[center][h2][color=#c9a0dc]Ankaa Liu[/color][/h2][/center][hr][hr]
The two weeks of training under Nyx had been pretty standard stuff; physical training and meditation. Ankaa was quite successful at both, and didn’t particularly feel satisfied with just that. Instead, she contemplated all the spells, techniques, and strategies she’d seen her classmates exhibit at their first (and hopefully not also last) matches. Liu thought about how she’d match against each, and came to the unfortunate conclusion that there were not many she saw herself winning against for sure. There were only some she found it likely she’d get a draw against, and a fair number she admitted she’d probably lose to. 

So, she also spent time to train on her own, perfecting her existing techniques and spells, and thinking of potential new ones she could learn and implement. Their lectures focused on the history of magic and mana; some thing she’d already known, and some she hadn’t yet – Ankaa listened to them all attentively, however, and made careful notes of the information new to her.

At some point in this period at the academy, she visited the Arcane painters with Kress and Misaiya. She’d discovered that the life-like paintings didn’t give exact information, but based on what she heard, she though that perhaps the things could be refined to provide more detailed knowledge on a painted person or even a painted location. However, she did not feel like dedicating years – because it would surely take as much – to such a pursuit. Nonetheless, drawing was a hobby of hers, and she’d not spent as much time using paints so far. Seeking to rectify that, Ankaa joined the club. It was more so of a leisurely activity for her than anything else, but everyone needed down-time, even her.

When she was just thinking that her current schedule was becoming an established routine, professor Nyx informed them that he’d managed to procure a mission for them. They were to apprehend two thieves and secure the artifact they’d stolen from their academy. The notion that all thirteen of them would be sent to seek for two thieves was a bit strange, but understandable; they were inexperienced, so the numerical advantage would do them good. 

What Ankaa worried most about was that she’d not heard their instructor mention any sort of strategy to them yet, and she didn’t know if he already had something in mind and would fill them later on or if it would be all left to them. If just the thirteen of them had to come up with and agree on a plan…Liu sensed it would end very, very badly. They didn’t know one another well enough for one, and despite having a class representative, it was doubtful that all students would listen to Kiara. Never mind that it was an unknown how good of a strategist the other girl was. 

The day of the mission dawned on them. Ankaa roused when she heard Caelum getting ready on the other side of the room – after her first day in their dorm, she’d had to switch to where Eris slept, since it was apparently a girl side, boy side kind of situation – and stood up not long after him. She made herself a simple breakfast, ate, and went to the courtyard for a short training session. After returning to her dorm, she saw that the other occupants had already left. She took some time to make a lunchbox for herself, then added it to the rest of the packed essentials – her journal, some money, a spare set of clothing, a packet of dried food, a matchbox – and after sheathing her sabre at her hip, left for the station.

She travelled at a light jog, marveling at the unknown land. When she finally arrived, a good number of students were already there – perhaps they’d come so early due to nerves or eagerness. Meanwhile, Ankaa could admit that crowds such as the one waiting for one train or another did not suit her. Still, she’d made it well in time, and approached her classmates. Liu simply nodded at some of them in greeting, then stood at one of the more secluded corners unobtrusively, and leaned against a wall. While waiting, she listened to the conversation of the other Class-C students, and watched the general goings-on through half-lidded eyes.