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Aaron resisted wincing when Varis yanked him down to his level (and not at all gently - Aaron was starting to suspect that the Count really didn’t know his own strength), triggering both another pang of deja vu and a considerably stronger wave of his former irritation. Yes, it was all coming back to him now, his former horror and sympathy taking a backseat to a good twinge of indignation. He might have been a tad more embarrassed and taken Varis’ reprimand a tad more seriously if not for the multiple tantrums the Count had undertaken over the course of one challenge, but truth be told, with his returning headache, new audience and storm of… whatever raging in his stomach, Aaron wasn’t all that affected.

Silently handing over his remaining glove, he had to bite back a scoff at Varis’ profession on breaking his family’s traditions. Ha! Aaron was sure that every other pair in the forest could have heard Varis tearing those trees apart back at their last challenge, but yes, he had to preserve the precious Sinnenodel tradition of nonviolence as he rent trees in two with hands scarred from illegal in-House torture. 

That thought, though, brought Aaron back to earth. Okay, okay, he needed to relax, his irritation was getting a little out of hand. But surely even Varis could see the hypocrisy. Aaron wouldn’t argue the importance of composure, and he’d probably agree that his little sigh had been uncouth, but after all that happened tonight what gave [i]Varis[/i] the authority to pontificate on the subject? Yes, okay, he [i]was[/i] his master and yes, he supposed the Count’s own shortcomings didn’t change his obligation to live up to simple expectations, but the man set a very poor example for his underlings. Aaron had been raised with the ideal that it was as much a vampire’s responsibility to be worthy of service as it was a mage’s responsibility to serve, but he supposed that ideal must not have spread past the Noila Castle walls. 

But he was getting off track. 

As he tuned back into the conversation, he briefly wondered if he should suggest that their medallion might be interpreted as a coin of sorts. Of course, that was both unlikely and, with Varis in the mood he was in and his [i]last[/i] reaction to the thing, liable to get him split in half just like that tree, Sinnenodel pacifism be damned. But there was no more time to ponder the puzzle as his decision was made for him, Varis generously volunteering him as living test dummy. While he was a bit apprehensive, Aaron had to admit to being equally curious. Once more he cursed Dawn’s absence—it was such a part of him even the [i]illusion[/i] had it, and it certainly would have come in handy now—but painted on a neutral smile all the same, nodding to Varis as he stepped forward. 

[color=f0d705]“Of course, Master,”[/color] he replied cordially, not a trace of his irritation showing through as he approached the pedestal. With no more than a glance at the others in the clearing, he laid his hand on the skull without hesitation, and vanished. 

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Anger. It welled up like fire in his veins, took over every thought, stained every memory like a wildfire through dry brush, but in its wake was something else: hopelessness. Fear. An overwhelming hurt at the things around him, at the injustice of the world, at everyone who let this happen. That it happened to him and everyone else who didn’t have a choice or a voice or any power to stop it. Because everyone before him was a [i]coward[/i], everyone around him was a [i]coward[/i], and he was just [i]weak[/i].

Though it was gone as quickly as it had come. The clearing glowed bright in the noontime sun, the welcomed heat brightening the grass and trees that stood tall. The skull had vanished and instead a tree took its place. Deep puncture marks littered the tree and the bark hung off unevenly like it had been shredded in places. Dawn jutted proudly from the center. It almost glowed in the sun and music seemed to float from it.

[color=8585ad]“Sorry, I don’t need my boots licked today.”[/color] A familiar voice said flatly from behind him. Max watched Aaron, the bored look on his face contrasting the hard set of his shoulders, and seven different colored metal orbs floated around him. [color=8585ad] “Go on, run back to your [i]master,[/i] Retriever.”[/color] Max’s armor shifted and shimmered over his skin like liquid but two things remained constant: the magical glyphs on the armor that seemed to flow around, and the gold chain around his neck that glinted in the sunlight.

Half a gold coin hung on it.

Shaking his head to dispel the last of that unprompted little rage, Aaron eyed Max incredulously for a moment before approaching the tree, the sight of his Dawn embedded in the wood even more welcome than the warmth of the sun.

[color=f0d705]“Suddenly I’m not too upset about being sent in first,”[/color] he commented airily, gripping Dawn’s handle. The blade barely clung to the wood; hell, it practically leapt into its master’s hand, a smile forming on Aaron’s face as he balanced the blade with a little twirl. Not only did he get a moment away from Varis, but he got Dawn back too! [i]And[/i] he was tasked with fighting Max, if that coin around his neck meant anything. [i]Coin.[/i] Perfect. It had been too long since he’d had the chance to get back to his roots. 

Of course, by the looks of Max’s get-up and those metal balls hovering around him, he wasn’t about to face the same clumsy kid who could hardly hold a wooden sword back in the practice room. Good. That’d be too easy for a proper catharsis. Though with that in mind, he recalled Max's earlier antics and took a moment to remove his earring and his belt, tossing the latter aside and tucking the former safely in an inner coat pocket. Dawn would still be susceptible to Max's influence, sure, but... well, the reunion was worth the risk, and he'd be a fool to rush in unarmed even [i]if[/i] his weapon was metal. 

Thus prepared, Aaron slid easily into a ready stance, unable to contain his smile. [color=f0d705]“Alright, come chase me back to him then.”[/color]
[right][sub][@Scribe of Thoth] [@Hero] [@Achronum][/sub][/right]