[b][i][color=00aeef]Nodah Listig[/color][/i][/b]

[i]“I definitely have a lot of ambition. I came to Rosewood with one goal; to be the top student.”[/i] Nodah listened to Desdemona's words, and nodded. [color=00aeef]"A valiant goal, to be sure. One you undoubtedly share with at least one other student in this school."[/color] Would he be forgiven if this duel did not end with Desdemona's victory? It would be a petty affair, certainly, but Nodah had spent his life handling spite, and it seemed everyone would be happier for it if they tread cautiously around each other. His eyes raked over Desdemona. Would she be a good ally? He knew not, however...bridges and burning, he supposed. 

Decided, Nodah walked until he stood across the room facing Desdemona. One foot slid behind the other, widening his stance. He recalled the message about protective barriers. [i]Mayhaps restraint is not part and parcel of the curriculum[/i], he thought, thinking about the knives hidden beneath the edge of his shirt. He put a hand on his hip, felt the handles of his daggers, and was soothed.

Casting an aimless gaze around the room, he asked, [color=00aeef]"Are we meant to begin unprompted? Or is there an examiner whose arrival we should await?"[/color] His eyes settled on Desdemona, and they flashed yellow. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips. [color=00aeef]"Does this seem barbaric to you? Placing two students in a room and pitting them against each other. Or is it merely necessary?"[/color] Learning discipline might not have been an intended lesson, but Nodah might as well preach it for all it was worth.