[i]Althalus[/i] [color=00aeef]"Who? Alaira? Nah."[/color] Althalus waved a dismissive hand at Darius. [color=00aeef]"She only does that to people who try and fail to be subtle about insults."[/color] [color=00aeef]"Aw, come on, think of all the money we could make Alaira! We could establish you as the cha-and she's walking off. Well. There goes my master money making plan. And you're save Darius, she must be feeling merciful."[/color] Althalus mused, rubbing his chin. [color=00aeef][i]I'll have to put my money on Ssarak now.[/i][/color] As Ssarak spoke up on the matter of Henri, Althalus pretended to be offended. He knew Ssarak had a point, and was perhaps the most diplomatic out of all of them, but it didn't mean he had to like it. [color=00aeef]"He wouldn't have [i]died[/i] I would have had Mar close up the wound before he bled out all over the ground. It was more of a 'man maybe I shouldn't get angry at everyone and think about what I'm doing first' wake up call. He tried to fight Tyrael, [i]Tyrael[/i] of all people, his first day at the College remember?"[/color] He gave a light shrug at the Esyire mentioning Henri saving Lyn's life. It had already been addressed when she told him and Mar, and had no bearing on the current issue. [color=00aeef]"Mar and I already thanked him for that. And that's not the problem here, even if he seems to think I do have issues with him being around Lyn. The problem here is that he seems to think that any of his actions, his precious 'I must retaliate against any and all perceived insults real or not' code, will only affect him if he uses it on Eanian nobles, or that he can even out run the consequences. Which are both blatantly wrong. If he pisses off a noble, all of the College suffers. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be kicked from this festival or spend it in a dungeon because Henri's mouth went off. Plus, he's with the College. There's literally no where to run because all escape routes lead, quite publicly, to Twilight College."[/color] He swatted at the hand of a child, reaching for his coin pouch. It didn't have anything in it, of course. He wasn't dumb enough to leave coins where they could easily be snatched, but it always helped to have a decoy. [color=00aeef]"Alright you little rascals, get out of here before I steal your souls and eat your eyes!"[/color] He dramatically raised his hands, shadows spring forward like claws from them, and jerked towards the children. They scattered, in shrieks of both fear and laughter. Althalus held his hands up to ward off Annabeth's excitement, shadows dissipating from them, laughing softly. It was nice to see that someone was enjoying the prospective day. [color=00aeef]"Easy there miss champion-to-be. I'm no duelist, can't fight properly with all their rules, so I think I'll have to bow out of the fighting ring. You and Ssarak however, you two I'm more than willing to bet on. I'm sure you both could be champions, and make me money in the process!"[/color] His face fell as Ssarak bowed out of the Tourney as well. [color=00aeef]"Oh come on. You're gonna make me bet on Darius? [i]Darius[/i] of all people?"[/color] He gestured towards the Yarosmerian, grinning at Darius and winking. He turned back to Ssarak, a hopeful face and sugary voice turning on. It worked on Mar, sometimes. Lizards and Snakes were close enough, right? It was worht a shot at least. [color=00aeef]"Just one little tourney? For that time you drugged Mar and I against our will?"[/color] His wheedling voice and hoping face dropped at the mental message Ssarak gave him. The experience still made his skin crawl, anxiety and mistrust from Satori's first demonstration rearing their ugly heads, but the contents gave him even more concern. His daughter was in danger. Again. He swore quietly, looking around. Lyn was gone, and he'd just have to trust Helena would put her training to good use and Henri could repeat his status as Lyn's saviour. [color=00aeef]"Well, we need to find Lyn then, and stay in a group. Can't take our form and pin something on us if we're all publicly together. And its harder to get Lyn if she's in a crowd."[/color] His eyes landed on Keri as she approached. [color=00aeef]"She looks mildly annoyed."[/color] He glanced at Mar. [color=00aeef]"And she's headed right for us. This should be fun!"[/color] [u]Uicle[/u] [color=598527]"You know Tyrael, as much as I [i]so[/i] enjoy standing menacingly here with you, what if we switch it up a bit hmm? How about we [i]really[/i] scare them and [i]sit[/i] menacingly in the cathedral? What do you say? No? I figured. You were always particular to the tried and true 'stand menacingly' tactic."[/color] Uicle spoke dryly, standing next to Demonomancy master. He was with Tyrael for two reasons. The college both wanted someone to who could stop Tyrael if he went on a wild hare and tried to do something violent during the festival (and Uicle being the most unkillable teacher besides Tyrael himself got the lucky draw) and it wanted two teachers in a central location, should something go horribly wrong and their students needed a safe place to run to. Personally, Uicle didn't even want to be in the city. He wanted to stay back at the College with Khan, and make sure the idiot didn't do something stupid like make a pact with Kudd while they were gone. But [i]nooo[/i] someone had to be with Tyrael, because Tyrael just [i]haaaaad[/i] to follow Mar and Lyn. It wasn't all bad. Uicle did get some grim amusement out of the distress they must be causing the local priests and Paladins. A half-demon and an undead immortal former servant of Aaarem, both possessing incredible power and a history of intense violence, casually standing in their temple. It was enough to make him chuckle, if only for a moment. So here he was, trying not to go mad from boredom, waiting for something interesting to happen. He had Golems all over the city, of course. Masked as gusts of wind, they followed the students around and generally floated throughout the city, keeping an eye out for trouble. As the situation with Henri, Lyn, and the rest escalated he sighed. This was going to be trouble, and not just for the students involved. He took a step forward and put a firm hand on Tyrael's chest. [color=598527]"Let the students handle this Tyrael. They're all adults, even if Althalus and Henri refuse to act like it, and the latter hasn't done anything to make good on his threat. He might just be blowing off steam and we don't need [i]you[/i] running around Eania with a scary look on your face. "[/color] Uicle paused, considering the demonomancy teacher's face. [color=598527]"Scarier look on your face."[/color] He conceded, continuing. [color=598527]"So why don't we sit down, and you [i]not[/i] make me put any actual effort into stopping you. Just this once."[/color]