[h3][center]~Your friendly neighborhood spoopy ghost~[/center][/h3]
[hr]

As soon as Silias approached the book, the sprite - whatever it was - flit down the hallway for whatever reason. Was it an illusion? Or actually a creature of some sort. It was difficult to tell for one unlearned in such things. If it was an actual creature, perhaps it was simply shy? Whatever the reason, it was quickly out of Silia's grasp and disappeared down the hallway as swift as the wind itself. The book however, was still on the ground as mundane looking as it had been before and there was still a tangible chill in the air.

The reaction was almost instant as Silias knelt next to the book.

Without warning, a hand and an arm shot from the book, and grabbed Silias' neck before yanking him off balance towards the rgound. Hopefully the surprise and the force with which he was pulled would be enough to send him sprawling towards the ground. Regardless, the ghostly hand disappeared almost entirely afterwards, back into either the book or the ground - it was difficult to tell.

Silias wasn't honestly sure what he had expected to come of that, but it was safe to say nearly having his neck wrung by a spectral hand wasn't high on his list of "Things I Predicted To Happen This Morning." Unfortunately for whomever decided such a response was warranted, they only stoked his curiosity further. 

And he had plenty of time before his class began.

The first thing he did was send out four of his bone spiders in the direction he saw the light retreating. While he figured he could try and chase after it on foot, it would be wiser to try and figure out which way it was going first. He rolled his neck, testing the joints and muscles for any sign of injuries. The fact that he could feel his extremities was a fantastic sign, but one can never be too sure when it comes to a neck injury.

He made a note to find a healer later.  For now, he had to focus on following that light. 

Before he could do anything else, Silias would feel something wet hit the top of his head. Before he had a chance to look up, a torrent of water fell from the ceiling, soaking the young mage's clothes...and the book he had been reading. It looked like he had been caught outside in a very bad storm without any sort of protection. The otters at the library weren't going to be too happy about that, now were they?

[hider=Viola][img]https://safebooru.org//images/1037/eaa7122ed7d01cb6f6fe59e542ecfa04f9f9fe11.png?1073739[/img][/hider]

[color=bc8dbf]"Ah?~"[/color] There was a voice from behind him, who giggled in a fairly familiar fashion. If he so happened to turn around, he'd be greeted by a rather odd sight. A girl that couldn't have been standing barely older than seventeen years old, if her outer appearance was anything to go by. She was dressed in a fairly elaborate fashion, a frilled dress with purples, whites, and black, with long blond hair tied on either side of her head...and most notably was a tiny wisp of something floating just behind her, its head peeking over her shoulder as if trying to hide itself.

[color=bc8dbf]"Well, did you forget to take your clothes off in the bath or did an experiment go wrong?"[/color] She giggled, an impish, smug seeming smirk forming on her lips.

Silias considered the situation...and smiled. "Well... it's more like I had a light breakfast this morning." Taking a beat to regard the book, Silias picked it up by the spine and shook it gently from side to side. As he shook out the water from the unfortunate tome, he turned to the source of the voice. "I suppose I needed to whet my appetite further." He glanced at the wisp from behind his darkened lenses, recalling his bone spiders as he regarded the girl more closely. "So, enlighten me - what do I owe the pleasure? I rarely meet someone who laces up before lacing into people."

[color=bc8dbf]"Aha? Is dressing up this much that odd?"[/color] She asked. [color=bc8dbf]"I am Viola Rifei…and you are a new student here, yes?"[/color] She tilted her head slightly towards the small wisp of light currently hiding behind her shoulder. [color=bc8dbf]"Ah? Sheyan, no need to be scared of this little student. If he hurts you I'll just send Neiginshi to give him a hug." [/color] Whatever she meant by that she didn't entirely elaborate, though he could always ask if he was curious, of course.

"Afraid of..." Silias mentally went over past several minutes. "Oh, right, sending the bone spiders to follow him probably looked terrifying. Sorry about that. Truth be told, I was mostly curious about 'Sheyan' there, especially after being introduced to... 'Neiginshi,' was it?" He gestured to himself with a hand. "My name is Silias Aeson, and I [i]am[/i] a new student of the Arcanium. Although... 'little?' I'm at least a head taller than you, and," here he gestured vaguely towards Viola, "unless you're hiding the ears of a High Elf under your frilly accessories, I'd say that I'm older than you."

[color=bc8dbf]"Oh?"[/color] She smirked. [color=bc8dbf]"The fact you think I'm a little girl proves just how inexperienced you are, little spider."[/color] She giggled. [color=bc8dbf]"Anyways, don't mind this little Sylph here. He's a timid sort usually doesn't let others see him unless he's helping me with something."[/color] A sylph? That little sprite was a Sylph? That might have explained how it managed to stay mostly invisible as well as move the book and move swiftly. It made sense, at least.

[color=bc8dbf]"And you haven't met Neiginshi yet. He's at home, probably sleeping in my fireplace. The Salamander's a bit on the lazy side. The water is from my dear friend Celine…a rather heh, salty, undine that lives near the coast here. She's probably going to yell at me for using her water in such an inappropriate way."[/color] Viola giggled again.

[color=bc8dbf]"Anyways…might want to dry off before heading to class, no? And remember little student...not everything is always as it seems, especially when dealing with magic. I have my own class to attend to…shame I can't play with you more at the moment. You're a level-headed sort…I was honestly expecting fear from all of this. I wonder what it would take to get you to scream, hm?"[/color] She mused to herself as an invisible tattoo seemed to light up on Viola's skin, shimmering with magic only briefly before there was a sudden gust of wind. 

If Silias bothered to turn around, Viola would be standing some distance down the hallway on the other side of him. Had…she somehow teleported? Moved through him? There was a sudden chill in the air that accompanied it. Sheyan, the apparent Sylph seemed to wave bye to Silias before disappearing from view. Viola herself, took a sudden right and…moved right through a wall, disappearing herself?

Silias spent a moment contemplating Viola's point of exit. "Yet another mystery to document," he mused, not unpleased. "Though I already have my suspicions, it seems I will have to do some more research." Silias looked to the still somewhat damp book in his hand. "While her treatment of that book was... less than ideal, I may have a kindred spirit haunting these hallowed halls." He looked back towards where she had vanished and smiled. "What knowledge might you have to add to the Catacombs?"

He was about to go to class, but decided to heed Viola's advice and make a quick stop for drier clothes before making his way back to the Rune Weaver's room.

[h3][color=fff79a][center]Isilfarrel Mornelis[/center][/color][/h3]
[@Spirit]
[hr]

Well, the room was nothing if not welcoming. It was a change of pace she had not been expecting - and it reminded her [i]far[/i] too much of the High Cities. Isil was absolutely shocked by the lack of actual teaching space, though. How did...how did they teach, then? By Example? But why were their so many plants, aprons, and work gloves? She...she wasn't going to have to be planting those was she? Well, that in and of itself wasn't so bad. She in fact, liked raising plants - if anything, she preferred plants and animals to most people, but...how was planting things supposed to help her studies?

Of course, she then eyed the scones on the table and had to resist immediately walking over to them and gulping them down.

[color=fff79a]"Aha,"[/color] Isil cleared her throat, grinning at the plump woman. [color=fff79a]"It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Mistress Liyva."[/color] She glanced around the room, glad to have been released by the woman. [color=fff79a]"I hope I can live up to your expectations."[/color] She moved into the room, taking a deep breath of the flowers. She wondered if there was a garden around here somewhere she could use to...meditate or relax in?