[b][center]Lucilia Riovas[/center][/b]

Walking into the headmaster's office Lucilia was immediately able to see that Khan had been hard at work, as well as trying to hide something. His papers, while stacked neatly, were not organized; differnt files were piled on top of each other without any reasonable pattern, suggesting that he threw it together last minute. Additionally, if he was really prepared for Lucilia, he would have already had a chair ready for her. It's not like this routine was a new development, they've been doing this for at least two months. Something was on Khan's mind, but wasn't it always? He seemed nervous, which isn't usual given his occupation, but just a bit more so than usual. Not so much worried about something vital, because than he would have a much more serious look. Rather he had a air of a child who is trying to hide teh fact he hasn't eaten his vegetables. Which is when Lucilia noticed one of her vials partly obscured. Lucilia ignored Khan and headed strait towards his desk and plucked the medicine she prepared for Khan up to her face. Unopened since she gave it to Khan the day before. 

[b]"I will worry about the Archmage. I'm here for you. Take. Your. Medicine."[/b] Lucilia stretched out the vial to Khan, hiding the other two in her satchel. She looked at Khan with stern eyes, making ti clear to him that she has nothing more to say to him until she see's him, right here, take the medicine. All he had to do was open the vial and drink it. Bitter, yes, but that was medicine. It was keeping him alive and the poison within him from coming back to wreck his body. If it weren't for Rathel's vines attacking anything it perceives as a threat, which given it's demonic origins can be everything for any reason, she would have made a device that would allow her to plunge the concoction directly into Khan's body. [b]"Khan... Please."[/b]

[center][b]Annabeth Gulch[/b][/center]

"The mind is a constantly shifting form. Only in death does it stay still. For that reason, you must be able to keep up with the mind who want to see into. Everyone move at their own speed. Some slower, others quicker, but neither is any more stronger than another, but at the same time, all of them can prove to be a challenge. To understand this and maintain the pace, to achieve a resonance, is key into seeing and manipulating the mind of others." Satori spoke as Annabeth sat on the floor with her eyes closed. She was focusing on Satori's various pets, each who had their own coherent thoughts. Over the two months Annabeth cut her hours at Underhaven to train with Satori. Annabeth was able to take the normal classes without much trouble, but her extra curricular classes was kicking her ass. Annabeth wasn't sure how Ssarak was able to keep up with her, because Satori's extra classes was had at least four times the amount of work her normal classes does. Annabeth only works a few times a per week now. Despite having to cut her job hours and the difficulty of the classes however, Annabeth has made progress.

"See into their minds. Emphasis with them. Do more then understand how to they think; think like them. Knowing how they see the world will allow you to show them exactly what you want them to see." Annabeth focused her mageblood within her and tried to use an illusion spell on the animals. She started with the cat at first. It was simply there because Satori was, and didn't think much of Annabeth. It wasn't even paying attention to the girl. Annabeth tried to get it to look at her, but even the cat's own mind thought that paying attention to Annabeth was out of the cat's character. So Annabeth used her illusions to change Annabeth into something the cat would look like. So she changed her appearance into Satori. This caught the cat's attention, looking at the doppelganger of it's master. Satori nodded her head and continued.

"Even among the same species, we all speak different languages. The language between mortals and beasts is an even larger gap, but one that can be overcome. Look into their minds and hear their thoughts. Make your own match their patterns, their cadence, and soon you can copy their very words." Annabeth changed her target to Satori's pet raven. It wasn't paying any attention at all, but because of arrogance, but because it was hungry and was looking at anything that was moving in the slightest. Sometimes this was Satori, sometimes the cat, sometimes Annabeth. Annabeth tried to understand it but she only got strange images and bird calls. So spent an unknown amount of time trying to make sense of these bird calls, echoing them back to Annabeth to no anvil. Satori spoke again. "Do not try to speak their language. Make them understand yours." Annabeth changed her approach. Instead of trying to mimic the raven's thoughts, she simply tried to translate Annabeth's own into the bird's language. It didn't work, but it did catch the bird's attention when Annabeth tried to communicate with it. It did so badly.

Satori smirked at Annabeth's attempt and began their last lesson. "Now know that the mind is just a tool of the body, like your hands or your mouth. And to master these tools, you need to train them. Create your wards Annabeth. Let us do battle." Annabeth took a deep breath and created a Focused Ward against Satori. Though the two never moved from their spot, in their mind Annabeth and Satori were sparring furiously. Well, Annabeth was. Satori attacked Annabeth with illusions of Satori moving towards her with a blade drawn. Annabeth remained guarded in her thoughts, knowing that Satori has not truly moved. Than Satori assaulted her mind with the sounds of the Raven, at first only making the occasional noise, but than squawking intensely. Annabeth was also able to ignore and cancel these illusions, knowing how far fetched they were. The last illusion Satori sent to Annabeth was the cat pouncing her. She initially dismissed the illusion as the cat grew ten times it's size into a small tiger, until Annabeth was physically knocked over.

Annabeth's eyes shot open and saw that Satori had pushed her over. [b]"That wasn't fair."[/b] Satori helped Annabeth to her feet with a sly smile on her face. "Illusions are all about distractions. For you, you were able to cancel my illusions because you wanted to see and hear nothing. You thought this was only a battle of the minds, and only prepared yourself to fight with your mind. Because you only focused on stopping my illusions, you opened yourself to be attacked by me physically." Satori chuckled as she walked around Annabeth. "A good thing that you did however. When it comes to physical combat, you have me beat. With that in mind, remember that not all Illusions are made to hide the truth. Illusions are done to control how one thinks. I could have very much have come at you with a blade, both in reality and with my illusions, and your mind would have dismissed the illusion based on the thought that I would not really do such a think. In reality, the illusion was placed to make you think that what I did was an illusion. I could have still have done it physically, and regardless if you saw through my illusion or not, I would have killed you. Psychomancy allows you to see with your mind, but don't forget that you have eyes too, Annabeth. That was good practice nonetheless. You are dismissed."

Annabeth left Satori's class and was heading towards the courtyard now. It's been a long two months and a lot has happened. A lot of harrowing things, but the fact that she still lived meant that she was stronger than those things she faced. On Annabeth's belt was her longsword and her war axe, and her buckler rested over his backpack. Annabeth had heard from Underhaven that the college was fighting a shadow War against a powerful Demon Lord from the Inferno. The restrictions against carrying weapons have been lax as new guards have come in to maintain a stricter order. Before the college didn't seem to have much of a guard presence and everyone was expected to just go about their everyday business. But now the college felt a little bit less like a college and more like a fortress. You could see the guards everywhere not, not quite as extreme as back during the Winter Solstice feast, but if you shouted for help someone will hear you. Not to mention that the college now employes new guards, who are a little bit unsettling. Annabeth had talked to one, for the given value of "talk". They don't seem to want to make any conversation. They will answer questions if you need to say, know where the Infirmary is or where a teacher might be at. But they didn't talk when you asked them their name or how their day has been. Once when the college had to take out some troublemakers, they didn't show any anger or remorse when the guards drew their weapons and started attacking the troublemakers. There was no mercy, and it was a bloody slaughter. Even the golems had more personality and restraint.

As Annabeth wondered the halls she noticed something out at the courtyard. A small group of students and staff were around Rurik. Annabeth knew Rurik as a trader who would come to the college to hawk his wares sometimes. Annabeth brought a nice pair of gauntlets from him for a modest price, which she was wearing even now. But he didn't have his wagon or even his guards with him, and he was bloody. Concerned Annabeth went over to him. Unfortunately before Annabeth could get a to talk to him was taken away to the Infirmary. The only thing she managed to hear about what happened was "Roc Attack", which didn't tell her much. She didn't know what a Roc was in the first place.

Annabeth decided to do a bit of research and headed towards the library. She had a good feeling that she might have to deal with Roc in the near future and wanted to be prepared for it. On herb way she saw a odd sight; Leith. He was Ssarak's roommate and had a lot of rumors circulating about him. Him being a vampire, him being a demon, those were just the most common. While the truth is unknown to Annabeth, she did note that Leith's right hand was constantly covered in that demonic looking hand. Supposedly he can't remove it because it has been fused to his arm, or that it's possessing him preventing him from removing it. But he was still the same old Leith that Annabeth met a long time ago, and he was nice enough. He dropped his papers onto the floor so Annabeth ran over to him to help pick up his things. [b]"Hey Leith. Need a hand?"[/b]