Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by WeepingLiberty
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WeepingLiberty ~Friendly Garden Statue~ / ~Blink And You're Dead~

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Dakota Brookes

Interacting with: Lilie @Hero, Salem @Trainerblue192, and Aaron @Obscene Symphony


Dakota hadn’t meant to step on any toes when making an entrance. What should have been a pat on the back and a confidence booster somehow ended up lessening the confidence of someone else. Almost immediately after speaking, Dakota could feel a sense of dejection emanating from the dark haired mage who had been speaking to the group before Dakota had barged in. Before he had a moment to speak, however, the mage who had the light show before returned to the group to address Dakota’s comment.

Looks like you’ll get your wish,” He said with a pat of his hand on the sword at his side.

Lilie and I are sparring later today. We’ve both had ten years of training, so I think it’s going to be a good show.” Dakota flashed an impressed smile, nodding their head in agreement with the statement.

Certainly sounds like it. I’m looking forward to sitting in.” They laughed a little, eyes turning back to the other male in the gathering as he spoke up.

I… umm, I don’t have any combat training. Not in the sense you all speak of at least. I can’t wield weapons, nor throw a punch, or roundhouse kick or anything… I’m just a medic…” The mage’s voice trailed off as he spoke, eyes falling to the ground to inspect something unseen to the rest of the group.

But I’ve had many mages work with me at my clinic, so I’ve learned of ways to utilize other magics both for medical purposes as well as some combative strategies… from uh… the stories they’ve told me. All of my patients are humans and a few are brought to me by mages who have had to combat a feral or two away from the slums…” Dakota couldn’t help but feel impressed the more the other guy spoke about his previous experience with magic. If they were being honest, Dakota had never put much thought into what other mage’s lives would be like outside of school. To hear that this particular mage was not already familiar with their affinity, but able to use it for an actual job… That was something to be proud of.

Stuffing their hands into their pockets, Dakota sat back and listened with great interest as the other mage, whose name they still had not picked up on, praised Lilie’s affinity. Assumedly, the affinities had been mentioned earlier in the conversation before Dakota had arrived, so the newcomer had to work extra hard to pick up on the context clues. All they could discern was the woman in question had some sort of versatile affinity capable of quite a many things depending on training and application. While it sounded like a great opportunity, Dakota was unsure as to whether that was something they hoped for or not. Having a unique specialty was always a dream, but it also could limit in the long run…

It wouldn’t happen to be Lunch yet would it?” The darker haired one asked, the question punctuated with a suspiciously timed bell.

Looks like it,” The swordsman’s voice betrayed the same amusement Dakota felt, presumably, about the ringing bell.

Shall we?” Dakota nodded their head, skipping quickly over to the booth to snag a sign up sheet before returning to the group. The goal was to fill it out and submit it later, after all, this group was too good a learning opportunity to pass up. Upon their return from the table, Dakota could hear the swordsman addressing the dark haired mage about his self-inflicted disappointment. The young mage couldn’t help but to agree, despite having zero experience with magic themselves. It was like any skill, everyone was good at something… even if it wasn’t the same something.

Blondie’s right y’know. I grew up in a non-magic community so all of this stuff is new to me. I don’t even have an affinity!” Dakota let loose a hearty laugh, a mostly genuine sound to cover the slight disappointment they felt about their own situation.

You couldn’t call what I do combat… scrappy maybe, but not combat. I know just enough to get myself out of trouble when I need to. You, on the other hand, sound like you have a pretty solid sense of not only your own abilities but other people’s as well. That’s gotta count for something, don’t you think?
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Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Achronum
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Achronum The Pyro

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Vampires


The Academy seemed almost empty as Lucan led the way through the halls, only stopping to greet one of the passing guards whom he recognized. He kept a close eye on Morrigan as they walked, making sure that the fledgeling didn’t get separated from him. He had considered making small talk but truthfully didn’t know what to say and Morrigan seemed content just to walk, without asking any questions. Soon enough they reached the lunchroom and its corresponding building where Lucan admired the architecture before he walked up to the entry and held the door open for his fellow vampire before entering in himself. He let a ghost of a smile hit his face as he took the familiar sight in.

The room was set up with multiple stations around the wall for those who wanted food. One had a carving station where chefs would carve turkey, roast beef and ham while another had a wide variety of vegetables prepared to order as one wished. There were a few long bench tables set close to the stations, but six person round tables filled most of the area while soft lighting and a relaxing colours completed the room’s environment. Lucan himself wandered up to one of the round tables and sat down quietly, sending a small smile and incline of his head to signal Morrigan to also take a seat if he wished.

Morrigan shifted nervously on the balls of his feet, even back in his human days school lunchrooms always felt awkward to him. He noted the small nod and moved forward with a small grunt before sliding into the seat next to Lucan. ”Is it always like this?” He asked Lucan with a wave of his hand. The room was noisy as students chattered with their mates, his eyes scanning for Max.

Luc glanced around the room and almost chuckled, it wasn’t even that crowded yet. He considered the fledgling and then nodded the affirmative, glancing down at his phone and shooting a text to Aaron. ”Once it gets busy you’ll sort of see what’s ‘normal’ for lunch. Right now it seems to just be upperclassmen.”

Hey, where are you? Did Sariel go over with her talk or something? I’m in the lunchroom now, I’ll meet you and Salem at one of the tables I have reserved.

Mages


“And this!” Sariel paused dramatically as she threw open the cafeteria doors, “Is the cafeteria! The only place to eat out your feelings and stresses! This’ll be your best friend come exam time.” She chuckled back at the group. Sariel tagged along with the group, deciding to lead the way across the unfamiliar grounds. Did she take a few… unnecessary turns and twists as part of an impromptu tour? Yes. Did she talk their ears off the whole time about her experiences at school? Yes. Did she feel bad about it? Nope! Her phone binged in her pocket and she fished it out before rolling her eyes.

“Well, that seems to be the end of our day together. Duty calls after all.” She whirled to face the group and smiled. “Now, Aaron over there has my number so I expect each and everyone of you to get it and send me a text sometime. I might not always be around but having someone in your corner when shit hits the fan isn’t ever a bad thing. And even if it isn’t very big, make sure if you need help you reach out.” Her face grew serious with her last remark, underscoring the weight of the statement as her eyes flickered to Aaron and then across the group. But she was back to her smiling self with a quick clap of her hands. She blew a kiss and waved before heading out the doors she brought them in. She brought the phone to her ear as she walked out, nodding as she listened to something.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Trainerblue192
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Trainerblue192

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@Obscene Symphony@WeepingLiberty@Apoalo


At the sound of all the encouragement from his colleagues, Salem could feel his blood begin to pool around his cheeks. A light rose colour began to form underneath the tan-olive skin, his eyes darted from Aaron to Dakota and then his feet as he fiddled with his shirt. As they walked Salem nudged into Aaron the way he did him, speaking in a low, soft voice "Thanks" His eyes met with Kotas for a moment after, a flash of an embarrassed smile on his face "Well I'm sure we'll figure out yours in time. Mine was easy, I come from a long line of plant mages, so there wasnt much surprise when my affinity for plant magic was shown during the ceremony." Salem glanced down at his hands for a moment "Besides...its not like I can control my magic yet, nor can I conjure it at will. I was however, trained in the fields involving plants and their many extensive uses. It is believed that if we, Spellmans, understand every aspect that we can imagine of our element, including its growth process, needs, and possibilities, than we will be able to better control and wield our element when the time comes."

Salem took in the beauty of the school grounds as they walked, lead by Sariel, who admittedly wasnt the best tour guide. He didnt pay much attention to most of what she'd said once they began to get lost. Every step they took, Salems heart began to beat louder in his chest, knowing full well it meant finally meeting his partner. Nervousness began to creep up on him with the thought of it all, his heart resounding in his ears, thumping loudly as the others voices began to be drowned out. “Now, Aaron over there has my number so I expect each and everyone of you to get it and send me a text sometime. I might not always be around but having someone in your corner when shit hits the fan isn’t ever a bad thing. And even if it isn’t very big, make sure if you need help you reach out.” Wait we're here already?! Salem's eyes scanned the many faces of the crowd, wondering if Lucan was already there, waiting. Finally he saw him with two others none the less, Salem took took a step forward when he was suddenly stopped by Aaron.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Hero
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Hero Sincerest of Knights

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Dakota's comment had made Lilie sheepish, the white haired girl shaking her head lightly. She wasn't entirely sure where she stood on the level of skill versus someone like Aaron, but at the very least she would be able to put on a show. Hopefully. Considering how much of a bumpkin she felt she was compared to everyone else, she couldn't help but feel somewhat out of place. Everyone seemed to at least know what they're doing or seemed to come from a place where at least they had some semblance of an idea. Lilie felt like she was suddenly thrown into this world of magic and vampires with very little preparation.

Needless to say, the girl felt lost. And not because of Sariel's impromptu tour--albeit seeing much more of the Academy was always a good thing in her book--but maybe all the excitement she had initially felt had started to fade into anxiety. Her hands instinctively began to fiddle with the hem of her dress as she listened to the older woman speak. She remembered Arianna's text and frowned; she didn't think it was coincidence that the two emphasized having friends. Well, what was the worst that could happen?

Speaking of the vampire, Lilie never did give her a proper response. Taking out her phone, her eyes landed on Aaron in front of the group. Did a plan for a spar count? Or rather, the 'date' count? She couldn't help but smile to herself as the thought crossed her mind, and trying to be as stealthy as possible, she quietly snapped a picture of him, sending it to Arianna with a message.

> Made at least one friend. Here's hoping for more!


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Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Obscene Symphony
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Obscene Symphony sea wench

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Aaron noticed Salem's blushing and smiled when he was thanked, and listened as Salem explained his magical background with genuine interest. Plant magic, not quite the sort of medic affinity he'd been expecting (the doctors at Noila Castle were all Life mages) but he could see the potential. And clearly Salem and his family knew what they were doing, if they put such effort into learning about their magic and running a clinic. He seemed like a hard-working mage, and that was something Aaron held in high regard. It seemed they had a good bit in common so far. Good thing too; if Salem was Lucan's mage, they'd probably be seeing a lot of each other.

"My affinity came out in my Awakening too," he finally chimed in, "I was worried sick that I wouldn't have magic, but on my Awakening day my crystal lit up the whole room." He smiled widely at the memory, absently rubbing the pommel of his sword with his thumb. "I was so relieved I almost fainted."

It was then that Sariel hijacked the group, steering them in a roundabout way to the dining hall and chattering about her own experiences all the way. He looked animatedly around at the campus as they went, noting the decidedly "Noila" style of the architecture and the generally familiar feel of the grounds. When Sariel said her closing blurb, he had to shake his head for a second, grinning. It was as if Sariel was actively trying to throw people at him; sure, this was his first chance to really make friends, but did she think he was that desperate? Hopefully not; he really could see her genuinely wanting every mage in the school to confide in her.

He caught her look when she mentioned reaching out for help, and his stomach twisted for an instant as he remembered the night before, Count Varis' little display and how uncomfortable Sariel had looked. In that moment he couldn't look her in the eye, the thought of it making him uncomfortable all over again. He swallowed hard and took a deep breath to quell the sudden unease in his gut.

Just as Sariel left, Aaron’s watch vibrated, displaying two texts from Lucan, one from earlier and one from just then.

> Oh, I see you've found my partner. How fortuitous, and you already appear close. Less that I have to do in the long run.

> Hey, where are you? Did Sariel go over with her talk or something? I’m in the lunchroom now, I’ll meet you and Salem at one of the tables I have reserved.

Grateful for the distraction, he stifled a laugh at the first message and pulled out his phone for a quick reply, pulling Salem aside as he did so.

> Something like that. You know how she can be!
> We’re just arriving now, be over in a minute.


Once he hit send, he pocketed his phone and turned to Salem, whom he could see was getting anxious again. Shooting a look back to the rest of the group (which he hoped they would interpret as a request for a moment of privacy), he turned the pair of them a little away and spoke quietly.

”Before we go up, just a few things to remember to make a good impression, okay?” He made sure to catch Salem’s eye and determined he was listening before continuing.

”First off, don’t make eye contact unless directed. Just avert your eyes a little, nothing major. I usually just look at his cheekbones or mouth or something. Secondly,” he counted on his fingers, ”Don’t speak until you’re spoken to. Just wait until he addresses you first and then act as you normally would.” He shrugged, posture very casual. ”It’s just common-sense manners, really. Nothing special.” He waved nonchalantly with one hand, tone almost bored, as if he was just going through the motions of the most routine thing in the world.

After a second considering the other mage, who looked to be getting more nervous by the second, he met Salem’s eyes again and tapped his own chest with both hands. ”Breathe,” he advised, offering a smile meant to be reassuring, ”I know it’s nerve-wracking, but you really have nothing to worry about.” He patted Salem on the shoulder and steered them both back to the group, turning then to approach Lucan’s table.

Aaron straightened as they approached, a slight bounce in his step, taking note of the other vampire sitting with Lucan and assuming a more formal posture, resting his hands comfortably behind his back. He averted his eyes appropriately to the tabletop, head down just enough to be polite without looking stiff, and checked to see if Salem was following his instructions. He still seemed a little nervous, eyes mostly stuck to the floor but stealing the occasional glance upward. Aaron reminded himself once again that not everyone was as familiar with interacting with vampires as he was, and hoped Salem was acting that way out of jitters at the new situation and not out of fear of Lucan.

Lucan was just about to respond to Morrigan when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He considered just glancing at the message but wished to remain polite, even if the embraced vampire he was currently speaking with had no idea of what was truly polite in vampiric high society. ”Indeed? Sorry, one moment.” He broke off the conversation and then glanced down at his phone, missing the mages as they entered the cafeteria.

He had just started a reply when he sensed someone approaching the table, and looked up to see Aaron and Salem. Luc gave a small shrug and put his phone away before standing with his hands behind his back and eyes scanning the new arrivals. He didn’t let his gaze linger on Aaron for long, knowing that the Starag had his manners down well but was surprised to see Salem also seeming like he knew how to properly show respect. No doubt he had been coached, as the young man kept sneaking glances up at Lucan, who had to use all of his skill not to give a smirk of amusement.

With a small tilt of his head and a step closer Lucan spoke, his voice a soft tenor. ”So we meet at last Mr. Spellman, I am Lucan Bordeleaux. It is a sincere pleasure to make your acquaintance. My friend beside me is Morrigan Cade, one of the Embraced vampires attending this year. Please, feel free to relax, both of you.” He added as he shot a glance to Aaron, a lightning fast one that the blond would be able to read as soft amusement and appreciation for helping his mage.

Aaron smirked and winked at Lucan when their eyes briefly met, before he averted them once more, relaxing his posture at Lucan’s request. He looked between Lucan and the other vampire, Morrigan, offering the latter a curt bow of the head in greeting.

”Delighted to meet you, Morrigan. I’m Aaron Starag.” Aaron said, assuming that Lucan’s invitation applied to them both, before turning back to Lucan and adding, “And Lucan, always a pleasure.” He glanced over to Salem with an inviting grin, silently willing the other mage to say something.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Cello
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Cello Rainbow 2.0

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Minfilia sat alone in the cafeteria, occupying a table of six all on her own with her back to the others. Of course, fellow students had tried to approach her. Typically, young men. Their advances were met with a polite, yet firm rejection.
I wish to eat alone.” It was the truth, yet Minfilia had other motives. Her chair was positioned in such a way that she had her back to her peers, but was able to view them just enough out of the corner of her eyes. Occasionally she would pretend to readjust her hair, turning her head just enough to spy a proper glance. In front of her, a notebook lay open with a list of names. Ones she had heard earlier this evening in the courtyard while mages were introducing themselves to each other.

Minfilia had been present at the time, but made herself quite scarce amongst all the formalities. Instead her time was spent observing a rather large gathering of new mages, centred around the golden-haired pawn of the Noila family. Aaron Starag, she believed his name to be. His was the first written on the list. Both for her own personal intrigue in his abilities and because the boy seemed fond of his own name. Written next to his name were two more words.

Light Aspected. Aaron had foolishly displayed his abilities for all of Noila’s mages to see. Whether the demonstration was educational or pure bravado, or perhaps both, was unknown to Minfilia; but it mattered not. What mattered was the young Mage gathering enough intelligence to report back to Amaris with. No doubt knowing the abilities of her peers would help Minfilia and her Lady better prepare themselves against these potential foes over the years. Particularly where the Mages of Nobles were concerned. Discerning who they were was a top priority for Minfilia. The task was made even simpler by the invitation to Lord Varis’ gathering before dawn.

There were other names written aside from Aarons, but no other affinities recorded. Though she had heard a whisper through the grapevine about a spar between Aaron and a girl named Lilie. Minfilia had little interest in such affairs normally, but she would attend nonetheless. The perfect opportunity to spy the Aaron boy’s combat prowess as well as this other Mage’s.

While she continued to observe, Minfilia kept an eye out for Lady Amaris, hoping to reconvene with her before the break was finished.



Interactions: @Gisk




It wasn’t until the moon hung high in the star speckled darkness that Dominique Astorio saw fit to attend his orientation. His tardiness, while ignored by most, was painfully obvious to those of Noble descent. He could see the looks on their faces, the hushed whispers to their comrades.

Of course, the Astorio brute was late. Make believe voices rang through his mind.
He didn’t even have the decency to arrive promptly to the ceremony.

They were just words, and no less ones he had fabricated himself, but it was enough to cause Dominique’s muscles to tense with frustration. He shot the next person to walk past him a wretched scowl; startling the poor mage boy into a brisk pace as to put as much distance between himself and the vampire.

Wandering into the cafeteria, Dominique’s mind wandered to Cassandra. The way she had stood up to him this morning – stifling his words with such callous disregard for his authority. Or rather, lack thereof. He couldn’t kid himself any longer. Cassandra owed him no respect or loyalty – it was he who was reliant on her. Surely, the human mage couldn’t care less if he was to die of thirst. And sure enough, the thirst was already tickling at his throat. Soon enough it would ravish his mind and he would be forced to beg the girl for sustenance.

Perish the thought! Dominique Astorio bends the knee to no mage! Though as he sat in the cafeteria, watching the other Vampires sit with their newfound partners, the crushing reality of his situation began to bear down on him like the deepest depths of the sea. He needed Cassandra. He didn’t have to like her, nor she him, but he at least needed her to think she was his equal. He grimaced at the notion. If his father caught him treating her in such a way, even if it was a façade, he’d be flogged in the Noila courtyard for all to see. Yet, Bayard Astorio had never attended the academy. He’d never had to rely on a Mage as a partner, rather than a servant. He could not possibly understand the burden Dominique had to bare, nor the sacrifice of his honour as an Astorio he would need to endure.

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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Jade Blades
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Jade Blades Wandering Zombie

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Joryldin Nailo

Interacting with: Dominique Astorio @Leslie Hall


Coming from Teddy's office, the cafeteria was on the complete opposite side of the campus. Joryldin was tempted to sprint it, use the strength he was given and make it over to the rest of the freshmen in a matter of seconds, but he was unsure of whether that would be in poor taste. None of the other vampires were moving faster than a brisk jog, so it was always better to err on the side of caution. Besides, he had some papers to fill out and didn't feel like losing them in the wind.

Bright moonlight lit up the academy as beams of green and white filtered through the clouds. The errant splashes of color against the navy blue night looked like something straight out of a modern art gallery. Lines blurred together and shapes lost form; it was almost difficult for Joryldin to make out the path as he took in the sights. A bitter gust of late-autumn wind snapped him free of the picturesque scenery's grasp, however. Were he still alive he might have been able to tighten his hoodie and tough it out, but the cold pervaded every corner of his body. Every inch of skin was freezing, all of his muscles were rigid. Hell, he could feel what was left of his organs getting cold!

It was nigh on unbearable. Stuffing the coursework into the oversized pocket hanging over his stomach, he took off towards the cafeteria. Running as fast as he could would clearly be uncouth, so the fledgling kept up his act by maintaining a straight posture and pretending to be on an exceptionally quick jog.

He slipped into the cafeteria with all the silence of an alleycat. Even the lone guard who noticed him had to do a double take to make sure he didn't just imagine the student appearing out of nowhere. Heat wafted out from the kitchen, providing welcome relief for the freezing undead. Each of the caffeteria's inhabitants seemed to be quite preoccupied with either work or socialization, and most of the tables had at least three to four seated at them. His best bet for privacy was a lone round table near the south wall housing a single ornery vampire seated with his back to the window behind him.

Sunlight above... I could learn a thing or two from that scowl. Whatever, if he wants to be left alone I just won't say anything.

Joryldin weaved his way through the crowd and sat across from Dominique. He pushed his hood up and hair out of his eyes so he could see properly. It was another vampire, no need to take those precautions, and Joryldin didn't plan on even looking at him anyway. He removed his coursework and pulled a pencil from his back pocket. There was a lot to fill out, and it was irritating work since Teddy had already shown him that the school already possessed most of this information. Vampire's love their busywork, apparently. Bored and a bit confused, Joryldin stuck the pencil in his mouth and reread his work. In an effort to satisfy the two itching spears in his mouth, he absentmindedly bit into the wood and poked multiple holes in his utensil.
Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Trainerblue192
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Trainerblue192

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@Obscene Symphony@HecateProxy@Apoalo


A long, deep, sigh, escaped from Salem as Lucan told them to relax. He hadn't realised it, but at the sight of Lucan, he had begun to hold his breath. His muscles began to loosen as Salem exhaled, relief washing over him as hed hoped hed done well. He turned his head to face Aaron, giving him a warm smile as he gently nudged him with his elbow, signifying a thanks. Salem's attention was once again drawn back to Lucan, he began to ruffle inside his bag, pulling out the small contraption that held the vials of blood, each marked with a label, one of which was just black. "I wasnt sure if youd want a snack or something to ride you over for the day, so I took the liberty of bringing a few flavors along with me. Please, feel free to drink if you need to." He had finally met his partner and was now at a loss for words, what should he say? Ask? Do? What is expected of a first encounter?

Salem cleared his throat "I heard that Aaron will be participating in a match later today. Are you gonna come see it as well? I'm honestly a bit intrigued to see how he fights and how you trained him." his legacy began to shift as his eyes looked towards the seat next to Lucan. Salem began to wonder if it would be ok to sit next to him, or if he should remain standing. His uncertainty began to eat him alive when a thought crossed his mind We're partners, equals. I should treat him ok differently than I would another. He moved forward as he began to take the seat next to him, placing the container onto the table. "I hope you dont mind if I take this seat. Before I do, it's a pleasure to meet you Morrigan, I'm Salem Spellman." he extended his arm out to Morrigan for them to shake.
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Gisk
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Gisk

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Cassandra was getting a subtle hint that the guy didn't like vampires. She could sympathize, but this was hardly the appropriate setting. He clearly had no interest in playing the politics that vampires carried with them everywhere they went.

Good for him, in a way. After her morning with Dominique, she didn't think she had any room to talk, in any case.

He turned his back on her after the Starag boy gave him a slip of paper with(she presumed) a phone number. Probably he didn't like people looking at his phone screen. Maybe he had an embarrassing lock screen.

"I'm Cassandra, by the way. I suppose I'll be seeing you."

Lunch was coming up, and she left him to his devices so she could join the crowd.

---

Of course, she had forgotten that the vampires would be here too.

Dominique was all too easy to spot, and she felt she couldn't afford the perceived offense of ignoring him. Not right now, anyway.

Steeling herself for the worst, she got her lunch(some roast beef and mashed potatoes with green beans) and strode up to him. She put her tray down and sat across from him without invitation.

"Good evening," she said, as naturally as she could. "That's the appropriate way to greet someone on a night schedule, right? I haven't had any proper examples tonight." A subtle allusion to the way he had tried to get her attention when she first got up.

And now, very important, she had to remind him why he needed her, and placate him as best she could at the same time

"If you're hungry - er, thirsty? - we can find a private place to feed. Maybe we should have this morning, had things not gotten so, um, heated."

She might have laid it on thick. The slight hesitance could come off as disarming, but she wasn't sure that's what she wanted to do with him.

@Leslie Hall
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Scribe of Thoth
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Scribe of Thoth It's Pronounced "Thot"

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Cassandra. Hmm. He didn't have a nickname for her yet, that'll have to do.

Max left the auditorium on the tail end of Sariel's little guided tour, taking his sweet time following. Not that it seemed to matter, with the way she was moving he almost believed she had no idea where she was going. Almost. This was clearly planned. He lingered outside the lunchroom for a bit before entering, waiting for the lines near the food to die down a bit before tackling them himself but unwilling to enter the room and risk subjecting himself to impromptu socialization with the mages from earlier - not to mention vampires.

When he finally did enter, he loaded up a plate before turning to look around for his partner. While he may not want to talk to anyone here, eating alone like a loser was out of the question. The only dilemma was whether the vampire was even here - not like he needed to eat, and he was too new to being a vampire to be expected to consistently follow proper decorum.

Fortunately, Morrigan was present. Unfortunately, so were others. Why was Retriever there? It was like the universe saw fit to mock him today. He treaded over to the group's claimed table, shoulders sunk and demeanor particularly sour. He dropped his tray in front of an empty seat wordlessly, without so much as an acknowledging gaze toward the others while they were finishing up their introductions. He tapped at his phone briefly, then rudely shoved it past Aaron in Morrigan's direction, New Contact entry open and waiting on the screen.

"Hey, I forgot to get this from you earlier," he muttered out gruffly at the soonest lull in conversation, "In case you need to get ahold of me for... whatever."

He still hadn't spared a glance at anyone else, and if he had his way, he'd get to pretend they weren't even there for the entirety of lunch.


@HecateProxy@Obscene Symphony and I guess @Apoalo and @TrainerBlue192 by proxy
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Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by WeepingLiberty
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WeepingLiberty ~Friendly Garden Statue~ / ~Blink And You're Dead~

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Amaris Marivaldi

Interacting with: Varis, Ailsalia @Achronum, Arianna @Crusader Lord, and Minfillia @Leslie Hall


Conflict precipitates change. Grief paralyzes it.” Amaris had to keep from rolling her eyes at the man standing beside her, an internal groan trapped behind a soundproof wall of pure determination.

Though I am glad the actions of Lord Marivaldi find themselves in your good graces. My cynicism, a flaw I’ll admit, found his origins and his recent promotion curiously connected but he is neither a pureblood nor a Sinnenodel so I’m sure mischievous machinations are not his intent.” Her violet eyes were nearly approaching a shade of blue with how cold her stare had become, a twitch in a single finger the only other sign at her overflowing irritation.

Conflict without necessity is counter productive and a waste of valuable resources, wouldn’t you say? I’d rather find myself standing in place than moving further from my goals, but I suppose that’s all a matter of personal preference.” Throwing Varis a sideward glance, she warned him with a look to watch the ice he tread on.

Your cynicism does not find solitude among your flaws, Count, if you think we would not properly vet our leaders. I can assure you the situation has been handled and put to rest with the approval of the royal house. You had best watch your tongue, Varis. His origins aside, he is still the head of a noble house whereas you are not… A little respect is due.” The noblewoman thought to end the conversation and walk away from the man, having little patience left to deal with his antics for much longer. She, however, sensed the intentions of another before an appearance was made… a move that piqued Amaris’ interests enough to stay her feet.

Well, well, well. If it isn’t little Varis.” Amaris had to keep from laughing aloud, a small twinkle of amusement returning to her eyes as the woman spoke. Never before had she heard someone talk to another noble, let alone Varis, with such familiarity. It was crass and filled with teasing tones, an unspoken challenge that clearly irked the usually stoic trickster. She watched as Varis tensed and his eyes darkened with displeasure, the woman taking no note of these things to continue teasing the nobleman. He attempted to maintain his composure, and was almost successful at it as well, but the longer the two spent near one another… and the memories spoken of… the more on edge he seemed to become. Or that was until something in his demeanour changed. Amaris felt her stomach drop as his faked smile shifted into a predatory sneer, the words slipping from his lips like poison down a blade.

I have found most of my childish habits have thankfully stayed in my childhood, much like your parents in yours. Now, was there something you wanted or did you come just to interrupt me?” While she was more than familiar with how cold-hearted the Sinnenodels could be, his words were spoken with pure malice. Amaris could not deny the nerve it struck within herself either, a half-step taken forward in protest as he taunted his own relation. Somehow, the cousin was able to maintain a better grip on her composure and slapped back at the menace with a retort of her own.

Turning to the other two in the group, the woman introduced herself as Ailsalia Margaux. The relation to Varis was revealed to be through the mother, so it came as little surprise that Varis and the rest of the family had trampled down the branch. Then again, she had never known the Sinnenodel’s to be kind to one another anyhow.

As quick as Ailsalia had appeared Varis made his escape, though not before throwing one last dagger in his wake. Amaris awaited patiently as Aisalia processed her emotions internally before returning fully composed back to the two noblewomen. She couldn’t help but wonder what it was in the last exchange that had dug so deep but she knew the look better than to pry… it was, after all, none of her business. It was a possibility she could befriend the cousin, hesitant to do so due to the familiar relation, but an advantageous opportunity all the same. Amaris would have to think on it some more before she committed either way. In the meantime, Amaris smiled in response to Ailsalia’s statement, nodding her head only slightly in greeting.

Can’t say I envy the time you’ve spent around him over the years, pardon my surprise you have any sanity left.” She chuckled a bit to lighten the weight that had settled over the air, the act unsuccessful from lightening her eyes from the bluish hue.

I can however commend you. I don’t believe I’ve seen anyone short of the Lady herself make Varis forget his manners so. I’m Amaris, Countess of the house of Marivaldi. I’ve had the misfortune of dealing with your cousin on many occasions, but I don’t believe I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you until today. Are you perhaps an incoming first year with the rest of us?” As Amaris finished speaking, she felt a light vibration from the clutch she was holding in her hands. Fishing the cellphone she had tucked inside before leaving the house, she flipped on the screen to display a text message sent from a number she did not recognize. A small smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she realized the message was a confirmation from her mage partner to join her for lunch, which if she was correct… was now.

Ah, you’ll have to excuse me. There are a couple of matters I still need to go over with my mage partner so I best be going. I hope to see you later Countess.” Amaris smiled with a curtsey, the same she had in greeting, in the direction of the Eve representative before turning her eyes back to Ailsalia.

As for you, anyone who can make Varis squirm like that is more than welcome in my circles. You’re welcome around for a chat any time m’dear.” With a nod of her head in Ailsalia’s direction and short wave to the pair, Amaris made for the exit and took off down the corridor. By this time there were already plenty of other students on their way toward the cafeteria making it very easy for Amaris to walk with purpose. She did think it amusing, however, the bubble of space that seemed to form around her as she walked along. There were those that expected as such, hence why the nobles had their own housing and seating arrangements in auditoriums… but Amaris was far from the type. In fact, she rather enjoyed the looks of surprise as unsuspecting students ventured too close without receiving any sort of response from her.

~~~


Upon entering the cafeteria, Amaris stepped aside from the door so that she could take in the room. Various smells hit her senses at once causing her a moment’s falter, her eyes dulling somewhat in their azure state. It would take her a few minutes to adjust and filter the competing scents, however, her hesitation allowed her a moment to properly survey the room to observe the groupings.

From what she could tell, there was no structure or division in the room. Mages and vampires from all years were mixed up together in one messy mass, mages eating away or studying between classes while the vampires socialized and awaited for their own meals to become available. Whilst she was scanning the room before her, a ruckus nearby caught her attention, pulling her eyes from the masses. Barging into the cafeteria came an energetic female mage guiding a group of first years on what must have been some kind of impromptu tour. She recognized the woman as belonging to the royal house, one of the Princess’ personal guard if she remembered correctly.

Amaris hid a smile by turning back to the room, her eyes finally falling upon a table with a single occupant. She watched as another student approached and exchanged brief words before turning away and seeking other seating arrangements, a curious look over taking her features as she observed. Seemed she and her partner might have a few things in common yet depending on her reason for such solitude. Pushing away from the wall, Amaris made her approach through the crowd to Minfillia’s lonely table.

How was your orientation?” She asked as she took a seat at the table. Glancing over at the notebook on the table, Amaris quickly scanned the neatly penned names within before following Minfillia’s intermittent gaze to a nearby table. She recognized a few of the faces as having been with the touring group, fellow classmates that included the mage paired with the Count Varis. Next to a couple of the names was a word associated with magic affinities, useful information to have for sure.

A light mage from their personal stock? That’s more than just a status symbol… Amaris thought to herself, choosing to keep her thoughts silent on the matter for the time being. It was common knowledge that the noble houses would ‘trade’ their mages around to maintain functional bloodlines, something the royals could not circumvent. Still, to choose someone so rash to hand a power so important to, didn’t seem like a sound decision in the slightest. Perhaps it was a test? Or a plan of greater design? There was no way for her to know such things so early on, she only hoped it was something simple after all.

Diligent notes, although I might suggest developing a code for yourself if you’re going to be observing your peers so closely.” She offered light-heartedly, her eyes slowly shifting into more purple hues. Sitting back in her chair, Amaris crossed her one leg over her knee and rested her arm on the tabletop. If Minfillia had an interest in gathering intel, it could go a long way into understanding the reason behind certain pairings. She would have to remember to nab as many of the family names to add to the notes later on.

Sugarcoating is just going to end up wasting both of our times, so I guess I’ll just get to it now that you’ve had a chance to get settled in. I’m pretty easy going as it goes, as I’m sure you’ve already noted. I don’t have many rules and for all intents and purposes you are free to operate as you please.” In terms of rules, Amaris didn’t really consider whether she had any at all. If anything, they would be centered mostly around maintaining a clean and comfortable home environment but that was about it. At least, until she thought about the many student interactions they would likely be forced into over the next few years.

I would like you to note the position you now find yourself in being paired with a noble as opposed to your run-of-the-mill pureblood. There are quite a few perks to having the power of a noble house behind your will, but there is many a responsibility as well. Your actions from here on out will reflect not only on yourself and I, but on the rest of my house as well.” Despite coming from a family with close ties to the vampiric society, Amaris still needed to make sure that Minfillia understood the difference between the vampires she was used to operating around and the family she now represented. The Marivaldi name, despite its mystique and strange habits, was still a powerful tool if applied in the right places. It was available for Minfillia’s use but Amaris thought it better to let the mage figure that out on her own. It would be interesting to see how crafty the woman could get with right tools.

It would seem that this year there is a representative from each of the noble houses in attendance, one of which I can assure you is not nearly as lax as I am. The others I am not as familiar with so I do caution you to watch your step. Just remember that while they are your seniors, it is my word that ranks above theirs when it comes to you. Your success is a top priority for me over the next few years, I will not tolerate attempts to sabotage that.” Amaris closed her eyes and exhaled slowly, her nerves finally unfurling a bit from her early interaction with Varis. Upon reopening, they had returned to their natural violet color, much more relaxed than they had been when she arrived.

That does include me as well, though. It has been my understanding that our feeding, or rather the expectations surrounding them, can be rather stressful on the mages. Stress that can be a distraction and a hindrance to your education… so I would like to give you a say in the matter. Personally, I prefer consuming from a glass, I feel it bears a little more dignity for the supplier than consuming from the source. Each has their pros and cons, however, so I will not argue if you take preference with one over the other.” Amaris could assume that most mages would think the same as her, but the truth was… she had absolutely no way of knowing that. To some, the feeling of being bitten and consumed from had a calming effect something akin to a high even. It was faster than other methods which meant both parties could go about the rest of their nights with little interference. And overall, it was ‘traditional’ in a sense, though she opted to call it old fashioned.

The alternative was similar to how regular humans ran their blood donations, drawing the blood from the arm using medical equipment instead. It was a cleaner method, but it could be time consuming on the short end; a practice best used if drawing to store so that the partner could feed when they pleased and the mage supply on their own time. Pulling out her phone, Amaris glanced at the time before putting it away and handing the invitation that had been placed in their mailbox over to Minfillia.

Lunch is almost over, so I’ll let you think over your options. I would like you to attend the ‘party’ the count is hosting tonight, might be a good opportunity for you to observe and network with the other houses’ mages. There’s still one more thing I would like to check out before I call it a night, so I will meet you at the house before it’s time to head over. Think things over and you can let me know your final answer then, ok?
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After Lunch


Lunch ended with another bell, signalling that students were free to carry on with their day. People spilled out of the large cafeteria back onto the campus and scattered about to explore with new friends or their partners. Some skulked away towards the dorm and the library, likely to hide away the rest of the day. The collared mage who attempted to maintain some semblance of pride was snatched aside by a shorter female vampire, likely his partner, who wrapped a finger under the collar and dragged him away as she talked animatedly with several others. *

The cafeteria acted as a central hub. Off to the left was the administration building and the mage buildings. Off to the right were the vampire buildings and, much further, the arena. A shuttle was parked in the lot just a ways in front of the cafeteria, advertising rides to the dorms and the adjacent town. Paths spiraled every which way across the grounds and small signs offered directions at intersections.

the Arena

The arena sat on the far edge of campus, closer to the ocean than anything else. The stone structure dominated the landscape. The exterior was well lit and students could easily see the various arches carved into the outside. Several paths lead to the building, each one branching to one of the four larger arches that served as entrances. The salt-sweet breeze trailed behind the students as they hurried to and from the arena. A short stairway on the inside of each arch let duelists slip down to the passages that connect directly to the area and out onto the wooden boards covered in sand. The Arena Guild and Arena Master Dracion had meeting space as well as storage and training facilities down in these passages. The clashing of metal on metal could be heard echoing over the muted voices of various students. Several senior students and an instructor all wearing light green robes walked the grounds, deep in discussion about various Life magic applications. A Guild mage, the guild crest pinned to red robes, cheerily directed overwhelmed students with grandiose gestures and a hearty laugh. A wand, made of stone and carved with multiple runes, swayed has his hip in a holster.

As the group approached, Varis stepped up from behind the guild mage with a man at his side. The man stood almost a foot over Varis and was built like a tree trunk. He showed signs of balding and a huge handlebar mustache decorated a heavily scarred face.He wore simple clothes, well fitting shirt and pants and steel toed shoes. The man and Varis spoke quietly so as not to be heard over the general din as they cross the arch. Varis maintained eye contact, looking genuinely pleased with the other as the man handed over a sheet of paper and an envelope. Varis looked down and the man blinked stood unmoving for a few moments before he seemed to come to his senses. A satisfied smirk curled at the corner of Varis’s mouth as he read, patting down a few loose strands of hair and smoothing wrinkles in his vest, as the man turned away and spoke briefly with the guild mage who responded with an excited “Yes Dracion!”

The Main Library

The main library is housed in the administrative building, which hosts the same courtyard from last night’s events. The decorations and lights have been stripped away and several tables filled the arena around the fountain. Candles flickered on each one and a few had occupants enjoying the clear night air. Passing through the courtyard and entering the building, signs clearly directed visitors and the library didn’t take much to find. It was a plain door set at the end of a long plain hallway. It almost seemed out of place, no art displays like the rest of the building, no signs, nothing but the walls and the floor. A rug with intricate designs, all red and black, lay on the floor just in front of the door.

Opening the wooden door led to a room that seemed larger than the building it sat in. Row after row of bookshelves stretched behind several desks where a few librarians sat. Odd enough, the bookshelves continued up the walls and on the ceiling, apparently defying gravity. The rows of bookshelves were interrupted periodically by spaces of tables and computers. One librarian held a book up as he wrote on a piece of paper and it launched itself from his hand into the air, spun in place for a moment, before flying off onto a bookshelf on the ceiling. Other people were perusing the the bookshelves, unconcerned the were upside down or walking on the walls. One person blurred and move in a blink of an eye from one bookshelf to another.
Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Apoalo
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𝔏𝔲𝔠𝔞𝔫 𝔅𝔬𝔯𝔡𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔞𝔲𝔵










As the bell sounded to indicate the end of lunch Lucan stood and glanced to his partner. "I will meet you in the arena after my bout, until then I'm going to go and enjoy a quiet stroll. I'm sure Aaron will be willing to stay with you." He inclined his head once again and then walked off. It was a tradition for him at this point, before any fight he liked to take the time to loosen himself up and mentally prepare himself and since the girl Athena seemed to be decent with martial skills he wanted to be ready for anything.

He took the long way to the Arena, enjoying the gentle breeze from the ocean air. It was a rather nice night and he found himself going over his various techniques and cadences while humming one of the songs he composed. As he arrived he could feel the air change around him and he gave a predatory grin to himself, this was home. This building was his temple of worship, the sand his prayer beads, and the sound of steel his hymns.

He was also expected as he approached the lower levels which would lead to the preparation rooms for students wishing to fight. An attendant welcomed him to the Arena and started his long-winded spiel before Lucan politely informed him that he was no stranger to the rules or the Arena itself. The man simply shrugged and pointed to the gate which would open and let the vampire into the arena. "Good luck." Lucan smirked to himself and nodded, good luck indeed.

After several minutes of waiting the gates opened, and Lucan knelt at the floor to pick up a bit of sand, which he poured over his hands, shaking them off right after and then walked out of the gate and into the arena floor.

The arena was calm as Lucan stepped inside. He walked slowly, taking it all in once again. He had seen the place before of course when he worked at the Academy, but every time he returned, he took the time to appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship. Raised stands surrounded the field and two doorways allowed Duelists to enter and prepare. Between the arena and stands was a dome shaped barrier that shined brightly, a precaution put in place to ensure spectators weren’t hurt by any stray spells when mages fought. A stand full of weapons sat right beside each door which let the fighters prepare while the arena master, a mage by the name of Dracion stood in the center, waiting to dull the blades of the fighters with his magic.

Gravel crunched under Luc’s feet as he stepped further inside, the gravel going all the way around the arena in a circle which would signify out of bounds should anyone happen to get that pushed back. The air was cool and thick with anticipation, as if the room itself knew that a fight was about to begin.

The freshman class, this their first time entering the arena, were shown around the stands and were given advice on which locations had the best views of the carnage. A few upperclassmen stood at the barrier’s beginning to explain what it was for and how it was created, the impressive feat using the magic of every professor and student who added power to it annually to create what is easily the strongest living barrier spell in existence. The fact that existing seniors also left a part of the their power inside so that every aspect was present and the dome was a part of the long history of the Academy.

Back on the field, Luc ignored the weapon rack as he stepped forward out of the gravel, his rapier and gauche already ready and waiting. As such, he simply strode to the middle, flicking out a handkerchief to dust his coat off. He seemed bored, yet also extremely confident. He nodded to Dracion respectfully and removed both of his weapons for the man to dull, replacing the knife right after while keeping his weapon of choice out and ready.

His opponent, the current Arena Guild President, Athena came a bit slower having picked up two twin scimitars from the weapon rack. She too carried herself confidently and seemed more than ready to put Luc into the dust. As her weapons were dulled she inclined her head to Luc who promptly ignored it and instead continued to wipe dust off himself and his weapons. It was a lost cause as the Arena floor was just to dirty and with a sigh the vampire simply replaced his kerchief and stared right ahead, his eyes briefly going to the mass of freshman watching and waiting for the fighting to begin.

With a reminder to keep the fight clean, and with no breaking of the rules Dracion backed away until he was standing a respectable distance out of the way. As soon as he was at that distance he raised a hand and yelled out. “Begin when ready!”

Lucan stretched his arm out and walked in a circle with his eyes closed and senses in overdrive taking in this place of his worship and when they opened the violet had turned to a much darker and sinister color, the color of midnight, the very interior glowing almost like a star, shining from the soft light. Athena for her part did not back down, her own eyes going darker and a feral smile plastered itself onto her face. The two began circling each other, each one staring and preparing for the first movement.

In his mind, Luc began counting as if he were playing some instrument, and the music pounding inside his ears allowed him to keep a steady rhythm and pace should he require a fast change. Clink, clink, slash! And the first strikes were sent, a quick and simple set from Athena with both scimitars. Luc had parried both blades and then moved his head to the right side lazily as one scimitar slash came towards his face. Clink, clink, slash! The return from Luc with the same tempo and style Athena used, the sophomore parrying with either blade and then copying the same head movement to avoid Luc’s quick slash.

The opening movements were simple attacks meant to test an opponent and how they would respond but by mimicking each other neither gave away any information. A small hesitation as the two vampires stared at each other and then. Clink, clink, clink, clink. And the fighting began fully. The double scimitar attack forced Luc back three paces, before an amazing parry and feint gave the momentum back to the Bordeleaux who forced Athena back the exact same amount of paces. Back and forth it went for the next twenty seconds each one gaining and losing ground, Luc through a combination of feints and ripostes and Athena through her double strikes that didn’t seem to penetrate the defense Lucan had prepared.

It was apparent both vampires were enjoying themselves with the fight and having firm competition as Athena’s smile was less feral and more impressed while Lucan had just the ghost of a smile which was everything if one knew him. After a particularly impressive block and riposte Athena chuckled a bit. “Ah, you’re using Santiago’s first defense against me eh?” Luc inclined his head respectfully after parrying a scimitar slash and shrugged.

“I found it quite fitting, considering the open terrain yes.” The vampire shook his head in amusement and the clinking sounds of blades meeting drowned out the voices as each vampire showed off a mastery of the blade.

“Naturally, you’ll expect me to attack with Nero?” Came Athena’s reply as she did just that, attacking and expecting a quick hit with the changing style. It pushed Lucan back five paces but no attack landed and Luc simply changed styles as well and utterly countered her.

“Naturally, but I’ve found Valroux cancels out Nero, wouldn’t you agree?” And the Bordeleaux would continue parrying each and every attack from either scimitar, the clinking once more drowning out the voices as the rapier’s insanely fast speed sent the woman back seven paces. Suddenly Athena changed styles again and the push back was instant, Luc forced to give up twelve paces as rapid fire stikes rained upon him.

“Unless one has studied their Boucher, which I have.” The smile was growing on Athena’s face as she continued to force Lucan back. The edge of the ring was approaching fast. Clink, clink, clink, clink, slash, clink, slash!

“You’re quite amazing Athena, truly marvelous.”

“I’ve practiced quite hard to become so.” The gravel ring signifying the out of bounds got closer and closer until Lucan trapped one Scimitar with his rapier and stopped the woman’s other hand with his own. “Wait, why are you smiling?” Lucan just let out a soft chuckle and spoke with a soft tenor.

“Because I know something you don’t.” The woman just laughed out loud and inclined her head.

“And what would that be?” Luc suddenly untrapped her scimitar and used her own momentum to push her backwards where he then changed weapon hands to his right and slashed the air a few times.

“That I’m right handed.” He let that sink in before launching into an elegant stance utilizing rapid fire lunges and a controlled willow like dodging pattern. His attacks caught Athena by surprise and she was pushed back, the fight having taken a turn and the lost ground Luc had given up was regained within ten seconds and both fighters were back to the center of the room.

Luc began changing styles after every five seconds. First he would attack with the Thibault. Athena blocks it. Then another attack with the Valroux. Athena loses a pace and backs away. Then another attack with the Mantovani. And his opponent loses one of her scimitars. Luc would stick to Mantovani’s and its pure focus on feinting. Clink, clink, clink, clink, slice. Luc cuts off a lock of Athena’s hair and the woman seems furious. Clink, clink, clink, slash, slice. Athena is pushed back eleven paces. The edge of the room is now quickly approaching for her. Clink, lunge! With no time to parry Athena is forced to drop her blade and jump to the right.

With mirth, Luc kicked the blade back to her and shrug. “At least you gave it your all Madam President, no shame in losing to a superior swordsman.” That got the intended effect and Athena launched herself at the male. Slash, slash, slash, clink, slash. The intensity of Athena’s attacks were worth nothing and it made her sloppy which allowed Luc to simply dodge every attack, parry one, and then slice off another lump of hair. “Now now, getting mad won’t help. In fact I think that was worse than my four year old brothers strikes.” Murder entered the woman’s eyes and once again she launched herself at Lucan. Slash, slash, slash, slash, clink, clink, stab! With inhuman reflexes each and every slice of the scimitar was dodged and then parried once, twice, and instead of a parry, a quick riposte lunge caught Athena and her right sleeve was cut off entirely.

“Dear me, I apologize but it was a rather disastrous wardrobe already, perhaps I did you a favor?” The taunting was clearly getting to the President who screamed and charged like a wild animal. The slashing was wild and wide, easily parried and Luc continued playing with his food until with every attack Athena was screaming. Then something changed, Luc began attacking instead of defending. Lunge, lunge, slash, clink, clink, slash. The other sleeve of Athena’s garb was cut off but her feral rage caused her to simply continue to slash wildly, but despite the ferocity the woman lost ground and tempo of the fight. The ferocity of Lucan’s attack soon proved to be to much for Athena to handle and with a feinting strike normal eyes couldn’t track Lucan had her blade pushed to the side and he rolled to the ground, swinging his legs and taking the woman’s feet out from under her and sending her crashing to the ground. Within an instant Luc’s blade was at her throat and she glared daggers before just shaking her head and simmering down which tends to happen rather quickly with the point of a rapier threatening to end your life.

Upon her defeat Lucan gave her a single nod in thanks for the bout and then offered her his hand, which she took. Luc helped her up and even patted some of the dust from her back and the two bowed to each other simultaneously. With the fight over Lucan turned back to the gate from which he entered and walked out of his place of worship.


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The bell rang sooner than Aaron expected - though a glance at his watch revealed that over an hour had passed - and he stood as Lucan did, nodding his goodbye. There was one more thing he had to do before he made his way to the arena in time for Lucan's match.

Politely excusing himself, Aaron got rid of his empty tray and dishes and looked around the dining hall. It was harder to see now that people had started to stand and move about, but he managed to catch a spot of white amidst the crowd and made his way over, grinning widely. However, a pang of guilt hit him as he approached. Lilie was all alone.

He frowned for a second, but schooled his expression into something more welcoming as he tapped her on the shoulder. He must have startled her, because she suddenly hugged her phone to her chest. He pretended he didn't notice; he didn't want to embarrass her. "Hey, do you want to come to the arena? A few of us are heading over early to watch my friend's match, and you and I are going to have to be there eventually, and..." he trailed off, smiling like an idiot and tugging on his ear as he searched for words. Something about this girl was so... disarming. "...Well, I'm sure it'll be a good time."

Lilie looked at Aaron, phone to her chest, and finally replied, "Oh, um, sure," She got up from her seat, stuffing her phone into her pocket as she smiled at him. "By your lead, then!"

Aaron nodded, still smiling, and went back to Salem's table, making sure Lilie was keeping up through the crowd. "Salem, you ready to go?" he asked, looking over to Morrigan and Max and adding, "You guys are welcome to come with us too, if you'd like," before he and the others made their way out.

There were lots of people milling about as they left the dining hall, but one group in particular caught Aaron's attention as they passed. A collared mage, whom Aaron recognized as the one he'd tried to encourage before orientation, was being dragged away by a vampiress with her finger hooked under the collar. Try as he did not to see it, to remember that it was none of his business, Aaron couldn't help but feel for the mage. All he could do was keep his eyes averted and do his best not to add to the mage's embarrassment.

However, something else happened out of the corner of Aaron's eye; he almost wouldn't have noticed it amidst all the other bodies in the area had he not been actively trying to avoid looking at the collared mage. As the vampiress' group passed, mage in tow, another mage leaning against a nearby wall appeared to snap a picture of the affair and send it to someone, frowning all the while. Then, a dark mist enshrouded him, boiling for a moment before dissipating completely. The mage was gone.

Aaron's brow furrowed and he glanced at his companions. Had they seen that? It didn't look like they had, and something about it didn't sit right with him. He decided to keep quiet for now.

~ / / / ~


The arena was a bit of a hike away, but luckily the group found their way without issue. After all, once you were in sight of the structure, it was hard to steer toward anything else. The stone arches of the arena dominated the landscape, lit up brilliantly against an otherwise dark sky. It was as if the lit paths leading to it were arteries leading to some kind of brightly burning heart. It had an energy about it, unique to anything else on campus thus far. A certain air of anticipation, even on a more sparsely attended night like tonight.

As they approached one of the entrances, Aaron excused himself from the group to briefly speak to the man in the red robes with the Guild crest on his lapel. After explaining the situation, the mage told Aaron that he and Lilie could squeeze their bout into the fifth slot of the day, provided they could make it quick. Aaron grinned; he didn't think that would be an issue.

Just as he was thanking the Guild mage for his help, none other than Varis stepped out from behind him, deep in conversation with a taller man. Aaron couldn't make out what was being said, nor did he want to; on the contrary, he made his way back to his acquaintances as quickly as could politely be managed, tensing to cease the weird pang in his gut. He'd been enjoying his day so far with (mostly) other mages, and as selfish as it was, he didn't want it to come to an end just yet. Luckily, he didn't think Varis was going to bother with him, or even noticed him in the first place, so absorbed was he in reading something. Aaron was perfectly fine with that.

When he got back to the group, Aaron wasted no time making his way with them to the stands. As they searched for an empty spot, he couldn't help but run his hand along the magical barrier around the arena proper. He'd heard stories about it, how it contained every known aspect and was the strongest existing barrier spell in the world. He was almost disappointed, though, when it felt like nothing but cool glass under his fingertips; he'd always imagined it would be more like some kind of uncanny force than a tangible barrier.

The group found their seats, fairly close to the barrier with a good view of the arena proper, just as Lucan and Athena were making their entrances. Once they'd gotten settled, Aaron gently nudged Lilie and pointed to Lucan.

"That's Lucan Bordeleaux," he offered, "He's been my teacher for the past five years. He's a fencer too; watch what he can do, you won't believe it."

With that Aaron turned his attention to the match, where Lucan and Athena were just about to begin. He watched intently as the bout went on, sat forward with his elbows on his knees, watching Lucan specifically. It never ceased to amaze him how fast vampires could be; he'd experienced that speed firsthand a few times when he was being difficult during a session, but Lucan for the most part paced himself when they trained. After all, his student was only human, physically speaking. But against a vampire, he didn't need to hold back. In fact, Aaron was impressed as the vampiress kept up and held her ground, up until the end when she let Lucan get the better of her. Aaron smiled as he watched, and even though there were times when blows were traded too fast for his human eyes to track, his arms and shoulders twitched in time with Lucan's feints and parries.

When the match ended with Lucan's victory, Aaron was pleased, but not surprised. He clapped a few times with the rest of the spectators, glancing around excitedly at his peers. "Incredible, right?"
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Back when her mother used to tell her about her teaching days, she told Lilie once about a vampire that she had trained with once. It was a special occasion when a vampire would even make an appearance in their town, considered an honor that one of their class would even consider passing by. The fight that ensued between them was described to her as a dance, with the immortal being dancing around her, his prowess in a league of its own. While she had learned much from it, she would admit to her that it was the day she truly understood the difference between the two species, but she still very much enjoyed the experience, as it had been phenomenal.

That being said, Lilie never would have even imagined getting the chance to see two vampires clash. She wondered what her mother would think, although those thoughts were drowned out by her own eyes indulging in the scene before her. Lucan, as Aaron had named him, happened to use a rapier and gauche as well, albeit his experience and finesse with them far exceeded her own. The only thing she found herself getting a little antsy about was watching Athena's locks fall; Lilie's hand instinctively went to her own hair, as she wouldn't be pleased if that happened in their spar and made a mental note to be careful.

Aaron's words seemed to bring the girl back to reality, snapping her out of her daze as she looked at him with wide eyes. She dropped her hand, nodding in agreement. Her heart beat against her chest, though where she would normally get worried or nervous, a ball of excitement seemed to light her up. If Aaron even had a fraction of Lucan's skill, then she couldn't wait to experience it firsthand.

"Absolutely," She agreed wholeheartedly, her eyes shining. "That was spectacular!"

@Obscene Symphony
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[@Obscene Symphony@Apoalo




Salem stayed quite the walk there, allowing the others to speak as he took in the environment. Everything in this school was so stunning it was hard to remember he was at one. His mind began to race as they grew nearer, wondering if his 'potion' would work. He had heard of the immense speed at which Vampires can move, and could only imagine how fast this fight would be; Salem was determined to gather as much information about Lucan, through his fighting, as possible. While heading into the stands with Aaron, he began to bite into his Celery snack. One bite and his nerves stood on ends, as if he could feel every bit of wind that touched him, another bite and his speech and movement began to increase as well, with the final bite he closed his eyes and opened them once more. His pupils were like that of a predator, honing in on the slightest movements. His gaze caught a man be enveloped in smoke and then vanish. He blinked and kept his head forward, his mind racing faster than usual.
Moments later the fight began, and Salem viewed it all vividly. Zipping back and forth against the barrier as he kept attempting to see the best angles, some words could be heard coming from him extremely quickly "Wow! OPH! Didyouseethat?! Whatspeed! Lucanwatchout! HESRIGHTHANDED?!" the flurry of words flew out of Salems mouth without moments thought. Once the fight was over he zipped to Aaron "Thatwassoamazing! Icantbelieveanyonecanfightthatgood! Areyouthatfast?strong?agile? CANYOUUSEBOTHHANDS?!" after a moment he realised he had interrupted Aaron and Lillie and stepped back a bit. "Sorryitsreallyhardtocontrolmythoighttospeechrightnowbecauseofthisconcoctionimadeearlieryouseeithelpstheuserbecomeforeagileandistypicallyusedforfightingbutiaddedasmalltwisttohelpmyeyesightaswellsothaticouldviewthisfightbetterbutunfortunateltitmeansmybrainisprocessingfasterandhavingmyspeechflyoutwithit"
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Hidden 5 yrs ago 5 yrs ago Post by Obscene Symphony
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Aaron beamed at Lilie, whose excitement was clear (and so cute) on her face. "It gets me every time I watch him fight," he replied with a sheepish chuckle and a tug on his ear, "When we train, he usually has to slo-"

"Thatwassoamazing! Icantbelieveanyonecanfightthatgood! Areyouthatfast?strong?agile? CANYOUUSEBOTHHANDS?!"

Aaron whipped around to Salem, eyes widening as he tried to pick the sounds apart to form words, leaning a little away as Salem chattered along at the speed of sound. When the onslaught had ceased, he simply blinked a few times, a dumbstruck smirk curling his lips and a laugh threatening in his throat. Salem seemed to note the hesitation and buzzed out what was probably an explanation.

"Sorryitsreallyhardtocontrolmythoighttospeechrightnowbecauseofthisconcoctionimadeearlieryouseeithelpstheuserbecomeforeagileandistypicallyusedforfightingbutiaddedasmalltwisttohelpmyeyesightaswellsothaticouldviewthisfightbetterbutunfortunateltitmeansmybrainisprocessingfasterandhavingmyspeechflyoutwithit"

Aaron again had to pause a few seconds to pick out the few words he'd managed to hear, but he figured he had the gist down. Salem had made something that made him faster; it was very intriguing, and Aaron would be interested to learn more about it. Of course, the side effects were a little... jarring.

Contrary to Salem's high-speed stream of words, Aaron's reply was somewhat halting as he tried to make sure he'd understood the questions correctly. "I suppose I can use both hands, but that's only because the longsword can be used as a one-or-two-handed weapon. I'm definitely not ambidextrous the way Lucan is." He tapped his pommel and laughed. "And no, I'm definitely not that fast. I'm not that anything, really. I'm only human, remember." His smile turned a little more humble and he glanced down. It was true, physically speaking; he wasn't yet capable of using his magic in combat in any meaningful way, and while he had been practicing using his sword as a conduit, he had a long way to go before it would give him any sort of edge against Lucan.

He looked back up at Salem, expression brightening to one of thinly-veiled amusement. "You'll have to tell me more about that concoction of yours sometime!"

He tossed a look back at the arena, where a bout between two others (mages, by the looks of it) was just completing. It must have been a quick one - that pair had only just entered the arena by the time Aaron had gotten distracted. The next pair to enter was announced as the third of the day, and at that realization Aaron turned back to Lilie. "We should head down to the prep area after this match; I assume you'll want a little time to get ready?"
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Ahh, Salem was so cute when he was excited, even if she had absolutely no idea at all what he had said. She nodded politely, praying he wouldn't ask her about anything he said because she hadn't been able to understand a word. Fortunately, Aaron had understood more than she did, responding in kind and revealing a little about himself. Lilie took note, although she mentally admonished herself for taking in everything he said for the sole purpose of hoping to get an advantage in their spar. Was that mean? Probably. But if he had been trained by Lucan and had even half of his skill, she was in for a rough time.

At Aaron's question, Lilie nodded. "That's a good idea," She agreed, her hands fiddling with the hem of her skirt a little. She had often heard the phrase 'small fish in a big pond' but as the third fight went on, she was feeling it more and more. Everyone else seemed to know what they were doing, making her feel a little lost. Arianna hadn't responded to her message, either; she must have been busy with her own things.

By the time the third match had passed, the white haired girl was lost in her own thoughts. It took her a second to realize that it was time for the two to get going, and she nudged Aaron. "Shall we?" She asked him.

Aaron had gotten absorbed in the third match - two vampires this time, though they seemed more like they were testing out the arena than really going for competition - and hadn’t been expecting Lilie’s nudge. Of course, that wasn’t to say it wasn’t welcome.

He looked from Lilie to the arena and back again, then nodded. ”We shall!” he replied enthusiastically, already standing and looking for the best way down from the stands.

”We’ll be back after the match, right?” The first part of his sentence had been directed at Salem, but at the end he looked back to Lilie for confirmation.

Nodding with much enthusiasm, the white haired girl agreed. ”Yeah! Of course!”

Aaron nodded his assent and led the way down out of the stands, back to the arch where their group had first entered. After securing directions from a guild member, the pair made their way down to the prep area beneath the stands, electing to enter the arena from the same side, as opposed to entering from opposite sides as they would in a formal duel.

Once they’d made it into one of the prep rooms, Aaron set about getting ready, carefully removing and folding his cardigan on a nearby bench, then rolling up his sleeves to just past his elbows. Once he’d finished, he looked to Lilie.

”So,” he began, swinging his arms to test his sleeves, ”The arena official told me that we can decide the rules of the match. When I train, our bouts usually go to death or surrender, but we can do first blood if you’d prefer.”

He paused and thought for a moment. ”Or, I suppose it would just be first hit. We’ll try not to make anyone bleed today.” He flashed a smile and laughed a little, hoping to come off as clever instead of creepy.

The white haired girl hesitated for a moment, eyeing Aaron for a moment. First blood? Now there was something she hadn't quite been expecting to hear. He must have been serious about their spar. Then again, it was a chance to prove their worth to their peers, an opportunity to demonstrate their skill. She had to admit, it was a little nerve wracking, but it was all in good fun.

Lilie smiled, shaking her head lightly. ”Another time, then,” She returned his good spirits with a joke of her own, slipping her arms out of her jacket. She was used to fighting with it, but considering her lean towards recklessness, she didn't want to accidentally get it torn or dirtied.

Taking her rapier and gauche knife off her waist, she raised an eyebrow at Aaron, a little confidence in her smile this time. ”Death or surrender, then; I think a little show will entertain the masses,” she decided.

Aaron shrugged, but he couldn’t help but grin. ”Your funeral, I suppose,” he joked, stretching his neck as he spoke and holding back a laugh. He could feel a nervous excitement welling up inside him, the familiar anticipation before a bout. It was a little different this time though; he’d only ever really fought Lucan (well, at least since he was fifteen) and now he finally had a new opponent. Lucan was a formidable adversary, sure, but as erratic as he tried to be, Aaron pretty much knew what to expect. This time, though, his opponent was completely unpredictable. He was practically giddy at the thought.

Having determined he probably wouldn’t rip his shirt and more or less prepared himself, Aaron glanced at the arena door and then over to Lilie, hand on his pommel. ”Ready?”

Stretching her arms above her head, she let out a slight squeal before dropping her arms to her sides. Unsheathing her rapier, she wrung out her wrist. The weight of the weapons seemed to spark something in her, and as she looked at Aaron, gone was the normally gentle look she had.

”Yes!” Probably a little too enthusiastic, sure, but a spar was exactly what she needed to really loosen up.

Aaron smiled and extended an arm toward the door. ”After you, then.”

They strode out onto the sand of the arena, Lilie in front and Aaron behind, and Aaron was finally fully aware of how grand a structure it really was. Blinking up at the stadium lights, he could see the stands, largely empty but for some groups here and there, but couldn’t tell who occupied them. Not that he would have known them, of course, but it was a strange feeling nonetheless, to be out in the open where anyone could see. A stark contrast to the privacy of the training room back home.

He tried not to let it phase him; he knew that once things got started, the stands and the lights and the people would melt away. Instead, he found himself a little mesmerized by the swaying of Lilie’s ponytail as she walked.

When they reached the centre an official requested their weapons, and Aaron finally drew his sword and handed it over handle-first to be magically dulled. When his sword was returned, he simply held onto it instead of re-sheathing it, taking a minute to look it over.

The hilt and handle were beautiful in a simple way; that much anyone could see when he wore it. A soft brown leather grip, sleek guard, a pommel shaped vaguely like the rising sun. But what people didn’t usually see, and what was on display now, was the blade - in Aaron’s opinion, the most beautiful part of the whole thing. The metal was brassy in colour, and polished to a mirror finish; the stadium lights bounced off it brilliantly as he turned it, making sure the dulling hadn’t actually damaged it. Everything looked in order.

Lilie was staring unabashedly at Aaron's weapon, slightly amazed as she noticed the details. She had to admit it was gorgeous, admiring it until she was told to take her own weapon back. If it weren’t for their spar, she would have asked to hold it, or at least get to admire it for a little longer. Although now that she thought about it, Salem did mention that Aaron had some sort of relation to the Noila family. Maybe the weapon had been a gift of some sorts?

Her eyes fell on her own weapon for a moment; her rapier was more of a hand me down than anything to write home about. It was her mother’s weapon back when she was an instructor, only given to her once she was assigned to the academy. Still, despite its age, it was reliable, and she would make sure to use it to the best of her ability. Now it was only a question to see if said ability was up to snuff.

Before anything else, however, she needed to pay him a compliment. ”It’s beautiful,” She told him, holding her weapons at her side.

Aaron looked up when Lilie spoke, responding with a sheepish grin. ”Thank you,” he replied, eyes falling back to his blade, ”Its name is Dawn. Yours has a name too, right?” He certainly hoped so; it was bad luck to fight with a nameless weapon.

Now it was her turn to grin. ”Zantedeschia,”” She presented her rapier, withdrawing her gauche knife and showing it to him as well. ”And Aethiopica. Not very creative if you really think about it, but… I think they're fitting.”

Aaron’s eyes widened when he heard the names; he hadn’t the foggiest idea what they meant. But he grinned along with Lilie anyway, adding, ”They’re beautiful.”

The arena official gave Aaron a dirty look, presumably for stalling, before commanding that they shake hands and take their places. He transferred Dawn to his left hand, offering his right. ”Good luck.”

”And to you as well,” She replied, taking both blades with her left and shaking his hand. It reminded her a little of the first time they met, but she wouldn't have expected them to end up sparring like this.

The two took their places, a few paces each from the centre and facing each other, as the official explained the rules. He then asked what they had decided the win conditions to be, and after Lilie replied that it was to death or surrender, the official nodded and backed up to a safe distance. Once he’d retreated, he called, “Are both combattants ready?”

Aaron had spent a second shifting his weight from one foot to the other and spun his sword in hand with a flick of the wrist, noting how the stadium lights made it flash as the blade turned. Then he turned his eyes to Lilie, moving into a ready stance, sword low and close to the body in a two-handed grip, the point aimed toward the ground.

”Ready!” he called, gaze not shifting from his opponent. His eyes drifted over her as she prepared, like he usually would with Lucan, but instead of noting how she positioned her feet or held her weapon, he noticed how her skirt - she was fighting in a skirt - showed quite a bit of leg, how her dress exposed her shoulders, and how there was something very strangely and wonderfully compelling about seeing such a beautiful girl with a sword. He took a deep breath to steel himself; now was not the time for this.

Taking in a deep breath, Lilie nodded as she took her own stance; one foot forward, rapier and knife aloft. Considering how Arianna had shown her that she still had much to learn, she was eager to see what Aaron was capable of. A fire seemed to light up in her eyes as she studied him closely. He had a certain grace to his movement, a practiced ease to how he held his weapon. The way he held it so easily showed his strength, so she guessed that if she could stay ahead of him with her speed, she would be alright. Getting hit didn't seem like it would be any fun; she could make out his build through his clothes, a little concerned that he could overpower her if she wasn't careful. She was so focused on studying him that she recalled that she needed to let the official know she was ready to rumble.

”Ready!” She stated.

The official raised his hand. “Begin!”

Aaron didn’t move, instead, he forced himself to pay attention to Lilie, the way she held herself, barring himself from being distracted for the time being. She was fairly small and kind of waifish, and wouldn’t have a chance at an impasse, so he suspected she would try to keep her distance. However, he knew better than to think strength was everything and reminded himself how agile a weapon the rapier was; if their skill levels were matched, she could outmaneuver him if he wasn’t careful. A count started in his head, like a metronome, as he waited; he wanted to see what she’d do.

She was a little surprised he hadn't moved right away, narrowing her eyes slightly. Maybe he wanted to see what she was going to do first, to see what she was capable of. Not that she blamed him, she was just a little hesitant as well. But she knew she needed to shake that off, and if he was giving her a pass, then she needed to fully take advantage of it.

First things first, however: she wanted to see if those muscles were just for show.

Lilie gripped her rapier as she charged forward, brandishing Zantedeschia as she neared him. Bringing her arm up, she knew it was a basic attack, but she brought it down with a little more strength than needed, wanting to see exactly how strong Aaron was.

One and two and three and- the first attack came soon, with Lilie charging forward, sword high. What an odd choice for a fencer, to be slashing like that. Aaron lowered himself a touch as she approached, noting the fiery look in her eye when she got close enough.

Finally, it was time for Dawn and Zantedeschia to formally meet and Aaron brought his sword up to parry, turning in unison with Lilie and letting her blade slide along the length of his with a satisfying shing ultimately toward the ground, using her momentum against her to send her past where he’d been standing. They’d effectively traded places, and he could have attacked for a killing blow right there, but he wanted to hold off and see how aggressive she was going to be. He couldn’t lie: it intrigued him, and in a way he wasn’t used to.

Coming to a halt, Lilie turned back towards Aaron, her ponytail whipping around her. It was good to see her observations had been accurate, now the only thing left was to see what else he was capable of. If he was going to stay on the defense, then she needed to force him to react. Once again she closed the distance between the two, holding onto her rapier tightly as this time she used her weapon the way it was meant to be, jabbing it forward.

Lilie wasted no time coming back, this time with a much more typical fencing move. A little grin tugged at the corner of Aaron’s mouth as he braced, admiring this other side of Lilie. Gone was the timid girl from orientation - this Lilie was out for blood.

He liked it.

Still, there was a blade coming for him and there wasn’t much time to stare. Fortunately, it wasn’t a hard hit to deal with. Her lunge was clean but in all honesty, Aaron was used to a quicker opponent. He could afford the instant’s hesitation he’d had as he watched her, and still parried her blade to the side when she arrived, albeit a tad clumsier than perhaps he normally would have. Something about her - or rather, everything about her - was throwing him a little off.

For all intents and purposes, Lilie felt like she was attacking a wall. Aaron offered her no openings, keeping up with her strikes. Either she wasn't as fast as she thought or Aaron was much more skilled than she had initially assumed. She was beginning to lean towards the latter as he managed to either block her attacks or avoid them. It was just a touch frustrating, but at the same time, it had been a while since she had focused this hard and put in so much effort. She was having the time of her life.

Aaron’s grin gradually widened to a full smile as the bout continued and Lilie pressed on. They covered a good bit of distance around the arena as he met her rapid-fire attacks with mostly parries and dodges, switching between one- and two-handed grips and keeping on the defensive. While he could have countered more than once for a decisive blow, he didn’t really want the bout to end so quickly. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d fought someone who wasn’t miles above him in skill level, where a single slip-up would mean ‘death’. Lilie was clearly skilled, but Aaron was used to fighting a vampire who was his better in every conceivable way; with Lilie, he had a little room to breathe, and a lot of fun watching her go.

At this point, the spar wasn't getting anywhere. Not necessarily a bad thing, but all good things must come to an end. If Lilie could throw him off his game even just a little bit, she was pretty sure she could land a decisive blow. With that in mind, Lilie made up her mind, gripping her gauche knife as she went completely in. Her secondary weapon met his sword, directing both blades aside as she created her opening. Throwing all caution to the wind, she lunged at him with her rapier.

The bout continued for another minute or so unproductively - though Aaron wasn’t complaining - before something in Lilie seemed to shift. Suddenly, she went for his blade with her gauche knife, opening up his chest for her subsequent lunge. All at once, Aaron’s cavalier attitude disappeared and his muscle memory took over, and the fun had to end.

Blade arm occupied, Aaron swept Lilie’s rapier away with the back of his free arm, then came back to grab it by the blade; as he did so he turned, letting Lilie’s momentum guide them. For a split second, it was almost like dancing - until he wrenched the rapier from her grip, pushed with his sword arm and sent her spinning to the ground.

Before she could react, he pinned her gauche knife to the sand with his foot and trained the point of his sword on her throat, standing over her. For a second he was still, eyes cold and deadly serious; then, with a few blinks his expression lightened, and he gently tapped the bottom of her chin with the flat of his blade, cracking a smile. ”Dead.”

It all happened so quickly that it took Lilie a second to realize what had happened. She had gotten overconfident, it seemed, and now it was over. Seeing that cold look on a face that she had previously seen as rather kind seemed to shake her, making her forget that it had been only a spar. Her blue eyes were wide, her breath caught in her throat before the shock wore off. She blinked a few times before throwing her head back, letting out the smallest groan of disappointment. The official confirmed Aaron's victory and the bitter taste of defeat lingered. It was only then that she realized how out of breath she was, her body having gone through quite the workout. Even if it was a loss, she had enjoyed it thoroughly.

Looking back at Aaron, she let out a sigh, raising her right hand to slick her bangs off her forehead. ”Oh well,” She said as she laughed. ”That was too much fun!”

Aaron laughed a little too, sheathing his weapon and removing his foot from Lilie’s knife. ”Yeah!” he replied animatedly, offering his hand. However, a look of genuine concern crossed his face as he helped Lilie to her feet. ”I didn’t hurt you, did I?”

Looking herself over, she shook her head in response to his question. ”Unless you count a bruised ego, I think I'm fine,” She assured him, rolling her aching shoulder.

Aaron was still a touch concerned as Lilie dealt with her shoulder, but he didn’t want to come off as overbearing. Instead, he left her to her own devices for a second and retrieved her rapier from where it had landed several feet away. He smiled as he handed it back to her, then glanced around.

”We should probably head out,” he suggested, tossing an indicative glance to some people waiting in the wings for their turn.

Shoot, she completely forgot about...everyone else. Her eyes darted to the watching audience, holding her weapons to her as she quickly nodded. ”Y-Yeah!” She quickly followed his lead, nearly stumbling over herself.

Waving his thanks in the general direction of the arena official, Aaron let Lilie head out first before he made his leave, both of them making their way back to the prep room for their clothes.

However, when they got back up the stairs to the entry arch, they were stopped by a vampire woman in a conservative blouse and a pencil skirt, wearing a pearl necklace and a nametag that read “Allison.” She was clearly upset, but was keeping her composure.

“Lilie Dionne?” she asked, addressing Lilie.

Said girl hesitated slightly, a little wary of the vampire, though she supposed if she was being addressed, it was with good reason. ”Um...yes?” She replied, slightly stepping closer to Aaron.

Aaron noticed Lilie’s discomfort and reflexively took half a step forward, as if he were subtly trying to put himself between her and the vampire. However, his expression was simply concerned, until he felt his watch and phone buzzing with an incoming message. The number was unrecognized, but Aaron was pretty sure he knew who it was from.

> Return immediately.

“Follow me please,” the vampire continued, eyes fixed on Lilie, “The headmaster would like a word with you.”

The headmaster? Her first thought went to her school days where the naughty children were sent to the principal’s office to get reprimanded. Looking at the vampire, she seemed somewhat resigned, knowing that disobedience was frowned upon, but she looked at Aaron again. ”I…” She hesitated, growing increasingly nervous.

Aaron glanced between his phone, the administrator and Lilie with a pained expression. Lilie seemed so nervous, and something in him pulled him to stay with her, but duty was calling and he convinced himself she’d be in good hands.

”I’m sorry,” he uttered regretfully, shoving his phone back into his pocket and looking apologetically to Lilie, ”I have to go.”

Of course he had his own business to attend to, she mentally berated herself for thinking otherwise. Nodding, she turned towards the vampire, about to follow her, though something came to mind. ”Ah--just a moment,” She gave the vampire an apologetic look, but considering how serious she looked, she had no idea what she was going to walk into.

She searched her pockets, pulling out a small marker she carried. Turning back towards Aaron and without waiting for his permission, she took his hand in hers, pulling his arm towards her. She scribbled what looked like numbers onto his arm, and once she finished, she released him. ”Call me!” She grinned, excusing herself to follow Allison.

Aaron’s eyes widened when Lilie grabbed his hand, but he offered no resistance. By the time she’d finished scrawling her number on his arm, his ears were burning red.

He stood rooted in place as she followed the administrator away, staring after her dumbfounded for a moment, a ghost of a smile on his lips. When his brain turned itself back on, he waved once - needlessly - and called back a somewhat clumsy, ”Okay..!”

He blinked down at his arm a few times before he crashed all the way back to reality. Then, with an inward curse and an urgent look around, he took off toward his dorm.

He made pretty good time, considering it had been his first time making the cross-campus run, and he slowed to a brisk walk as he approached the circle of noble dorms, rolling his sleeves back down to his wrists - and over Lilie’s number - as he went.


Hidden 5 yrs ago Post by Trainerblue192
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No one, hes a lonely boi


Salem watched as his two new acquaintances walked off to get ready for battle. It was a short while before the two finally made their appearance again, the arena fell silent as the two new students entered through the same door. Salems attentive eyes,now magically enhanced to better see movements, noticed Aaron's eyes as they wandered over to Lilie every once in a while. Poor Aaron, he must be really nervous to fight her...he keeps glancing at her. Maybe it's her weapon choice? Her agility could be throwing him off, or perhaps it's her clothing, which allows her to move more freely that his shirt and pants would... Through out their beginning, yet awkward, interactions, Salem kept his eyes peeled on the two waiting for their first move.

Unlike Lucans fight which seemed to be fast paced, which may of seemed like a blur to others, their fight was a bit slower seeing as how they're bot human. The literal change of pace made it easier to see every movement and motion each made, the slow, calculated, risks Lilie took against the slow unwavering defense of Aaron. Then suddenly...everything moved fast again, well normally paced, but it was jarring to see when Aaron's expression seemed to shift and a flurry of motions paraded around Lillie. Next thing Salem could see was her on the ground with Aaron's sword against her. He could hear a few gasps escape the crowd around him, while some muttered about "Will he actually kill her?"
"Theres no way theyd allow it" Salems heart stopped for a beat as he waited for what seemed like an eternity for Aaron to lift Lillie off the ground. A huge sigh of relief escaped him as he sat back into his seat seemingly out of breath.

Salem began to rummage into his bag and opened up a side pouch that was clasped shut. Inside was a jar with a dark thick liquid. He removed the lid and stuck the pad of his finger into the jar, gathering some of the viscous material on there before holding his finger up in the air while tightening the lid back on and placing it into the pouch. He closed his eyes and began to focus on the molasses while rubbing it between his pointer finger and thumb in a circular motion. To any avid observer, they would notice that the tattoos on his arms began to glow very faintly, unknown to Salem, he then licked off the molasses from his fingers and wiped them onto a hempen hankercheif in his pocket. When he opened his eyes, time moved at a normal pace again with all the jitteriness leaving his body as his eyes adjusted back to the speed at which things were. Salem sat there with one leg under the other, criss cross, waiting for Aaron and Lillie to return like theyd said they would.

Time passed by, the stadium began to clear, and Salem sat there alone; ushering on those who asked him if they should wait with him, remarking "No it's fine, my...friends...will be here soon. It's ok." Finally a stadium usher came up to him and shook his head, letting him know that the blonde mage and white haired girl had left a while ago and that he should too. A tad defeated Salem stood up, grabbed his bags and headed for his dorm.
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Achronum The Pyro

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Allison walked briskly, slow enough for the mage to keep up but at a less than comfortable pace. She stayed silent as they walked across the grounds, a harsh contrast to the lively student presence around them. A few curious eyes followed them but for the most part, the vampire and mage passed unnoticed. Allison led the pair to the administrative building and into an office whose name plate read Allison Eve. The door shut behind them quietly. Two chairs sat in front of the vampire’s desk and she gestured for Lilie to sit even as she remained standing.

“I apologize for the abruptness of our meeting but circumstances demanded. Countess Arianna will be retiring from the school this evening for private reasons. In order to avoid the debacle from three years ago, the Eves will instead be sending a replacement for the Countess. His name is Ikelos Eve, a young vampire who may benefit from some prolonged exposure to his peers from other Houses. He will be here before the night is out. We will meet the Countess at the front gate were you will meet Ikelos and give him a brief tour of the facilities and your living arrangements.” Allison handed Lilie a photo of Ikelos. “You may ask any questions you have now.. After we leave this office, this topic will not be discussed.”

Her jaw would have dropped if sheer confusion hadn't kept it from moving. This just seemed so sudden, the vampire explaining things in succession. There were a million questions running through Lilie's head, but she had no idea where to start. For one, she thought that Arianna had gotten along with her well. But if it was for private reasons, maybe it had something to do with her family? She was a countess, after all, but she had assumed her assignment was permanent. Changing partners out of the blue gave her a sense of unease. Especially with someone named after the personification of nightmares.

“I--I don't understand,” She finally managed to get the words out, still bewildered but getting a better handle on things. “Is this something that typically happens?”

“It does not. Usually, we do what we can to ensure it doesn’t. However, Arianna’s case is unique.” The vampire responded.

Remembering that she never got a response from her message, the girl shifted in her seat nervously. “Is she okay? I mean, I know it was personal, but...I feel like it has to be something big to just up and leave out of the blue, right?” She wasn't expecting too much, her questions coming off more like a child losing a parent and not particularly understanding the why and how. It really bothered her, knowing that Arianna was nothing but kind to her. “Can I see her before she leaves?”

“We are not permitted to discuss students private matters with others. The countess is in quite a state however and has retired to the Princess’s personal chambers. You will see her again at the gate and may make your goodbyes as she leaves.”

Her gaze dropped for a moment, landing somewhere on the desk as multiple scenarios ran through her head. Maybe she would get her answers from Arianna herself, but if it was only going to be a goodbye, she probably wasn't going to find anything out at all. “And this...Ikelos, he'll be staying with me?” The realization that she was staying with a guy bothered her slightly, too.

“Yes, Ikelos will be occupying the Countess’s previous quarters. Her belongings are being packed as we speak.” Allison finally took a seat and sighed. “As I’ve said, this is an incredibly unusual occurrence. She wouldn’t be leaving if it wasn’t serious. From what I understand, Ikelos is a relatively laid back individual. I haven’t personally met him but he should be comparatively more pleasant than your friend’s partner at the very least.”

Friend? She must have been talking about Aaron. True, while Arianna showed her that not all vampires were to be feared, Varis showed her that said fear had merit to it. Fiddling with the hem of her dress, she finally met Allison's gaze again, though she found herself at a loss. “That's...a relief,” She paused as she said that, only just realizing that others were aware of her friendship with Aaron. Unless she meant Salem? Lucan was quite the spectacle in battle, but she couldn't say she knew him personally. “Wait, how did you know about that?” She asked. One question after another, she wouldn't be surprised if she got reprimanded for it.

“Know about what? I'm not sure I understand the question?” She responded.

Lilie opened her mouth to respond, but hesitated. Maybe she was just being paranoid. “About Ikelos,” She lied.

“Like my door says, I am an Eve. You know a little bit about everyone in the House.” Allison shrugged. “Tell me about your time here so far. I know you haven't been here long but is there anything you need or want?”

“No, I--Well, truthfully everything here is a step up from my town,” Lilie admitted. That was an understatement, though; her humble home was probably considered less than a servants if their dorms were anything to go by. “Everything's been good so far, and I've been in good company.” Which was why she was finding Arianna's departure a shame.

“I'm pleased to hear that. If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask.” Allison turned on her computer. “Ikelos will arrive within an hour. You'll stay here until we meet Arianna at the car.”

Lilie nodded in understanding, her fingers still messing with the hem of her dress. That probably meant she wasn't going to be able to get back to Salem. She hoped he didn't think she had abandoned him, he seemed so excited during the match. Honestly, she had wanted to get back to him and Aaron to see the rest of the battles. She would make sure the next time they saw each other, she would grab his number, too. Torn between wanting to ask if she should take her phone out and thinking it was rude, the girl sat in her seat, blue eyes looking around the office.

Getting a little restless, she decided to ask if she could reunite with the others. “If he isn't here yet, is it okay if I go back to the arena?” She asked.

“You may not. You are to remain under my supervision until Ikelos arrives.”

The girl shrank in her seat, though she wouldn’t argue against it. She felt very much like a young child in the principal’s office, waiting for an adult to come by and pick her up.
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