TheHangedMan — Roleplayer Guild

. . .

	Gold looked on, her pleased grin growing positively radiant. Her experimental spell, Spiral Unravel, worked without a hitch. No one noticed, no one even felt that their actions were strange. 

	To prepare her for this mission, to help prepare for the Headmasters demise, she had focused on spells that would assist her in manipulating the social landscape. She had some training in combat, but her skills were concentrated around deception and manipulation. This being the first time she ventured outside of the castle, however, she wasn't sure how effective her skills would be - it would be terrible if none of her spells affected the students like she had practiced, but if this trial run was any indication, it looked like she would be fine.

	Next up on the agenda was playing this in her favor. Honestly, she hadn't expected her spell to be so effective. Spiral Unravel prey upon the repressed or instinctive feelings of those it effects; essentially, it makes people lose control over what they do or say. She had targeted a huge area of people, and focused mostly on Meruin and Xinhua. The fact that their reaction was rather lukewarm at first meant that personally they didn't have anything against each other. The crowd however - the crowd! Their intense, infectious reaction made it clear that, whatever the relationship between the two girls was, they wanted them to fight.

	At least, that was what she thought. The truth was that it was not so much that they wanted Meruin and Xinhua to do battle, but rather, they wanted Xinhua to completely paste Meruin. For all that everyone touted how they wanted to see a "fight" it was painfully clear that very few actually expected the other girl to win. Now Gold was curious - depending on the reason why, she could make a strong ally out of Meruin. Even if she wasn't a strong combatant, Gold didn't care. She of all people knew that for someone who wielded magic, fighting in the conventional sense wasn't the only way to demonstrate might.

	There were a few things that did surprise her though. A few students stepped up to try and prevent the duel between the two girls. She wasn't surprised in the least by that; there were bound to be a few truly good-natured and helpful people in the whole crowd of violent thugs she riled, but she was surprised by how strong some of them felt. They didn't have the raw power that coursed through Xinhua, nor were any of them as headache-inducingly complex as Meruin, but they definitely weren't regular as far as mages went. 

	They would also be useful as allies. Good people like them would be, of course, naturally against things that endangered the school, but that was only because they new only the good things about it. If she could get them to listen for a moment and tell them the true nature of the University, then she could sway them to her side, not just as useful tools, but actual allies. Allies that she could trust. Archemage Miltiades warned against this course of action, stating that it was needlessly risky, but Gold knew that for all his wisdom, Archemage Miltiades was more than a little paranoid. He spent the last eighteen years held up in the same castle as her, after all, all just so he could throw off suspicion from them.

	Just as she was contemplating her next course of action, a boy, far taller than she was, with disturbing red eyes and dark hair approached her. She recognized him as the boy that flew in earlier - whatever he wanted with her, she needed to be wary. Just one glance was all it took for her to know about this boy's bloody history - literally. From the cycle of spells she saw from him, she knew he was a bloodmage, and more than that, a bloodmage that killed his own Master. Granted, such an act wasn't unheard of, and may have even been justified, by the words "Master Killer" was synonymous to boiling puppies alive in the magic world.

	So she watched him with caution, letting him be the first one to speak. 

	"Gold . . . ?"

	"!@#$%^?"

. . .

	Sergei nodded. He didn't show any expression that indicated that he might be, but he seemed pleased with their decision all the same. With a nod, he got up and led the way. The first stop, naturally, would be their dorm rooms. Or, actually, it might be more accurate to say that the first stop would be the train station.

	"I know you've already seen and ridden it, given the Opening Orientation, but most students don't really pay attention to the details," he said, looking at the train parked just at station. Only a few students staggering from the Mess Hall entered, and it didn't seem like it would departure any time soon. "From this station, you can make it practically anywhere in the school. Given the speeds that which they travel and the number of available trains we have, there's no reason to have issues with falling in line."

	Stepping inside, he showed Charles and Leo in. In less than a five minutes, they were already at the dorms.

	"And, you'll be living here," he said. The dorm buildings were large, ten-storey apartments, sectioned off into four different parts. There were six of them in total, and were all labeled according to a different letter. Of course, Leo was already familiar with them, but Charles wasn't. So stepping inside, Sergei greeted the man managing the welcome desk of the dorm building, and in turn, he was handed a simply designed silver-key.

	Entering an elevator, he brought the group to the third floor. For a few minutes, they walked through the hall before finally stopping at a room. Labeled in a black and gold plaque above it was "Room No. 62".

	Turning to Charles, he nodded and using the silver key he obtained earlier, unlocked the door. Handing the key to Charles, he gestured inside.

	"This is your room. You'll be sharing it with two others. It's rather barren for now, but you're free to redecorate," he said plainly. "Now, every room in the University is specially warded against anyone that doesn't typically belong there. If you or one of your roommates forbids someone from entry, then a barrier will be erected against them and stop them from entering - typically, only a Master-Class mage can break these barriers. Of course, you can easily lift the barrier by allowing someone access inside."

	Showing Charles the inside of the room, it was indeed rather empty. There was only a lightly equipped kitchen, a single couch and a dining table and chairs. There were also plain and simple beds inside each room and a single bathroom.

	"Mister Leo, I'd like to show him the Mall next, if you don't mind," he said. "And Charles, would you prefer to inspect your room for a bit more, or do you want leave right away?"
@olcharlieboi & @Letter Bee

. . .

	"!@#$%^&?"

	The girl nearly jumped out of her seat in shock, before forcibly calming herself. Staring at Noah through narrowed eyes, she ground out her next words. "How . . . do you know my name?" she asked. She hadn't told anyone, and she wasn't aware of any operatives sent before her, if there even were any. This was bad. If he somehow discovered who she was and what she was after, then the whole plan could be ruined from the start!

	Unconsciously, Gold had already prepared a gold needle in her hand - it was, needless to say, no ordinary needle, and held an intense artificial toxin that rendered its victim unable to use magic by paralyzing the flow of magic through their body. She may not be a professional combatant, but she was proficient enough with these weapons to give most mages trouble. Combined with her other abilities, it made catching her quite difficult.

	"Who are you? And how do you know my name?" she said once again.
@Hippo AF

. . .

	Rose looked on as Phagora separated from them, Harold trailing exasperatedly with her. That girl was not cooperating at all. Sighing, she turned back to her own charge, and smiled.

	"Eh, sure. We've got a lot to covered today anyway. On that topic, where to first?" she said, handing the boy a map of the school. "We could stop by the dorms first if you feel like settling in first."
@KiritoAsuna

. . .

	Trying to calm down Xinhua was a good idea. Meruin herself wasn't a very irritable person, so in the moments that followed, she had already regained her composure. Xinhua, however, was a person that was slow to anger - but the moment her anger boiled over, it was like a storm. It would rage unabated until its course was run, and only a truly supernatural force could hope to stop her.

	Trying to calm her down was a good idea, definitely. If there was one fault with that idea, however, it was trying too early.

	Lee's attempt at pushing down Xinhua barely moved her. In fact, she seemed to be immersed in her own thoughts, dead to the world around her. It was only when Viktor spoke to her that she reacted, snapping at him angrily.

	"I am neither wild flame nor gentle bonfire, Weaver. I am the Storm! Grand and unstoppable, and blown to life by Longshen Bailong, Dragon God of the Autumn Season, and in the name of my patron, I shy from neither challenge nor insult. And Meruin Hazy has done both! The terms have been arranged, and this duel will happen."

	Such an announcement would have been hilariously grandiose, had it not been for the fact that Xinhua chose at this moment to remind everyone present why she had yet to be defeated on the Dueling Grounds. 

	Thunder clouds gathered at the Mess Halls ceiling overhead. Hundreds of students ducked under tables for fear of getting struck by lightning, but it was pointless. Even at the height of her anger, Xinhua's control over her abilities remained top notch, and the lightning that flashed from the clouds remained strictly away from bystanders. Electricity discharged from her eyes and body, covering her like a second skin. 

	Without another word, Xinhua stormed out of the Mess Hall, smoke following her footsteps as she burned holes into the floor.

	Stunned silence was all that remained in the aftermath.

	Meruin for her part, froze the moment Lee hugged her. It was evident from the expression on her face that this was not a gesture she was used to receiving. Before she could respond to either Lee or Viola, Xinhua had her episode. The little mage watched impassively as she left, and only then did she respond to the girls.

	The first thing she did was gently shake off Lee's hug. She could appreciate the gesture, but . . . she just wasn't a hugging person, most of the time, anyway. Still, she took the seat she was offered - she really did need one. Standing up to Xinhua had taken out more out of her than she expected, and it was a miracle her legs hadn't given up on her yet.

	Eventually, Enforcers arrived and dispersed the crowd, who continued to whisper among themselves excitedly. Meruin looked on, her face unreadable. 

	"It's good to meet you as well, Viola Reifi," said Meruin, "and . . ." The tiny mage let out a deep sigh. This was bad. Very bad. 

	"Ugh, that was just . . . why did I . . . ?" That wasn't like her at all. Keeping her composure was something she was well trained at. For her to snap like that just wasn't like her . . .
@SlashInfinite, @13org, @Rune_Alchemist, @Leoven & @Rune_Alchemist
	Karen stood alone. When the crowd had dispersed, only Karen remained, looking at Meruin and Lee. She didn't mean to cause her such trouble! The words just slipped out. She had no ill intent behind it, she was honestly just curious . . .

	No, it was more like, she honestly wanted to see what would happen should Meruin lose. Only, her imagination escaped her mind and made it out her mouth. Her big, stupid mouth.

	Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized practically everything in this mess was her fault. To make matters worse, the look Lee gave her. She hated that look, she hated that she deserved it and she couldn't stand to be here right now.

	Following in Xinhua's footsteps, Karen ran out the Mess Hall. 

	"Oh to hell with this."

	Devon Gramt, resident Professor and Master of Plague Magic rolled his eyes. For once he'd thought that Karen had purposely started the mess and shown some ingenuity, but it turned out to be an accident. Wait, maybe that meant she was more brilliant than he gave her credit for; plagues, after all, were not artificially manufactured, rather, the more natural its occurrence, the more devastating it was.

	Chuckling, the professor set down his drink and walked after his apprentice. He wasn't the nicest of Masters but seeing Karen cry irritated him like nothing else. Especially when he wasn't the reason.
TheHangedMan Member

One Week Wizard

Status

Recent Statuses

Bio

Most Recent Posts
