Raven
>Outside Male Dorms<
Raven looked just as young as the man who introduced himself though obviously she was indeed older than he. Even covered by a decorative mask and splendid attire one could simply tell. By his long winded sighs and the dreary tone of his voice, Tyler seemed already depleted by CTS…and it had not even begun. She felt responsible in a way, to protect students from bullies. Her whole three years so far were chock-full of torment, and it was a wonder she remained here.

“And yeah, we should probably all head to the Grand Hall, before it’s too late.” Suggested the youngster but Raven immediately corrected her slouchy pose, and straightened up as if caught red handed. Pearly front teeth bit down gently on her pink tinted lip before she spoke in a mixture of guilt and sorrow.

“I am not invited…I can’t go—uh, don’t mind me though. You should go, I insist.” A pleasantly faux smile formed to the best of her ability but only a very observant individual would be able to detect its deception. “I was looking for someone…but I would be happy to escort you two back. It’s no problem.” The smile following this statement held genuine as fingers twisted a lock of wavy hair.

She truly did not wish to return to that place.

---

Terra
>Second floor, above Grand Hall<

Diamond heels continued trekking up the set of stairs to an open viewed second level. After finally accessing engraved double doors, Terra strolled down a virtually endless hallway toward where the Headmistress readied herself. Not knowing what lay behind, the distant student hesitated for a brief moment before manicured fingers flung open a dual arched entrance-way. She feared the worst but tried to stay optimistic. In her mind the daunting question swirled…would the Headmistress survive until the end of the year?

Just as Terra feared--inside, a timeless older woman tightly clutched a monogrammed handkerchief blotched with red to her mouth. Deep gasping followed after coughing violently, for the Headmistress struggled for breath. Terra rushed to her staggered side--catching the frail body before she fainted backward. Due to Supernatural strength Terra could swoop down with ease and pick up the weak Headmistress if the situation called. Perhaps that is why the older woman felt so safe around the stone bound pupil.

“Let me make the announcements, you need to rest.” Terra tried to reassure but underneath her assertive demeanor the Junior felt terrified in this situation…though she hid that fact well.

“None sense, it will pass…Did you?” The Headmistress did not need to continue on with the sentence since Terra already knew the meaning.

“No, I am sorry.” Charcoal colored tresses swung as Terra shook her head.

Though the Headmistress already suspected the news she felt a strong need to ask never-the-less. A long drawn out silence ensued as she paused in deep thought before swallowing down any lingering emotions. Shaky hands quickly straightened out any crinkles lying atop the deep maroon organza fabric she sported. “No matter, let us take leave then.” She tossed the bloody rag into a bin and tucked another within a long sleeve as she would surely need it in the coming hour. There was no arguing with the stubborn principal as she pulled away from Terra, nearing the exit.

It was almost time.

Liam watched the girl raise a long point finger at him and open her mouth to yell at him no doubt, where he simply rolled his eyes. Pathetic, really. You would think people would be less childish. With a small head shake, he already opened his mouth to cut her off before another girls voice, more timid, cut in. He looked at the girl, just now noticing her. His eyes glanced over her dress and mask, before simply listening to the encounter between the girls. He never has seen anything as pathetic and childish fr people closer to his age.

He waited until the two finished speaking before he spoke," assert their dominance? More like act like five year olds that are pissy and little bitches." He studied the girls behavior, her skiddish, fear like behavior. She was so scared of everything. Sad. How do you live life so afraid of everything? He heard the other guy say his name so he cleared his throat, interrupting his thoughts about her, and spoke," my names Liam."

When they both started speaking of the ball, he took a step back. He didn't really want to go to the ball, after all that had just happened. He would rather not even bother with going with it. He said," I need to do se stuff before I go, so you guys to on ahead. I'll get there soon." Or not." With a farewell nod to each of them, he turned, planning on finding the two girls. He didn't like people like that. At all.

Outside Male Dorms

“I am not invited…I can’t go—uh, don’t mind me though. You should go, I insist.” Raven smiled, genuinely. “I was looking for someone…but I would be happy to escort you two back. It’s no problem.”
Not invited? Tyler raised an eyebrow. Before he could ask, though, the other guy – Liam – said something about having to do something beforehand, and then just left. Puzzled, Tyler frowned. “That’s weird,” he muttered, “What could he possibly have to do? He’s already dressed… ” Just about tired of all that the strange college had presented him with on only the first day, Tyler glanced back at Raven, fully prepared to politely deny her offer to escort him. But something made him pause.

“Wait a minute,” he said, almost to himself, but turned accusing eyes on the other girl as he continued “You’re dressed as though you’re heading to a ball.” He was not wrong, her dress – though very different – was far too formal for a walk outside the dorms or any evening she could have planned with whomever she was waiting on. Plus, she was also wearing a mask – one that he just knew wasn’t some strange fashion statement. “Don’t lie to me,” Tyler frowned, knowing he had her beat, “You’re even wearing a mask.”

Pursing his lips, the younger studied the older, recalling how fidgety and nervous she had been before, when those girls had been here. At first, he attributed it to the fact that they clearly knew each other and might have history, but then he remembered how she wouldn’t even look him nor Liam in the eye. Suddenly, her happy demeanor seemed a very odd change. Curious, Tyler tilted his head. “Do you not want to go?” he inquired.

Raven
>Outside Male Dorms >> Outside Grand Hall exit/entrance<
Raven felt her bottom jaw drop a bit from speechlessness as Liam began wondering off in a different direction. Raising a hand as if to stop him did little good, receiving a similar reaction—being none--when muttering out a “wait” but her frail beckoning went unnoticed. “It’s not safe” the statuesque Junior wanted to continue but he seemed determined to venture fourth. She returned her attention back to the blue-eyed freshman named Tyler, defeated. His questioning made her doe eyes widen in alert suddenly as he suspected to know her reasoning behind not going to the ball.

She smiled and let out a nervous giggle while fingers scratched a nonexistent itch on the back of her head. “It’s complicated.” She woefully sighed but held herself together fairly well for such a timid creature. “Like I said, my offer still stands. I would be happy to escort you back but..." Her sentence trailed off while she debated on whether or not to go. The question was not would she get caught but rather what would happen when she did.

“All Freshmen should go, you may get in trouble if you don’t…C’mon then.” Motioning with a hand for him to follow, the odd girl began retreating to the ancient looking Academy—hopefully with Tyler following behind.

The stretch of the cobalt sky while walking made the trek bearable even during the ominous night. Even with an entrancing atmosphere this place did not seem at peace anymore. Signs of decay could be found easily, CTS being the worst proof of a ravaged masterpiece. During her years Raven witnessed the progression of rot consuming this span of Euthenia. A surprise snapped her out of thought promptly after trying to pull open the set of doors. The blond distressingly peered over a shoulder to Tyler not knowing what to say. The Headmistress would be making her presence known to the students shortly and ordered the the doors to the outside be locked.

They were too late to attend now.

---

Unknown.
>The Tordred Maze | Across from Male Dorms<
A blood curdling scream sounded, piercing enough to make a behemoth’s hair stand on end. It echoed through a dense forest of trees called The Tordred Maze across from the male dormitory. Although no official rule stating not to explore the labyrinth exists, it is an unspoken agreement that even brave adventurers do not tempt. Trouble makers and students trying to impress one another often take turns meeting in a location within the twisting forest, especially during this month of October. Since many make it out of Tordred unscathed, the danger lurking there is brushed aside. An unfortunate student failed on their hike this night it seemed, and could be seen emerging like a nightmare come to life through weeping vines.

This person could be recognized as one of the bullies who targeted Tyler though she appeared now as a grim shell of her former self. Branches had ripped through some of her shimmering dress, and left deep gashes across the span of her arms and forehead. Crimson seeped from each wound and once tidy long hair swept up into a fancy bun had also become matted with sticky blood. Mascara drained from long lashes as her limbs flailed wildly trying to bypass the restraining thorn branches. From the looks of it no animal in these woods would have let her escape, so her hasty journey to the forest outskirts must have torn her up instead.

Victoria rushed over to Liam and grabbed him by the shoulders crying hysterically. “Lilly’s dead! My friend…Hel—“ She began to say through sobs of panic but her words were a gurgled mess. Purplish black liquid could be seen coursing through her veins like lithe snakes. This grotesque substance traveled all over her exposed skin leaving a stain. A path of cloudy blood began oozing down both sides of her pale mouth as once flush skin pigmentation turned from tan to grey as if rapidly decaying. The stages of an early rigor mortis continued in a matter of seconds. Her bony hand clutched her throat trying to breathe but she toppled to the ground. Eyes void of any life remained open as she died right then and there--as did her friend by an excruciating yet unknown cause.

---

The Headmistress & Terra
>Grand Hall Balcony<
By the time The Head Mistress and Terra entered through the second story doors there were no longer any signs of black and white skulls attending. In fact, the Grand Hall seemed nearly empty now that the students who crashed were gone. Perhaps everyone left in fear of the wrath the older woman was quite capable of delivering. Even in a weakened state she remained a force to be reckoned with. No signs of fear ever revealed itself for she had none but could not escape the reality of mortality forever. With help from the stair railing in front of her she steadied herself before clearing her throat.

“Greetings Freshmen. I would personally like to welcome you to my Academy. You may refer to me as simply, Headmistress. I will not respond to any other name. You will find no staff attending the ball besides Terra Markos, a Junior who overlooks all of you. Any questions can be passed to her. She also delivers any information I have. You will see very little of me during your stay.” Beads of sweat glistened along her blond hairline as she paused to catch her breath.

“Long winded speeches are not something I personally find inspiring so I will not torment you with one. You seem like eager souls who are willing to learn. Everything is already outlined in your campus book. This can be found in a briefcase provided to you on a shelf in your wardrobe.” At the end of this sentence the Headmistress wobbled sideways a bit. Terra took a firm step forward but was waved dismissively away.

“What I offer you is this. Be careful who you invest your trust with. There are others who are just as adamant in spoiling your time here as you are about learning. There are—“The Headmistress could not finish as a coughing spell took hold. She slipped the handkerchief from a long sleeve to cover her mouth as she turned away from the audience. Without warning she fainted, her fragile form plummeting toward the marbled floor. Terra reached out to catch her but failed and rushed over to tend to the woman who barely clung to life. Once on her knees Terra’s hands turned the Headmistress over, vivid red splatters shown clearly on the scarf she had coughed into.

Liam walked briskly, his eyes scanning the area for the girls. Who did they think they are, acting like that. He planned to let them know how he felt, preferably without any violence. In the process of looking around, he heard a violent, bloodcurdling scream. The hair on the back of his neck stood up, a shiver running up his spine. His pace quickened, trying to help the person that screamed, while trying to remain rational. Not very easy. When you hear something like that, the bodies natural reaction is to run. His heart hammered in his chest, even feeling the beating of it in his hands. He took a startled step backwards when a figure appeared, immediately reconizing something was wrong, he stepped towards her, as she rushed at him.

He felt her hands grasp his shoulders, her words shocking him. He said," I need you to... To..." His eyes widened as her condition suddenly worsed, pulling back like she was diseased, which she was. He could only watch in shock as she died in front of him. He took another step back, staring blankly at the body in front of him. His mouth was partially open, but no words came. Finally, after several seconds he managed to communicate, one word.

"Help!" He broke out into a cold sweat, his breath becoming shorter. He wouldn't be surprised if he was going into shock. How could one not in this situation honestly.

Grand Hall

Dante turned away from the young blonde he had tried talking too and began to watch the Headmistress enter the room to make her speech. He watched as the head of such a prestigious school approached the balcony railings. He listened as he cleared her throat and began to speak. The beginning seemed normal enough, but Dante could clearly see that the Headmistress was having a hard time standing. It looked as though the Headmistress was having a hard time breathing as well. Dante wondered if she was going to be able to finish her grand speech. He continued to watch and listen as the Headmistress continued her speech, but her speech was short lived as she was thrown into a coughing spell. She turned away from the student as to not to make her unsightly, but almost as soon as she turned around she fainted and fell.

Dante watched as the Headmistress began to fall and was already on the move. His body reacted before his mind could even process the information. Dante was heading toward the stairwell at full speed. He danced around some people and completely blasted his way through others. He soon noticed that there were just too many people in his way so he deviated his course. He had previously seen an old looking chair resting below a portion of the stairs, and he was heading straight for it. He figured it was at least a 8 foot gap between the stairs railing and the floor and he went for it. He jumped up onto the armrest of the antique chair and jumped again straight up into the air. He reached his hands up and easily grabbed the railing. He hung there dangling for only a moment as he lifted himself up and over the railing. He then continued his way up onto the balcony where he stopped in front of Terra and the unconscious headmistress. After a quick breather, Dante looked at Terra and the bloody handkerchief and said, "Hey, do you need help? If so, what do you want me to do?"

I had a doggie once. A really clever doggie who would say the darndest things like ''I would feel infinitely more comfortable in your presence if you treated gravity as a law and not as one of a number of suggested options.'' she thought as she watched the woman and her tall, proud doberman walk away. She really should have talked to the humans first instead of the animal.

She started aimlessly walking around the hall again, watching everyone and everything from afar, their colors and their moves, trying to make sense of what is socially acceptable and what is not. She had done many-many things in the past which made others laugh at her or even hurt her and just sometimes make her feel good with herself. For example, finding and eating a cake at a birthday party with the words ''Happy Birthday Dave!'' on it definitely wasn't nice. Especially when Dave was a six year old boy who had just been told exactly what will happen to his body once he dies.

At least I didn't tell him the tale of the Smiling Man.- Wait, you're doing it again, you're in my head! Oh Lord, am hearing voices!

She sat on a comfy chair next to the staircase eager to face this new foe, this new manifestation of her personal...Personal what? Madness? Am pretty sure that would be your choice of a word, Voice. But at the very same moment, it would be also mine. Ugh, my head hurts and I would really like an apple right now. Am too tired to fight you Voice so you can keep doing your thing and I will do mine.

She really hated these mood swings, she could be the happiest person on the planet only to become the saddest within a moment. But right now she wasn't exactly sad, there was something more instinctive, something more urgent in what she felt.

«I think bad things have happened. I can feel them in my socks. Although am not wearing any in which case it might be just that, the feeling of not wearing any socks. But...it's a weird night, innit?» she said to herself, unaware of the fact that the hall had now emptied of those with the identical masks and only a handful of people remained inside, the Freshmen, a word which Nellia would definitely have lots to say about.

«Greetings Freshmen. I would personally like to welcome you to my Academy. You may refer to me as simply, Headmistress. I will not respond to any other name. You will find no staff attending the ball besides Terra Markos, a Junior who overlooks all of you. Any questions can be passed to her. She also delivers any information I have. You will see very little of me during your stay.»

Nellia looked up towards the top of the stairs where the two women stood, a gap between them made of more years than she had fingers. «She doesn't look well.» she whispered to herself.

«Long winded speeches are not something I personally find inspiring so I will not torment you with one. You seem like eager souls who are willing to learn. Everything is already outlined in your campus book. This can be found in a briefcase provided to you on a shelf in your wardrobe.»

Nellia kept staring as if she wanted to memorize this very moment. The Headmistress had a calm yet strong voice which somehow made Nellia feel that the woman addressing them would give her life to protect them, the students. Not that it would really matter to her, she'd never sacrifice herself for anyone, she didn't believe in heroism.

«What I offer you is this. Be careful who you invest your trust with. There are others who are just as adamant in spoiling your time here as you are about learning. There are—»

Down she goes.

Nellia didn't even bat an eyelid as she watched the woman fall, beaten by something which brought back quite a few memories. She silently stood and calmly headed towards them not even she herself knowing why.

She stood just a few steps behind the Headmistress and the girl she called Terra Markos when she saw a young man or an action hero, she couldn't tell at the moment, jump towards the railing, grab it and easily lift himself over it eager to help the one in need.

And she simply stood there, watching them.

«I'd like to help too.» she whispered in a barely audible voice, re-living days long gone in her mind. Days which she couldn't bear to remember as they had scathed her in more ways that she could think of.

Mother, is this my fault too?

Outside Male Dorms >>>> Outside Grand Hall

Tyler was almost surprised when Raven gave in to his questions, giggling and scratching the back of her head with a sighed “It’s complicated”. What didn’t surprise him, though, was that she still didn’t seem too keen on going, despite having been found out. “My offer still stands,” she had said, trailing off when she came to a “but”. Tyler saw the conflicted look on her face briefly before it vanished, and she resolved herself to leading him there regardless of whether or not she was attending and better yet, whether or not he would follow.

It was more of her last few words than the ‘c’mon’ or hand gesture that made him follow her. “you may get in trouble if you don’t…”. Trouble? Why would he get in trouble for not attending a ball? And how would they know if he didn’t attend? Surely there were plenty of freshmen and crashing upperclassmen that the headmistress or whoever wouldn’t realize that one person was missing?

The young man pondered this as he blindly followed the older girl, gazing in awe at the campus around him. Truly, the place was beautiful, and yet oddly unsettling. Somehow, Tyler didn’t feel entirely safe outside, as if maybe something was watching him or something. A shiver ran down his spine and he shook it off, annoyed at how he managed to creep himself out. It was just a college campus.

When they finally reached the entrance of the Grand Hall, Raven was unable to open the doors. She cast a distressed look at him before he stepped up and failed to open the door as well. Pursing his lips, the freshmen pressed an ear to the door, trying to see if it would be possible to hear someone on the other side, and that maybe they’d be able to yell until someone came and opened it for them. Sadly, Tyler heard nothing, so that plan would probably not work even if someone on the inside could open the doors.

Sighing, the boy stepped away. “Now wha-” he started, but was cut off by a piercing shriek. Tyler froze, glancing at Raven to confirm that he hadn’t been the only one to hear that. For a moment, there was silence, and nothing else happened, but then – clear as day – another yell came to his ears. This time, he was able to recognize the voice; it was that guy, Liam.

“Help!”

Arthur's body began to move on it's own without his thought. It followed the man who seemed to have the same idea he did, but when it came to approach, it took the safer route. Arthur watched the man do a stupidly absurd jump, and nearly kill himself. "Fuckin bloody idiot." He muttered, while heading towards the stairway. "Out of my way! Get the fuck out of my way!" He yelled, shoving the other freshmen aside, plowing them down like tall grass. He may have not been the strongest, but he definitely could go toe to toe with people when he needed to. In the midst of shoving people out of the way, he ran into, and knocked over, the girl who had first helped him when he got to the school. Or at least he assumed so. She was the same height, same voice and everything. "Sorry lass!" he said, picking her up, and proceeding on his way to the balcony stairs.

He hit full sprint when reaching the stairs, bounding over several steps at a time, and nearly tripping. He reached the top and slid in to help the idiot who had done the dangerous stunt. "Oi! I'm here too, what do we need to do? Is there any school nurse or something like that? I think we're both strong enough to help out here." He turned to the blonde haired kid and shouted at him. " You! Don't do bloody dangerous stunts like that! We don't need deaths this early into a school year. Name's Arty. Here to help."

Raven
>Outside Grand Hall entrance/exit >> Near Tordred Maze<

A defeated sigh escaped Raven’s mouth as Tyler tried to gain entry to the Grand Hall with no success. “The doors are too thick--blocks out much of the sound.” She commented with a frown and once again began to nibble on a painted index fingernail. Even though she felt relieved in a sense, it would be Tyler who missed out on the masquerade and she felt terrible. After a moment in silence Tyler began to speak but abruptly stopped mid-sentence as a frightening sound caught both students attention. Adrenaline coursed through the otherwise skittish woman and though she wanted to ignore the plea--how could she?

She shot a look of persistence to Tyler before bolting toward the call in a matter of seconds. Knowing good and well that running in such attire would be impossible; Raven stepped into action by tearing off the bottom of her dress above the knees and kicked off both heels in mid sprint. She rushed toward the alarmed Liam and stopped to gasp at the sinister scene. A bloodied woman lay lifeless in a decrepit fashion with black veins covering alabaster skin. It was a setting in a nightmare come true, and Raven quickly turned her head not wanting to look upon it. What a coincidence however, while occasionally peering past the decayed lady’s face it’s profile appeared rather familiar. This was one of the Juniors who had taunted Tyler not long ago…did Liam have something to do with it? No, that would be impossible…he couldn’t have—could he?

“What…happened Liam?” She grimaced while covering her mouth and nose with a shaky hand, the stench of rotten flesh already lingering through the chilly air.

---

Terra
>Grand Hall Balcony<

Terra felt herself stunned for a moment gazing down at the unconscious woman but had to pull herself together. She could not afford to panic under the watchful eyes of these Freshmen. What kind of Guardian freezes up at the fight sign of trouble? Not a very prepared one...

"Hey, do you need help? If so, what do you want me to do?" Inquired a blond boy with ether blue hues.

“I'd like to help too. A vibrant woman added in a mere whisper but the voice that rang out above them all donned an Irish accent attached to each syllable. Arty or so he claimed barreled toward the small group, and soon scolded the blonde haired male about his approach after introducing himself. Yet, the onyx haired Junior remained perfectly still not really acknowledging their concerned inquiries until Arty spoke of death.

“There’s already been a death” Terra mention emotionlessly almost to herself.

“Patricia, a Sophomore.” A slender hand elevated the back of the Headmistress’s skull while the other fanned her.

She was not supposed to admit or even say such things about the matter but she did not believe in concealing said information. These strangers would find out later by someone else anyway or worse yet--vanish just like Patricia had without any warning.

“None of you know what you’re getting into.” She vented cruelly without so much as glancing to the eager to aid students. The Headmistress finally came to but barely. Gradually fluttering curled eyelashes open only to shut them slightly again in a surge of pain. Terra’s hardened facial expression lightened a bit, a small glint of hope flashed within them. Now was a better chance than ever to attempt moving the leader of CTS.

“You two, help her walk. I’ll show you the way to her room.” Terra easily lifted the feeble woman to her feet; in fact, she could have carried the woman along the long corridor herself but figured that was unnecessary at this time.

“There is no nurse here, we have never needed one.” She added bluntly to the Irish bloke, sure that the pupils would arch a brow at her questionable statement.

She opened one side of the double doors to let the mini crowd through while slightly observing the quiet girl. Her soft spoken demeanor did not match how flashy she appeared.

“Hold open the other side of the door.” Terra demanded of the woman. This was not meant as a demeaning order but rather so the flame haired girl would feel a part of the process of assisting. Terra held a gift for making others feel inferior but only as a means to not become attached. She had put friendship above guardianship once, and lost someone as a consequence…not ever wanting that to happen again.

Once they were through she let the door close itself, and began slowly leading the way down paneled walls and extravagant marbled floors. She paused for a brief moment to peer back at the doors, halting in the middle of the hallway as though waiting for something. “Stop.” She commanded of both men, and lightly lifted the headmistress’s head. “Headmistress.” Terra said while flicking silvered orbs toward the doors. This little gesture woke the woman for a moment, she weakly nodded and a heavy duty lock could be heard twisting. Both doors seemingly locked by themselves and she turned to start again. The Headmistress could barely pick up her feet; her head slumped forward as she expelled a single breath. All too soon those same locks snapped open, lights from chandeliers and wall sconces trembled on and off. A rumbling sounded throughout the whole Academy shaking the very foundation. Terra looked back to the doors and then toward the ceiling with wide eyes. “Shit…” she mumbled under breath. “Quickly!” Her stern voice raised shouting to all three to pick up the pace but it was too late by then.

A massive gust of wind threw open the double doors slamming each side into the painted walls with a quaking bluster. This force of air so strong it made Terra take a few steps backward to adjust her footing. Wind was one of her many weaknesses. This abnormal force was caused by a woman taller than Terra in a white skull mask who appeared seemingly out of the blue. She took a few steps forward with arms at both sides. Unnaturally long nails were pointed like claws, which flickered in agitation. A sheer cape wrapped around the woman’s shoulders hiding something underneath.

Obscured eyes examined each student before belting out an ear shattering scream that shattered vases and light figures throughout the hall. This shriek loud enough to temporarily deafen those close enough but luckily no one was within her vicinity. Terra winced at the sonic scream from the creature while holding both arms in front of her ire stricken face. Both extremities began altering to stone and took over her entire being; she was frozen like a stone stature while the shards had no effect on this dermal armor. She would not be able to protect any student’s skin from these pieces unfortunately, and hoped that they would be able to duck down just in time to miss the majority of the damage.

In a blink of an eye the masked woman stopped, seeming irritated by Terra’s supernatural ability and took another step closer. Terra let the armor dissipate to give a warning to the possibly frightened group.

“Set the headmistress in the room on the left and leave. Go to your dorm rooms now!”

They were probably wondering how on earth they would be able to pass the masked woman but Terra would distract her at all costs. Besides, this creature did not want ordinary people with no source of power anyway. What would she gain from regular students…or so she thought.

Terra took a defensive stance while the woman readied another swift attack. She shredded the cape to expose feathers along her arms. She looked exactly like those creatures in Greek mythology—a harpy. This creature lunged toward Terra in abnormal speed. The Guardian prepared herself for the impact but hopefully was able to witness the students escape through the doors before evolving into her second form.

---

Unknown male in skull mask
>Inside Grand Hall<
A male in a shiny black skull mask managed to slither his way into the Grand Hall entrance amidst the chaos since all doors were currently unsecured. Nimble fingers slipped a key into the lofty double doors to confine all Freshmen within that space. How he managed to obtain one was a mystery. This unknown individual then turned around to scan the room while waiting for something or someone to make itself known. For a moment vibrant jade hues turned serpentine with silted pupils instead of round ones. Like a serpent he blinked horizontally—it was quite disturbing to witness. This oddity could be easily seen through the slightly exposed mask. With another crashing rumble came a smug smirk that crossed his lips. The commotion upstairs was gratifying to listen to, and he figured the harpy would be a difficult battle for a stone golem. His cocky demeanor soon shifted to shock when a figure flew off the balcony and tumbled through the air. The harpy had been chucked through the open doors like a rag doll by an imposing seven foot tall stone giant. Unfortunately the bloodied bird woman managed to slow her fall by the feathers poking out of her arms…but she was now downstairs with the students panting heavily in rage.

Liam Flemming
Near Torderd maze

Liam took deep steading breaths, taking another step backwards as the smell began to form in the area. He heard footsteps, and turned his head, loon at the young women running towards him. The girl from earlier that stopped the two girls... Raven. That was her name. He looked at the dead girl, nearly gagging again. Not being able to stand the smell, he brought his hand up to cover his nose. His body was lightly shaking, due to he stress and shock.

At her question, he took another breath before speaking," a-after I left you both... I was walking to find her and her friend... I was a bit further away from here when I heard the scream, so I came to investigate." He took a deep, shaky breath," I saw her," he nodded to the body," fighting through the trees. She ran towards me, and grabbed my arms, she was crying hysterically, and she said..." He glanced at her, trying to remember her exact words," that Lily was dead, and she was in the middle of saying help when... W-when... Some liquid began to flow in her veins then over her skin... B-blood ran out of the side of her mouth... She was decaying, rapidly.. while still alive... I-in f-front of m-me..."

After that, he was unable to keep it in any more. Turning away and rapidly removing his hand from his nose, what food he had in him was spewed from his stomach, splattering over the grass. He then threw off his mask, arms resting on his knees, dry heaving a little, nothing available to come out. He slowly straightened, wiping off his mouth with his sleeve, his hand running through his hair. Sweat covered his face and ran down his neck, taking off the suit jacket. He was too hot for it. He said," s-sorry..."

Acacia Malikov
Grand Hall

Had snapped from her daze of confronting her canine into subdued calmness. Her pale eyes fluttering as she glanced up to the sound of a feminine tone, the headmistress. She looked somewhat unsettling in Acacia's mind. The frail form tailed by the same girl who'd spoken to her and then left without much friendly converse. She was the kind that seemed ... how would you say, on edge and always alerted, never letting down guard nor showing much emotion. She was the kind of person Acacia avoided. A speech of sorts given lightly by the authoritative figure went at a seemingly unaltered pace, the few pauses expected from the sights though suddenly that all went down hill. She suddenly raised to her feet as the delicate woman collapsed, caught in time by the odd woman who seemed to know it could happen anytime, three people all suddenly flew themselves up the stairs, one foolishly jumping like a superhero to get to the scene, thankfully unharmed and offering his services, the others taking the stairs and provided more help.

Acacia watched with wide eyes, standing just off from the others in the same daze. The boys had the elderly woman on her feet with an arm around either-ones neck, walking lightly and following behind the one known as Terra. This can't be good a gentle voice echoed in her mind, they seemed in a rush to get out of the room and the doors closed heavily behind them. She tried to shake off the feeling of uncertainty it'll all be okay, yup, perfectly fine she smiled and turned to Koshmarik.

---

Koshmarik

Stood tall facing the main entrance of the hall. Pointed ears straight forward and stump tail raised, his amber eyes settled on a figure who hadn't been there before. Velvet panels racing on either side of his nasal passages the dark chocolate canine lowered his head in a defensive manner. Suddenly an ear piercing scream, shattering glasses/vases could be heard and his ears went straight back. Almost dropping to the ground with a painful yelp from the noise he shook his head over and over, eyes staring at the ground ahead. He heard a thud behind him and the breath of his mistress change, she was in just as much pain as he was. He regained a fair amount of his own subconscious and raised his head enough to look at the man again, he drew back a lip baring his mouth of weaponry and emitted a low growl. His leash no longer held by the girl on the ground as he headed at a slow pace towards the stranger.

His senses going wild that something was wrong, the students in the hall eventually screaming and scrambling about, something came flying from the balcony above and had landed among them causing panic. Loosing sight of the man he snapped at the air and barked at those now surrounding him in a frenzy of fear. He kept them at bay from getting close and refocused back to his human.

Acacia. Eyes locked on her she was still tightly clung to the ground, hands holding her head town as she rocked in a kneeling position. People going around her he merely stood mere meters away watching. Would she focus on him again.

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Acacia Malikov

She'd hardly budged after hitting the ground around the same time as the canine. Her fingers latching around the back of her head as she curled up tight, teeth clenching as she rocked almost hysterically. The noise pierced her like it was the end of the world seemingly, her reaction different to most, she didn't go into a panic when the harpy was sent flying into the room. Ice eyes staring widely at the ground below her. Her mind was lost for a moment, scrambling about in it's own fiesta of thought. Koshmarik wasn't near, she could feel it. He was watching, but, she couldn't reach for him if she wanted.

She suddenly froze where she was and snapped her head up "Koshmarik , idi syuda. Eto nepravil'no, ochen' nepravil'no , chto-to ne tak , pochemu, pochemu eti lyudi zdes' ." She spoke to herself, Koshmarik paced fast to her reach, no longer baring teeth or threatening those around him. She arose to her feet, looking dead at the man standing plainly near the door, he wasn't someone she'd somewhat thought was meant to be here and without grabbing the leash of the canine she began striding towards him. The dark blood red and black gown flowed around her legs as she moved. The canine close by as he remained one step behind.

She didn't know what she was going to say or do, but, she'd stop in her tracks a short distance off along the wall, if anyone else beat her to him for any purpose she'd slink away like she had no plans.

Karin Amsel

Grand Hall - Entrance

The faint, rhythmic tapping of high heels echoed through the otherwise silent and empty corridors like an eerie melody of sorts, signaling Karin’s approach. Her little adventure had turned up nothing interesting yet but it had only been a few minutes and she was determined to find something with even a speck of intrigue. In a school this big and as mysteriously (some would say ridiculously) opulent, it only made sense for all sorts of dirty little secrets to have been hidden. The brunette hummed a tune under her breath attempting to shake off the uneasy silence that enshrouded the area. Several minutes later, her golden eyes alighted on an impressive structure a bit further away. The Grand Hall rose up in front of her, both imposing and magnificent at the same time.

A sudden breeze blew over her, ruffling her hair and bringing with it the faint yet distinctive sound of multiple screams. An involuntary shiver passed down the girl’s spine as her stride slowed and she narrowed her eyes in the direction of the sound – the Grand Hall. Just what on earth is going on at the orientation ball? Though she was inexperienced in such matters, even she knew that panicked screams were not part of a college orientation ceremony. Well, not unless it was some sort of creepy cult thing where they offered blood sacrifices and all that. Demeanor shifting from curious to wary, she began to walk towards the building.

“Excellent plan, Karin. Walk towards the screams, not away from it.” The girl muttered to herself as her feet carried her towards the direction of trouble. Approaching the building from a side, she tried the handle of a small, nondescript door. To her surprise it swung open without much protest. Feeling a bit hesitant, she stepped inside the unbelievably vast room.

As she neared, she could make out a tall figure, obviously a male, with his back turned to her as he faced the massive double doors. His broad back hid any view of what he was attempting to do, whether it was to confine or release the students. The fine hairs on the back of Karin’s neck stood up in alarm as the man turned around, alerted by her arrival or perhaps because he was done with whatever business. The male’s identity was effectively obscured by a simple black mask, the light gleaming off it as he raised his head. His jewel green eyes, clearly visible through the eye holes suddenly shifted – their pupils contracting into hairline slits like that of a snake. A barely audible gasp escaped the girl’s lips as the masked man blinked, the action utterly unnatural on a human as it resembled exactly those of a reptile’s. Her mind raced as thoughts fell over themselves while trying to find an answer, a solution. Anything to help her get out of her current situation unscathed.

Warning bells went off in her brain as her eyes widened in shock and horror. The fear in her desperately wanted it to be a trick of the light, the concept that someone who looked otherwise human could possess reptilian eyes was too alien, too horrifying to comprehend. Karin took a step back, unable and unwilling to turn her back on him though every instinct in her was screaming to flee. She was aware of the sounds of a fight, muffled by the Hall’s walls; all background noise to her as her heartbeat thumped an ascending beat in her ears. A stinging pain in her palms brought on the realization that she’d curled her fingers into fists, her nails digging into the soft skin of her palms. The brunette stood her ground, unwilling to show him her fear though her slender frame was partially frozen in place.What happens now?

Fortunately for her, or perhaps unfortunately, she didn’t have to wonder for long. An inhuman shriek shattered the night air as a figure came hurtling off the balcony, landing a few feet in front of her. Though the fall was slowed down somewhat, it wasn’t the most graceful landing, as far as landings went. A woman, though Karin was unsure if she could even be called that, was bloodied and looked royally pissed off. Then again, getting thrown off a balcony was hardly something that’d leave people in cheerful spirits. Mostly, they’d just end up dead or very broken. What the hell is this place? I’m beginning to regret ever coming here. And it hasn’t even been a day! Karin thought disgustedly as she eyed the avian woman. Feathers grew out of her arms, almost forming misshapen wings matted with blood.

The dark haired girl felt as if she’d somehow managed to walk into an episode of Supernatural or some other paranormal show. Despite all logic claiming that no such creatures existed, she knew that the two figures facing her were very real. Adrenaline coursed through her veins like fire, giving her strength and a little bit of courage. Her best bet was to distract the two and get as far away as possible. Maybe eat a pint of icecream after she managed to get away. Deciding that it was now or never, Karin swiftly kicked her feet into the air, one leg after the other sending her shoes flying at bird lady. A satisfying thump echoed as the shoes connected with the Harpy’s stomach, causing it to utter a surprised squawk. There could’ve been thousands of more impressive and effective ways to take care of suspicious non-human creatures, like say martial arts or a flamethrower. Sadly, all she had were her stilettos. Stilettos were not to be underestimated– Beautiful and potential neck breakers but could serve as alternative projectiles in the case of an emergency.

Grand Hall Entrance>>>Near Tordred Maze

Tyler barely had any time to react when Raven took off, even when she stopped to – ah – alter what she was wearing. For a moment, he just stared after her, not entirely sure what to do. It seemed like a situation based out of a horror movie; blood-curdling scream, Liam’s yell for help, and then the only other person with him ran off towards the scream. Realistically, he had three options – follow Raven, stay right there, or go right back to his dorm and pretend like nothing happened.

Honestly, the last one seemed like the safest option, but the scream and yell came from somewhere vaguely in the direction of the dorms, and it would be his luck to run into whatever caused the commotion in the first place. Therefore, Tyler’s best bet seemed to be in following Raven.

Without further hesitation after several seconds of internal debate, the freshmen finally took off, arriving on scene just in time to see Liam empty the contents of his stomach onto the grass. “What the-?” he started, before a horrible stench reached his nose. Bile rose in his throat as Tyler threw a hand over his mouth and nose. Alarmed, his eyes finally settled on the corpses, and not a second later, he was following Liam’s lead, bent over and retching. One of the girls that had been outside the dorm - it was her. Though now, she was nearly unrecognizable, covered in blood and black spiderwebs or veins? The sight alone was enough to clear his entire stomach.

When he recovered, Tyler groaned, wiping the corner of his mouth with the sleeve of his jacket and spitting. He crouched, stomach clutched and eyes wide. “What the fuck is going on?” The boy glanced between the two older students, horrified, “Are they… dead?”

Raven
>Near the Tordred Maze<
Raven held an iron stomach but the very sight of two men expelling their stomach contents nearly drove her to do the same. It was not the vision of a corpse that made her want to heave but witnessing two others doing just that. Copious amounts of saliva welled inside her mouth, an undesirable sign of what was to come but she held her head up to the celestial sky, coughed once, and then swallowed hard with much difficulty. The desire to follow suit passed and she pulled down the feathered mask to wear around her neck in order to wipe underneath her eyes. Pungent rotting odor swirling up each nostril made azure orbs water in detest. Her now visibly angelic face was wrought with a mix of emotions but mostly worry as she grasped the reality of the situation.

“C—Calm down, we’re here...We need to find help—or…hide the body and not discuss this to anyone. We need to make a decision quickly, whatever it is.” Raven shifted from one leg to the other while nervously scanning the terrain in a paranoid poise.

Innocent sapphire eyes gradually narrowed while glancing to her bare feet feeling something resembling a quake. Perhaps these three were safest inside but a dreadful feeling capped itself around her as she peered backward toward the Academy. Were they not the only ones going through something inexplicable and dastardly?

“You guys should go to your dorms. Just…stay there until someone comes to get you. That’s probably the safest place to be. Forget what you saw for now.” A delicate voice trailed off as she tried to force a reassuring smile to the duo but that task proved challenging while standing in front of a carcass.

Fingers glided through long platinum blond tresses, a sign of angst as the seraphic woman began to take steps toward the decomposing body. Hands hesitantly gripped onto shoulders composed of protruding bone as the slender Junior laboriously began tugging the ragged skeleton like lady backward toward the Tordred Maze. Trying to conceal a body and protect a Freshman proved ungraceful and problematic. Bare heels dug into soft earth for traction even though little weight remained on the chilling cadaver.

Near Tordred Maze

Tyler gaped, staring incredulously as Raven tried to drag a body. “Are –Are you kidding me?” He cried, turning towards Liam for some sort of explanation, “Is she kidding me?” He threaded his hands through his hair in an act of exasperation, trying for the love of god to understand what the hell was going on. Two girls were dead – he didn’t know how they died, he just knew that they were – and instead of going to find help, Raven – the only upperclassman in this situation – has decided to hide the bodies. That only made sense if she killed them, and Tyler knew she didn’t kill them because she was with him when they heard the scream.

“Oh my god.” The freshman muttered, staring at the ground. The stench of death was in the air and it was obviously interfering with his ability to think clearly. “Oh my god, we need help.” Standing fully, Tyler began to pace. He wasn’t sure if he could convince Raven and Liam to leave with them, but it also didn’t seem safe to go off on his own – for all he knew, the thing or person or whatever that killed Lilly and Victoria could still be around and – “Shit.” The boy’s eyes widened and he stopped, “We need to get out of here.” he stated, glancing between Liam and Raven, “We need to get out of here. Now. It’s not safe.”

Grand Hall 2nd Floor

There was too much going on for Arthur. He couldn't comprehend what was happening. The girl in front of him was some monster, and there was some bloody bird lady trying to kill him and the others, or possibly not. Maybe she just wanted the headmistress or stone girl here. He stood frozen when the shards of pottery flew everywhere, several embedding in his arms and chest. He winced they pierced his chest, thankful that none of them were lethal. "Hey you, you fucking bloody pigeon! That hurt!" Arthur's words fell on deaf ears though, as the bird was already plummeting over the balcony. It hit the ground with a loud thunk, making even Arthur wince in pain. He had to do something and fast. THat bird plus all the students down there could be really bad trouble. Arthur worried about the small group of students he talked to before in particular. They could be in trouble. Despite being scared to the point of fainting, He willed himself to chase after the harpy bird.

Grand Hall 2nd floor to 1st floor
Arthur ran to the balcony, looking below at the bird. taking about ten steps back, Arthur sprinted from to the edge of the balcony, soaring off. Before Leaving the balcony edge he shouted out "I'm a big fucking hypocrite! Why did I do this?!" He looked down and aimed for the harpy that was on the ground. He jutted his knee out aiming directly for its face. "This is for ruining the fun you big fucking raven!" He shouted, ramming his knee as hard as he could into its neck, narrowly missing its head. His knee bent out of place, narrowly missing its breaking point. "Oi. Come on then. I just did something mean. Does that bird brain of yours understand that I just attacked you?" Arthur goaded, hoping to piss off the bird and provoke it into chasing him.