[center][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190120/b458a81531631a6916fa9413063c5f80.png[/img][/center]
Had Aaron been corporeal, Varis’ little twirl would have smashed the blade of the shovel squarely into his face; luckily his predicament sent it sailing harmlessly (if disturbingly) through his head, though an unusually slow attempt at dodging did also send the mage himself backward through the trunk of the tree. Momentarily confused, he briefly glared at the bark before circling around to guide Varis out, sorely unamused at how much passing through things messed with his head. He reached instinctively for Varis’ jacket when it was held out, but his hand (of course) passed through that, too. The bizarre image of Varis with his jacket tied around his waist like a school child did help to dull the sting, but Aaron couldn’t shake a certain irritation at being unable to do even the simplest thing to help his master. He only hoped they could get this trial over with quickly so he could get back to normal and move on. 

He could still speak, at least, and leading Varis back to the correct spot in front of the halted tile was (thankfully) no harder than leading him to the tree. [color=f0d705]“The tile will stop right in front of your feet, Master,”[/color] he updated before turning his attention to the shifting tiles. [color=f0d705]“I’ll watch for the one I dug up earlier, and on my mark, dig. There will only be a few seconds before it starts moving again, but I’ll keep you informed.”[/color]

As he watched the tiles shift, verbally updating every time they moved, a familiar dread crept back into his stomach. Varis’ reminder of the sign’s ominous warning was no comfort. Even if he [i]did[/i] recognize the possibility of injury as a hazard of the puzzle, Aaron knew very well that the fault for any painful mistake would be pinned squarely and painfully on his shoulders, not Varis’ or the test’s. He felt the pressure mounting with each dark tile that settled before the Count, almost relieved every time the wrong tile came to rest there. He didn’t want to tell Varis to dig - he didn’t want to tell Varis to do [i]anything[/i], let alone something that might end in bodily harm! Hell, he wasn’t even sure if Varis knew how to [i]operate[/i] a shovel; what if he took too long, or missed, or otherwise made the tiles ‘kick’ back at him? Aaron would never hear the end of it, and he didn’t have any more doors to be taken away! 

But fate was unkind once more, and the time to act was upon him as the lighter tile finally made its way to the spot before Varis. Aaron’s heart jumped into his throat as he watched it make its journey - he had to call it exactly when it stopped, no sooner, dear lord be careful - but there was no time left to panic when it came to a halt. 

[color=f0d705]“Now!”[/color]
[right][sub][@Achronum][/sub][/right]