're going to hurt us Blue..." She whispered to the puppy.

The Wolves - A Scent of Character

The wolves noticed Cleo’s flinch, which was not unusual. Most people did not approach a couple of wolves to pet them. They stayed in their positions, letting the soft snow sprinkle their fur and give it an arctic glitter. Despite the girl’s fear, she did not run, and instead seemed awed by their presence. Her dog whined, now afraid as it noted that the wolves were much bigger and much fiercer than the little pup. Both parties remained motionless for a few moments, dark silhouettes draped in the backdrop of late winter.

The girl whispered to Blue that the wolves were not going to hurt her, and one of the wolves snuffed, as if to confirm this statement. The smaller one beside it now also stood at a full height, and began to paw its way through the snow. Gracefully it trot, making no sound, both an eerie and a beautiful sight. Now that Cleo could see the creature walking into view, she could see the long, slender body draped in fur, the long banner of a tail, the slim, muscular face that peered toward her and her dog.

After a few moments of trotting, the wolf walked in front of Cleo and began to sniff her and her dog. It walked in a wide circle around her, making no noise as it moved. No growls or snarls escaped its throat, or the throat of its companion. Rather, it took some time to examine both Cleo and Blue, and when it finished, it sat a couple of feet in front of Blue, looking up at the puppy’s owner with calm, discerning eyes.

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Henry von Kressel

The pain Eglantine carried was also the pain that her parents carried. The same fear her parents had was the fear she had: they could've died years ago, without even seeing their bodies. No mourning could be given or no flowers could be sent, yet certainly they would cry for their absence. They shared this affection, even if it was shaped through the pain of not seeing each other for years.

Calixte and Apollinaire were no longer specters that lingered on Eglantine's mind. They were physical figures, their sadness being displayed through their eyes and how tight their hugs were. The reconciliation between them was a tearful moment filled with joy and the apologies they firmly believed they owed each other. Yet Henry knew very well that Eglantine didn't hold any grudges towards them, and that her parents never held any grudges towards her. They all understood that the shadow that stood upon them, modeled with cruelty and a firmness of hand, known across Europe as Blanchefleur, was the real cause of their separation.

Yet deep inside his firm posture, Henry was shaken. He was shaken as he realized that he would never have this reconciliation for himself. He would never watch his father hug him or be truly happy with his presence, even though he got it from his mother. As a fine balance of fate, the Rise got their numbers - the good ones - being strengthened, and Henry watched his house divide.

Shoving his selfishness away, Henry allowed himself to just appreciate the moment where Eglantine was reunited, in body and soul - if such thing even existed - with her parents, who also became alive again. The doubt that was killing them softly was finally cast away as Eglantine, sassiness and sensibility, pride and feelings, all in one blonde bundle, finally arrived.

"Well... I am sure Eglantine will enjoy the time she'll spend with you, soon as you are... properly recovered. And there are more Rise around Europe... I think I should tell you that Michel came back from the dead, but in his case, literally from the grave. You can always shed light in the past, but the road ahead is certainly less painful or at least less absent for you. So... Just enjoy each other presence in this small isle of tranquility."

Eglantine and Family - Between Ashes and Stone

Various nurses had come to check the room to see the family reunited, crying their apologies and admitting their long-buried mistakes and insecurities. It was an intimate setting, but given the recent events, people flocked to this scene of hope, desperate for some happy image in the face of incredible terror. Apollinaire, Calixte, and Eglantine continued to hug and cry for a few moments more, but seemed to settle and to become more comfortable simply sitting in each other's presence. Noticing that Henry's eyes lost their glitter after a few moments, Eglantine turned back toward him and gazed at him. She could tell by now when he was trying to place a front over his vulnerabilities, and now she could see that inside, he was feeling some sort of pain. She knew that Henry's own family was broken, much like hers, and neither of them could know how to fix the wreckage of House Von Kressel. Just as House Rise had sacrificed its family for pride, so had Von Kressel, but now that same family threatened to break it further, rather than to unify itself against larger foes.

Thinking of the topic of larger foes, the room's inhabitants were reminded of the ashes floating above Grenoble and its surrounding areas, and of the potential dangers that came from that mountain having been devastated in such a sudden, mysterious, and ultra-violent fashion. Blanchefleur's whereabouts were now uncertain, if she was not already dead. Her death had to be confirmed, but at the same time, Henry released another key piece of information. At the sound of Michel's name, Apollinaire and Calixte's eyes both widened with shock.

"...Michel...You don't mean...There's a hundred-thousand Michel's in France, aren't there?" Calixte questioned.

"I don't think that he would mention some random 'Michel' in the context of this discussion," Apollinaire answered, his brows knitting as he grimaced with pain and worry. He turned his eyes toward Henry, and a sharp glare gleamed. In his gaze, Henry could see the same flames that he could occasionally see in Eglantine's own eyes, though subdued for the moment. "...Now, listen. I am thankful that you have brought our daughter here...and I am sure that she thinks well of you, if she has traveled all the way here with you...but men don't just rise from the dead with their minds and bodies intact, not without some odd miracle or without some...forbidden Magic. If you're going to tell us that a man who died twelve years ago is now alive, we're going to need proof."

Sensing conflict, Eglantine interjected as soon as Apollinaire finished his sentence. "But Dad, I saw him too! Uncle Michel is alive! We met him in Krakow and he came back with us to Salz-"

"Krakow? What on Earth would that mad man be doing in Poland?! Robbing some grave?"

"Apollinaire, there's no need for that..." Apollinaire had interrupted with some shock, but Calixte put a hand on his wrist and spoke softly, trying to soothe his already-stressed mind. She turned and looked at Henry, calm but wearing a chilly look. "Michel Rise being alive is incredibly important news for our House. If he is alive, then we have to meet to discuss our current line of succession...So we need proof that he is alive, and that you did not see some impostor. This could cause a fundamental shift in our House's transfer of power. And given you know this information, if this is true, I would like to know if you know any other information on our House which we have missed, Mr. Von Kressel."

Eglantine's eyes began to fill with worry, and her head shifted from looking at her parents to looking at Henry. She wanted to aid him, but she knew that her parents wanted this discussion to be between him and them. This conversation would give them a better understanding of the young Mage whom Eglantine had claimed as her boyfriend, and would give them a glimpse of his worth. As she waited for Henry to answer, Eglantine found herself cheering for him in her head. ...Henry...you can do it, don't be scared...

Henry von Kressel


Obvious as it could be, Henry failed to perceive that Michel's... disruptive personality certainly didn't please all tastes. Maybe it was the excess of skeletons or the dark humor that the man always seemed to practice, but he was undoubtedly a powerful ally in these times. And above both things, he was Soleil's father, and everyone knew how badly Soleil needed a supporting figure with such emotional power.

"Monsieur Apollinaire, Madame Calixte... Blanchefleur in person saw him. I certainly doubt that an impostor would cause such primal rage upon her. We were solving certain issues in Poland, regarding the position the local powers would take in the conflict that was announcing itself. Turning an odyssey into a short tale, Blanchefleur appeared with a certain lack of diplomatic courtesy and while I made sure that our other allies had the time to escape, the devil that unites us - with all due respect to your sister, madame - decided to attack me. And Michel interfered.

Since then... he shared our worries and our concerns. The pain that I saw in the man's eyes when he knew that Solaine died and how his son was... It's hardly a counterfeit one. There are limits to a man's craft and in this case, even with the intricate veil of mysteries that shroud his return and I am sure that we all know that he won't explain the process that pulled him back from his rest, it is Michel.

A man can replicate many things: magic, how he swings the scythe around with a carefully calculated and aggressive insanity, but a man can't copy the worries towards a son or feel compassionate towards a suffering that he know almost nothing about. Of course, he has enough experience to imagine, but... the extent is certainly different.

And... Saturninus is alive. Better saying, resurrected through Blanchefleur's foul methods of twisting life and death. He is... shook. But under the cares of a man who can teach Satan lessons in cunning and strategy. He... claims that my father, Grand Lord Joachim von Kressel, participated in a plot along Blanchefleur and he has evidence backing it up. I don't know the extent of this alliance yet, as this discovery is clearly a recent one."

[Luminesa]

Eglantine and Family - Between Ashes and Stone

Various nurses had come to check the room to see the family reunited, crying their apologies and admitting their long-buried mistakes and insecurities. It was an intimate setting, but given the recent events, people flocked to this scene of hope, desperate for some happy image in the face of incredible terror. Apollinaire, Calixte, and Eglantine continued to hug and cry for a few moments more, but seemed to settle and to become more comfortable simply sitting in each other's presence. Noticing that Henry's eyes lost their glitter after a few moments, Eglantine turned back toward him and gazed at him. She could tell by now when he was trying to place a front over his vulnerabilities, and now she could see that inside, he was feeling some sort of pain. She knew that Henry's own family was broken, much like hers, and neither of them could know how to fix the wreckage of House Von Kressel. Just as House Rise had sacrificed its family for pride, so had Von Kressel, but now that same family threatened to break it further, rather than to unify itself against larger foes.

Thinking of the topic of larger foes, the room's inhabitants were reminded of the ashes floating above Grenoble and its surrounding areas, and of the potential dangers that came from that mountain having been devastated in such a sudden, mysterious, and ultra-violent fashion. Blanchefleur's whereabouts were now uncertain, if she was not already dead. Her death had to be confirmed, but at the same time, Henry released another key piece of information. At the sound of Michel's name, Apollinaire and Calixte's eyes both widened with shock.

"...Michel...You don't mean...There's a hundred-thousand Michel's in France, aren't there?" Calixte questioned.

"I don't think that he would mention some random 'Michel' in the context of this discussion," Apollinaire answered, his brows knitting as he grimaced with pain and worry. He turned his eyes toward Henry, and a sharp glare gleamed. In his gaze, Henry could see the same flames that he could occasionally see in Eglantine's own eyes, though subdued for the moment. "...Now, listen. I am thankful that you have brought our daughter here...and I am sure that she thinks well of you, if she has traveled all the way here with you...but men don't just rise from the dead with their minds and bodies intact, not without some odd miracle or without some...forbidden Magic. If you're going to tell us that a man who died twelve years ago is now alive, we're going to need proof."

Sensing conflict, Eglantine interjected as soon as Apollinaire finished his sentence. "But Dad, I saw him too! Uncle Michel is alive! We met him in Krakow and he came back with us to Salz-"

"Krakow? What on Earth would that mad man be doing in Poland?! Robbing some grave?"

"Apollinaire, there's no need for that..." Apollinaire had interrupted with some shock, but Calixte put a hand on his wrist and spoke softly, trying to soothe his already-stressed mind. She turned and looked at Henry, calm but wearing a chilly look. "Michel Rise being alive is incredibly important news for our House. If he is alive, then we have to meet to discuss our current line of succession...So we need proof that he is alive, and that you did not see some impostor. This could cause a fundamental shift in our House's transfer of power. And given you know this information, if this is true, I would like to know if you know any other information on our House which we have missed, Mr. Von Kressel."

Eglantine's eyes began to fill with worry, and her head shifted from looking at her parents to looking at Henry. She wanted to aid him, but she knew that her parents wanted this discussion to be between him and them. This conversation would give them a better understanding of the young Mage whom Eglantine had claimed as her boyfriend, and would give them a glimpse of his worth. As she waited for Henry to answer, Eglantine found herself cheering for him in her head. ...Henry...you can do it, don't be scared...

Henry von Kressel


Obvious as it could be, Henry failed to perceive that Michel's... disruptive personality certainly didn't please all tastes. Maybe it was the excess of skeletons or the dark humor that the man always seemed to practice, but he was undoubtedly a powerful ally in these times. And above both things, he was Soleil's father, and everyone knew how badly Soleil needed a supporting figure with such emotional power.

"Monsieur Apollinaire, Madame Calixte... Blanchefleur in person saw him. I certainly doubt that an impostor would cause such primal rage upon her. We were solving certain issues in Poland, regarding the position the local powers would take in the conflict that was announcing itself. Turning an odyssey into a short tale, Blanchefleur appeared with a certain lack of diplomatic courtesy and while I made sure that our other allies had the time to escape, the devil that unites us - with all due respect to your sister, madame - decided to attack me. And Michel interfered.

Since then... he shared our worries and our concerns. The pain that I saw in the man's eyes when he knew that Solaine died and how his son was... It's hardly a counterfeit one. There are limits to a man's craft and in this case, even with the intricate veil of mysteries that shroud his return and I am sure that we all know that he won't explain the process that pulled him back from his rest, it is Michel.

A man can replicate many things: magic, how he swings the scythe around with a carefully calculated and aggressive insanity, but a man can't copy the worries towards a son or feel compassionate towards a suffering that he know almost nothing about. Of course, he has enough experience to imagine, but... the extent is certainly different.

And... Saturninus is alive. Better saying, resurrected through Blanchefleur's foul methods of twisting life and death. He is... shook. But under the cares of a man who can teach Satan lessons in cunning and strategy. He... claims that my father, Grand Lord Joachim von Kressel, participated in a plot along Blanchefleur and he has evidence backing it up. I don't know the extent of this alliance yet, as this discovery is clearly a recent one."

Eglantine and Family - Belief

Calixte and Apollinaire had their objections to Henry's claims, as they still had no physical proof that the man in question was alive. Calixte's posture became stiff with worry, while her husband's good hand began to twitch with apprehension. They wanted to believe, in a way, that Henry was lying. A meeting about succession would have to involve Blanchefleur, unless she was dead, and if she was involved, they would have no say. In fact, they would have a battle, and neither of them were ready for such a task. Even with Eglantine by their side, given the couple had just escaped through death's doorway, they needed some time to rest and to think. Yet Henry began dumping other information on them, things they were also not ready to hear.

Saturninus was also alive, and Solaine was dead. Information had passed down the grapevine, and they had known Saturninus to be dead due to Blanchefleur's sudden silence for quite some time. She had not interacted with the rest of the House, not even to pester them, as she had been making plans for how she would train a different heir. Solaine's death was also known, as her Castle was abandoned and had not been occupied for weeks. They could not presume otherwise, as she had also gone into Paris for the Tournament and had never returned to her home. Just that information gave them proof that Henry could potentially be trusted, but they needed proof on the other two factors.

"...We also...need proof that Saturninus is alive. And not just your word, Henry. We need physical evidence. Like we said, men just don't come back from the dead without reason or proof. We know necromancy exists, but you're implying Saturninus is alive, as much as we are?...And Michel?!...I'm sorry. But this is crazy. Unless you have-"

"Henry, have you called Uncle Michel? Or has Uncle Michel called you?" Eglantine interjected. She knew that Michel had managed to reach Henry a couple of times from distant places, but she did not know how. Any sort of physical proof, anything to bring them into the more important discussion on how they were to all solve the widening gap between Rise and Von Kressel that now threatened to start a war of a different kind.

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Henry von Kressel


Obvious as it could be, Henry failed to perceive that Michel's... disruptive personality certainly didn't please all tastes. Maybe it was the excess of skeletons or the dark humor that the man always seemed to practice, but he was undoubtedly a powerful ally in these times. And above both things, he was Soleil's father, and everyone knew how badly Soleil needed a supporting figure with such emotional power.

"Monsieur Apollinaire, Madame Calixte... Blanchefleur in person saw him. I certainly doubt that an impostor would cause such primal rage upon her. We were solving certain issues in Poland, regarding the position the local powers would take in the conflict that was announcing itself. Turning an odyssey into a short tale, Blanchefleur appeared with a certain lack of diplomatic courtesy and while I made sure that our other allies had the time to escape, the devil that unites us - with all due respect to your sister, madame - decided to attack me. And Michel interfered.

Since then... he shared our worries and our concerns. The pain that I saw in the man's eyes when he knew that Solaine died and how his son was... It's hardly a counterfeit one. There are limits to a man's craft and in this case, even with the intricate veil of mysteries that shroud his return and I am sure that we all know that he won't explain the process that pulled him back from his rest, it is Michel.

A man can replicate many things: magic, how he swings the scythe around with a carefully calculated and aggressive insanity, but a man can't copy the worries towards a son or feel compassionate towards a suffering that he know almost nothing about. Of course, he has enough experience to imagine, but... the extent is certainly different.

And... Saturninus is alive. Better saying, resurrected through Blanchefleur's foul methods of twisting life and death. He is... shook. But under the cares of a man who can teach Satan lessons in cunning and strategy. He... claims that my father, Grand Lord Joachim von Kressel, participated in a plot along Blanchefleur and he has evidence backing it up. I don't know the extent of this alliance yet, as this discovery is clearly a recent one."

Eglantine and Family - Belief

Calixte and Apollinaire had their objections to Henry's claims, as they still had no physical proof that the man in question was alive. Calixte's posture became stiff with worry, while her husband's good hand began to twitch with apprehension. They wanted to believe, in a way, that Henry was lying. A meeting about succession would have to involve Blanchefleur, unless she was dead, and if she was involved, they would have no say. In fact, they would have a battle, and neither of them were ready for such a task. Even with Eglantine by their side, given the couple had just escaped through death's doorway, they needed some time to rest and to think. Yet Henry began dumping other information on them, things they were also not ready to hear.

Saturninus was also alive, and Solaine was dead. Information had passed down the grapevine, and they had known Saturninus to be dead due to Blanchefleur's sudden silence for quite some time. She had not interacted with the rest of the House, not even to pester them, as she had been making plans for how she would train a different heir. Solaine's death was also known, as her Castle was abandoned and had not been occupied for weeks. They could not presume otherwise, as she had also gone into Paris for the Tournament and had never returned to her home. Just that information gave them proof that Henry could potentially be trusted, but they needed proof on the other two factors.

"...We also...need proof that Saturninus is alive. And not just your word, Henry. We need physical evidence. Like we said, men just don't come back from the dead without reason or proof. We know necromancy exists, but you're implying Saturninus is alive, as much as we are?...And Michel?!...I'm sorry. But this is crazy. Unless you have-"

"Henry, have you called Uncle Michel? Or has Uncle Michel called you?" Eglantine interjected. She knew that Michel had managed to reach Henry a couple of times from distant places, but she did not know how. Any sort of physical proof, anything to bring them into the more important discussion on how they were to all solve the widening gap between Rise and Von Kressel that now threatened to start a war of a different kind.

Henry von Kressel

He wondered if the source of such doubts poured from the stream of worry or from the stream of a disbelief that would relieve them. Michel did call him, but from a public number, not private. Therefore, he couldn't just call him back. But there was something that Henry could do, something so mundane and ordinary that he wondered how he didn't it before.

"Yes, this requires certain physical evidence... I need to excuse myself for a few minutes, if you allow me. There are a few calls that I need to do to get the evidence you need, and I am sure you can use the time to restore a part of your tranquility. I'll be right back, excusez-moi."

Getting up, Henry picked up his phone from his pocket and soon the German could be heard. He paced around, explaining the entire situation to Sebastian, the man tasked with maintaining Salzburg, while Sebastian informed him that the security measures of the palace were activated against spiders and how many small spots of blood and burnt bodies appeared around the house, all at once.

Next on the call, Manfred. Finally the Lord of Berlin got news that Henry was alive and well, just like Eglantine's parents. Yet as if he knew that Michel and Saturninus would raise doubts inside their minds, his uncle informed him that he had what he needed. With heavy steps, knowing that he carried a wrecking ball that would destroy the doubts presented to them, he turned his phone around, with two pictures that showed their presumably dead relatives. The first one was Rabbit alongside Michel, leaving Salzburg, the last time he saw them. The second one showed Saturninus alongside Amber and the House's guards.

"Physical evidence that they are alive, as requested."

[Luminesa]

Eglantine and Family - Belief

Calixte and Apollinaire had their objections to Henry's claims, as they still had no physical proof that the man in question was alive. Calixte's posture became stiff with worry, while her husband's good hand began to twitch with apprehension. They wanted to believe, in a way, that Henry was lying. A meeting about succession would have to involve Blanchefleur, unless she was dead, and if she was involved, they would have no say. In fact, they would have a battle, and neither of them were ready for such a task. Even with Eglantine by their side, given the couple had just escaped through death's doorway, they needed some time to rest and to think. Yet Henry began dumping other information on them, things they were also not ready to hear.

Saturninus was also alive, and Solaine was dead. Information had passed down the grapevine, and they had known Saturninus to be dead due to Blanchefleur's sudden silence for quite some time. She had not interacted with the rest of the House, not even to pester them, as she had been making plans for how she would train a different heir. Solaine's death was also known, as her Castle was abandoned and had not been occupied for weeks. They could not presume otherwise, as she had also gone into Paris for the Tournament and had never returned to her home. Just that information gave them proof that Henry could potentially be trusted, but they needed proof on the other two factors.

"...We also...need proof that Saturninus is alive. And not just your word, Henry. We need physical evidence. Like we said, men just don't come back from the dead without reason or proof. We know necromancy exists, but you're implying Saturninus is alive, as much as we are?...And Michel?!...I'm sorry. But this is crazy. Unless you have-"

"Henry, have you called Uncle Michel? Or has Uncle Michel called you?" Eglantine interjected. She knew that Michel had managed to reach Henry a couple of times from distant places, but she did not know how. Any sort of physical proof, anything to bring them into the more important discussion on how they were to all solve the widening gap between Rise and Von Kressel that now threatened to start a war of a different kind.

Henry von Kressel

He wondered if the source of such doubts poured from the stream of worry or from the stream of a disbelief that would relieve them. Michel did call him, but from a public number, not private. Therefore, he couldn't just call him back. But there was something that Henry could do, something so mundane and ordinary that he wondered how he didn't it before.

"Yes, this requires certain physical evidence... I need to excuse myself for a few minutes, if you allow me. There are a few calls that I need to do to get the evidence you need, and I am sure you can use the time to restore a part of your tranquility. I'll be right back, excusez-moi."

Getting up, Henry picked up his phone from his pocket and soon the German could be heard. He paced around, explaining the entire situation to Sebastian, the man tasked with maintaining Salzburg, while Sebastian informed him that the security measures of the palace were activated against spiders and how many small spots of blood and burnt bodies appeared around the house, all at once.

Next on the call, Manfred. Finally the Lord of Berlin got news that Henry was alive and well, just like Eglantine's parents. Yet as if he knew that Michel and Saturninus would raise doubts inside their minds, his uncle informed him that he had what he needed. With heavy steps, knowing that he carried a wrecking ball that would destroy the doubts presented to them, he turned his phone around, with two pictures that showed their presumably dead relatives. The first one was Rabbit alongside Michel, leaving Salzburg, the last time he saw them. The second one showed Saturninus alongside Amber and the House's guards.

"Physical evidence that they are alive, as requested."

Eglantine and Family - All Around the World

Apollinaire tapped his fingers along the rail of the bed, as Henry walked away to make phone-calls. Calixte and Eglantine both knew a little German, but Apollinaire knew none, and thus the trio waited with apprehension to see what the Von Kressel boy would bring as evidence. Eglantine specifically heard Sebastian's name, and she knew that Salzburg probably had some security cameras active at all times. She had not even considered it, but she was relieved as she thought about the footage. Michel had walked through Salzburg's halls, had sung in its shower, had flirted with Sarah in its hallways, and had met with her, Rabbit, Henry, and even the puppies. She found herself wanting to hug Chloe as she watched Henry pace the room, waiting for news.

After some bated silence, Henry looped around the room and made another phone-call. This time, Manfred answered. Eglantine almost wished that Saturninus would speak, but she did not get a chance to ask for him. She only hoped that some photos would be enough, though she knew some time had passed since the last time her parents had seen him. Then again, her father had recognized her immediately, so some hope persisted. Finally, Henry stopped his phone-call, looked down at the screen, and made his way back to the family. The Von Kressel boy had photos, though they were not plentiful. He showed the phone, and Apollinaire took it in his hands. "...Lemme see..."

Both husband and wife squinted their eyes at the somewhat grainy photos. Michel did not look like himself, but Saturninus did. While puberty had changed him a little, his platnium-blonde hair and ice-blue eyes were unmistakably his own. With one of Henry's two claims proven, the couple stared at each other in shock. "...So...Saturninus...is alive...That would make him...the new heir, wouldn't it?..." Calixte murmured, as she stared down at the picture. Neither of them cared much for the other figures in that picture at the moment, but Saturninus was indeed himself. They looked back to the picture of Michel, as he stood with a strange masked figure outside of Salzburg. The hair and eyes were too different, almost unrecognizable, but the way he held his posture, and the way he wore his dark clothes, were indicators that he was perhaps that same man who was Soleil's father. "...Unbelievable...aaaaaagh...alright..." Apollinaire handed Henry back his phone, and looked up at him with a grave stare.

"We have several problems. Assuming this is in fact Michel, and now that we know Saturninus is...somehow alive...We need to determine whether or not Blanchefleur is alive," Apollinaire started, "I'm not sure if you kids know what's happened in the mountain not too far from here, but...Castle Rise just got blown to smithereens. And we were seconds from going with it."

Eglantine found herself gulping at the sound of this news. House Rise's main castle, its headquarters, gone. In a flash so large it left smoke and ash floating over the French and Austrian countryside. If her parents had not escaped a few seconds early, she would not have had this reunion. She would have been so close, all for nothing. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and she gulped down tears. Calixte rubbed her back, as if to assure her that her parents were, in fact, alive.

Continuing for her husband, Calixte spoke. "We don't know what exactly caused the explosion, but the shock-wave has made its way all the way here, so it was substantial. Either Blanchefleur is quite dead, and we have to have a name a new Head of House as soon as possible, or Blanchefleur is alive and her son is the Heir. Which...I'm sure she knows one way or another whether her own son is alive, since she's...impressive at tracking people."

"Yeah. She tracked us all the way to Norway," Apollinaire added.

"...Norway?...Wait..." Eglantine blinked, as facts which had sunk to the bottom of her mind arose once again. "...The hotel...and the exploded cruise-ship...Then...that was you?!" She felt herself tensing as she realized what Manfred had been trying to tell her, when she had interrogated him about the passengers on the ill-fated ship. "...We thought...those people were dead!"

"...Blanchefleur sent some sort of assassin, some girl and a Fae of all things," her father explained, "and they managed to take both of us by exploiting our weaknesses. That's how we ended-up at Castle Rise in the first place. I don't know what they wanted with us, but...I'm sure they're still out there. If she found a good enough fighter like that, then she'll use them for what they're worth."

Eglantine turned to Henry. So much of the puzzle now had been connected, but still some pieces were missing. "...So...We have to find Blanchefleur...and then we have to...somehow meet with everyone to discuss what now...if Michel and Saturninus are both alive...That's...a lot. Which means we need to find Aunt Lorelei and Uncle Jehanne..." she muttered. Turning back to Henry, the tension had rebuilt in her face. "...So...what should we do now first?...We have a Castle to...scour...and if we can't do that...we have to find Aunt Blanchefleur, or her remains, if that's possible..."

[Luminesa]

Jaegar HQ, Unknown Location

Halls shrouded by shadows, in a realm inaccessible by normal Mundanes, figures wrapped in those same dark shadows shuffled and rushed through the cold halls, searching for answers and for solutions to a newfound catastrophe. They had fallen behind on their security, somehow, as one of their crypts had been opened. This secret area, holding the weapons of fallen Jaegars, was forbidden for any Jaegar to access except for the General, and most did not even know where to look for this trove of salvaged and sealed weapons. Yet younger Jaegars were as inquisitive as any Mage, and especially as inquisitive and sometimes reckless as any Dark Mage.

"Excalibur? What's that? King Arthur's swo-"

"Shut up! Stop talking about it! We're going to get in trouble!"

Voices whispered in sharp and hushed tones about the event which had happened, but all of them became silent as an elder Jaegar marched down the hall. Ruta had arrived, giving Ruby the reins to the school for a little while as he came to receive the message from a superior. He was weary but alert, knowing that he had to take this message and act accordingly. If only these people did not trust me with so much, I don't know what on earth they want me to do... he thought. He approached the chamber containing the sealed weapons, and before the chamber stood one yet another man dressed in a dark cloak. "...Let me guess. Goujian?..."

"Grunwald. I see you made it safely. Good evening." A calm, soft voice answered in a light Chinese accent, before the man lowered his hood and revealed himself. "...You can remove your hood as well. We are all fellows here."

"Oh how I've doubted that in the past. But that's not here or there right now..." Ruta obeyed and lowered his hood, showing the tired scowl on his face. "...Excalibur. Show me."

"Hmmmm...slight problem with that. Follow me." Goujian turned toward the door, and put his hand over it. Murmuring some words in a secret language, with the words barely rising above his breath, the door did not move or glow. Yet as he finished the words, he walked to the door and then through it. The other Jaegar followed, into a silent, foreboding chamber. A sort of museum sat before him, with weapons of various shapes and sizes looming around, covered by wards upon wards. A normal soul would not be able to enter and leave alive.

Ruta felt a chill as he looked around this mostly-unlit room, this place in which he was not usually allowed to enter. "...Is there a reason...that you've brought me in here?"

"I've gotten permission...and since you seemed to be disbelieving over the phone...I've called you to let you see for yourself..." His superior walked toward a tall stone platform, with a dark glass case radiating Magic sitting atop the structure. On the heavy glass was carved an inscription: EXCALIBUR.

The sword within, gone.

"...They...did not even...breach the ward...Every able body in the headquarters should have stormed this room...How are you all so incompetent?!" Ruta's voice started low, and then rose into a loud, hoarse echo.

"Shhhhhh. There's no need for that. I am standing three feet away," the other Jaegar answered. Turning toward the glass, he continued, "The only way this sword could have been taken...is by someone who knows the wards...or by its owner...and its owner is presumably dead."

"Presumably?" Ruta raised an eyebrow.

"Well...we have received varying reports, but we need you to confirm them. Excalibur may in fact be alive...which is a problem." The Jaegar narrowed his brows. "He may be under the control of someone else, or the sword may be in the hands of someone else. If either of them come into your territory, we need you to apprehend them. But now, since you have seen this for yourself...I am hoping that you will not question the missions we give you, Grunwald." The way he spoke Ruta's code-name was quiet, but just disparaging enough for the venom to flick off his tongue and to hit said Jaegar's face.

With a sigh, Grunwald accepted this mission, and bowed. "Forgive me for my insolence. I will keep an eye out and contact members of the American Headquarters-"

"They already know. Now...you return to your school, and keep the children safe, understood?...If Excalibur arrives on your island, he is to come here immediately. And you will bring him, by force if necessary."

Ruta grimaced. He knew the weight of this mission, and he still had a school to watch. Yet he was also wanted for this mission, and he would need help. Both he and Ruby would have to fight, and possibly other teachers as well. "...Yessir. Understood." Looking around the silent halls, he could not help but wonder. He had never been able to access this room, but there was a weapon here he wanted to see. His eyes wandered in the darkness, but Goujian would not allow him to stay. As soon as he started in another direction, the elder Jaegar stopped him.

"Ah. No wandering. Now...back to the Academy."

The calm voice was a prick of cold electricity to his shoulder, reminding him that he could never stay in the past for long. In his position, he could not allow himself to mourn. He was told that many times. Sadness and sorrow would crush him, or any Jaegar in his position. And so he had to leave her memory behind once again, and face the mission to find the missing sword. In a haze of shadows he disappeared, but not without another withered sigh.

One day, Yona...one day, we will be alone again.

[Wiland Noria]

Cleo looked back at the forest and froze when she saw the silhouette of the wolf. She looked into it's eyes and realized they were a beautiful golden color. They're not just wolves, A part of her mind told her. She took an instinctive step back. They're something more... Blue whined, backing away from the forest. Cleo wanted to pick her up and run to the safety of the dorm, but she stood where she was. "I... I don't think they're going to hurt us Blue..." She whispered to the puppy.

The Wolves - A Scent of Character

The wolves noticed Cleo’s flinch, which was not unusual. Most people did not approach a couple of wolves to pet them. They stayed in their positions, letting the soft snow sprinkle their fur and give it an arctic glitter. Despite the girl’s fear, she did not run, and instead seemed awed by their presence. Her dog whined, now afraid as it noted that the wolves were much bigger and much fiercer than the little pup. Both parties remained motionless for a few moments, dark silhouettes draped in the backdrop of late winter.

The girl whispered to Blue that the wolves were not going to hurt her, and one of the wolves snuffed, as if to confirm this statement. The smaller one beside it now also stood at a full height, and began to paw its way through the snow. Gracefully it trot, making no sound, both an eerie and a beautiful sight. Now that Cleo could see the creature walking into view, she could see the long, slender body draped in fur, the long banner of a tail, the slim, muscular face that peered toward her and her dog.

After a few moments of trotting, the wolf walked in front of Cleo and began to sniff her and her dog. It walked in a wide circle around her, making no noise as it moved. No growls or snarls escaped its throat, or the throat of its companion. Rather, it took some time to examine both Cleo and Blue, and when it finished, it sat a couple of feet in front of Blue, looking up at the puppy’s owner with calm, discerning eyes.

Cleo stood, frozen, while the wolves came toward her. She knew that she shouldn't run from certain animals, but she couldn't quite remember what they were. Grizzly bears? No, bulls. Or maybe mountain lions? Well, it didn't matter now, the wolves were too close for her to try running, anyway. She stayed as still as she could as the wolves sniffed her and Blue. The wolves were beautiful, if terrifying, but they didn't seem to want to attack. One of the wolves sat down, and Blue started edging away from it. Should I say something? But what if they get angry and hurt Blue... "Um. Hi?" She whispered.

[Chrome Legion]

Elizabeth Tsukuyomi


There would be a lot to do. The first was to ascertain for certain what kind of plane they had come in contact with. Many of the obviously morphic planes were off the table, as the laws of physics were still behaving as should. No crusading outsiders had barged through, so that eliminated a strong morally aligned plane. Those were good things, what ever they were dealing with wasn't openly hostile to their existence by it's nature.

Liz briefly recalled a planar gateway forming in Siberia, to a plane that was completely incompatible to their own. The mundanes called it something... "The Tunguska Event". It was very good that there would not be an "Eagle Island Event."

Liz let out a long resigned sigh. She did have something of a reputation to keep up. Extra-planar creatures would have to pay a price for this trespass, just as they would extract one from humanity. It was rather rude to break the walls between worlds. Some tourism was fine, but this crossed that line.

And she had just managed to go back to sleep after Paris. Tsukuyomi let out a long, exhausted sigh. Then she opened her eyes. Two pairs of brilliant purple-pink eyes above and below her own. Quickly, she felt the power building inside of her. Along came a quick and powerful blast of memories. Time she spent traveling as two. Scenes of wondrous and impossible realities. A creature, and pathetic, but radiating strength. These where not lost memories, but their effect grew. Again, and for the second time in such a short period, Tsukuyomi had to wake up. It was exhilarating, but such a drag.

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Henry von Kressel

He wondered if the source of such doubts poured from the stream of worry or from the stream of a disbelief that would relieve them. Michel did call him, but from a public number, not private. Therefore, he couldn't just call him back. But there was something that Henry could do, something so mundane and ordinary that he wondered how he didn't it before.

"Yes, this requires certain physical evidence... I need to excuse myself for a few minutes, if you allow me. There are a few calls that I need to do to get the evidence you need, and I am sure you can use the time to restore a part of your tranquility. I'll be right back, excusez-moi."

Getting up, Henry picked up his phone from his pocket and soon the German could be heard. He paced around, explaining the entire situation to Sebastian, the man tasked with maintaining Salzburg, while Sebastian informed him that the security measures of the palace were activated against spiders and how many small spots of blood and burnt bodies appeared around the house, all at once.

Next on the call, Manfred. Finally the Lord of Berlin got news that Henry was alive and well, just like Eglantine's parents. Yet as if he knew that Michel and Saturninus would raise doubts inside their minds, his uncle informed him that he had what he needed. With heavy steps, knowing that he carried a wrecking ball that would destroy the doubts presented to them, he turned his phone around, with two pictures that showed their presumably dead relatives. The first one was Rabbit alongside Michel, leaving Salzburg, the last time he saw them. The second one showed Saturninus alongside Amber and the House's guards.

"Physical evidence that they are alive, as requested."

Eglantine and Family - All Around the World

Apollinaire tapped his fingers along the rail of the bed, as Henry walked away to make phone-calls. Calixte and Eglantine both knew a little German, but Apollinaire knew none, and thus the trio waited with apprehension to see what the Von Kressel boy would bring as evidence. Eglantine specifically heard Sebastian's name, and she knew that Salzburg probably had some security cameras active at all times. She had not even considered it, but she was relieved as she thought about the footage. Michel had walked through Salzburg's halls, had sung in its shower, had flirted with Sarah in its hallways, and had met with her, Rabbit, Henry, and even the puppies. She found herself wanting to hug Chloe as she watched Henry pace the room, waiting for news.

After some bated silence, Henry looped around the room and made another phone-call. This time, Manfred answered. Eglantine almost wished that Saturninus would speak, but she did not get a chance to ask for him. She only hoped that some photos would be enough, though she knew some time had passed since the last time her parents had seen him. Then again, her father had recognized her immediately, so some hope persisted. Finally, Henry stopped his phone-call, looked down at the screen, and made his way back to the family. The Von Kressel boy had photos, though they were not plentiful. He showed the phone, and Apollinaire took it in his hands. "...Lemme see..."

Both husband and wife squinted their eyes at the somewhat grainy photos. Michel did not look like himself, but Saturninus did. While puberty had changed him a little, his platnium-blonde hair and ice-blue eyes were unmistakably his own. With one of Henry's two claims proven, the couple stared at each other in shock. "...So...Saturninus...is alive...That would make him...the new heir, wouldn't it?..." Calixte murmured, as she stared down at the picture. Neither of them cared much for the other figures in that picture at the moment, but Saturninus was indeed himself. They looked back to the picture of Michel, as he stood with a strange masked figure outside of Salzburg. The hair and eyes were too different, almost unrecognizable, but the way he held his posture, and the way he wore his dark clothes, were indicators that he was perhaps that same man who was Soleil's father. "...Unbelievable...aaaaaagh...alright..." Apollinaire handed Henry back his phone, and looked up at him with a grave stare.

"We have several problems. Assuming this is in fact Michel, and now that we know Saturninus is...somehow alive...We need to determine whether or not Blanchefleur is alive," Apollinaire started, "I'm not sure if you kids know what's happened in the mountain not too far from here, but...Castle Rise just got blown to smithereens. And we were seconds from going with it."

Eglantine found herself gulping at the sound of this news. House Rise's main castle, its headquarters, gone. In a flash so large it left smoke and ash floating over the French and Austrian countryside. If her parents had not escaped a few seconds early, she would not have had this reunion. She would have been so close, all for nothing. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and she gulped down tears. Calixte rubbed her back, as if to assure her that her parents were, in fact, alive.

Continuing for her husband, Calixte spoke. "We don't know what exactly caused the explosion, but the shock-wave has made its way all the way here, so it was substantial. Either Blanchefleur is quite dead, and we have to have a name a new Head of House as soon as possible, or Blanchefleur is alive and her son is the Heir. Which...I'm sure she knows one way or another whether her own son is alive, since she's...impressive at tracking people."

"Yeah. She tracked us all the way to Norway," Apollinaire added.

"...Norway?...Wait..." Eglantine blinked, as facts which had sunk to the bottom of her mind arose once again. "...The hotel...and the exploded cruise-ship...Then...that was you?!" She felt herself tensing as she realized what Manfred had been trying to tell her, when she had interrogated him about the passengers on the ill-fated ship. "...We thought...those people were dead!"

"...Blanchefleur sent some sort of assassin, some girl and a Fae of all things," her father explained, "and they managed to take both of us by exploiting our weaknesses. That's how we ended-up at Castle Rise in the first place. I don't know what they wanted with us, but...I'm sure they're still out there. If she found a good enough fighter like that, then she'll use them for what they're worth."

Eglantine turned to Henry. So much of the puzzle now had been connected, but still some pieces were missing. "...So...We have to find Blanchefleur...and then we have to...somehow meet with everyone to discuss what now...if Michel and Saturninus are both alive...That's...a lot. Which means we need to find Aunt Lorelei and Uncle Jehanne..." she muttered. Turning back to Henry, the tension had rebuilt in her face. "...So...what should we do now first?...We have a Castle to...scour...and if we can't do that...we have to find Aunt Blanchefleur, or her remains, if that's possible..."

Henry von Kressel

Much like a hound, Manfred picked up a scent and knew when it was something different. It was indeed a getaway plan, foiled by Blanchefleur's "mercenaries" of a certain sort, and their location was unknown. His mind quickly went to Soleil, who could become a target for Blanchefleur's plans, specially once she caught up to the news that Michel decided that he wouldn't be dead anymore.

"... How far is the Castle from here? If we can determine that Blanchefleur is dead or alive, then we can start thinking about the next steps. Also, I know you might be suspicious of me but if you allow a suggestion, you should create some distance between you and your... unfriendly relative soon as possible. If you accept this suggestion, Salzburg, the city that houses my Seat, is at your disposal.

If the castle isn't that far, we may as well go now, even if it aches my heart to do so. While we are ascertaining Blanchefleur's status, I am sure that you can think of the whereabouts of your other relatives while we are away. A pertinent question, though... Are there any monsters, enemies, creatures, the list goes on, that we should be worried about?"

[Luminesa]

The Wolves - Friends from Beyond

The wolf did not smell hostility on this girl and her dog. They seemed to simply be newcomers. Cleo seemed to look upon the creature with cautious admiration and with fear, wondering about the form and beauty of the Fae's emissary. Of course, she did not know this wolf was an emissary of a Fae. It just seemed to be an unusual part of the island's fauna. Yet as it stepped, Cleo also noticed something growing through the snow beside it. Fresh, colorful lavender, a bright and healthy violet. The flowers gave the wolf a softer appearance, a mystifying one. It had come from a dream, and had landed before the new Mage and her dog, a vision of a different world planted in her own.

The wolf became even gentler as it heard the girl's greeting, and its tail flapped in the snow, causing specks of icy white to float in clouds around him. Her voice was sweet and innocent, without cruelty or malevolence. The creature then walked forward, turning its nose up toward her hand for her to pet. Even if it knew Blue was afraid, it was not as interested in the little dog at the moment. Rather, it wanted to see if this girl was truly so gentle in her actions, as she was with her words.

Florian - In The Summer Air

With Artosh and Rabbit gone, Florian's realm seemed to settle into its eternal stillness for a few moments. Time did not pass as it did in the human realm, and so he sat on his throne and glared out into the slivers of light floating down from the windows. His opponent was seeking him, and he would rise to the occasion. His eyes glowed violet with power, as he was no stranger to potential trespassers, and he knew when he needed to defend his realm. As he stood and took a breath, a lightning-fast second passed, crackling before his eyes, and he met the gaze of a creature's fuchsia-colored eyes.

The creature's visage came and vanished as soon as he felt its presence, and he knew that this intruder was no normal Mage. Some sort of dimension-traveler had found him, and now was going to make a move. He continued to stand, and he put a hand to the sheath at his waist. While it had not been at his waist before, the danger he felt warranted this swift preparation, and he stared toward the castle's entrance. "...If you wish to speak with me...then come to me and speak. Otherwise...I wait for your arrival for a battle. Whether you are mortal or immortal, I will not be teased," he warned. Tsukiyomi would hear this warning radiate through her skull as she came back to herself, and then words gave way to tense silence.

[Wiland Noria]

The Wolves - Friends from Beyond

The wolf did not smell hostility on this girl and her dog. They seemed to simply be newcomers. Cleo seemed to look upon the creature with cautious admiration and with fear, wondering about the form and beauty of the Fae's emissary. Of course, she did not know this wolf was an emissary of a Fae. It just seemed to be an unusual part of the island's fauna. Yet as it stepped, Cleo also noticed something growing through the snow beside it. Fresh, colorful lavender, a bright and healthy violet. The flowers gave the wolf a softer appearance, a mystifying one. It had come from a dream, and had landed before the new Mage and her dog, a vision of a different world planted in her own.

The wolf became even gentler as it heard the girl's greeting, and its tail flapped in the snow, causing specks of icy white to float in clouds around him. Her voice was sweet and innocent, without cruelty or malevolence. The creature then walked forward, turning its nose up toward her hand for her to pet. Even if it knew Blue was afraid, it was not as interested in the little dog at the moment. Rather, it wanted to see if this girl was truly so gentle in her actions, as she was with her words.

Florian - In The Summer Air

With Artosh and Rabbit gone, Florian's realm seemed to settle into its eternal stillness for a few moments. Time did not pass as it did in the human realm, and so he sat on his throne and glared out into the slivers of light floating down from the windows. His opponent was seeking him, and he would rise to the occasion. His eyes glowed violet with power, as he was no stranger to potential trespassers, and he knew when he needed to defend his realm. As he stood and took a breath, a lightning-fast second passed, crackling before his eyes, and he met the gaze of a creature's fuchsia-colored eyes.

The creature's visage came and vanished as soon as he felt its presence, and he knew that this intruder was no normal Mage. Some sort of dimension-traveler had found him, and now was going to make a move. He continued to stand, and he put a hand to the sheath at his waist. While it had not been at his waist before, the danger he felt warranted this swift preparation, and he stared toward the castle's entrance. "...If you wish to speak with me...then come to me and speak. Otherwise...I wait for your arrival for a battle. Whether you are mortal or immortal, I will not be teased," he warned. Tsukiyomi would hear this warning radiate through her skull as she came back to herself, and then words gave way to tense silence.

Cleo watched, entranced, as the lavender grew out of the snow. Is this a dream? She wondered. As the wolf looked up at her, she hesitated before reaching out to it.One of these wolves could kill both me and Blue easily... and yet, I'm not scared? Blue cowered next to her. Blue's scared, though. She pulled away for a second, but. then reached out to the wolf again. "Hello..." She whispered. She gently pet the wolf's head, half expecting it to bit her hand.

[Chrome Legion]

Kròl Dariusz


Kròl, for once, didn't look out of place in his surroundings. Around him the mountains of the southern Alps stood, blackened by by fire, the snow replaced by ash. The connection of the events was to convenient. There was only one obvious conclusion, Catherine had caused this. It was unlikely to be an accident. There would be fallout form this. Kròl didn't know how much this would effect the mundane world. If mages were implicated, there would be no telling about the effects. The veil would be torn apart.. Though that was Kròl's eventual goal, revealing that with the uses of a weapon of mass destruction could not be a good idea.

House Rise was a concern, maybe even more so now. How would they react? Kròl figured he had burned that bridge rather thoroughly, but how should he react if they came to him again? He hated the way that Blanchefluer behaved, but she could still be of use... However, perhaps it was time to make nice with the other powers. He had opened Kraków, but expected little travel for the immediate future. Perhaps it would be better to act aggressively against Rise now, position themselves as allies early. His late stage plans were in disarray now. Perhaps Catherine had planned that herself, an act of rebellion. That was not unexpected, but this... this was something else.

There was much to think about. So Kròl stood there to ponder the future.

[Luminesa]

Eglantine and Family - All Around the World

Apollinaire tapped his fingers along the rail of the bed, as Henry walked away to make phone-calls. Calixte and Eglantine both knew a little German, but Apollinaire knew none, and thus the trio waited with apprehension to see what the Von Kressel boy would bring as evidence. Eglantine specifically heard Sebastian's name, and she knew that Salzburg probably had some security cameras active at all times. She had not even considered it, but she was relieved as she thought about the footage. Michel had walked through Salzburg's halls, had sung in its shower, had flirted with Sarah in its hallways, and had met with her, Rabbit, Henry, and even the puppies. She found herself wanting to hug Chloe as she watched Henry pace the room, waiting for news.

After some bated silence, Henry looped around the room and made another phone-call. This time, Manfred answered. Eglantine almost wished that Saturninus would speak, but she did not get a chance to ask for him. She only hoped that some photos would be enough, though she knew some time had passed since the last time her parents had seen him. Then again, her father had recognized her immediately, so some hope persisted. Finally, Henry stopped his phone-call, looked down at the screen, and made his way back to the family. The Von Kressel boy had photos, though they were not plentiful. He showed the phone, and Apollinaire took it in his hands. "...Lemme see..."

Both husband and wife squinted their eyes at the somewhat grainy photos. Michel did not look like himself, but Saturninus did. While puberty had changed him a little, his platnium-blonde hair and ice-blue eyes were unmistakably his own. With one of Henry's two claims proven, the couple stared at each other in shock. "...So...Saturninus...is alive...That would make him...the new heir, wouldn't it?..." Calixte murmured, as she stared down at the picture. Neither of them cared much for the other figures in that picture at the moment, but Saturninus was indeed himself. They looked back to the picture of Michel, as he stood with a strange masked figure outside of Salzburg. The hair and eyes were too different, almost unrecognizable, but the way he held his posture, and the way he wore his dark clothes, were indicators that he was perhaps that same man who was Soleil's father. "...Unbelievable...aaaaaagh...alright..." Apollinaire handed Henry back his phone, and looked up at him with a grave stare.

"We have several problems. Assuming this is in fact Michel, and now that we know Saturninus is...somehow alive...We need to determine whether or not Blanchefleur is alive," Apollinaire started, "I'm not sure if you kids know what's happened in the mountain not too far from here, but...Castle Rise just got blown to smithereens. And we were seconds from going with it."

Eglantine found herself gulping at the sound of this news. House Rise's main castle, its headquarters, gone. In a flash so large it left smoke and ash floating over the French and Austrian countryside. If her parents had not escaped a few seconds early, she would not have had this reunion. She would have been so close, all for nothing. She felt a shiver run down her spine, and she gulped down tears. Calixte rubbed her back, as if to assure her that her parents were, in fact, alive.

Continuing for her husband, Calixte spoke. "We don't know what exactly caused the explosion, but the shock-wave has made its way all the way here, so it was substantial. Either Blanchefleur is quite dead, and we have to have a name a new Head of House as soon as possible, or Blanchefleur is alive and her son is the Heir. Which...I'm sure she knows one way or another whether her own son is alive, since she's...impressive at tracking people."

"Yeah. She tracked us all the way to Norway," Apollinaire added.

"...Norway?...Wait..." Eglantine blinked, as facts which had sunk to the bottom of her mind arose once again. "...The hotel...and the exploded cruise-ship...Then...that was you?!" She felt herself tensing as she realized what Manfred had been trying to tell her, when she had interrogated him about the passengers on the ill-fated ship. "...We thought...those people were dead!"

"...Blanchefleur sent some sort of assassin, some girl and a Fae of all things," her father explained, "and they managed to take both of us by exploiting our weaknesses. That's how we ended-up at Castle Rise in the first place. I don't know what they wanted with us, but...I'm sure they're still out there. If she found a good enough fighter like that, then she'll use them for what they're worth."

Eglantine turned to Henry. So much of the puzzle now had been connected, but still some pieces were missing. "...So...We have to find Blanchefleur...and then we have to...somehow meet with everyone to discuss what now...if Michel and Saturninus are both alive...That's...a lot. Which means we need to find Aunt Lorelei and Uncle Jehanne..." she muttered. Turning back to Henry, the tension had rebuilt in her face. "...So...what should we do now first?...We have a Castle to...scour...and if we can't do that...we have to find Aunt Blanchefleur, or her remains, if that's possible..."

Henry von Kressel

Much like a hound, Manfred picked up a scent and knew when it was something different. It was indeed a getaway plan, foiled by Blanchefleur's "mercenaries" of a certain sort, and their location was unknown. His mind quickly went to Soleil, who could become a target for Blanchefleur's plans, specially once she caught up to the news that Michel decided that he wouldn't be dead anymore.

"... How far is the Castle from here? If we can determine that Blanchefleur is dead or alive, then we can start thinking about the next steps. Also, I know you might be suspicious of me but if you allow a suggestion, you should create some distance between you and your... unfriendly relative soon as possible. If you accept this suggestion, Salzburg, the city that houses my Seat, is at your disposal.

If the castle isn't that far, we may as well go now, even if it aches my heart to do so. While we are ascertaining Blanchefleur's status, I am sure that you can think of the whereabouts of your other relatives while we are away. A pertinent question, though... Are there any monsters, enemies, creatures, the list goes on, that we should be worried about?"

Eglantine and Family - Getaway Car

Calixte blinked and thought for a few moments. She had not even considered how far she and Apollinaire had traveled when running from the exploding ruins of the castle. All that she knew was that they had escaped, and had arrived in Grenoble in time to reach shelter in a hospital. Even now, they were still close enough to feel aftershocks, if they continued to come, but for now they had settled. "...We only took a few minutes to escape...but we had used Magic, obviously. Otherwise we would not have made our way here. Our trip was...not long, however. If you drive, it should not take you longer than twenty minutes," she explained.

Apollinaire nodded, and added, "Though if my daughter drives like I do, she could make that ten." He smirked at Eglantine, who gave a cheery grin back to him. They were glad to share a laugh between each other, the first one they had shared in a long time. Yet when Henry added the suggestion of the family hiding at Salzburg, he frowned. "...Well, the problem with that is...while it seems like a decent plan...I'm still waiting for my consultation with a surgeon over...this." He showed his wounded arm, which had peeled and pulsated in pain for the last hour. The dead tissue was black, red, and sickly yellow, and trailed up his arm. As Eglantine took a closer look at it, she could feel herself almost getting sick, but her father shook his head. "It's...not too bad now that I'm on morphine...but the problem is that...I may have to get surgery to amputate this arm. If that's the case...I'll be in the hospital for a few days recovering. God only knows what kind of complications this kind of...Magic...could leave," he muttered. Turning to Henry, he held-up the arm.

"You know how long this took to happen? Not even a minute. There's spiders crawling all around, and not just normal spiders. These are Blanchefleur's little 'maids', and the venom they have is worse than anything I've ever seen. I don't know if there's any antidote or any medicine, so all I can tell you is to look-out for these. Don't let them get close, and don't let them bite," he added.

"I agree. But beside those, there are dragons that got loose from Blanchefleur's castle," Calixte added. "When we were leaving, they flew away from the damage. They were underground, so I don't imagine too many of them suffered harm. But they have flown in whatever direction she has commanded them, I suppose. If you happen to find any of them, do not be foolish and fight them. They are even more vicious than normal dragons, given she does not seem to feed them regularly. And...given that it is Blanchefleur...I am sure she has undead or demons of some sort hiding. Do not rush into battle without thinking, do you understand?"

Eglantine nodded, and looked to Henry. She was already nervous. She knew that her aunt's castle had always been full of mysterious threats and Black Magic, but given that her parents had described new monsters and abominations, she knew that she had to keep her eyes open when she and Henry inspected the remains of Castle Rise. "...Some spiders could have been left, too...who knows...It's not like it's hard for them to move out the way of danger...They can just crawl through the cracks and into the nearby fields..." she muttered. She looked to Henry, as if asking to hear his opinion. "...Also...if my parents are staying here...then I want to stay with them. At least until they've recovered. I...don't know when they'll be able to go home...but I want them to be out of the hospital and in a safe place. And I want to make sure they get to that safe place personally. I'm not losing them again," she chimed.

[Chrome Legion]

Elizabeth Tsukuyomi


Tsukuyomi's mind was re-arranging itself. Her biological body was starting to burn away again. The hormonal and other physiological constraints on her mind also burning away. That did not leave her a being of logic and reason though, in fact, the magical pathways that replaced her nerves were far more intense. Instead of a cold and reason, she was much more one of impulse and instinct. The waves of feeling that smashed into her conscious mind were nearly overwhelming, Tsukuyomi had not had as long of a time to rest as she normally did between awakenings.

Into the malestrom that was writhing beneath the surface in Tsukuyomi's mind, a message came. Tsukuyomi scowled at the intrusion. With lightning fast reactions she reached out, and physically grabbed the mana that connected the world and transmitted the message. It was foolish to send it. Now, Tsukuyomi had a direct path back to the sender. But Tsukuyomi's own hand caught her eye, the purple and blue flesh fading to a veined black at her fingers. She needed to consume.

A burst of light shone out form Tsukuyomi as pair of butterfly wings burned their way out through her back. There was only one suitable source of energy for her nearby, so Tsukuyomi made for the glamoured entrance to the caves below mana.

[Chrome Legion]

Sianna Alermici


There was a burned out van in the road. So out of place in the quiet basque country side. Sianna had been used to death in her world, but this was different. It was hard to tell, but it looked like there were four corpses in the wreckage. Sianna didn't know how it happened. They had been fighting a mage aligned with the Rise, and then...

These weren't mages. Just a family passing by. Sianna couldn't be sure who had killed them, but she dreaded the answer. Even if she hadn't delivered the final blow, did that really matter? She had been the one to pick this location for the ambush, she had started the fight. If she hadn't done those things, these people would be alive. For the first time, Sianna felt the blood of mundane blood on her hands. Things we escalating. This moment came just as she had learned about events in the alps. How many had died there? And was it just the asteroid that the mundane world thought it was? Sianna very much doubted so.

[Kingdom of Irhk]

Henry von Kressel

Much like a hound, Manfred picked up a scent and knew when it was something different. It was indeed a getaway plan, foiled by Blanchefleur's "mercenaries" of a certain sort, and their location was unknown. His mind quickly went to Soleil, who could become a target for Blanchefleur's plans, specially once she caught up to the news that Michel decided that he wouldn't be dead anymore.

"... How far is the Castle from here? If we can determine that Blanchefleur is dead or alive, then we can start thinking about the next steps. Also, I know you might be suspicious of me but if you allow a suggestion, you should create some distance between you and your... unfriendly relative soon as possible. If you accept this suggestion, Salzburg, the city that houses my Seat, is at your disposal.

If the castle isn't that far, we may as well go now, even if it aches my heart to do so. While we are ascertaining Blanchefleur's status, I am sure that you can think of the whereabouts of your other relatives while we are away. A pertinent question, though... Are there any monsters, enemies, creatures, the list goes on, that we should be worried about?"

Eglantine and Family - Getaway Car

Calixte blinked and thought for a few moments. She had not even considered how far she and Apollinaire had traveled when running from the exploding ruins of the castle. All that she knew was that they had escaped, and had arrived in Grenoble in time to reach shelter in a hospital. Even now, they were still close enough to feel aftershocks, if they continued to come, but for now they had settled. "...We only took a few minutes to escape...but we had used Magic, obviously. Otherwise we would not have made our way here. Our trip was...not long, however. If you drive, it should not take you longer than twenty minutes," she explained.

Apollinaire nodded, and added, "Though if my daughter drives like I do, she could make that ten." He smirked at Eglantine, who gave a cheery grin back to him. They were glad to share a laugh between each other, the first one they had shared in a long time. Yet when Henry added the suggestion of the family hiding at Salzburg, he frowned. "...Well, the problem with that is...while it seems like a decent plan...I'm still waiting for my consultation with a surgeon over...this." He showed his wounded arm, which had peeled and pulsated in pain for the last hour. The dead tissue was black, red, and sickly yellow, and trailed up his arm. As Eglantine took a closer look at it, she could feel herself almost getting sick, but her father shook his head. "It's...not too bad now that I'm on morphine...but the problem is that...I may have to get surgery to amputate this arm. If that's the case...I'll be in the hospital for a few days recovering. God only knows what kind of complications this kind of...Magic...could leave," he muttered. Turning to Henry, he held-up the arm.

"You know how long this took to happen? Not even a minute. There's spiders crawling all around, and not just normal spiders. These are Blanchefleur's little 'maids', and the venom they have is worse than anything I've ever seen. I don't know if there's any antidote or any medicine, so all I can tell you is to look-out for these. Don't let them get close, and don't let them bite," he added.

"I agree. But beside those, there are dragons that got loose from Blanchefleur's castle," Calixte added. "When we were leaving, they flew away from the damage. They were underground, so I don't imagine too many of them suffered harm. But they have flown in whatever direction she has commanded them, I suppose. If you happen to find any of them, do not be foolish and fight them. They are even more vicious than normal dragons, given she does not seem to feed them regularly. And...given that it is Blanchefleur...I am sure she has undead or demons of some sort hiding. Do not rush into battle without thinking, do you understand?"

Eglantine nodded, and looked to Henry. She was already nervous. She knew that her aunt's castle had always been full of mysterious threats and Black Magic, but given that her parents had described new monsters and abominations, she knew that she had to keep her eyes open when she and Henry inspected the remains of Castle Rise. "...Some spiders could have been left, too...who knows...It's not like it's hard for them to move out the way of danger...They can just crawl through the cracks and into the nearby fields..." she muttered. She looked to Henry, as if asking to hear his opinion. "...Also...if my parents are staying here...then I want to stay with them. At least until they've recovered. I...don't know when they'll be able to go home...but I want them to be out of the hospital and in a safe place. And I want to make sure they get to that safe place personally. I'm not losing them again," she chimed.

Henry von Kressel

Carefully, Henry examined the arm. Clearly it was infected or poisoned, and no matter the source, it spread quickly. What kind of venom Blanchefleur concocted in her dungeons? He wasn't an alchemist himself, but he was almost certain that Mercillia could craft an antidote... but he also knew that Apollinaire would probably lose his arm.

"I see... Well, certainly the surgeon will come shortly. In any case, say that you'll be under the attention of Dr. Otto Meisner if you decide to head to Salzburg, monsieur Apollinaire. And yes, I do agree with you: Eglantine can shorten the time of a travel considerably, even if she'll swear on Calixte's well-being that the others are just going too slow and don't know how to drive. So luckily we'll be here soon, maybe even before the surgeon himself.

Eglantine, you'll be driving once more. Shall we go?"

[Luminesa]

The Wolves - Distress Calls

The wolf sitting in front of Cleo gazed up at her, and then lowered its head, still keeping its eyes on her, as if to say, "No, Cleo, this is not a dream." It occasionally let its tail flap in the snow, as it waited for Cleo's response, and then her hand met its head. The thick, wiry fur was beautiful, smooth like silk but strong like steel. The wolf allowed her to pet it, much like someone's pet dog, and it turned its gaze back up to her with a wag of its tail. Cleo was brave and kind. Even though she had hesitated, she had taken a chance and had reached for the mystical creature. She was rewarded when the wolf walked closer to her, allowing the new girl to pet the creature's back and chest. After a moment, it looked down at Blue as well, and took a chance to sniff the little dog. It made no threatening movements or growls, but rather stared at the pup for a few inquisitive moments, before looking back to the girl. The only sound between them was the pattering of snow under the wolf's long, luscious tail, and the slightest whine that spoke, Hello!

Yet the other wolves were not so much at peace. The wolf sitting in front of Oliver's door was also distressed. It had heard nothing from the inside for at least twenty minutes, and now most of the pack was feeling an invasive, prickling sensation. A warning call from their master. The wolf in front of Oliver's door now attempted to paw its way inside, giving a single, "BARK!" as it worked. Its claws made loud drumming noises on the door, while the claws were powerful enough to carve marks into the wood.

The wolves in the rest of the pack, still hidden deep within the woods, snuffed and stared at each other with fear and confusion. Something had spotted their master. They could hear a message in their heads. Stay there. Guard the portal. Guard the link. Thus the wolves began to move together behind the forest, as deep as they could traverse through the blankets of cold, and they stared toward the campus of Mana Academy. They too could feel that threatening sensation. A force much powerful than themselves had made movements through the Hedge, into the Fae Realm. They were helpless to stop this force, but obeyed Florian's telepathic commands without question. In the meantime, the wolf sitting by Cleo continued to watch her, guarding her from what dangers might come.

Florian - Soldiers' Fields

"A purely psychic being...shedding a mortal coil..." Florian stood from his throne, sword still at his hip, and he continued to glare toward the door. Taking a few more moments to feel the invading force's Mana, he could tell that she was close to breaking through into his realm. Yet he did not show fear. Instead, the Lavender King began to march toward the outside of his castle, a rare action for him to take. He walked through the gates of his castle, and he looked over the vast fields he commanded. To most beings, what he commanded seemed to be a vast field of nothing. Yet from nothing came dreams, a force immeasurable by human comprehension. Tsukiyomi, however, was not fully human. Even so, he planned to find her purpose, and should she desire the destruction of his realm, he would overwhelm her.

Something lurked beneath those lavender fields. Those wild fields were more than a home for a rare sort of flower, and for the wolf-sentries who wandered them, but they were also a grave. Many enemies had come to try and take these lands, only for them to never find the mortal realm again. Rabbit and Artosh were rare exceptions. They were lucky to have survived, to have been sent back to the human world, only because Florian had seen fit to grant these two mortals a small blessing. Yet no blessings would come for enemies. The ground beneath the flowery fields rumbled and moaned just slightly, as if it was a womb in which an infant terror kicked and cried to break through the surface. "...Soon...we shall see what the Fates desire for us to meet..." he murmured. He sent another telepathic message to Tsukiyomi.

Come, if you are so certain. Show yourself and let me judge what you are.

Another one, a separate one, went to Rene, not too far from Tsukiyomi.

Should you step foot into the fields, you shall water them with your blood, foul creature. Mark this warning in your very soul.

[Wiland Noria]

The Wolves - Distress Calls

The wolf sitting in front of Cleo gazed up at her, and then lowered its head, still keeping its eyes on her, as if to say, "No, Cleo, this is not a dream." It occasionally let its tail flap in the snow, as it waited for Cleo's response, and then her hand met its head. The thick, wiry fur was beautiful, smooth like silk but strong like steel. The wolf allowed her to pet it, much like someone's pet dog, and it turned its gaze back up to her with a wag of its tail. Cleo was brave and kind. Even though she had hesitated, she had taken a chance and had reached for the mystical creature. She was rewarded when the wolf walked closer to her, allowing the new girl to pet the creature's back and chest. After a moment, it looked down at Blue as well, and took a chance to sniff the little dog. It made no threatening movements or growls, but rather stared at the pup for a few inquisitive moments, before looking back to the girl. The only sound between them was the pattering of snow under the wolf's long, luscious tail, and the slightest whine that spoke, Hello!

Yet the other wolves were not so much at peace. The wolf sitting in front of Oliver's door was also distressed. It had heard nothing from the inside for at least twenty minutes, and now most of the pack was feeling an invasive, prickling sensation. A warning call from their master. The wolf in front of Oliver's door now attempted to paw its way inside, giving a single, "BARK!" as it worked. Its claws made loud drumming noises on the door, while the claws were powerful enough to carve marks into the wood.

The wolves in the rest of the pack, still hidden deep within the woods, snuffed and stared at each other with fear and confusion. Something had spotted their master. They could hear a message in their heads. Stay there. Guard the portal. Guard the link. Thus the wolves began to move together behind the forest, as deep as they could traverse through the blankets of cold, and they stared toward the campus of Mana Academy. They too could feel that threatening sensation. A force much powerful than themselves had made movements through the Hedge, into the Fae Realm. They were helpless to stop this force, but obeyed Florian's telepathic commands without question. In the meantime, the wolf sitting by Cleo continued to watch her, guarding her from what dangers might come.

Cleo sighed with relief and smiled at the wolf. Blue barked, not aggressively, but in a friendly way, as the wolf sniffed her. Blue trusts them... She knows they won't hurt us. Cleo thought. "Hello there... who are you?" She asked the wolf, only partially expecting an answer. She suddenly was reminded of Clay, an old Australian Kelpie that had lived on her family's farm when she was young. Cleo didn't know why she had remembered Clay, but then she realized that the wolf was acting like Clay had. Gentle, caring, and brave.
A cold breeze seemed to sweep through the trees, and Cleo stiffened. The wolf near Cleo stayed close to her, as if it were protecting her. "What's going on?" She whispered, scared.

[Luminesa]

Eglantine and Family - Getaway Car

Calixte blinked and thought for a few moments. She had not even considered how far she and Apollinaire had traveled when running from the exploding ruins of the castle. All that she knew was that they had escaped, and had arrived in Grenoble in time to reach shelter in a hospital. Even now, they were still close enough to feel aftershocks, if they continued to come, but for now they had settled. "...We only took a few minutes to escape...but we had used Magic, obviously. Otherwise we would not have made our way here. Our trip was...not long, however. If you drive, it should not take you longer than twenty minutes," she explained.

Apollinaire nodded, and added, "Though if my daughter drives like I do, she could make that ten." He smirked at Eglantine, who gave a cheery grin back to him. They were glad to share a laugh between each other, the first one they had shared in a long time. Yet when Henry added the suggestion of the family hiding at Salzburg, he frowned. "...Well, the problem with that is...while it seems like a decent plan...I'm still waiting for my consultation with a surgeon over...this." He showed his wounded arm, which had peeled and pulsated in pain for the last hour. The dead tissue was black, red, and sickly yellow, and trailed up his arm. As Eglantine took a closer look at it, she could feel herself almost getting sick, but her father shook his head. "It's...not too bad now that I'm on morphine...but the problem is that...I may have to get surgery to amputate this arm. If that's the case...I'll be in the hospital for a few days recovering. God only knows what kind of complications this kind of...Magic...could leave," he muttered. Turning to Henry, he held-up the arm.

"You know how long this took to happen? Not even a minute. There's spiders crawling all around, and not just normal spiders. These are Blanchefleur's little 'maids', and the venom they have is worse than anything I've ever seen. I don't know if there's any antidote or any medicine, so all I can tell you is to look-out for these. Don't let them get close, and don't let them bite," he added.

"I agree. But beside those, there are dragons that got loose from Blanchefleur's castle," Calixte added. "When we were leaving, they flew away from the damage. They were underground, so I don't imagine too many of them suffered harm. But they have flown in whatever direction she has commanded them, I suppose. If you happen to find any of them, do not be foolish and fight them. They are even more vicious than normal dragons, given she does not seem to feed them regularly. And...given that it is Blanchefleur...I am sure she has undead or demons of some sort hiding. Do not rush into battle without thinking, do you understand?"

Eglantine nodded, and looked to Henry. She was already nervous. She knew that her aunt's castle had always been full of mysterious threats and Black Magic, but given that her parents had described new monsters and abominations, she knew that she had to keep her eyes open when she and Henry inspected the remains of Castle Rise. "...Some spiders could have been left, too...who knows...It's not like it's hard for them to move out the way of danger...They can just crawl through the cracks and into the nearby fields..." she muttered. She looked to Henry, as if asking to hear his opinion. "...Also...if my parents are staying here...then I want to stay with them. At least until they've recovered. I...don't know when they'll be able to go home...but I want them to be out of the hospital and in a safe place. And I want to make sure they get to that safe place personally. I'm not losing them again," she chimed.

Henry von Kressel

Carefully, Henry examined the arm. Clearly it was infected or poisoned, and no matter the source, it spread quickly. What kind of venom Blanchefleur concocted in her dungeons? He wasn't an alchemist himself, but he was almost certain that Mercillia could craft an antidote... but he also knew that Apollinaire would probably lose his arm.

"I see... Well, certainly the surgeon will come shortly. In any case, say that you'll be under the attention of Dr. Otto Meisner if you decide to head to Salzburg, monsieur Apollinaire. And yes, I do agree with you: Eglantine can shorten the time of a travel considerably, even if she'll swear on Calixte's well-being that the others are just going too slow and don't know how to drive. So luckily we'll be here soon, maybe even before the surgeon himself.

Eglantine, you'll be driving once more. Shall we go?"

Eglantine and Family - Closer to Home

Apollinaire groaned. The arm had started throbbing again as Henry talked, and the dark circles under his eyes showed themselves in the stark lighting of the room. "...I've got a bad feeling...It'll have to be cut, no matter how much I protest..." he muttered, as Calixte pat his shoulders, "...This...poison? Or whatever it is?...It burns badly. The only reason...I'm not dead...is because there's medicine that somehow slowed it down. So it's not entirely Magic...but it's definitely enhanced by some sort of Magic...But the surgery will probably be some time today..." He looked at Eglantine, who had also noticed the dark circles and had shown some fear. "...You be careful. I know you like to drive fast...but I'd like to see you when I come out of the procedure, alright?" he warned her, giving as much of a smile as he could with the onset of pain.

Eglantine blinked away tears and nodded. She could not help but stare at her father's arm, as the festering sores that had burst through the skin. She tried to hide the fear in her face, but her parents both knew that she was trying to hold a front. Given what she and Henry had to go accomplish, she could not afford to break at the moment. She turned to her mother, and gulped. "...I-I'll have my phone, too...L-Look, I'll...put my number on a napkin, and you can...keep me updated..." A nurse who had come into the room to check Apollinaire's vitals brought her a pen and a napkin, and Eglantine wrote hers and Henry's numbers. Handing them to her mother, she said, "If anything happens to me...you can call Henry, too. But...w-we'll be fine. We're gonna...assess the damage and then...come back. As soon as we can."

Calixte nodded, looking from her daughter to Henry. Even if she did not know the boy enough to judge him well, she could tell that his anxiety around them was sincere, and his politeness was not a front. "...Please tell her to use her turn signals properly, and tell her not to turn the music too loud," she warned, trying to keep what conversation remained between them light. She did not know how her husband would fare in his surgery, but she wanted to hope for the best. Nineteen years and both of them had survived things that most people could not imagine. Dying from surgical complications would seem ironic, at best. "There's a few places for you to both go eat, as well, so...I'll find some way to reach a phone, and you two make sure you eat before you come back here. They try, but the food is..." When Apollinaire winced next to her, she nodded to give her silence agreement.

With all parental doting given, Eglantine hugged both of her parents, careful not to harm her father by hugging him too tightly. Yet he tightened the hug himself, knowing that he might not see her for another few hours, if not at least for a day or so. Only then did the Rise heiress walk out of the room with Henry, in order to get into the car and to get ready for a long drive in the direction of the smoke and ashes.

Eglantine - Coal Under the Wheels

Eglantine did not play any music for the first twenty minutes of the trip on the road. She only went about five miles over the speed limit as she drove, ten miles less than usual. She had given her phone to Henry, for him to use as a GPS. She did not speak, and when she was stuck in traffic, she quietly tapped the steering wheel with her fingers and took a deep breath. At one point in this strained silence, a groan left her throat. "...I could have used Magic to leap us over this crowd of ostriches waiting for one of them to figure-out that the light is green," she grumbled. She did not speak for another five minutes, though she hoped her mumbling had maybe caused Henry to laugh. Anything to fill the void of fear swelling in her chest.

About thirty minutes into the drive, she finally mentioned something about turning-on music. The quiet drive in the countryside was no longer consoling, but a monotonous exercise that was making her insane. "Go through my playlists, there's the 'Long-Distance' playlist. Turn it up, too. There's nothing on the radio," she told him. She then flickered her eyes back to the road, just in time to see a man cutting her off. "Oh wow, look at this punk, thinks he owns the road and can do figure-8's in traffic." Looking out the window, she cursed him out in a mix of French and Catalan, part of which he would possibly understand and part of which would go over his head. When she finished after about a minute, she leaned back into the interior of the car and continued at her 'safer' pace. "...Gosh, the smoke is just getting worse...I can't imagine we're going to find anything other than a cinder when we arrive."

She was all too correct, as the duo took a road off the path in order to make their way to the valley by the Alps. The sky was now almost a graphite-color, and Eglantine had her windshield-wipers swinging back and forth as fast as they could. Quickly, she parked the car on the edge of the valley-road, and she whistled as she slowly turned her head out the window. "...Are we...even going to be able to get out the car?...Henry, it's pouring smoke." She turned down the music, as she looked at the monstrosity before her. The very nothingness that rose from behind the smog proved to her, without even having the slightest bit of visibility, that the duo had come to see the ghost of what was once House Rise's most infamous castle, a ghost which even after utter annihilation refused to rest in peace. "You have some way to clear smog?...I can think of a way, but it might get us blown-up."

[Saleon]

Eliza Hartford
The Sanguine Space Station

---

"The... Faewylds don't work that way. I can't necessarily recalibrate magic to make a new portal to the Faewylds," Eliza says, clearing her throat. She then turns her eyes to Rene, seeming to wave her finger towards the energysource. Rene took the small note and started flittering off, lunging around as his visage vanishes from everyone's sight.

"I can trace it, but traveling to the faewylds is a delicate matter..." Eliza says... mulling over her options.
She looks back to the group, "put it simply, you don't enter the Faewylds. You first travel the Hedge. The only way between this world and the Faewylds. And to get there... you need to find an entrance usually only offered to the Fae. Walking through the Hedge is difficult on its own, but then finding where you need to go is another task. Which means you need to bargain... with the Fae. For entrance, travel, and directions.

"and most Fae make it very clear if you are welcome or not. So... it'll take a bit of effort. So... ready for a crash course in Fae magic?"

Michel - An Old Dog And Fae Tricks

Michel had heard stories about The Hedge. A maze between reality and unreality, between the mundane world and a world that even most Mages could not access. It was not a path, but a space, overgrown by chaotic Fae Magic and wandering dreams. Many of those dreams were also nightmares. The former Jaegar doubted that Rabbit was somehow lost in the Hedge. "If the Fae has taken Rabbit himself, then there wouldn't be a whole lot of reasons for him to just...drop him off in the Hedge, I'm guessing. That would be a pointless thing to do, unless he wanted to make some sort of trial?..." He had no idea how Fae logic worked, though he guessed it was not like human logic.

He looked toward Eliza as she offered her crash course in Fae Magic. Michel thought he had learned almost everything about forbidden Magic, but this girl had managed to bring them this far, and apparently knew more than he had credited her for knowing. He sighed. "If it'll get us a better picture of how to save him, then well...spill the beans, kid. I don't imagine standing here all day is going to help, so we need to pick up the pace before he gets eaten by Fae Magic," he explained. His old thirst for battle was poking him, but he had to control it. Without any direction, he would end-up lost and maimed in an unknown world, with nobody to help him. "If you can reach the Fae himself somehow, that would be even better. You said flowers bloomed where he was standing? Maybe those are a sign. I wonder what would happen if you picked them," he suggested.

"Great... an old man and the Queen of all Darkness over here..." [i] Eliza muttered quietly. She assessed her options.

Rene had already vanished in through puddles of water, seeming to sink into them as if they were an endless sea. Depths and depths. Traveling through some plane of interstitial connections between each puddle and waterway. Like veins inside a supernatural earth. Or neural pathways in a brain. Something only there by Rene's memory of them all.

Eliza looked at Michel and Catherine, "well. Knowing how limited our options are... it'll be at a cost. I know at least one... they are a bit stubborn, but they might let us in."

I could easily move on my own... but with more than a few mages... not many Fae would be willing to let us travel. The one I know who might let us... is not the most friendly, but not the worst. I know a creature who lives in the marshes. We will need to travel to the nearest one... preferably near a ley line. She may allow us, but only if we play our cards right."

[Luminesa]

Eliza Hartford
The Sanguine Space Station

---

Michel - An Old Dog And Fae Tricks

Michel had heard stories about The Hedge. A maze between reality and unreality, between the mundane world and a world that even most Mages could not access. It was not a path, but a space, overgrown by chaotic Fae Magic and wandering dreams. Many of those dreams were also nightmares. The former Jaegar doubted that Rabbit was somehow lost in the Hedge. "If the Fae has taken Rabbit himself, then there wouldn't be a whole lot of reasons for him to just...drop him off in the Hedge, I'm guessing. That would be a pointless thing to do, unless he wanted to make some sort of trial?..." He had no idea how Fae logic worked, though he guessed it was not like human logic.

He looked toward Eliza as she offered her crash course in Fae Magic. Michel thought he had learned almost everything about forbidden Magic, but this girl had managed to bring them this far, and apparently knew more than he had credited her for knowing. He sighed. "If it'll get us a better picture of how to save him, then well...spill the beans, kid. I don't imagine standing here all day is going to help, so we need to pick up the pace before he gets eaten by Fae Magic," he explained. His old thirst for battle was poking him, but he had to control it. Without any direction, he would end-up lost and maimed in an unknown world, with nobody to help him. "If you can reach the Fae himself somehow, that would be even better. You said flowers bloomed where he was standing? Maybe those are a sign. I wonder what would happen if you picked them," he suggested.

"Great... an old man and the Queen of all Darkness over here..." Eliza muttered quietly. She assessed her options.

Rene had already vanished in through puddles of water, seeming to sink into them as if they were an endless sea. Depths and depths. Traveling through some plane of interstitial connections between each puddle and waterway. Like veins inside a supernatural earth. Or neural pathways in a brain. Something only there by Rene's memory of them all.

Eliza looked at Michel and Catherine, "well. Knowing how limited our options are... it'll be at a cost. I know at least one... they are a bit stubborn, but they might let us in."

I could easily move on my own... but with more than a few mages... not many Fae would be willing to let us travel. The one I know who might let us... is not the most friendly, but not the worst. I know a creature who lives in the marshes. We will need to travel to the nearest one... preferably near a ley line. She may allow us, but only if we play our cards right."

Florian - A War of Dreams

The Unseelie was moving. His essence was invisible, soundless, and almost untraceable, except by another Fae. Florian clenched the sword at his side, as he stood and looked outside of his castle. This creature was going to try and move through the Hedge toward him. If he could catch him and beat him down, then he would be satisfied. An evil force moving so freely to defy him would not get a foothold within his kingdom. Yet he also had to worry about the girl who would follow, and any allies she had. He could feel immense dark power around Eliza's leyline, as if some dissonance had leaked and had revealed that this enemy was more complex than the eye could see.

"...I'd like to see them try and make their way through the Hedge...even with help, this place is not easy to find...and yet their Magic is possibly stronger than I have anticipated..." Florian muttered to himself. Still lie the question also of Tsukiyomi, and her quick break through the barrier between the human world and the Fae Realm. [i]A two-front war?...At the very least, it shall be in my own land...Let the lands rumble with the sounds of war, if they must. They will learn the power of the Dream.

Rene would feel resistance, as he moved forward. While he moved with all the smoothness of a clear and running river, Florian now placed rocks and dams in the way. Rene could feel shockwaves of mental energy, pushing him back and disrupting his thought-processes. If his memory is what moved him through dimensions, then Rene would feel himself becoming distracted by random, horrible images. Terrible nightmares. Earth with massive wounds from war, corpses of Unseelie, shattered dreams from the Winter Realm fading before him. The images would come and go each time Rene moved, and would assault him with more intensity each time he made a leap.

Michel - Across the Lake

Michel knew that he would have to stay close to Eliza, if he wanted to enter the Fae Realm. Yet she made a mention that such a movement would be risky with so many Mages in tow. Rene had gone ahead, but Rene by himself would not be able to reach and recover Rabbit. Yet he wanted to go to the island, to see if perhaps Rabbit's Mana was somehow on the island. Perhaps the risk would not be necessary. "...If you can actually reach...whatever we need to reach...this friend of yours...I have things I can give to a Fae as an offering. Not material things, but for certain Magical things. But...traveling through the Hedge...might not guarantee that we find Rabbit. We need the quickest way in, and the quickest way out. And uh...I don't know if they'll want me or Catherine, with all the...Dark Magic they probably can smell on us. Unless they don't care about that sort of thing," he explained.

He had a twinkle in his eye as he thought about gifts he could give to a Fae. "Point the way to the marshes. I don't know the topography of this area, so..." He looked to Catherine, since she had attended Mana and would know more about the area. "You've been a student here for a while, I imagine? Where's the nearest marsh? Unless she's talking about marshes that are not in this realm, which...well, I might be able to think of another dimension, but probably not the one we need."

[Chrome Legion]

Catherine de Sanguine Vivere


Catherine was annoyed that gateways in the Towers weren't going to be of use, but there was nothing to be done about it. She wasn't going to give up on Rabbit, he hadn't on her. And he didn't make her kill him either. So she would go along with this fae travel thing. Catherine wasn't going to waste her time coming up with another plan, especially about something she knew nothing about.

"I don't know the exact ecological term for it, but there's lots of coast to the South by Mana that I'd call marshy. And... I'm kind of loathe to just go spreading this all willy nilly, but I'm pretty sure a massive ley line runs under Mana. It would have to go through the marshes also. What would we need to do to prepare? I don't know what to expect. How many of my... retainers can could I bring through? do we need to head to the forges and beat out some cold iron spears and shit?"

[Chrome Legion]

Elizabeth Tsukuyomi


Tsukuyomi didn't carefully undo the glamour and alarm wards around the cave. She was impatient. She torn them away and consumed their magic. Any of the other teachers monitoring the wards would instantly know about her intrusion, but she didn't care. Maybe this would get the absent members of the faculties attention. But such a little pittance of mana as she could reclaim from the wards was nothing compared to the need she felt. So Tsukuyomi descended further.

She wasn't sure, but she suspected the reason the school was on the Island was for this. A tap, pulling raw magic from a large longitudinal ley line. It was an old, but but exceptionally was crafted magical device. Far older than the European-American culture that created Mana Academy as it stool. Tsukuyomi had no problem navigating the dark cave, but still felt relief surge through her as she caught the magical light of the Tap. It was an oasis to one stranded in a desert. There was the later work surrounding the ancient device, the stone dome carved with the runes of protection for the school. She could care less about those. In the center of the room, with what looked like water pooling around it, flowing out of cupped hands, was an abstract carving of a woman. It was carved from oak, and though it was hundreds of years old, it looked as if the tree had fallen yesterday.

That water was why she was here. It was nearly pure mana, converted into a physical form by the old magics of the figure. Even in her hurry, Tsukuyomi took a quick moment to offer prayer-like words of thanks to the people that had made this place, and likely considered it sacred. Most People would die from drinking more than a few drops of this water. Human mages could probably survive a small cup. A few ounces. This substance had powerful effects on those with a physical form. Before Tsukuyomi had realized it consciously, she realized she was clutching the statue. Her face buried in its hands, gulping down as much of this water of life as she could.

The light of the runes and mana water was washed out by the light radiating out of Tsukuyomi as she stood back up straight. A long tongue flicked around her lips, making sure to consume every last drop. A quick pang of regret hit her, she had consumed all of the reserves of the Tap. The schools main wards would have to run on the trickle coming out for now, until a reserve could be built back up. If nothing tried to breach them, it would be fine, but their reserve of power was now gone. Oh well, Tsukuyomi had her target. If something else came, she would deal with that as well.

Tsukuyomi had the power she needed now, and it was time to gather the second thing she needed before confronting what ever creature lay at the other side of the barrier between worlds. Shapes and forms burst out of Tsukuyomi's body, forming into cyan and vibrant pink butterflies. They Fluttered away from her, until they seemed to freeze, vibrating in mid-air. Then, they vanished from reality with a small flash of light. Moving faster than any natural insect could, they explored Florian's realm. Occasionally triplets of the constructs would form a triangle, with beams of light connecting them for a few seconds before scattering back out randomly.