[center]
[h1][color=f49ac2]Amaris Marivaldi[/color][/h1]
[sub]Mentions: [color=deepskyblue]Lilie[/color] [@Hero]
Interacting with:  [color=fc8686]Madalyn[/color] [@Achronum][/sub]
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It seemed the guard in charge of escorting her to her partner’s side was more than confident in his ability to lead as Amaris was able to make the trek without so much as a stubbed toe. She smiled as she felt her hand being exchanged from one to another, feeling somewhat accomplished despite her severe lack of provided effort. Everything was so far so good, and that was about as much as she could hope for.

“[color=f49ac2]Thank you. Your assistance is appreciated.[/color]” Amaris spoke to the guard before they took their leave to retrieve another disoriented vampire, the countess listening as best as she could to the footfalls in an attempt to calibrate any semblance of spatial awareness. The shock of having lost her sight was beginning to wind down but it had not yet yielded adjustment to her other senses. It was her hope that by the time she and Madalyn began the exam that she would be less of a burden to her partner, even if only slightly.

She couldn’t help but to wonder how Madalyn was reacting to it all, standing silently across from her newfound responsibility. Amaris was fairly certain she could sense a rising tension in the mage, nerves perhaps? Whatever it might have been, Madalyn steeled herself against it with a deep breath and decided on her first move. The countess was guided gently out of the way of any potential passersby in a gingerly manner, gentle pressure moving her along until she had reached the desired mark. She listened carefully to Madalyn as she listed off the names of those standing nearby, Amaris taking a reflexive half-step away from the area where Lilie was supposedly standing. 

There was little way for Amaris to know how close they were actually standing, but she could just imagine the looks Lilie would have for her. Anger, betrayal… disgust? Did she blame the countess for the loss of her classmate, her neighbor, her friend? Would she think that Cassandra was easily replaced in the eyes of a noble, that Amaris would forget the mage like she had cast aside Minfilia? Amaris couldn’t tell what was worse, imagining the possibilities… or being faced with the reality. Caught up in her runaway thoughts Amaris almost missed Madalyn’s question, the countess snapping back to attention just short of violently.

“[color=f49ac2]Hm? Oh, right. I’m already starting to adjust and I don’t sense any interference with my balance... A general description of our surroundings and a guiding hand should be enough in theory. We should be prepared for anything the princess and her staff might have in store for us though, so we’ll likely have to play things by ear and adapt as necessary. There’s really not much else we can do.[/color]” She responded thoughtfully, catching her mind before it wandered off into a spiral of possible tricks and traps and challenges that bore no life outside of her imagination.

As if to prevent the disasters of overthinking, a familiar voice rang out in the darkness. Amaris was able to identify it as belonging to the mage proctor from before, or at least that was what she would have to assume. Little else would be able to silence the raging storm that was Varis, who seemed to have a challenger other than Victor. She did what she could to annoy the man here and there, but she had never been so bold as to mock the Sinnenodel so openly. Manuel went on to explain that the time tables had been moved up due to a fortunate stroke of efficiency. Fifteen minutes might not have sounded like a lot, especially if the time of transport was taken into account, but every moment was going to have to count for something when the children were leading the blind.

“[color=deepskyblue]Alhinc ieclei vadete. Magua salituen in usque mundadi salituen…[/color]” Amaris squeezed her partner’s hand just the slightest bit tighter with an expectant smile plastered to her face.

“[color=f49ac2]Down the rabbit hole.[/color]”

“[color=deepskyblue]...et te teraga.[/color]”

[center]~~~[/center]

Ice seeped into every atom of her being, a chill so intense that even she could not escape it. It was unusual for Amaris to feel cold but she knew that her preference for cooler temperatures was very different than the side effects of magic. She suspected it had less to do with actually feeling cold and more of the body’s way of protesting a forced and very sudden relocation but she didn’t know enough about how the spell actually functioned to theorize specifics. There was no sound to accompany the pair’s journey, not a whisper, a sigh, or heartbeat. Amaris couldn’t even say that she experienced the distinct draw of the vacuum of empty space. It felt as if she existed but the very fabric of the world did not, an eternity etching this solitude into her very being; and yet all washed away in the blink of an eye as if nothing had ever happened.

The experience forced Amaris to a knee, her free hand planted palm down on the ground beside her to keep herself from dragging her partner over. So much for her claim to balance. Amaris took a few moments to gather herself, feeling out the space around her whilst searching for her hidden voice. Despite her lack of sight, Amaris was confident the pair had moved. The air felt different from the clearing where the students had gathered. It was thicker, heavier, calmer… the air did not flow as freely, its path twisted and confused by the seemingly endless growth around them. Amaris carefully found herself upright once again, clearing her throat to see how much of the sound would be cannibalized by their environment.

“[color=f49ac2]Are you alright Maddie? Fingers and toes arrive in the proper order?[/color]” The countess attempted a joke but her laughter fell somewhat flat as set to composing herself. She released the mage’s hand so that she might move freely about the space and gather what information they would need to start their lengthy journey.

“[color=f49ac2]I suppose it would be too much to ask for the sign we’re supposed to be following to have plain arrows, wouldn’t it?[/color]” Amaris heaved a sigh once she learned their starting point was a riddle based around some sort of cardinal direction. She wasn’t exactly a survivalist and had little experience with long term, unsupervised outdoorsy activities. If Maddie didn’t know the answer she would have to hope trivial knowledge would be enough to get them started.