[h1][u]Ciara Ventura[/u][/h1] [i][color=gray]Wingram Academy, Main Building[/color][/i] [@Nanaya] [@ERode] [hr] [B][i]"Oh, and you too, actually. You were really great, uh, whatever your name was?"[/i][/b] She blinked, a little overcome at simply watching Davil. He… He didn't react to the [i]word[/i]. The Mannekins were still, and even she was struggling to come back to herself. Yet he… Davil's aura was dark, similar to her friend. Dark auras proved to be the most unpredictable, despite the comfort they gave her. This one, this Davil, the one she pulled out of the sky to save the Light, was proving to be very, very interesting. [B]"Ciara."[/b] She said, stooping to pick up her daggers, sheathing them at her hips, trying to hide the gears turning in her mind. She shifted on her feet in agitation, trying to shake off the last of the [i]word[/i]. Her eyes followed the Mannekin as they moved slowly. Something had… changed. [B][i]"Because of that little stunt, all interior units are being recalled, and you may follow them if you so wish to find your precious auditorium. I will be there, waiting for you all."[/i][/b] Ciara glared up at the edges of the hallway, picturing where she imagined the puppeteer was watching from. [B]"Challenge accepted."[/b] She disappeared in shadow briefly, appearing beside her friend near the front of the trail of Mannekin. Her head tilted as she moved at a quick pace, hearing the sounds of utter chaos outside. It wasn't a surprise they were the only students who had made it thus far. But a part of her frowned. All students deserved a chance. This entrance exam was… well, dangerous, to say the least. Ciara could imagine all the coddled Ethos users from warm, bright homes coming to Wingram. They wouldn't stand a chance, couldn't stand a chance. The entrance exams favored battle prowess strongly. Ciara's brows furrowed. Was Wingram secretly a military academy? Her friend, the Stridigae, spoke as they moved down the hallways at a rapid pace. He explained a well-thought out plan, especially given the urgency of their situation. [B][i]“We need to be seated inside the auditorium at 10AM. Nothing more, nothing less. Our opponent is arrogant and desires a true confrontation, but we don’t need to give him that.”[/i][/b] She smirked inwardly at that, feeling the urge to strangle that snobby kid. [B][i]“Davil, you go first, on my gunshot."[/i][/b] Her head tilted, gaze flickering to Davil briefly before returning to her friend. Was he… wait, no. He knew Davil was useless on the battlefield. Why would he send their weakest member out first, even under the cover of light? She had her own theories on Davil, but there was no need to get the boy injured needlessly. [B][i]“I’m Otis Tan Arillo. I’ll need you to secure three seats or one bench after Davil gets in. A door will open up beside you. Toss the seat in and if you don’t wish to fight, enter that door."[/i][/b] Ciara gave a polite nod of her head, [b]"Ciara. Ciara Ventura. Thank you, by the way."[/b] Otis had come through when she pulled on the telepathic link. A part of her thought she would have been abandoned, given the gravity of the situation. Her nose wrinkled briefly. [B]"A flash of light, huh?"[/b] She sighed. [B]"Your battle plan is sound, and I agree with you. But… Might I… make a suggestion?"[/b] She pulled on the telepathic link. He had given no indication of closing the link, so she used it to her advantage. [I]"Either give Davil a flash of darkness, or let him walk in and pretend to be a hero. He's a good talker. He can buy us time by stalling the boy waiting for us. "A flash of light will render me useless as long as it's overwhelmingly bright. It'll kill my shadow. I'd rather use those first few seconds to get into a strategic position."[/i] She paused, glancing at the eyeballs in the dark corners of the hallway as they scattered from her sight, before her focused gaze returned to Otis. [I]"We're being watched, and I'd rather have the element of surprise, whatever plan we decide on."[/i] Time was short. Terribly short. She would make it work if Otis went ahead with his plan. But, she did have an idea. A way to improve the plan. Her head tilted, a mischievous glint in her eye. [I]"If the auditorium can be drowned in darkness, all the lights shot, curtains blocking the sunlight… I can grab every seat needed, and destroy that twerp."[/i] A dark mist rose off her arms briefly as her expression became vexed. [I]"This kid is needlessly causing trouble… I'm gonna teach him a few manners…"[/i] It was the opposite of what Otis had recommended. But she couldn't help how she felt. She wanted to strangle the kid.