[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/aRfAXko.png[/img][/center] [hr] Yalen stepped out of the rip in space and, for the first time in ages, was able to hit the ground running. He could feel the hot sand on top of his feet as his weight sank him into the earth. Lack of sure footing used to be his worst enemy, but now those days were over. As long as he didn’t take these sandals off he wouldn’t be a hindrance to the team. It was not like his first time coming to Torragon, when the best he had to compensate for his lack of stability was a walking cane and a prayer. [color=FD5E53]”Oh my.“[/color] Yalen craned his head towards the sky, his heart involuntarily skipping a beat at the sight of a pack of Froabases. Although he knew these ones were tame, he still had dreams about their near fatal encounter with the dragons out in the wasteland. When Laila finally hatched he was still too scared to feed her by hand. He slightly regretted not bringing the little monster along to meet some of her wild born kin, but knowing how dangerous these missions tended to be he chose to leave his dragon behind. Maybe she could be of use when she was able to properly breathe fire. Yalen could feel the curious probing of others as he and the others infiltrated through the Red Tower. It wasn’t just in the metaphorical sense; he could literally [i]feel[/i] them scanning him, just as one would be able to sense a mage drawing energy into their body. The unsolicited ‘gift’ he received in Eskand along with training from the church had made his sixth sense painfully aware of mana in general. It was not a special talent. He didn’t gain a new power that the others did not possess. Rather, he was forcibly made aware of a sensation most people just unconsciously ignored. It was like being blind to the natural act of breathing, only to become hyper focused on it when someone else reminded you that you were doing it. After stepping off the lift Yalen leaned over the side of the colonnade to get a view of the refuge from above. There appeared to be even less torchlight than before now that the “caretakers” were out of the equation. It was unlikely that the refuge had received many more immigrants since regaining its independence. He could not detect anyone wandering outside of their homes at this late hour, but as Jocasta said, it was easy to tell that they were all on high alert. It was impressive how vigilant they had become in the short time they were allowed to take control of their own affairs. He was glad that the effort they spent protecting and training them all was not wasted. At the end of the dimly lit path was the former overseer’s office, now occupied by Manuel Escarra. Or at least, it should have been. Yalen was as surprised as anybody to see Amanda sitting in his chair looking healthier than ever. However, he had seen enough of the world now to comprehend her survival. He and Jocasta had both tasted the restorative effects of a white aberration on Bloody Victendes. They were an even stranger anomaly than the black ones everyone at school was familiar with. Since that day he had become oddly resistant to the temptations of aberrations. He did not hear their voices anymore. The cardinal’s ring was in Jocasta’s possession now, and as far as he knew it wasn’t supposed to provide a permanent benefit to its wearer. The white aberration had changed him somehow, but up until now he was unable to determine how. [color=FD5E53][i]Maybe I can get more information from Amanda when this errand is over.[/i][/color] Yalen thought as he listened intently to her briefing. He wondered who would be relegated to guard duty this time. He hated to assume Isabella would be one of them. Although she had learned some new tricks, she was no Jocasta when it came to flight. Wheelchairs and sand didn’t exactly mix well. Yalen himself couldn’t decide whether to stay behind or go with the investigation team. He couldn’t shake this bad feeling that something was about to go terribly wrong the moment they split up. He wished he could teleport anywhere he liked the way Jocasta did, but his present training was occupying all the time he could have possibly spared to study Temporal magic. [color=FD5E53]”Use me where you think I am needed most. I won’t let my personal feelings get in the way of the mission. I want to help any way I can.“[/color]