[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/Nn68vAk.png[/img][hr][hr][color=gold]◈[/color] Day 1 [color=gold]◈[/color] [color=73c8f2]Time:[/color] Night [color=gold]◈[/color] [color=73c8f2]Weather:[/color] Moderate Rain [color=gold]◈[/color] [color=73c8f2]Location:[/color] Main Ballroom [color=gold]◈[/color]
[color=73c8f2]Participants:[/color] Leah [@Vietmyke] Anastasia Arslan [@Ti], [color=73c8f2]Mentions:[/color] Raffaella Struna [@Emeth], Lisa Goldheart [@Frettzo]
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Leah had never really been much for balls, at least for the past few years she'd been so busy with the planning of them that it sort of spoiled the fun of it all. Still, not being Illuminaire meant that for the first time in what felt like ages, Leah actually had very few, if any responsibilities for the night- a sense of freedom the strict schedule-keeper was not entirely used to. Leah managed to mingle a bit, and partake in some of the refreshments afforded to them. Despite her feelings of being left out, Leah had to hand it to the student government this year- they'd really gotten everything cleaned up quite well. It seemed that everything was going smoothly.

Then came the music, not from the ballroom, but from beyond. A beautiful, haunting melody that sent shivers down Leah's spine, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge as a chorus of mournful notes dropped one after another. She recognized the song- how could she not, the melody had been drilled into her head from the day she was old enough to understand. A hunting melody of the Ni-Seraphi. Sweet and slow, and if one was unfamiliar, it might've been beautiful, but like waves of psychic energy the music held haunting malice behind every phrase. Leah had been preparing practically every day of her life for this moment.

So why was she so scared? Fear gripped Leah like the ice cold grip of her telekinesis. She was terrified, and thoroughly unprepared, despite how much training she'd already taken on. Time seemed to slow as Leah's breath caught in her throat. Tension, her entire body felt taught like a band, she felt ready to burst- she needed to do [i]something[/i], if only she could will her feet to move.

The resulting explosion moved Leah for her, thrown to the floor as the world around them shook. Decorations, ice sculptures and tables crashed around them, followed by the panicked cries of students. Like water rushing into an open breach, Leah found her faculties returning to her, and sprung to life. Adrenaline overwhelmed fear and inaction, and training kicked in. She was a Clearwater, descendant of Eusebia. Time to act like it. As Ana's voice cut through the din, Leah leaped into the air. 

Corkscrewing in the air as she channeled her vitesse, Leah found a pair of ornate suits of armor in the ballroom and ripped them out of their alcoves with waves of telekinetic force. Perhaps because of the overwhelming adrenaline, Leah's finesse was slightly out of check, but not her strength as hunks of metal ripped roughly through the air and towards her, pieces of plate armor stopping a few inches away from her body. 

[color=73c8f2]"Ana!"[/color] Leah called out as she landed facing outward, in front of Anastasia and what students she'd gathered, hunks of metal hovering around her body like some sort of amalgamated steel golem ready to be sent forward to shield the students from harm. [color=73c8f2]"I'm with you! Where do you need me?"[/color]

In Ana's hands was one of their first years, Raffaella, and a few more of the younger students had already began congregating towards them. Leah didn't spot any Ni-Seraphi within their vicinity just yet- though that was more likely because their initial strike wasn't targeting the ballroom itself. Breathing deeply, Leah reached down and tore the bottom of her dress off so she could move later. A shame that- it was a lovely thing, but right now they had bigger problems.

[color=73c8f2]"Defenders! Form up!"[/color] Leah barked, [color=73c8f2]"Seniors, find your juniors and squad up, prepare a defense! Experienced fighters in the front, juniors form a second line.[/color]

[color=73c8f2]"You, you. With me."[/color] Leah commanded, pointing at the nearest two combat mystics she could find, her eyes still scanning the ballroom itself. [color=73c8f2]"Dammit, where's Lisa?"[/color]