Rossarm did not wait during the scant preparation time Neesa employed. Seeing her ward fully established, he cast his hand over the floor between them, launching a spell that caused the stone surface to blast a curtain of flame and smoke between them. Even if the smoke was an obstacle for Neesa, it did not extend completely across the chamber.

"Why would he think-?"

Fendros did not have time to speak his reflections before Neesa's first crystal came shooting through the smoke. Rossarm slid his foot forward with surprising flexibility, ducking the spell. Against the next two crystals and their follow-up bolts, he sprang to his feet and ran quickly in one lateral direction from Neesa, and then the other.

"This seems wasteful," Fendros remarked.

"You aren't a duellist, aren't you?" Teroiah said bitterly over her tightly crossed arms. "He is testing her senses. Perhaps wasteful to us, but it is information to him."

[hr]
"Well...I don't know," Rhazii said, before turning his eyes back to Narsi. "Did I do something to get you angry?"

"I don't gotta be nice to you," Narsi hissed back.

Rhazii lowered his brow. "You don't have to be an arse, either!"

Lorag's movement away drew their attention before their talk could escalate.

Janius walked up beside Kaleeth, holding his bag over his shoulder. He slowed to a stop when Lorag neared and grinned. "Good to see you, too, Lorag. We had nothing planned for the rest of the day, so..." he looked over his shoulder. "Julan?" he asked, assuming Julan had heard the question.

He did not have time to answer before Sabine spotted Rhazii following behind Lorag and widened her eyes. "Oh! You're back, Rhazii? Is Meesei here?"

"Yeah," Rhazii said. "We came back a little while ago with...grandfather. Father's father." He carefully pointed a thumb over his shoulder. "I think they were going to test him in the training area."

Sabine did not say another word. She started on a brisk walk to find Meesei.