[u]Unexpected Visit in the Medical Wing[/u] It had taken some coaxing but in the end, Sam and Althalus’s efforts were a success. They had finally gotten Mar to settle into the recently cleared herb storages and isolated from the rest of the ward. It was just right to the entrance as the open space had a white cloth to prevent a visual to spy, the staff slightly mixed in emotions of awe and edginess. Once they had completely moved Mar, Sam dismissed the large Golems to notify Uicle that the small family had arrived with little trouble. Wordless they left instantly and seemed relieved to be rid of their tasked burden. The elderly man simply chuckled at the thought while he turned his crowfeet eyes upon the human father to impart a little advice. “Might want to get little Lyn cleaned up young father. Namely since you’ll likely have some visitors- he was interrupted and abruptly stopped when he eyed Mar’s form tense then added. “One at a time naturally and widely spaced visit, I assure you. I won’t allow the mother or baby to be overcrowded, so be calm.” When Mar eased back into the sheets, Sam continued. “I’ll have some volunteers and a few Golems bring in a bath for you when you’re ready.” He smiled, then turned and returned to his own need to wash. Althalus blinked in surprise at Sam, looking up from Lyn and Mar. He had honestly forgotten that the old healer was there. He shook his head, almost wonderingly. "Yeah. We'll call when ready." It was still a bit of a shock that he was a father, even if he had had six months of continuous arguing to prepare himself. As soon as Sam left, Althalus simply returned to staring at Lyn. After some time, there was a racket outside. It didn’t take long for the sound to catch a healer’s attention. A young woman and one of Lucilia’s last year graduates, Violet Myers, cautiously moved towards the doorway. Her small, petite figure reached for the handle just when it clicked open itself. The hand leapt backwards when the large Naga was now standing there. She moved to the side when he slithered through, her face filled with confusion and surprised at his condition. Slowly her form shrank backwards while she allowed him through. When Sam noticed Xyden arrival within the infirmary, his eyes flickered upright and was instantly concern. There were signs of battle upon the Naga’s hide and armor, even one of his fins had been torn, as the elderly man raised his hands from the water. The water dripped from them, no longer red and covered in fluids, and Sam immediately pushed forward. His boot clipped the floor, unaware of the few other healers who also peeked up from their charges to glimpse Xyden. He closed the distance quickly. “What has happened?” Violet’s narrowed her eyes upon the Naga’s head, suspicion raced through her body as she moved out the door. It was there, only a short distance she found the passed out body of Alaira. She took a knee and started to examine the half elf, her voice tossed back to Sam. “Sam! It’s Alaira, she’s injured and needs medical attention quickly!” Several of the healers, not tending to seriously wounded patients, hauled their bodies to mass towards the Half Elf. Sam however remained where he was. His eyes had started to note the wounds carefully and his face started to pale, realization flickered upon his face. His frail body stepped to block Xyden in his path towards Mar and Lyn, the man’s voice once more repeated his question in accusation. “What has happened, Xyden?” ---------------------------------------- Xyden looked down at the elderly Land-Strider standing before him. For a moment it amused him that this man was probably only half his own age and yet already clearly crippled by it, but the moment passed quickly as the urgency of his task pushed back into his mind. Xyden knew that this man was the leader of the healers, and if any were in a position to restore his previous foe to some semblance of an ability to walk, it would be him. So why was he standing in front of him instead of helping Alaira? "Alaira... requires your attention... Land-Strider..." He said with a hint of genuine care in his voice. ---------------------------------------- "I know that, but what has happened?" Sam persisted, his expression softened. He could sense the slight worry and concern in the voice, yet she wasn't his only charge. Again, Violet shouted for aid. Sam fought with his screaming instincts his eyes deepened inner struggle. In a softer voice, he then asked. "What have you done?" ---------------------------------------- Althalus was ripped from his reverie by the familiar sound of muted violence. One didn't grow up in Port Slaughter, if you weren't a noble, that is, without hearing it nightly. The walls of his room as a child had been thick, but not thick enough to shield him from the truth of what was going outside of his home. [i]Why would there be fighting outside a medical ward?[/i] He wondered, his hands slipping to the two knives he had brought with him. Perhaps he was just being overly paranoid, and it was an unruly patient. But old habits died hard, and he preferred that Mar and Lyn were safe and he looked insane, rather than he assume the best and have the worst happen. He was just walking towards the makeshift door when he heard a female voice calling for help for Alaira. A few more steps and Sam's voice could be heard, demanding an answer of someone named Xyden. Althalus' mind searched back for a face to put to the name. It soon clicked. The other Naga. The one Mar had nearly gotten into a fight with, his first day of being here. "Now, what do you want?" He muttered. Carefully, he edged aside the white cloth just enough to see what was going on. And then immediately dropped it. Xyden was in what appeared to be full battle gear, showing signs of a recent scuffle, and was being blocked entrance to the storage area by Sam. None of those were good signs. None of them at all. With the quiet rasp of leather sliding on steel, Althalus drew his two knives. Softly, he called to Mar. "If you can find somewhere to put Lyn where a Naga wouldn't be able to find her, I'd suggest you do it now. Things look like they might get nasty." The only benefit, he supposed, was the fact that the trident would be largely useless in the confined area. Or at least, not as effective. Not that Xyden needed it to be effective when all Althalus had was two knives against his armor. Althalus stepped to the side of the entrance, waiting. "I hate fair fights." ---------------------------------------------------------- Xyden stared down at the defiant human. It was folly to oppose a myrmidon, but he kept doing it. Xyden couldn't tell if it was stupidity or bravery, maybe both. "I did... what was necessary..." He said before gently but forcefully pushing him aside and slithering past. He only hoped that, by the favour of Xanaphya, no more innocents would be hurt today. ---------------------------------------------------------- "What are you doing?" Sam asked as he was easily pushed aside, the student moved past. His eyes noticed where it lead to and a slight fear pushed into his mind. Something wasn't right. He could feel it within his bones, more and more things didn't add up with the situation. His feet started to move again and tried to once more push ahead to bar Xyden's way. "Stop, Mar's in there." ---------------------------------------------------------- Xyden ignored the Land-Striders futile attempts to slow him and begun to pronounce the sentence against Marya as he moved closer to the room from which her smell emanated, only a thin sheet of material stopping a direct line of sight. His voice was raised that all might hear of her crimes and the justness of his actions as he spoke. "Marya of Mesa Gaan... Tyros of Yarosmere... I, Xyden of the Depths... Centurion of the Myrmidon Order... pronounce you and your... offspring, for the crime... of interbreeding with Surface Dwellers... abominations. In accordance with the Law... of the Depths... the punishment... for this sin against the purity.... of the Naga race... is the stripping of all rank... and position... within Naga society... followed by your immediate execution. Your death... will not be recorded... and the record of your life... will be struck from history... Submit peacefully... to your sentence... that innocents may be spared... from your Malice." As he finished pronouncing Marya's sentence, he drew back the cloth that covered her small room, already having drawn himself to full height and extended his fins, ready for her to resist. He hoped she wouldn't, that she would see her crime and realise what had to be done, but he didn't think it was so likely that he wouldn't prepare for her to resist. Unfortunately the proper means of execution risked Malice more than he would've liked, and so he would need to be quick. ---------------------------------------------------------- Althalus cursed, softly, as he heard the Naga making his rather lenghty proclamation. The only thing he really understood, and cared about for that matter, was the 'immediate execution' part. That was just great. The damn fool not only was trying to kill Mar and Lyn, he believed that he was on a mission from whomever or whatever created that law. Fanatic. He hated dealing with fanatics. No sense of self preservation that would make normal, reasonable, killers have second thoughts about doing things. Like trying to kill the mother and child of an assassin who isn't within sight. As it was, he only glanced at Mar and mouthed 'keep her safe' before darting out from the side of the door way. It took him a split second to see the gap in the armor, where the Ocean Naga's armpit was, and to thrust a knife as hard as he could towards that leather protected area. The knife struck the leather, and Althalus experienced a moment of resistence, before the blade pierced it and sank up to the hilt in Xyden's arm. Althalus leapt back, leaving the knife he had used to attack with in Xyden's armpit, and kept himself and his one knife between Xyden and Mar and Lyn. His family. He wouldn't fail. Not again. A gust of wind blew by him, strange in the stillness of the storage room, but he paid it no mind. "I'm afraid you need to check where you are. This is the surface, not the Depths. Your laws don't apply here." [i]Fine words coming from an assasin who breaks and twists laws daily.[/i] Althalus thought, lips twisting into a brief smirk before he returned to concentrating on the situation at hand. Which involved fighting an armored, armed, and likely very angry Naga warrior. [i]And now I remember why I never fight fair.[/i] ---------------------------------------------------------- Xyden hissed in pain once again as his free arm suddenly had a sharp length of metal shoved up in under it. It felt like a Hellshark fang piercing his flesh, but it wouldn't stop him. He was more displeased that another Land Strider would be hurt for Marya's crimes. He reacted quickly, jabbing his trident straight towards his attacker while he swept his tail around from the other side. He was unable to use his free hand though, the pain too great and the damage crippling for the limb, at least while the blade remained lodged where it was. Through gritted fangs, he said with urgency "Stand... Aside... Land Strider." ---------------------------------------------------------- Althalus darted backwards when the trident tried to impale him. The prongs stopped only an inch or so from his chest. Far to close for his comfort. On the one hand, that little act also helped him avoid the tail sweep Naga seemed so fond of to open their attacks with. On the other, it also caused him to retreat farther into the room. Not ideal, when all he had was a knife to go against Xyden. [i]The one day I chose not to wear my armor..[/i] Althalus snorted at Xyden's request. "Sure. I'll stand aside. Right after you turn around, give up your plans to murder my child and her mother, and then leave the College for good. Do that for me and I'll do as you ask." Althalus wished he had a crossbow. A crossbow could have ended this fight before it even began, with a bolt through the skull. Still, wishing, and praying for that matter, never got anyone what they wanted. He waited for the Naga's next move. ---------------------------------------------------------- Xyden had expected the man to dodge, and was not at all phased when his attacks missed. In fact it gave him the advantage. This small room provided an easy method to force his opponent into a corner, and from there he could use his superior reach to do whatever he liked to this foe. He jabbed with his trident again, keeping half an eye on the other Naga to make sure she didn't take him by suprise while he forced the father into a corner. Without his free arm, he couldn't effectively use his chain without abandoning his trident, and so it was likely he'd have to inflict more damage on this man than he'd planned. Throwing the trident to end this quickly briefly crossed his mind, but that was too risky. What he would give for a Harpoon Canon this day... ---------------------------------------------------------- Althalus dodged to the side this time, not wanting to back further into the room and risk brining Mar and Lyn into trident range. So now, he had to play a lovely game where he tried to not back up any further, while also trying to not get impaled upon a pointy object that the damn annoying Naga kept poking at him. "Why did we have to get a room with only one entrance and exit?" He asked, to no one in particular, wishing he had at least his throwing knives. Then it would have made things at least a little bit more fair. Though, Althalus would prefer an unfair fight where a Golem came up behind Xyden and crashed a metal fist against his skull. Not likely. ---------------------------------------------------------- Xyden was beginning to get frustrated with this mans jumpyness. Why couldn't he just stand still and submit to judgement? He pushed forward to close the range with the biped and slashed sideways with the trident, blocking escape from that angle, while bringing his tail in to block the other side. The man wasn't armoured, and if he had to bear hug him and coil him to stop him, he would. ----------------------------------------------------------- Althalus was trapped. He couldn't go to either side, because there was a tail and a trident in his way. Backwards was out of the option, because that would be leading Xyden to Lyn and Mar. Great. Just, great. Althalus saw that there was a gap around Xyden's neck where he could shove a knife, but not only was it out of his reach(the Naga still being much taller than Althalus), the Ocean Naga would likely be prepared for such an attempt. An attempt on any gap in his armor directly in front of him at this point. "Son of a bitch." Althalus muttered, tightening his grip on the knife. A shame it wasn't a throwing knife. He could have safely thrown it and actually had a chance to do what he was going to try without getting close to the bone crushing coils. Althalus took one step towards Xyden, hands held up as if in surrender. "Okay. I see your point." He took another, slow step forward. "You're right. The Laws of the Depths must be obeyed, no matter where they are." Another step. "So I'm just going to step aside, but I won't be in the room to watch it." Another step. He was close to Xyden now, hands still held in that same surrendering position. "How abou you-" Althalus suddenly stabbed forward and upwards with his remaining knife, trying to cripple the other arm. Meanwhile, in another, farther away piece of the College, Uicle was yelling at the Wind Golem that had been watching Mar. "And you didn't just tell me telepathically, why!? No! Don't answer! Just...get out of here.." The Golem quickly left, and Uicle spat a curse out, before setting out at a quick run towards the medical wing, calling what Golems that weren't busily keeping the Djarkel and Eania people from killing each other to help him. His quick run was more of a slow crawl, given that the curse decided to make him fall, stumble, trip, or be similarily delayed every five seconds. ---------------------------------------------------------- Xyden was happy that the Land Strider had finally seen reason. He'd begun to believe it was impossible for their kind to think logically and obey the law. Nonetheless, he could not risk the man interveneing. He would grant the mans wish of not witnessing the event, but not how the land strider expected it. Xydens Trident was already in motion when the primitive creatures word proved false, the blunt haft of the weapon swinging in a long arc even as another dagger was driving towards him. He rolled his body at the last second and the dagger deflected off one of the plates of his armour, leaving a slight gash and a trail of sparks. Moments later the tridents haft struck the mans skull hard, knocking him down. Xyden quickly moved the bladed edge to the mans neck, but when he didn't stir, Xyden pulled weapon away, awkwardly reaching around to wrench the dagger from the flesh under his arm. He was still out of reach for the other Naga, but he worked quickly, transfering his trident to his injured arm, pulling the chain from its place and hooking the flesh hook behind Althalus' arm. He then wrapped it around the mans limbs crudely, not having nearly enough time to properly chain him, but doing enough to avoid a quick escape. From there, Xyden took his weapon in both hands and looked directly at Marya. He slithered closer, aiming his Trident at her stomach, aware of his injury and the blood he was losing, it filled the air with its stench, but he had suffered like this before and survived. He just had to remain conscious long enough to complete his task. ------------------------------------------------------------- Mar wasn't use to the conflict which raged within her. To protect her daughter or her mate, her mind barely registered her name for Athalus while he fought off the larger mutant Naga. Her neck hairs rose with the instinct to attack and her fingers dug into the sheets, her body tethered to Lyn's side. Her mind was torn even as the baby screamed when Althalus went down. A numbness etched into her head, her emotions seemed to smother her and she froze in place. No weapon or way to defend her daughter, mate or even herself had Mar hissing under her breath uncontrollably. "Naga don't kill each other." Mar spat her words, venom gathered in her fangs that sprouted out. The Naga came close then she reacted. Her venom shot from her mouth into twin, thin streams right for Xyden's eyes. They would blind him and sting, hopefully distrub his aim for her rush him. Her hand reached to take hold of his weapon and push it to her side where her tail would've wrapped about the handle. Meanwhile her free one reached for his throat. She aimed to collapse it with her magic and hopefully end this battle quickly. If not...die trying and take him with her... ---------------------------------------------------------- Before Xyden knew what was happening, Marya was upon him.he was blinded and his breath was short from her attacks, but doing so much at once meant her grip on his weapon was weak, and his remained firm. The weapon was punched to the side a little, but not enough. Before feeling any fangs in his throat, he heard the wet sound of an unarmoured body sliding onto the blades of his trident. The central and right blades by the feel of it, and the sudden weight brought them both crashing to the floor. He struggled to wrench the blade free even as he fell, but was unable to before he hit the ground hard, his injuries sending a new searing spike of pain through his body. Through rapidly blinking and blurry eyes, he saw a rapidly expanding pool of blood under both of them, and that his weapon was embedded to the cross that held the blades within his target. Finally, his task was nearly done. He pushed himself slowly up again, avoiding the writhing form of Marya, and with the help of his tail, wrenched the weapon from her body, setting his eyes, finally, on the screaming child. He could only tell her location through sound, the blood overpowering his smell and his sight still far too blurry. Once he had oriented his head towards her though, he could see, only barely, the proof of his righteousness. The child had no tail, but legs. ---------------------------------------------------------- A low threatening hiss erupted from behind Xyden before his whole body was set in pain. A figure, a similar form to Mar had pulled back the makeshift cover. Her eyes were redden and seemed to set in fury. Her fangs were out as her fingers dug into the stone frame. Each word dripped with loathing at the sight which greeted the new Naga that arrived: Kyiir. "You will never touch my great grand child!" Her body trembled with a rage as she stood there, part of her seemed ready to slaughter the stupid male on sight. She applied more pressure to his already racked body. Bones started to crack innerly and press towards his heart, intent on killing him there. "Kyiir! Stop it, you're kiling him!" A female voice, stern and fearful. A brightly colored Naga, one with outright fins and armor had slithered behind her sister's fury. Her hand gently rested upon Kyiir's shoulder who abruptly jerked it away. Again, Xanaphya's hand tried to reach her sibling. "Please...Tend to your daughters and their allies. I will deal with my great grand son." Xanaphya said as she caught Kyiir's eye. The land Naga's expression fade and her fingers snapped, releasing the male Naga from his pain. Kyiir then swiveled on her tail towards the biped outside in the hall now empty because the healers had long fled for aid. Xanaphya's head jerked for Dyesa to get the infant, the winged Naga tucked in her several plain white appendages as she brought herself to Lyn. The babe still wailed in fear and demand for her mother, slightly softened the Naga's heart at the sight. Slowly she picked up Lyn and examined her. That's when her eyes noticed the mother bleeding out on the floor not far, Mar's figured stilled tried to push herself upright only to slip on her own blood with each new gush. "Xanaphya... the mother. She's dying." Dyesa spoke, her eyes turned back to Lyn then realize how terrible the situation was. "Stop her bleeding then get Kyiir's attention." The middle sister nodded her head and did as she was told. Xanaphya's form leaned over the likely crumbled Xyden and spoke. "Why have you done this?" -------------------------------------------------------- Xyden lay on the bloddied ground, in far too much agony to stand again. Some distant part of him knew what was going on, that above him stood the ancient goddesses of legend. They had stopped him. But why? Was it not their Law that he was following? Xyden was confused, but then he heard the voice of Xanaphya, asking him why he acted as he did. He was in too much pain to try and form the difficult words of the bipeds tongue in his mouth, but he would not insult the Godess by speaking it to her anyway. He switched to the subtle sign language that many of his kind used for quick communication while underwater. [i]"It had to be done. Marya is a pervesion of the Naga races purity. Her offspring has legs! How can she not be?"[/i] He signed, before adding a few more quick movements [i]Is it not the Law of the depths?"[/i] ---------------------------------------------------------- Xanaphya's heart ached at seeing Xyden suffer, her eyes shed a little tear and shook her head. Her fins flexed while her tail shifted and her hands moved to form perfect words. Though with each gesture, her sorrow was made very clear. [i]"It shouldn't be. Lyn, the offspring, has to earn her tail. She's not lucky to have it because hers has to be earn through pain and suffering, only then can she become a Naga who will make Land Striders understand our ways. And bring all our kindred together. That is why we didn't allow her to be born with one."[/i] Her hand reached out for his cheek, her eyes seemed to be filled with pain and hurt at what he had tried to do. Again her hands moved. [i]"Marya is among the most powerful of Kyiir's lineage yet she was banished for having a gift we bestowed upon her by her own people. Something we never wanted. Her people have forgotten us because they don't want to remember the pain of their past. Mar has a harsh destiny ahead as well, but you tried to stop that. By doing so, you now must face the results from the Land Strider's rules you willing broke my precious son." [/i] ---------------------------------------------------------- Xyden looked up at the magnificent form of his Goddess, his sight still blurred from Marya's venom, but nonetheless able to see her brilliance. He understood what she said. Just as it was his duty to obey the Matriarchs, it was his obligation to obey his Goddess. Whatever she asked for. Even if it meant submitting to the judgement of the Land Striders. He signed back shortly and simply [i]"I understand."[/i] ---------------------------------------------------------- Xanaphya nodded at his submit to her authority. Her hands gently pressed his against hers, her tears streamed down and soothed his eyes. Cleared them away while Kyiir had finished healing the Land Strider outside, her eyes glared and quickly moved to Mar. The Naga had stilled during the pair's coversation and now seemed to head closer to Malice state. It wasn't pretty. Her body twitched and seemed to sieze, her mind and soul fought off the need to leave with her will. Her skin had paled to a very dangerous point. Kyiir's hand pressed to Mar's head and focused. Her magic spread through out the wounded Naga's body, the flesh mended and sealed itself until only another scar remained. She turned ot the shaken Mar then whispered thoughtfully. "Best you never remember this, my child." With that, Kyiir kissed Mar upon the forehead causing her to pass out. Her body went slack within Kyiir's grip and was set down softly onto the mattresses. The Goddess turned to the man in the corner. His body shackled crudely by Xyden's net and sighed. She then moved to unbind him, careful not to rip the flesh from his shoulder or damage him anymore then he was. Looking over, instead of healing him completely she only focus upon the serious ones which were few. Her eyes then glared at the very cause of this mess. "I suppose you would like I heal him as well?" Xanaphya could sense the huff in which Kyiir rightly spoke, but still pressed her advantage as the eldest. "Yes, please." "Fine. He better never harm them again." Kyiir reached over, her hand touched Xyden's head then pour the bare minial within his form. The damage caused slowly mended itself until he was no longer in danger of dying. Her hand instantly recoiled back and her body turned to the small infant Desya had been holding the whole time. Now Lyn was once more cooing as her little legs wiggled and kicked much to the Goddesses' delight. Easily, Kyiir slipped Lyn from her sister's grasp and laid her in the rightful place beside her mother. "Sister...we need to leave. The bipeds are fast approaching." Kyiir spoke as she started to withdraw from her gargoyle. Desya also followed suit, the pair watched her eldest give Xyden one last look at Xyden before she too faded. Her last words would be imprinted upon his memory for a long time. "I hope one day...you will be able to earn my forgiveness." ---------------------------------------------------------- Xyden felt himself being healed by one of the Goddesses, and wondered if he was worthy of such a thing. But it was not his place to question the wisdom or actions of the Goddesses. He pushed himself up from the bloody mess of the floor and retrieved his weapon, still slick with Marya's lifeblood. He left Althalus in the chains. The Goddesses were leaving, and taking the memory of the occasion with them. That meant the others might still be aggressive, especially seeing all the blood. He did not try to escape the scene. Xanaphya herself had commanded him to submit to the judgement of the Land Striders, and that was precisely what he would do. He leant on his trident, a great weariness overcoming him as he waited for the authorities to arrive. ---------------------------------------------------------- Uicle arrived on the scene soon after, the curse growing weaker and weaker as he approached where the Wind Golem had left Mar, Althalus, their child, and Xyden. Sam was with him, somehow Gregor had found his way from gnawing on bits of scrap metal to join them, and after he dispatched one Golem to carry the unconcsious Alaira into the infirmary, the two of them(and Uicle's remaining Steel Golem), entered the room where the Ocean Naga waited. Or at least, Uicle, Gregor, and Sam did. The steel Golem waited outside the door, being too large to fit inside of the room. Uicle looked like he had gone through a battlefield. His armor was dented, scratched, rent open, pierced, and covered in all manner of unknowable filth. He wasn't sure he wanted to know either. Regardless, as he surveyed the unconcsious forms of two students, the blood everywhere(especially on the trident Xyden wielded), and the child in the center of all of it, he felt a cold rage grow. Some small part of him had hoped that the Wind Golem had been wrong. An overreaction. Obviously, that hope was an exercise in futility. Uicle has never claimed to be a good person, and never will. If it wasn't for Aarem's constant intervention, he would have killed himself long before now. He hated everything that was evil and caused suffering, himself most of all. But, he held a special hate for child murderers. Perhaps it had to do with the countless children whose lives he ruined, or the fact that Aarem killed Uicle's younger siblings as part of his 'trials'. Regardless, the hate was there, and Xyden just got it's attention. Xyden would find his eniter body immobilized "I would ask why and demand that you come peacefully, but I think I'll skip that whole part and go right into the, quick punishment part of things." Uicle's voice was soft, and laced with menace. And something else...anticipation. Slowly, he forced Xyden's arm upwards. "You know...most people don't realize what Hydromancy can do. They assume it involves only external liquids. What I've discovered, is that it also manipulates [i]internal[/i] liquids as well. Saliva, for example. Or, as in this case, blood. And I can move that blood, and thus your body parts, any...way...I want." In time with the last few words, Uicle bent a finger of Xyden's farther and farther backwards. It was remarkably easy for him to slip back into the old persona. The servant of Aarem who enjoyed causing pain. It just took the right button being pressed. The right anger being released. ---------------------------------------------------------- "Uicle...you're crossing a line and Khan wouldn't approve of this." Sam warned him, his hand reached for his pocket. ---------------------------------------------------------- The Necromancer ignored Sam. "Lets see...assualting a student. Admittedly Alaira probably instigated it, but I think she was right in this specific set of circumstances. That will be a finger broken, I believe." There was a perverse joy growing in Uicle's tone. And then, without warning, he bent the finger he held with his Hydromancy backwards until it snapped. "Now...what else...oh yes. Attempted murder of two students. That's both arms..." Uicle began to lift Xyden's arms backwards. Suddenly, Xyden's arms fell to his sides. Uicle's magic had failed. "What?" ---------------------------------------------------------- "I told you, Khan will not approve." Sam sounded, his once jolly tone gone. In it's place was disappointment and sorrow, his hand pulled from his pocket to show what had stopped Uicle's punishment. A old stone rune with a symbol carved in it. It negated all magic from the master level to the novice for emergency cases like this. Val had made it on the Archmage's request as if the man knew this would one day happened. How could he was a mystery even to Sam but not one he would ponder for long. "You and I will be escorting him now. Then he'll be locked up until Khan can properly deal with his crime. He'll be banished from the school and that's it...No more." ---------------------------------------------------------- Uicle whirled on Sam, gripping his staff tightly. That was the only exterior display of his irritation at his game being stopped. "I don't think you quite realize your situation here." He replied, in that soft voice. "I believe another le-" Before he could continue with what he was going to say, Uicle was interruppted by a metallic 'woof' and a hefty metal shoulder banging into his upper thigh, and knocking him off balance. "What the..Gregor?" The dog Golem barked again, more insistently this time. "What do you want? Can't you see that I'm bu-" Befor he could continue the dog opened it's mouth once more, and a distinctly feminine voice echoed from it, as if recorded. "You promised Uicle. You said you wouldn't. Not again." Uicle took a small step back, and then shivered. "I...I think I need to sit down somewhere quiet for a while. Sam, you'll have to escort Xyden by yourself, with the Golems. I..obviously can't be trusted around him." With that, Uicle walked out of the medical wing with Gregor on his heels, heading away from the crowds and Xyden. Almost as soon as he left the medical wing, a loose bit of stone fell on him. "Can't you get a new favorite? I refuse to believe the college has that much loose stones." Uicle muttered. Following soon after, Sam escorted Xyden out of the medical wing with a trio of steel golems. Two more would join them along the way.