[center][color=92278f][center][h2]Victor Astorio[/h2][/center][/color][/center]

[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjU0LmYwMTcwYS5VMk5vYjI5c0lGTnJhWEEsLjIAAAAA/shlop.regular.png[/img][/center]
[center][sub]Dates: December 7th - December 21st[/sub][/center]

[hider=December 7th: Salem and Victor]
[center]Bringing up the past[/center]

Salem made his way towards Victors door, stopping a half step away as his hand drifted hesitantly in the air. Should he open up a conversation between them? Things had died down since the exam took place, and he had time to reflect and think about his perspective. He wanted to make sure his partner was ok. Salem knocked on the door in the rhythm of 'shave and a haircut' before taking a step back and making his way towards the living room where he'd wait.

He sat there on their couch, wringing his hands together like an old maid as he thought about three pressing matters in his mind. Hopefully they could be addressed tonight and his restless mind laid to bed. Salem spoke out softly but enough for Victor to hear him. [Color=82ca9d]"I wish to speak to you if that is ok. I'll be waiting in the living room"[/color]

Victor had been spending the majority of his evening away from others. Meditating in his room with his family sword. The recent events have been ruining his calm and making him more emotional than he was used too. The count decided the best use of his time was to wait and just breath. However his mage would see to it to cut his peace of mind short. Salem didn't even have to knock; he could hear his heavy footsteps down the hall. 

The slight hesitation of his mage almost made him call out to the boy yet he spoke up first. Asking him to come out and he could only guess clear the air for what had been said earlier. He couldn't blame him, he didn't really explain everything to him. With a sigh, Victor stood and put some sweatpants on and headed for the living room. The boy seemed to be noticeably more comfortable around him when he was wearing all his clothes. 

Salem watched Victor's approach with heavy eyes. He patted the seat next to him on the couch as he began to speak up. [Color=82ca9d]"I know I was hot-headed before but.. I just wanted to check in with you and make sure you were ok. I've spent so much of my life having to look out for myself. I've forgotten that I need to take care of others feelings as well. What we went through couldn't of been easy for you, dredging up memories like that."[/color]

The vampire didn't look amused but didn't seem too dismissive either as he took a seat near his mage but not where he offered. [color=92278f] “I will always be fine, those memories do put me on edge but i have learned to control myself.[/color]” Victor seemed to ponder his next words for a moment before continuing. [color=92278f] “Is there anything that I said that may trouble you? Or that you still need questions about?”[/color]

Of course he would say that he's fine. Even in their privacy Victor's candidness had to have its limits. Salem was hesitant as the words became caught in his throat. He needed to tread carefully with what he would say and how he should say it. [Color=82ca9d]"I suppose I was concerned about her likeness to Lilie, and how constant exposure to such a reminder might feel for you. "[/color]

Victor sighed then looked from the wall and back to his mage,[color=92278f]  “I have had a long time to… deal with my memories and how they affect me. To a point.[/color]” the muscles in his jaw flexed while he gritted his teeth for a moment, [color=92278f] “you are correct that Lillies likeness to her caught me off guard. It was likely the reason why I treated her the way I did.[/color]” the vampire rolled his shoulder for a moment. [color=92278f] “The only thing that truly gets to me now is when I have to relive that memory.” [/color]

[Color=82ca9d]"Then i won't force you to relive that memory. No one should have to relive their trauma, especially by force."[/color] Salem was looking past Victor now, searching the space behind him for the words he wanted to say. [Color=82ca9d]"I've been growing closer with Lilie, ever since we met but more so with our practices that you had started. I was hoping to find out just how close that feeling is, I'm asking for your permission to date her. I am not sure if Count Eve will approve but I do not doubt he likes me to some extent. But...if this will cause further issues for you then I will back off and stay as friends."[/color]

The vampire smiled, [color=92278f] “I'll allow you to pursue your needs as long as it does not interfere with training or school.”[/color] he caught himself rubbing his finger together and looked at the boy. The count was thinking of explaining something to the boy, he knew he would have to tell him eventually. [color=92278f] “Salem, in my profession secrets and keeping them are key. So i will give you a secret as a test but also to explain something about my family.”[/color]

[color=92278f] “I'm sure you know that Astorio households are traditionalists, my family is what you would call ultra traditionalist. We are so far away hidden in the mountains, lurking beneath our city in bunkers and tunnels. Humans and mages are basically second class citizens still and the word of a vampire no matter how low is above all else except other vampires. This is why I want you to keep up with your etiquette classes for my father is very strict.”[/color] pausing for a moment before continuing, [color=92278f] “Sarah was the love of my life, someone who taught me how to be gentle, how to be kind. She could bring warmth to my dead heart.”[/color]

Vicor dropped his head resting it on the seat behind him and stared up at the ceiling. [color=92278f] “She was my first mage, we trained together when I was very young. She was stubborn, hard headed, headstrong, determined. She would either push through or break through any obstacle in her way. But she had a gentle heart, cared about others, made sure no one was left behind. Her smile was like seeing the stars in the sky for the first time, that beauty, that wonder, it had the power to make my heart flutter but now it haunts me in my dreams.[/color]” still he didn't look at the boy. [color=92278f] “One day my father found out about this, love between a vampire and mage was forbidden. Sure you could fulfill your urges with them but you could not love them.”[/color]

[color=92278f] “Soon I learned that she was being held on charges of treason. Someone had found plans to assassinate my father and then the queen in her chambers. They kept her in a cell for two more months, she was pregnant from a prearranged agreement to breed her with another water mage. After she had her daughter I only saw her one more time before she went to trial. I told her that we could run, that we could disappear. But she told me not to, she told me to be strong. Made me promise to protect her child to the best of my ability.”[/color]

[color=92278f] “The trial, if you could call it that, was over in a day and she was sentenced to death. My father forced me to watch as they burned her at the stake. After that I was quickly taken to the next phase of my training, counter interrogation. In this phase we are tortured so that we know what it's like and learn how to deal with it. Normally this only lasts six months. I was stuck there for three years as I apparently kept failing the course. It is the main reason I am covered in scars.”[/color] Victor was quick to wipe off a small trickle of blood coming from his eye then looked back to his mage.

[color=92278f] “That is your secret to keep, all paperwork of Sarah’s existence has been erased from the records, the only memory of her is what I hold. So no, I can't go to anyone about it. It is my secret so I can keep her daughter safe. If anyone finds out I will deny it so lets hope this doesn't happen.[/color]” it had been a very long time since he spoke about Sarah openly and even just for a moment he was happy again to remember her as she was and what she meant for him.

Salem could see the conflicting emotions within Victor. There was a deep sadness burned into those happy memories. The look of someone who drowned themselves in a void of nothingness, always feeling like they're suffocating on their past. It wasn't too far off to how Salem felt when he thought of his last love. If you could even call him that. Salem felt guilty just listening to Victor's tale, as if by him now knowing he had sentenced his daughter to death.

[Color=82ca9d]"You have my word that I won't tell anyone about this. It shall be our secret, not just for you but for your child's sake. I will help to keep her safe and protected."[/color] He thought a lot about what Victor had been saying, deciding perhaps there was more that he could do to help. [Color=82ca9d]"Etiquette classes will only get so far with your father and other Astorios. What can you tell me about their...your customs. What laws and rules do the Astorios follow so that I may learn them and impress them not just with my etiquette but also my knowledge and willingness to adapt."[/color]

[color=92278f]“Keep a cool head but don't back down from a challenge. You will see the other houses backstab, gain favors, or just wait for the person above them to die in order to gain favor or ranks in their families. For us all you have to do is prove yourself to be the better fighter.”[/color] Victor did not sense any fault or change in demeanor from Salem to suggest he was lying.[color=92278f] “Be smart but confident in any answer you give to someone and never question an order. Remember weakness is not tolerated and beating around the bush will not earn you anything. Be respectful and you will be ok.”[/color] a short and simple answer but that was to be expected for Astorios, blunt and to the point, as if they were still at war with an unknown enemy.

It seemed simple. Almost too simple. In a way Victor was telling Salem to be exactly who he was to an extent. There was no espionage, no backstabbing, no double talking, just being honest, accepting challenges that lie ahead, as well as to continue his training to be strong. He wasn't exactly certain as to what strong meant for a mage to the Astorios. After all the mage he'd met on the field the other day was using his magic to manipulate a vampire. Was that something that was allowed? Was it a form of asserting dominance? Salem thought about this as he looked at Victor's face, searching it for answers and finding very few. [Color=82ca9d]"Seems fairly straight forward. I think I can manage that."[/color]

[color=92278f]“Good. This also means your magic has to reflect this, you can be as beautiful as a rose but you have to be as sturdy as a red wood. Show that even if you're different you belong all the same.”[/color] The count stood and headed for the kitchen to open a bottle as well as consume some of the pig blood he had stored as well. [color=92278f]“But I'm not going to ask Benjamin for you, that's for you and Lillie to figure out. Just remember to use protection whenever you kids are mixing your magic, getting another nobles mage pregnant will make you the most popular mage here for all the wrong reasons.”[/color] Victor was very open about these things and had no problem teasing people about it. He knew it made him a bit of an ass but he found it to be humorous. 

Salem blushed and turned away from where Victor was heading as he mentioned Lillie and him ‘mixing magic’. It wasn’t exactly something that he was thinking of, or even planning to do. Those weren’t his intentions, and even he understood the consequences of breeding with another nobles mage without their explicit permission. He let out a short cough before moving past the subject and back towards what was being discussed before. [color=82ca9d]”No need to worry about my magic. I plan to implement some family skills into my teachings here to not only create dangerous hybrids but to also transmute and weaponize them in a way that would make the Astorios recognize my worth. Granted, that doesn’t mean that I intend to leave my clinic behind. While toxins are all fine and well for the Astorio’s, they do little for my clientele. So I’ll also be creating things to speed up healing, and help those in need. I hope that is more than fine with you.”[/color]

The vampire poured a small glass of pig blood and a larger glass of Salem's blood while he listened to his mage from the other room.[color=92278f] “At least you have a plan but don't be surprised if you get orders for it, one idea some of my family may like is an anticoagulant. You know something that stops your body from being able to form clots. Just be careful with it, you go too deep and the council may swoop in and confiscate your experiments.”[/color] Victor drank the swig from the shot glass and grimaced, chasing it with a sip of Salem’s blood.[color=92278f] “I already told you that I didn't need you as a combat mage. Not only is that specifically what Leaf trains in, but right now the council doesn't trust you so they wont send you on jobs with me anyway.”[/color] 

[color=82ca9d]”I could look into it possibly, but as you just pointed out that does sound like a slippery rabbit hole to fall into. They already suspected me of being part of the Red Hand, such experiments may make them believe I'm attempting to delve into the area of necromancy and that wouldn’t exactly bode well for any of us. But like I said, I’m willing to look into such matters given time. I’m sure there’s some plant out there that does that already to a certain effect, breed it appropriately and transmute them enough and chances are you can create a fairly potent anticoagulant.”[/color] Salem began to ramble on for a moment, his mind racing at the new concept that was just put before him and using his knowledge to help him find the best path there with the least amount of risk. Though his curiosity was peaked, there was still the part inside of him that worried just how dangerous of an experiment this may be. Not just for the future of having such a spell or weapon, but also the legal implications of it and how the other nobility or royals would view it. 

Victor returned to the room and sat back down with his glass, [color=92278f]“your rambling again, almost like you are trying your best not to talk about lillie and how you think of her.”[/color] Victor took a sip of his drink and raised an eyebrow inquisitively. [color=92278f]“Just dont get super depressed if she says no, just means you have to be her friend for a little while longer and ask again. But don't go all, what's the word, Stalker? Yeah don't do that.”[/color] He took another sip and sat back farther in the chair, obviously enjoying teasing the boy.

Salem stopped his rambling mid sentence and gave Victor an odd look. He wasn't sure whether to laugh or be offended at the notion that he would stalk her. What's more he wasn't exactly the type to take a no as a 'not right now'. If she did turn him down, and she changed her views later on he would wait for her to say so more than not. [Color=82ca9d]"Don't worry about me. I won't become a stalker, if she chooses to just be friends then that's more than alright with me. I value our friendship far too much to ruin it over something as trivial as 'the friendzone'. That's something for the straights to worry about."[/color]

[color=92278f]“Hmm alright well i'll leave it to you then. Just keep me updated on what's going on, i don't need a play by play but at least let me know ahead of time. Also if you think you may need time off from training to have your own fun then run it by me first. If it's not too much then i'll likely be okay with it as long as you make up the time on another day.”[/color] He stood and downed the rest of his glass. [color=92278f]“Is there anything else you wanted to talk to me about before I continue with polishing my weapons and armor?”[/color]

[Color=82ca9d]"I think that should be all for now. But I appreciate you taking time from polishing your weapons to have this conversation."[/color][/hider]



[hider=December 10th: Victor and Amaris]
[center]First rule of fight club[/center]

The world seemed so much more peaceful away from people. It lacked the tension of silenced conversations and judgmental stares. Out amongst the trees, there was no one to care about the clothes the Countess wore or the political stances she took. There was only the rustling of the leaves and creaking of branches as the wind whistled through the forest. December had brought the temperatures down into frigid territory, enough that even Amaris was beginning to feel it. While it didn’t make her severely uncomfortable, it had been enough that she had begun fussing over her partner’s attire and stocking her pockets with small hand warmers just in case. Amaris, however, was not as quick to follow her own advice as she stepped out into the cold night air in the athletic attire she had purchased and a simple lengthy sweater. Where she was going, a bulky coat would only slow her down.

Amaris scanned the area around her to make sure she was truly alone before setting off on her path, making her way swiftly and silently past the treeline of the forest that stood behind the nobles’ dorms. It wasn’t as if the student’s were forbidden from entering the forest, but she preferred solitude and didn’t need any unnecessary intrusions in a space she rather enjoyed. The privacy it offered had originally enticed the Countess as a potential practice space for her magic, somewhere away from her mage so that Maddie would be safe should she screw something up. Unfortunately, she had started second guessing its security following the mage exams. It wouldn’t take much for security to use a scry and catch her in the act of casting something highly illegal, which was the very last thing she needed right now. Until she had an opportunity to speak to Ryner about it directly, Amaris would have to put that plan on hold. In the meantime, she figured that a clearing she had come across would make for a decent and private training ground for her meetings with Victor.

She expected to find Victor waiting for her when she arrived, as that was usually his style, but it was not this expectation that fueled her pace. Once the view of the dorms had been obscured by trees, the Countess’ gait had harshened, her steps less polite and her stride more determined. It had already been a few days since the soiree at Varis’ dorm had taken place, but Amaris still found herself rather wound up from the encounter. So much so that she had sent a personal letter to Victor requesting his presence out in the middle of a dark forest in the hopes of being able to distract herself from the irritation. After several minutes of stomping through the trees, Amaris finally approached her destination and peeked around the last line of trees to scope the area out. As she had predicted, Victor was already waiting for her in the clearing.

“[color=f49ac2]I appreciate you meeting me out here, hope it wasn’t too much of a hassle.[/color]” She spoke softly despite the fact that there was little to no chance that he hadn’t heard her approaching from a mile off. Amaris figured her graceless entrance was more than enough disrespect to his meditation efforts.

The forest was always quite peaceful this time of night. The occasional chirp of some insect, the chorus of the frogs in some far off pond or stream, the sound of an owl calling out through the trees. Even at night this world was alive. Yet even with the gentle breeze and the smells of the plants around him couldnt put his mind to the ease that he was hoping for while he sat in between the trees. After all it wasnt everyday you get a letter from a countess to meet out in the woods for training. Honestly he should have come here sooner, most of the other mages and vampires were not interested in venturing into the forest or off the beaten path for that matter.

The dependency the others had on their cellular devices always irked him a little and yet he was going to force himself to sit through one of these classes just so he can learn how to use them. It would mean he wouldn't have to rely on Salem everytime something new came out or everytime he broke one of his phones [i]“indestructible my ass” [/i]he scoffed at himself. It soon dawned on him that the forest became silent, the frogs and bugs stopped making sounds leaving only the gentle rustle of the trees in the breeze. 

That was until not so subtle steps could be heard approaching at a fast pace. They didn't seem to be angry but definitely not trying to hide their presence. As he scanned the forest from his seated position with one eye the flash of color between the trees made him sigh, the countess seemed to have finally made her way to him. A quick hello from the countess as per usual for her. 

Victor did not say a word or look up to her. Slowly he raised one finger to his lips in a shush motion then held out his hand in front of him offering her a place to sit. Here he would wait, not moving or breathing just waiting. It wouldnt be until the frogs began croaking again and the song of the forest at night began again that he would speak.[color=92278f] “It never is countess.”[/color] He was speaking quieter then he usually did but still did not open his eyes to meet hers. [color=92278f]“Is there anything you would like to talk about before we begin today? I’m sure that you have also found yourself to be rather restless after that last meeting.”[/color] it was only after speaking that he finally opened his eyes and looked up towards her.

Amaris hesitated as she stood before a still seated Victor. She had expected something a little more hit-the-ground-running, or at least it was what she had hoped. However, the Count didn’t so much as open his eyes to look at her as she came to a stop ahead of him. Looking around at her surroundings, Amaris reluctantly took a seat across from the man in silence. She found herself growing more and more antsy the longer she sat, eventually having to fight the urge to stand back up as she waited until Victor spoke at last. Restless was a nice way of putting her experience since the soiree had taken place, but at the very least it didn’t sound like she was alone in her discomfort.

“[color=f49ac2]You seem to be handling it far better than I. The amount of calm you can maintain with Varis is admirable, if not just a bit creepy.[/color]” She noted, crossing her legs in front of her. Her hands were clasped together and rested neatly in her lap, however, her thumbs continued to twirl endlessly around one another as the pair sat and talked.

“[color=f49ac2]Even a few days later I can’t seem to shake the feeling of him looming over my shoulder with that smug ‘I know everything’ face. It’s driving me insane. [/color]” Amaris wasn’t exactly sure why she was confiding in him but it seemed better than the alternative of actually going insane.


Continuing to listen to her silently Victor kept his stoic facial expressions. Even with his eyes closed most of the time he could still pick up on her subtle and not so subtle fidgeting and movements. Both her emotions and body movements were erratic almost like she couldn't sit still. [color=92278f]“I’m more of a soldier then a noble, I've been trained to go through alot worse.”[/color] he glanced at the scars on his arm’s for just a moment then continued. [color=92278f]“That doesn't mean that it doesn't annoy me. The training we go through helps us focus and subdue our emotions. We are taught that an enemy that can provoke your emotions, that can get under your skin, can control you. Then we are taught how to get under other people's skin in order to control them. This is in a combat setting but it's similar to what Varis does.”[/color]

With a deep breath the count continued, [color=92278f]“that's actually something that we are going to work on today. You have been doing well with your exercises, I can see it in your muscle tone. However, now we move onto the next step. That is to train your mind and your senses, we will go over several things, several things you can practice on your own. Eventually you will find that your mind and emotions could very well be as still as mine in the face of any obstacle.”[/color] This was something that he needed to freshen up on anyways as it was the next step in even Salem’s training. 

She forgot sometimes that Victor wasn’t just your run-of-the-mill combat enthusiast. He must have thought her worries were so trivial in comparison to things he was trained to handle. There was little doubt in the countess’ mind that she would crumble under the kinds of things he was likely used to, something he was more than likely aware of. Still, here he was still agreeing to help her out regardless of the vast differences in their skill sets, and for that she couldn’t bring anything less than her best effort.

Snapping to attention, Amaris listened closely as the count explained what they were to work on for their current meeting. It took her a bit by surprise, as she had thought they would do more physical training… rather she had expected they would. How was she supposed to let off some steam by sitting here training her mind? Her disappointment was mixed with a fair amount of confusion and apprehension as she nodded her acceptance slowly.

“[color=f49ac2]Is it noticeable? I suppose I just wouldn’t know what to look for, but it’s reassuring to learn that your efforts haven’t been a waste.[/color]” Amaris was relying on Victor’s experience to become stronger precisely for the reason that she wasn’t able to accomplish it on her own. If left to make her own decisions regarding training, she would likely never make any real progress… so if Victor thought mental exercises were more important, then who was she to second guess that decision? “[color=f49ac2]Where do we start?[/color]”

“[color=92278f]First we start slow then we move to more physical things. So first I'll teach you a breathing exercise that helps one remain calm and let stress simply wash over them rather than taking it full force. Once we go through it a few times then we will move on.”[/color] The count adjusted himself slightly then continued. “[color=92278f]I'm aware that we as vampires do not need to breathe but I find the rhythmic breathing helps even us to be calm. This won't take us too long so don't worry.[/color]” Victor rested his hands in his lap then nodded to her. 

“[color=92278f]First step is to close your eyes and take a deep breath for 4 seconds, hold that breath for another 4 seconds. Then exhale for 4 seconds and hold your diaphragm still for another 4 seconds. We will do this for 2 minutes then continue on with our training. The humans call this box breathing.[/color]” keeping to his word, victor continued the breathing exercise at the mentioned pace to try and help her follow along.

With a furrowed brow, Amaris spent a moment watching Victor just to make sure she had heard him correctly. The longer he sat there, the more it solidified that he was not joking about his instructions. They were going to practice… a breathing exercise. How did some mortal breathing exercise, box breathing as he had called it, train the mind to be more calm? It wasn’t as if the flow of oxygen was going to make any difference.

Amaris kicked herself internally, reminding herself of why she was even out here in the first place. [color=f49ac2][i]Just do as you are told.[/i][/color] After a few moments of clear confusion, the countess closed her eyes and listened for the sound of Victor’s breathing. Once she had grasped the rhythm, she joined in as instructed with short four second inhales followed by short four second exhales. Stillness. Repeat. It was fairly labored and somewhat awkward as she had to consciously think about breathing for such an extended period of time. It was different when it was solely used for effect, like in cases such as gasps or sighs. Short, single use bursts, but hardly ever consistent enough to make this exercise feel like easing into a habit.

After the two minute period he stopped and slowly stood. [color=92278f]“It's not easy to get used to but eventually you stop thinking about everything around you and simply focus on your breathing.”[/color] moving to a neat pile of his things and picking up a long white scarf. [color=92278f]“This exercise may not help you too much. I find it is hit and miss with vampires. However, teaching it to your mage or other humans may bring you into a better light with them especially if they have issues with anxiety.”[/color] 

Victor stepped up to her with a mischievous grin, [color=92278f]“tell me during the practical when we were all blinded, did you panic? Did you suddenly become unsure of your foot steps? Maybe stumble and fell a time or two?”[/color] He held the scarf out to her clearly and it was meant to be used as a blind fold. [color=92278f]“This exercise is about trusting your instincts and focusing on your senses other than sight. This will be your blind fold. Again we will start small, let you listen for a moment to your surroundings then once you're ready you will try to figure out where I am.” [/color]

He paused for a moment to think about how he was going to pull this off, [color=92278f]“After that we will move into you defending yourself or at least trying to.”[/color] He wasn't going to teach her like he was taught, too dangerous and bloody for that to happen out here. [color=92278f]“After we go through these exercises we can finish with combative bouts. I'm sure you're going to get frustrated from this. I know i was when I first started”[/color]

She considered his question carefully, thinking back to the night in question. Had she been anxious during the exam? Well, of course, that was a given… it was an exam. But that wasn’t quite what he meant. Had it been her induced blindness that played a large role in her uncertainty?

“[color=f49ac2]Not quite.[/color]” Amaris spoke thoughtfully. Even now, eyeing what was clearly meant to be a blindfold of sorts, she didn’t feel anything that she could describe as being panicked. She didn’t fear being blind. “[color=f49ac2]I won’t lie and say I was completely at ease, because I wasn’t. It was uncomfortable and unusual for sure, but I can’t say that I panicked because of it.[/color]” To her, it had felt like something more than just a simple loss of sight. It had an effect on her entire body, knocking her just out of sync with herself. Perhaps it was a sort of panic that she was not familiar with, or perhaps it was by Ryner’s design. Such a thing was difficult to tell so long after the fact.

Regardless, the idea of blocking her sight didn’t present as much anxiety as most would assume it would. It wasn’t an entirely foreign concept to her, after all. In the years following her father’s death, she had spent a large portion of her time avoiding anyone and everyone she could. That was easier said than done when you had an entire household attempting to look after you. If she wasn’t locked away behind a door, she was finding nooks and crannies to hide in when venturing out; a tactic that only really worked if she was able to avoid being seen in the first place.

“[color=f49ac2]I have a bit of experience with avoiding company. Although, never with someone quite on your level of self awareness and control. This will be interesting to see how much my body remembers.[/color]” She mused, trying not to think about the implications of the next step. What exactly was it that she was going to be defending herself against? Amaris had to shake the feeling off, knowing it would only distract her from her current goal. One step at a time. With one final steady inhale and exhale, Amaris took the scarf from Victor and tied it securely around her head. She allowed him the opportunity to check it, though he wouldn’t find her trying to cheat the system.

“[color=92278f]Well that's good to know, what i've heard is most others felt claustrophobic at worst and uncomfortable at best.i was caught off guard at first but it didn't take long to get back into it.[/color]” He stepped back and watched her for a moment; he was being quiet for a little while, letting her get used to the sounds of the forest. Quietly he spoke up again, [color=92278f]“have you been keeping up on the defensive blocks I showed you last time?[/color]” he knew very well that if she hadn't been he would know. Again he went silent and moved with heavy footsteps around her just outside of her reach. “[color=92278f]For now just try to point to where i am, if you're wrong i'll hit you with a pinecone. Once I'm satisfied we will move on to see what your muscle memory looks like and see if you can defend yourself while blindfolded.[/color]” she couldn't see it but he was smiling slightly annoying others is something he does enjoy regularly. 

Again he fell silent he was still breathing and made sure to step on a leaf or a twig here and there to give away his position. Slowly he made it harder, he stopped breathing, footsteps became lighter and lighter until he was making barley a sound that didn't match up to the surrounding forest. Occasionally he would stop, that way if she was predicting his movements she would be off and he had picked up quite a few small things to pester her with when or if she got it wrong.

Amaris was plunged into complete darkness by the blindfold, but it didn’t take her long to start adjusting. Unlike her experience in the forest, it wasn’t accompanied by any sense of confusion or vertigo. She didn’t feel quite as isolated from her surroundings this time around. It was as if her body were lighter somehow, less cumbersome than it had been while making her way through the exam. Was it the change in setting that made the difference, or had she really improving through her training?

While the countess already had a general idea of what the space around her looked like, she decided it was better to get a grasp on where she stood from scratch. There was a natural air current that whispered through the space, rustling the leaves on the outer edges of the clearing the pair occupied. It helped her define the overall size of the space, and hopefully, the max distance Victor would wander for the exercise. She could just make out holes in the sound of the shifting blades of grass, areas where objects larger or sturdier than plant matter stood steady against the gentle breeze. Perhaps if her goal had been to make her way around the area, the information she had gathered so far would have been enough. Unfortunately, she was looking for something specific. She had to pick Victor apart from any other tree or item, a task she suspected was only going to get tougher with time.

At first it had been fairly simple, the noise he made was enough for her to point him out with ease. She could hear the faint whistle of air being pulled off its natural path, the sound of a vampire breathing nearby. Paired with the sound of rocks grinding into the dirt and twigs snapping under pressure, it was fairly easy for her to point her target out. With each correct guess, her confidence grew, but her queues were becoming scarcer. Victor cut his breathing first, leaving her with just the sound of his footsteps, but eventually those vanished as well. That was when the pelting began. By her count, the side of her head had experienced three pinecones and four pebbles with her ponytail becoming home to the various sizes of twigs tossed in between. After another pinecone dropped to her feet, Amaris was beginning to wonder if she needed to reconsider her approach. From the beginning, she had been using sound to locate her target… but what was she to do when there was no sound at all? It wasn’t as if she could use her initial method if she found herself deafened as well as blinded, so how could she adapt?

[color=f49ac2][i]Back to the beginning.[/i][/color] Four seconds in, four seconds out, stillness, repeat. Four seconds in, four seconds out, stillness, repeat. Four seconds in, four seconds out, stillness… He might have removed the option to pick him out based on sound, but he could not reroute the natural shifting of the breeze. The air current would betray his position as he moved against it, or so she had thought but she still couldn’t sense any particular disturbance in the air.

As if struck by inspiration, Amaris whirled around and pointed in the direction she was now facing. “[color=f49ac2]There![/color]”

At first she was able to track him just fine but after a bit she started to fail and slowly she began to drop the ball. The first few times she messed up he corrected her by hitting her with a pinecone from where he was. The frustration and annoyance she showed on her face almost made him laugh. Especially when he started using pebbles.

Soon amaris stopped and went silent, Victor watched as she slowly started her breathing exercises like he showed her. He wanted to see how far she could go with it so he began to move again. The sounds of the forest and the gentle wind almost seemed to give him away, almost as if she was starting to take this seriously. For a moment she reminded him of himself when he first started, when he first heard the silence and the noise that gave people away. She suddenly rose her hand and nearly shouted.

A pebble flicked from his hand to just above her right eye, [color=92278f]“Very close you were two steps behind me. Good job I believe we can move on to the next step.[/color]” he stopped using his ‘stealth mode’ and stepped up to her. [color=92278f]“So next i'm going to start poking you, your shoulders, your stomach, and your forehead. This exercise is to test your instincts and reflexes as well as muscle memory. The blind fold will stay on for this but I won't be trying to hide which point I'm going for.[/color]” The count shifted his stance slightly. [color=92278f]“All you have to do is block, don't tense or anticipate getting touched, just block. If you start to think too much about it I'm going to slap you in the face. We will start slow then pick up the pace a bit more after. We will begin when you say go.”[/color]

“[color=f49ac2]Damnit.[/color]” She cursed under her breath as she rubbed the back of her hand across the sore spot above her eye. Amaris was sure she had it that time, but two steps off was better than many of her previous attempts. Surely that counted as progress. It might not have been much, but even Victor seemed somewhat pleased. Well, to be specific, he didn’t sound mad. She wasn’t about to get picky with his responses.

Next up was the more interactive portion of the blindfold adventure. She wasn’t at all sure how she felt about the thought of being slapped across the face. Was that allowed? Well, it was his time she was taking up, as well as his training regiment. It wasn’t exactly illegal for him to hit her. She would just have to avoid thinking too much about it then. [color=f49ac2][i]Easier said than done.[/i][/color]

“[color=f49ac2]Don’t think, just react. Got it.[/color]” Relax, relax, relax. “[color=f49ac2]Go.[/color]”

He started slowly in a clockwise fashion, left shoulder, forehead, right shoulder, then stomach. He was doing this slow first to get her used to it then started speeding up. The count found her midsection and forehead to be the slowest response but she seemed able to predict the movements after a few rounds. He could tell her movements were slowly becoming more smooth and less jerky as she started to just let herself go with the flow. Once he was satisfied victor would pause for a moment then start again in a counter clockwise movement.

Again Amaris seemed to be anticipating the first few but soon got back in the rhythm of things. Then came the fun part, randomized jabbs, no more patterns. Again she was anticipating and the change was slow but soon they were able to pick up the pace faster and faster. Then he stopped just for a moment and started again varying the direction and speed of his jabs. The countess kept up very well. Soon Victor stopped again and stepped back, [color=92278f]“very good, you are starting to trust yourself. That will be all for that for now unless you wish to continue. If not you can remove the blind fold and we can start on the next step of your defensive training.” [/color]

It was a strange feeling to be voluntarily poked by someone that she couldn’t see, but if it’s what she had to do to get better then so be it. She was just glad it was training that had taken place all the way out here where no one could see, although the optics were likely far stranger here if someone were able to locate them by chance. Thankfully, she doubted it was something she would have to worry about. Sneaking up on Victor seemed like an impossibility at this point. 

Lifting her arms up, Amaris untied the scarf and pulled it down from her face before opening her eyes. There was a moment of disorientation as she transitioned from her time spent blind back into the moonlight. “[color=f49ac2]As awesome as that sounds, I think I might need to take a raincheck on the defensive training. I’ll be sure to work on the… box breathing in the meantime. You have my word.[/color]”

[color=92278f]“I'll know if you don’t countess. Have a good night and I'll see you again.”[/color] He sat back down at the spot where she found him and smiled. [color=92278f]“oh, and Amaris, this has been… fun. I do enjoy teaching.”[/color] He nodded to her as she left. Again, he found himself focusing on his breathing and the world around him. Slowly the vampire began to hum to himself then slowly began to sing a small tune.
 
[color=92278f]“Walk in the deepest of footprints
Step into the fog
Breaking the silence
A threatening song.
On the trail of the ancients
The demons awake
At the end of all evil
The battleground shakes.
To the sound of the metal
The splinters of bone
In a war with the summoned
The soldiers of stone.
As the vessel of guardians
I follow along
With the words of the wise
In the way of the strong.”[/color]
 
Victor slowly kept humming then slowly stopped laying back on the ground and looking up at the stars. [color=92278f][i]“It sure is peaceful here.”[/i][/color] He whispered to himself.[/hider]



[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjU0LmYwMTcwYS5RbkpsWVdzZ1UydHBjQSwsLjIAAAAA/shlop.regular.png[/img][/center]
[center][sub]Dates: December 22nd - January 5[/sub][/center]

[hider=December 26th: Victor and his Father]
[center]Mission Report[/center]

[color=9e0b0f]“A vampire getting revenge on the princess and quickly being dispatched, a few casualties? Some interesting events at your practical but as you reported nothing to interesting. It says here your mage acted impulsively but otherwise didn’t back down from a challenge at the lords mountain cottage?”[/color] sitting on a throne in an intimidatingly large dark room sat an older vampire flipping through pages in a file. [color=9e0b0f]“You seem to have had a private meeting with one Benjamin Eve? Perhaps knowing that an Astorio is training his mage with her physical fitness will be interesting to mention.”[/color] Another page turned, the paper making the only sounds in the hall.

[color=9e0b0f]“It says here you also are helping the Marivaldi with her fighting ability as well? It is noted here that she can be impulsive when stressed or making her point heard? You also note that both yourself and the countess are at a disadvantage when it comes to political games and being able to steer conversations. On top of that it seems that the Sinnenodel and the Eve are much better at this with this Eric person being somewhere in the middle?”[/color] The elder handed the report off to the mage sitting next to him and rubbed his brow.

“[color=9e0b0f]Still after all this you have nothing to report? Nothing on the very reason we sent you to the school in the first place, you would be better off returning to work with the council. Although you have given some useful information it’s not complete and if I knew any better I would say that you specifically left out information to save face with the princess. You don’t answer to her you answer to me and lord Perion.[/color]” He was being loud and was obviously upset that he would have to give this information to the Lord knowing it was lacking.

“[color=662d91]The issue with the Vampire was handled by me. By the time I found the vampire whatever the Princess and her talked about was already finished. I was ordered to take care of her so I did[/color].” Victor had been standing a few feet from the throne at attention while his father was going over his last report. “[color=662d91]Salem’s progress with combat leads me to believe that he will be a capable opponent towards most within the next year. However, his skills would be better used as a body guard and he has expressed interest in fabrication poisons and toxins for our use. That and the illusion was quite real for both of us.[/color]” His eyes shifted momentarily from his father to the mage next to him, “[color=662d91]Count Eve is not in a position to be a threat to us and he could look to us in a favorable way if my training with his mage goes well.[/color]”

His father simply crossed his arms and waited for him to continue explaining himself, “[color=662d91]This could possibly be the same for the countess as well, and she is upset that she can’t protect anyone with her own hands. On top of that it is true that I am not good with the political game you all play as you made it so I was to specialize in combat and survival.[/color]” He was still standing at attention but he was pausing to make sure what he was saying was correct.

“[color=662d91]I am well aware that my progress on the red hand is not going well. I do have a few leads but I have to approach these things slowly we both know humans are slow to trust. My reports are completed to the best of my ability, if I was to continue digging it would make others look into what I was doing more and I can’t risk it. It would be helpful if I didn’t have the council still breathing down Salem’s neck, the rumors of his possible involvement with the red hand makes him someone that they may reach out to in the future but they won’t do that if the council is still going through everything. I recommend you get the council out of the way so we can go down this avenue.[/color]” Victor was keeping himself from also raising his voice.

His father looked to his mage for a moment who only nodded to him. Sitting back down on his throne with a sigh, “[color=9e0b0f]Fine. I'll see what we can do to get the council investigators to move on from the Spellman family. However, until we can verify the information in your report you are forbidden from doing any kind of work for the council. You are to focus on your schooling and your mission and nothing else. If your next report is lacking like this again you will face punishment.[/color]” His mage stood and walked off down another hall. “[color=9e0b0f]Your dismissed I don’t want to see you for the rest of your time back.[/color]” 

That wasn’t an order he had to repeat, Victor bowed then left his chambers closing the heavy stone and metal door behind him. This could be problematic for him, the mind mage hadn’t sensed that he was lying to them. His father would have been a lot more upset if she thought he was. This red hand business was a pain, even if he didn’t find anything he knew he couldn’t come back with nothing again. He had to start digging a little more which meant he would have to start talking to people more. Victor grimaced at the thought of it. “[i]At least I don’t have to see that asshole for the rest of my stay.[/i]” He thought to himself.
[/hider]

[hider=January 2nd: Victor and Leaf]
[center]A Leaf on the wind[/center]

The town was abuzz in its winter splendor. The cold and snow didn’t slow down the small city that stood as the surface of their underground fortress. Some street performers and some rather strong smelling foods were out and about. The long dark of winter sometimes could bring out the best in the people here. He knew more people would be moving underground where the steam gathered from deep below was used to keep the earthen city warm and unaffected by the frigid cold air of winter. 

Victor had been wandering around town all day, stopping here and there to visit some of the local shops. He was wearing a heavy black cloak that covered his face. Although he wasn’t too interested in the gifts or the food that was offered, he always liked to look at the art and sculptures people made. Occasionally he would find a good one but today he had no luck. Not even the weapon smiths had anything interesting. Still this wasn’t the reason he was out and about today. He was walking in a wide pattern across the city, doubling back on his path or making random twists and turns. The count was making sure he wasn’t being followed.

Making one final turn down a tight alley that led to a small opening on the edge of town. The count was leaning against an old brick building looking up at the stars above. Listening to every slight sound and movement, at that moment he knew he wasn’t being watched or followed. Reaching down to open a door that leads to the buildings cellar, he was quick to shut and lock the door behind him. Seemingly knowing exactly where to go he continued down several dark paths filled with debris and trash, old boxes and spider webs. 

It only took him a little longer to push open one final door and step into a room lit by a few candles. There was a large table in the middle with several chairs, old crates and barrels. Papers were spread out on the table and a small brief case sat open on it. Another man sat at the table looking over a few pictures of odd things with some documents next to him. This man was middle aged with a darker skin tone and shoulder length brown hair. He wore a grey winter coat and thick wool pants. His green eyes locked onto the count for a moment and with a slight motion from his hand a soft breeze closed the door behind the count.

“[color=662d91]Nice to see you too leaf.[/color]” Victor was using sign language, Leaf was a mute after all and you never know who could be trying to listen. “[color=662d91]How is the family?[/color]” he asked and stepped up to the table looking at the notes. The information and pictures before him wasn’t that much. Partial burnt documents, pictures of documents in an old room, Pictures of partial ritualistic circles with no context, and a few full documents encoded in different languages. This is all that leaf could get for him in the time he had asked him. His combat mage was risking his life for this but the payout could be worth so much more. 

“[color=00aeef]Crazy like always.[/color]” Leaf replied and gestured to the documents with a shrug “[color=00aeef]did you hear about Varis?[/color]” a questioning look before moving on, “[color=00aeef]this was all I could find, your father is good at covering his tracks.[/color]” He began pointing at several of the burnt documents and started signing again, [color=00aeef]“these mention a research base or laboratory maybe? Some place they experiment far from here.”[/color] 

Victor picked up a few of the pictures, [color=662d91]“Yeah but I haven’t heard anything about it. I personally think he was kidnapped.”[/color] they were pictures of pictures and various documents. Most didn’t stand out to him but the word [u]“Falchion”[/u] seemed to mean something other than the sword. Pointing to the word on the photograph, [color=662d91]“this one then? You think the base is called Falchion?”[/color] that would be a smart idea, although not a popular blade, Asterio’s talking about weapons is not uncommon at all.

[color=00aeef]“Maybe, I haven’t heard of anything like it though. I’ll have to do more digging but I’ll get it to you if I find anything.”[/color] Leaf went back to the brief case and pulled out a few more pieces of paper with hand drawn symbols on it. [color=00aeef]“I wasn’t able to take a picture of these things but I was able to draw them out, it looked like a partial ritual. Similar to what we have seen before when hunting those cults a few years ago.”[/color]

[color=662d91]“Yeah those guys were adamant about not getting captured alive. It could be a stretch but they could be conec-.”[/color] Victor stopped mid signing when he saw the drawings. They looked familiar like he had seen them before. However the moment he tried to remember where, he was hit with an extremely painful headache. So bad it made him grip his head and partially collapse to a knee. Whatever this was it was something that he wasn’t meant to remember or it was sealed behind some sort of trauma.

Not only was his head throbbing but his arms on his biceps and around his chest also started to burn. It took him nearly 5 minutes to regain his composure. Leaf quickly put the paper away and tended to his friend with a concerned look. [color=662d91]“I don’t know.”[/color] Was all victor could say, something was off about this. The whole situation felt wrong but familiar. He could only wonder as to what his father was up to and what he could have possibly done to him.

Slowly the pain faded and he could concentrate again. Leaf still looked rather concerned, [color=00aeef]“we don’t have to do this you know, we can still destroy this and just walk away.”[/color] He was right, currently they were not suspicious but if they were caught then they could get into a lot of trouble possibly even killed. So was this worth it? To risk life and limb to possibly expose his family on the things they were doing or have done and if they did would their family get a slap on the wrist or annihilated. Victor knew it was all about how much information and proof they could gather.

The counts expression turned cold his body language betraying him as if he was a dam holding back a sea of rage, [color=662d91]“I know the consequences old friend and I told you already. I will make my family burn even if I have to burn with them.”[/color] it took him a moment but slowly the rage subsided and they began packing everything into the brief case. After locking it the two embraced each other for a moment as if they would not see each other again and nodded. [color=662d91]“Be safe old friend, I’ll make sure that nothing bad happens to your family after this.”[/color] Leaf nodded and left down another corridor extinguishing the candles without even trying.

He stood there in that dark room for a little while longer. Leaf was a good friend and more than likely the person he trusted the most, they had each other’s backs through many life threatening issues. He was pondering thinking of the idea of destroying the evidence right then and there. Until the image of a girl with white hair and a sweet smile filled his mind. The memory of her screaming resolidified his intentions and his will. Even in death Sarah continues to drive him forward. 

With that he tucked the brief case under his coat and returned to the city above. Now he had to keep this out of sight and return to the school to continue his search. This is what he was here for after all, to continue searching and looking for where this path will lead him. Patience was what he needed, focus on school and keep searching for this research base. He would raid it if he had too, he was sure the ability he had now was tied to this. Perhaps the princess would be able to help him if he had enough proof.
[/hider]