Tolls were paid, papers were checked, and before Argent knew it his long journey was finally over.  The caravan he had been traveling northward with wasted no time on goodbyes, the various merchants splitting off into City of Blades to arrange their stalls and peddle their wares. The mercenaries and hired guards made way for the taverns and inns, filling the air with gruff laughter and jingling coin purses ready for a night of hard earned libation. Each had their own reasons for coming to Tenebris, their own goals and motivations, but one in particular had come chasing a dream.  The young man stood on his own as the crowd faded around him, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city, verdant green eyes shining like gemstones as they drank it all in.  He had made it.

“Alright.. Time to get to work.”

Swinging his pack down from a shoulder and onto the ground before him, the boy took a moment to stretch and enjoy being free of the weight.  Sighing in relief, he rolled out his shoulders before leaning over the baggage, gloved hands quickly working their way to a side pouch to unwind the leather strands which bound it shut. Retrieving from within a brochure, a map, and a small booklet bound tightly in a fine weave of blackened scale. Calculating emerald eyes stared down at this last item as he turned it in his hands, assessing it for any bends or creases. It hadn’t had the easiest ride stuffed into a battle pack like this, but it appeared to be in remarkably good condition, almost unnaturally so.  The ornate silver crest on its front was without a single scratch or blemish, clearly depicting the emblem of a sleeping dragon curled around the base of a massive tree. The engraving caught the sunlight with a metallic gleam as it was held up towards the light, its owner carefully opening the binding to inspect inside, releasing the subtle scent of ink and parchment.

Farruine, Argent Q.

ID#: X13-117

Age: 16  (Born 91YS. 18th Day of Corals)

Hair: White

Eyes: Green

Height: 5’10”

Argent's sleek features stared back at him from within, in the form of a small portrait-style photo secured to the page alongside his information.  His appearance was what one might consider typical for a native of the Southern Kingdoms; A people known for their slim and chiseled features with fair skin, lightly coloured eyes, and dark hair.  He was an exception only to this last trait, his own a rich platinum white.  Subconsciously he ran a hand through the messy waves atop his head as he flipped the booklet to its next page, revealing a section compiled of various subject fields, most of which had not been filled.

Class: X13

Rank: N/A

Level: 3

Proficiencies: N/A

Specialization: N/A

Standing: N/A

*Notes:  Entrance forms indicate an affinity for Alchemy and Herbology.

Satisfied that the booklet's internals were sufficiently intact, Argent pushed down his apprehension regarding the unfilled fields for the moment. Carefully closing up the pages and tucking the object safely away into the upper pocket of his cloak.  With that out of the way the map was next to be examined.  It had been an expensive purchase which depicted in full detail the entirety of Tenebris, considered the central capital of the Orodaen continent by the civilized world. The size and scope of the fortress-city was massive; Not only from the perspective of its four inner districts, each a stronghold all their own, but by the monumental walls used to protect and organize them.  Constructed in the days of the second age, the looming structures were an amalgamation of Shadowsteel and Galvorn made possible only by dwarven expertise, rising above some fifty meters like a dragon’s claws set against the sky. The City of Blades was an imposing bastion of order nestled against the otherwise untamed wilds of the Orodaen region, suspended high above the lush jungle landscape.  Argent was forced to pull his eyes away from the height of these intimidating structures under a flash of vertigo, dizzied by the sight of guards patrolling above appearing to be mere insects upon the walls.

Shaking himself back to his senses and pushing aside his awe, Argent refocused on the map to set about finding his destination. The Institution which was the reason he had journeyed cross-continent over the course of the last year, marked clearly with a large red stamp he had used to identify it.  Locating the eastern city gate from which he had entered and drafting an imaginary line to his marking, the boy gathered his bearings and neatly folded the map, tucking it away with the booklet.  The brochure he kept in hand, though only for the off chance that he might need to ask a local for directions.  Unlike the map and booklet the parchment of this final item was creased and worn, stained with dirt and smudges.  It had been looked over again and again over the past year, longingly stared at during days of weary travel and many restless nights.  Read and re-read, every word hungrily devoured to the point of memorization, it had been the motivation which kept him going. The carrot on his stick to use an old world phrase. The facility to which the brochure pertained had been formally named in Old Elvish-- words Argent himself could barely read let alone pronounce-- but in the common tongue it had taken on a title all its own. Given by mercenaries and adventuring types who had, over the time since its founding, grown accustomed to its students wandering into their midst.

The Dungeon Crawler’s Academy.

Argent felt a newfound well of energy pouring into his frame despite the months of tireless journeying, breaking into a steady jog in the direction of this dream now so close within his grasp.  The many sights, scents, and wonders of Tenebris which would have otherwise enamoured his curiosity and held him hostage for hours of window shopping went overlooked as he zeroed in on his goal. Singularly focused on this moment and what it meant for him to be here.  How hard he had worked for it.

Now, to be accepted into the Academy was not actually a difficult feat to begin with, but retaining a position within its halls certainly was. Many who enrolled never even arrived, failing to reach the far northern expanse of Orodae to set foot in the Academy to begin with. Beyond this, it was common rumor that almost half of the new students each year would quit or be washed out within the first several months.  Argent gulped uncomfortably at the thought, feeling his pulse rise.  It was true that arriving here was only his first step, the gateway to his rise or fall, and the adrenaline felt as though it would cause his heart to burst within his chest.

I won't fall out. This is where I need to be.

The thought resonated within him, set firmly by dominating willpower.  His subconscious mind conveniently neglecting to note that ‘falling out’ was the least of a person’s worries once they entered the academy. Death was not uncommon amongst the higher ranked students, once their studies and assessments took a more practical turn and more demanding tasks were placed upon them.  As dire a reality as that was, Argent told himself it was nothing he hadn’t come prepared for on some level.  Objectively, logically, he accepted to the best of his understanding the risks and hardships he knew would be coming; the only caveat being that his understanding of such a harsh reality might have been… optimistically lacking.  Regardless, he allowed himself no time for doubt or questioning, and the tangle of thoughts within his mind were cast off like yesterday’s disposables. As the Academy gates rose into view at the end of his path, there was no way he was about to let worry steal this accomplishment from him.

Argent’s jog came to a halt with a series of slow, heavy steps as he stared up at the gated entrance with shimmering eyes and an unreserved grin plastered across his face.  How many times had he envisioned this?  Sitting around a campfire battered and bruised, hungry and tired, staring at the image of these very gates in his brochure?  The main body of the Academy was beautiful, crafted from exotic woods and designed in the native styles of the Rim.  It had an aesthetic that felt ancient and traditional, though Argent knew the Academy had been founded no more than forty years ago.  The campus consisted of tall, spacious buildings styled with widely canted roofs covered by tile, the landscaping shaped by open gardens and courtyards many of which were set with archery targets or training dummies. This was augmented by various training structures spread along the grounds. Broad pagoda styled pavilions with polished wooden flooring, a track and field area, large stone formations shaped around deep sand-filled pits.  A setup not unlike the various sites used for duels and bloodsports around the realm.  Still, despite their size and complexity, the academy grounds seemed uncannily natural compared to the cityscape which existed around them.  Like a piece of some far off nowhere, a forgotten land picked up and dropped serenely into the midst of a world of steel...  Argent could have stared at it for an eternity, but fate did not seem keen on allowing him such time. His sense of wonderment shattered abruptly at the sound of someone clearing their throat impatiently behind him.

“...You going to stand out here all day?”

The words snapped Argent back to reality, as he turned on his heel to find the source of the inquiry.  The voice came from a young man around his age, perhaps a little older, standing behind him with a slight frown.  It wasn’t an aggressive expression, but it wasn’t what one would call friendly either.  Perhaps just… Annoyed?

 “Mind you, I don’t care if you do, but at least move to the edge of the road.”

Long blue hair shifted and fell in rivulets around the boy’s shoulders like a cliffside waterfall as he awkwardly repositioned an arm to gesture off towards the side of the gates, a precarious movement considering all the items he was carrying.  The left arm with which he gestured was cradled around a bundle of books, a long staff set with an intricately cut amethyst gripped in his hand, whilst his right arm stretched out behind him to pull along a modest cart full of boxes and bags.

“Oh, I uh.. I’m sorry about that. I was lost in thought.”

“Mm-hmm..”

Deep violet eyes watched with a dead, unimpressed stare as Argent offered an apologetic nod of the head, their empty gaze clearly unconcerned with the social interaction.  Feeling more than a little awkward, Argent nodded his apology once more before sidestepping slightly to clear the path. As the newcomer made to pass him, he quickly looked back up and added on to his response, hoping to smooth things over a little.

“Would you like some help?”

“I’ve got things under control.”

Argent could only watch in silence as the first person he met walked by him without so much as another glance, trudging doggedly along with his belongings.  The interaction made him feel self-conscious and uncomfortable, his mind now racing to keep up with new emotions and concerns... Not the least of which was the worry as to whether or not he had brought enough equipment?  Argent bit his lip and cast a sidelong look over his shoulder at the battle pack he was carrying, its contents his only real property left in this world, before turning his eyes back to the image of the other boy’s heavy cart fading into the distance on campus. 

It's not like they gave me a packing list… All I need is what I've got. It’ll be fine.

Or so he told himself.  Now wasn’t the time to be getting bent out of shape anyway. This was his moment and he’d be damned if anything ruined the mood.  Smiling again and steeling his will, Argent pressed forward through the gates and made his way towards the main hall.

Processing was handled with impressive speed and efficiency, Argent’s introduction to the Academy Director was quick and clean and his lodging assignments were already prepared. He learned from the staff that the booklet he carried would serve multiple purposes here at the academy, acting as his proof of enrollment, student handbook, and ID.  Further streamlining the process, he had arrived two days prior to the start of semester, giving him plenty of time to settle into the dorm. Especially when one considered he had been living out of a backpack for nearly a year. His meager collection of belongings barely filled a single shelf in his surprisingly generous room, one far larger than he had been expecting.  A simple rectangular space with dimensions of twenty feet by fifteen, with a small bathroom about a third of the size attached.  It was outfitted with a nightstand and bed, a full sized desk, and two large dressers.  Various portions of shelving and a section of sorting cabinets adorned the walls with a singular window towards the deep end of the room, which in Argent's case overlooked one of the many training fields below his third-story vantage point.

The days until the beginning of semester passed rapidly and Argent soon found himself seated behind one of a series of long, rectangular tables as he watched the room around him in anxious silence.  The classroom was compact and modest, consisting largely of four long tables set in columns of two, situated akin to an amphitheatre with the tables to the rear elevated so as to allow the students seated at them to easily see beyond those in front.  Whether it had occured by regulation or merely a process of natural division Argent couldn’t be sure, but the females of the class had situated themselves at the two tables to the west of the room whilst the males had taken the tables to the east-- if ‘north’ was considered the front of the class.

They were situated with four chairs a piece, to support a potential full classroom capacity of sixteen students.  There were a few less than this, however, as only the front table on the male’s side was completely filled.  To the rear Argent sat in a row with only two other boys, whilst on the other side of the room three girls occupied the front whilst a lone female leaned against the tabletop across the way.  Assessing the room, Argent with a slight pit in his stomach that the blue-haired boy he had awkwardly met during his arrival was one of the four males seated infront.  But before he could really get a good look at everyone or make any attempts at conversation, a gentle voice pierced the ominous air of the room like a calming spell.

“Good morning to you, my newest pupils! My, aren’t we a solemn bunch~”

For a brief moment people seemed confused as to where the words were coming from, heads turning this way and that before all eyes gradually centered on a small shimmer of light that drifted into view and settled atop the podium at the front of the class.

A… Pixie??

Argent blinked for a moment, both out of surprise and in struggle to force his eyes to focus on the small fae woman before them.  She couldn’t have been more than fifteen centimeters tall, her wingspan spread out to either side of her at a distance which equaled or exceeded her height.  She had sleek, gloss black hair cascading in waves down to her waist, framing her subtle curves and delicate facial features.  Luminous eyes shone with teal-blue colours, the shades shifting ever so faintly like a kaleidoscope as the light around her changed.  Her wings were translucent like a gentle gossamer, not uncomparable to a cicada or dragonfly, though no sooner than the thought crossed his mind did Argent feel that directly comparing her to an insect was a somewhat rude.  The tiny instructor glanced around at them, only smiling at their stares.

“No comments or questions at all? You really are a stiff group. We’ll have to see about loosening those shoulders of yours in time.”

Flitting upwards into the air again she hovered near the board at the front of the class and made a few waving gestures with her arm, illusionary lettering beginning to manifest itself across the slate.

“My name is Vivian Liamra~”

She stated with an energetic smile and a slight aerial bounce, shifting her hover to the side with a quick tilt of her wings.

“Most call me Vivi-- though I guess.. To you, I’ll be Instructor Liamra..”

Seeming disappointed by this realization, the pixie crossed her arms.  With her size and distance away considered, Argent was genuinely surprised how easily he could tell that she was pouting.  Having taken the current events with relative stoicism, the occupants of the classroom remained impressively quiet, with only a dull mutter here or there but no open ended chatter amongst them.  Though whether this was due to nervousness or poise was up for debate.

“Alright alright, let's get on with meeting all you little lovies... Oh? Are we missing one?”

Instructor Liamra looked up from the paper she had been perusing, tilting her head with a finger pressed against her cheek as she glanced towards the female side of the room.  As if on queue a girl walked in through the doorway, her gait steady and each step carrying a sense of weight as she strode into the room.  She glanced briefly towards Vivian for acknowledgement, before wordlessly moving towards the center aisle which allowed access to the tables as the pixie indicated for her to take a seat. Entering the aisle, she paused at the steps and slowly looked from right to left, her expression indifferent.  Making eye contact with the golden-haired girl who sat alone on her right, the younger looking female gave a slight nod to the newcomer- who offered no response. Lingering for a moment longer in the center aisle before turning to the left and sitting in the final empty seat on the boy’s side.

The fiery red eyes of the girl who had just been given the cold shoulder narrowed momentarily, but she shrugged the interaction off with a huff before leaning back and kicking her feet up onto the desk which now housed only her.  Argent had been nearest the empty seat where this new girl had now positioned herself.  Trying to size her up with his peripherals, he couldn’t help but notice at this distance that the smells of damp earth, woodsmoke, and freshly cut plants surrounded her like a primeval musk.  She was dressed ruggedly, an intermixed set of padded hides and wild pelts draped around her frame. It made it difficult to guess at her figure, but there was no question that she was tall, athletic and stout.  Deep brown hair thrown back in a heavy braid hung behind her neck, laced with bone and beads. Her honey coloured eyes stared forward expectantly as though nothing were amiss.

“...Right. That should be everyone.”

Affirming the presence of the correct number of students, the pixie instructor cleared her throat slightly and steadied herself. Taking a moment to regain her bubbly composure.

“Ookaaay! Let's get right down into it then. Your first big day! Lots to do, lots to see. Your initial examination is very important after all.  Sooo.. Lets see.  Argent Farruine.”

Argent jumped as his name was called, pulled back from his thoughts. Quickly raising a hand to indicate his presence, he gave a short verbalization.

"Yes, instructor." 

On this went, down a list of the dozen students present in the classroom in alphabetical order. After himself came Cassius Albore, a blonde-haired boy on the front row with sparkling sapphire eyes. Well groomed and proper, it was difficult to tell whether the sense of presence he emanated in both spirit and manner of dress was due to refinement, or arrogance. He was tall and thin, dressed in the sort of formal tunic merchants or nobles from the Iron Coast tended favour.  The lightweight fabrics were a rich shade of fire red, trimmed in gold and embroidered with images of birds of prey upon the shoulders. A sleek but elegant samshir held through the sash tied at his waist.

Fenn Cobalt was next, the blue-haired boy with whom Argent was loosely acquainted from their arrival, his rich purple eyes every bit as bored as they had been on that first day. Fenn was dressed in loose-fit robes with a lightweight leather chestguard and bracers, cordage and belting of varying colours hanging from his waist. The many straps and fasteners were adorned with trinkets and components of old arcana; Tiny skulls of unknown origin, potion bottles, talismens and carvings.  A heavy tomb fit neatly into a clasped retention space at his hip.  Argent remembered from their first meeting that Fenn was actually quite tall, though the way he slumped tiredly in his seat did not do this aspect of his character justice.

Haana Korbii was the next name, the final arrival who had sat beside him, and Argent couldn’t resist looking fully over at the girl now as she raised her arm and gave a nod of acknowledgement.  The motion caused a tinkling ambiance as the many adornments of bone and iron within her hair jostled together.  Looking at her closer now, Argent found that her features were stern but not unappealing. She was pretty in an untamed sort of way, her fair complexion hidden behind dirt and war-paint. The furs she wore were rough and some of them Argent did not recognize, but despite the exotic materials the craftsmanship was exceptionally high quality.  Sewn in sections which allowed for flexible range of motion and comfortable running.

He averted his gaze quickly as the next name was called, not wanting Haana to catch him staring as the boy in question was the individual sitting to their right. Izadura Kyota.  He was dressed in a warrior’s garb from the Rim, the proud high-knot ponytail of his dark purple hair hanging down in rough tufts to his mid back.  The loose sleeves of his kamishimo fell back as he raised his hand-- revealing his wrists and forearms were wrapped tightly with bandaging.  There seemed to be no discomfort in the boy’s striking indigo-hued eyes, causing Argent to suppose these wrappings were for support rather than treatment of an injury. The hand Izadura did not raise rested gently atop the hilt of the blade leaning against the table at his side, never moving from the weapon. A katana within an ornate sheath of laquered wood and banded steel, the weapon had an aura all its own. The black sheen patterned delicately with the image of falling cherry blossoms.

Argent was finding it difficult to maintain a polite level of staring at this juncture, struggling against the urge to soak up all the information he could about his new classmates in every detail.  He felt like he couldn’t really help it, never before had he seen such a wide array of cultures so closely.  It was the sort of thing you could only experience within the halls of a legitimate guild, or in a city tavern based around contract work for adventurers.

I shouldn’t be surprised. Everyone is here to become just that, after all.

Jaroth Gauge; The boy at the far end of Argent’s table gave what felt like an almost bored wave as he was called.  He had messy raven black hair shaved short on the sides and piercing slate grey eyes which looked right through you, garbed in black dyed leathers and a mottled green-grey cloak which hid most of his figure. The boy appeared on the surface to carry only a few tightly-secured toolkits upon his person, though his setup gave Argent the distinct impression that there was a plethora of concealed equipment situated amongst those shadowy leathers.

Leif Vaulkin at the center front roughly slammed the table before barking his response, causing most of the classroom to jump.  Boistrous and primal, his richly tanned skin was spiraled with dark tattoos and adorned by a plethora of leather bracelets and accessories. He was shirtless, dressed in what could only be described as a rugged fur girdle and loincloth, worn overtop a high-cut pair of shorts. Powerful muscles tensed like steel cords beneath his skin as he moved, his mane of chocolate brown hair jostling wildly with pointed wolf ears jutting out at the edges, yellow eyes sharp and predatory.

He’s a beastkin!

Argent felt a surge of excitement in his chest as he noticed Leif’s ears and tail.  Demi-human races such as the beastkin were an almost non-existent rarity in the Southern Kingdoms.  A fact which was not helped, he regretted to admit, by the rampant prosecution and hate towards them which was practiced by the Old Church, formally known as the Sceptre of Light.  A massive institution from the days of the second age, which still held religious dominance over the Old Kingdom to this day.  

Then came Matthias Crux.  A saintly looking boy and the final member of their front row, dressed in a white clerical gown pleated with chainmail, and adorned with threaded silver strands.  Given his previous train of thought Argent felt suddenly nervous as he watched the young priest announce himself, relieved to see the holy symbol from the Church of Ambris which hung around Matthias' neck.  He also considered the fact that Matthias didn’t seem upset to be sitting beside Leif.  All things considered the boy seemed genuinely kind, with neatly cut brown hair and gentle hazel eyes accentuating the homely features of his face. His steady voice and soft-spoken mannerisms exuded an air of dependability as he humbly yet dutifully affirmed his presence.

All eyes turned to the girl’s half of the room now, as the final uncalled classmembers were all of the female gender. Naiara. A few brows were raised as no surname was given, but the girl in question seemed unconcerned. Casually flicking her wrist into the air, Naiara appeared to be another beastkin of wolven descent.  She was all wrapped up in a heavy black cloak, though despite the fabrics concealing her form one could clearly tell she was sitting with her knees up, feet against the chair.  Her hair was a rich midnight blue in colour, her fur black, and her calculating eyes an irradiating shade of mossy green. Her tail shifted steadily from side to side behind her, swishing in rhythmic sweeps, but she gave off no other tells nor expressions of emotion.

Remelia Epstein, a petite girl whose form was second in size only when compared to the pixie heading up the class.  Standing no taller than four foot six, she wore a sort of combat garment which was an odd mix between a dress and a tunic, coloured in gentle whites and greys. Held at the middle by an armoured belt and cut into a short skirt midway down her thighs, she appeared to be wearing a pair of black shorts beneath the pleated fabrics. Her extremities were clad in heavy steel bracers, gauntlets, and greaves, and from her head immense fluffs of long, snow-white hair fell in haphazard tufts all around her face and down to her lower back. The silky tangles accentuating the unsettling darkness of her eyes, watchful orbs of pitch black which held no white nor iris, the colour of her gaze only ever-so-slightly different from her pupils. 

Seren Ulfrecht, the girl who Haana had offended earlier, sat with her table all to herself and her feet kicked nonchalantly up against the wood whilst leaning back in her chair. She barely humored the gesture of an airy wave when called upon, the motion more dismissive than anything.  Dressed in supple combat leathers with a long red scarf draped around her neck and shoulders, she wore thin white gloves and high-rising fighter's boots.  Her hair was richly blonde with a beautiful sheen which caught the light like woven strands of actual gold, neat kempt but cut tomboyishly short save for her bangs.  Piercing crimson eyes, which Argent now noticed held vertically slit pupils, gave her otherwise cute face a fiercely intimidating feel.  When paired together with the constant smirk which subtly played along the corners of her mouth, that blood coloured stare worked wonders to make her seem like someone he didn’t want to cross.

As the last uncalled member in the room, the final girl had the eyes of the class upon her before the Instructor even read her name.  Given the circumstances there was no real need for her to identify herself directly, but she chose to do so anyway, going so far as to stand curtly and offer a polite bow when she was called before sitting back down.  Takasu Shizuka, as her name had been read, though a brief explanation from Instructor Liamra made it clear that Shizuka was her given name. Hailing from the oldest depths of the Rim, the manner of address from her culture was different than the norm most were accustomed to.  She was a beastkin also, perhaps the most obvious of the three in their class, as her long and slender rabbit ears protruded far above her head.  Her fur and hair was coloured a soft, mousey brown which seemed very well suited to a bunny, with velvety bangs settled quietly against the silver of her eyes. She was dressed in a pair of snugly fit black shorts tied with a colourful blue-green sash, and a strange upper garment like a cross between shinobi armouring and an athletic top one might wear for training. A ceramic mask depicting a bunny’s rounded smile hung angled off the side of her head.  Everything about her seemed eerily quiet and calm; so much so that it actually set Argent on edge.  It was an unnatural sense of stillness, like the moments before a storm, or a forest fallen silent beneath the presence of a predator.

“And that's all of us! I hope you’re all as thrilled as me~ I look forward to a full Academy graduation with you, so let's work hard and make it through!”

Instructor Liamra seemed genuinely happy, though the reasoning of her enthusiasm was lost on the students. The array of races, backgrounds, and specialties present in these kids truly set the little pixie’s heart aflame with anticipation. Particularly given what she knew of the secrets and surprises some of them were holding up their sleeves.

All in good time.

She thought to herself, motioning for her uncertain yet still eager class to rise from their seats.  The students all standing as she clapped her hands energetically.

“That's the spirit. Everybody up! Go and gather your personal equipment and meet me at the far west training garden for the beginning of your initial exam-- And welcome to Class X13~”

It took longer to move across campus than it did to gather up their supplies, but in no more than twenty minutes the members of class X13 had gathered at the designated spot.  Before them the living garden sprawled and shifted according to their instructor’s command as she shaped it into an enclosure of high-walled bushes rising several meters into the air.  In the midst of the enclosure splitting the area in half, a wall approximately 4 meters high rose from the earth beneath, a large singular door resting dead in the center of the heavy metallic barrier.

“Alright class, first obstacle.”

The students circled around their instructor where she hovered in their midst, all eyes upon her tiny frame.

“Your objective is to cross over to the other side of the wall. The obstacle will be attempted one at a time, and yes, those on this side of the wall will be free to observe.”

There was a slight bit of murmuring, but Vivian squashed it quickly as she continued on with her explanation.

“Who goes when is up to you, volunteer basis. If you hang back you can take measure of your peers, maybe find some solutions if you’re feeling lost or nervous-- There's no rush... But I will tell you now that the order in which you pass the obstacles will be relevant later.  As for this exam, the intent behind it is to allow us instructors to assess how you deal with basic problems in the field. How you think, how you fight, what your natural inclinations are.  There’s no right or wrong, so long as you accomplish what's asked of you. So get out there and show us why you’re here, ‘kay?”

At the implication that passing earlier would be advantageous, it seemed that nothing more needed to be said to little Remelia.  With a wordless shrug that somehow very clearly expressed a sense of ‘On with it, then’ despite its silence, she walked out onto the field and advanced upon the door.  A dozen questioning stares followed her in a mixture of curiousity, amusement, and condescension from amongst the members of Class X13.  Positioning herself in front of the door, Remelia’s small frame looked like a doll when set against the imposing barrier before her, as she took up a swordsman’s stance and held out her hands.

“You can’t be serious.”

Cassius scoffed, blue eyes narrowing sarcastically as he raised a hand to point outwardly towards the scene unfolding before them.  Was this a joke? Was their instructor really about to let a girl no bigger than a stray cat try to brute force her way through this wall?  He looked to Vivian for an answer, but the Pixie hid her smile, remaining a silent observer as she pressed a finger to her lips.  The gesture caused Cassius to huff again with some indignation, shaking his head and crossing his arms before turning to look back into the garden.

There was a low hum as from the aether a blade materialized in Remelia’s grasp.  A blackened steel greatsword bearing ornate detail, glyphs and runes etched all along its surface and worked deeply into the large crossguard of the weapon.  More surprising than the sudden appearance of the massive weapon however, was the effortless manner in which Remelia handled it, gripping it easily and maintaining skillful control over each movement despite the blade being easily twice as tall as her. 

“Hup~”

Remelia’s bare minimum sound of exertion, so casual it seemed more a sort of self narration of her effort than anything, came paired with a swing of such overwhelming force that it felt to the other students as if the air had been sucked straight out of the garden.  As their ears throbbed with the sense of pressurization the door within the wall would stutter and then collapse; split in twain diagonally down the center of the frame so cleanly that it looked natural.  The dull ringing gradually subsided over the next few moments as the air pressure within the area leveled out, naturally rebounding from the vacuum which had been created by the force of Remelia’s swing.  The girl herself appeared unbothered, the sword in her hands vanishing, its dematerialization marked only by the faint glow of a ring Argent noticed on her left hand.  Without a word further she walked through the newly opened gateway and out of sight.  The severed door trembled for a moment before automatically repairing itself, rising back into place as though nothing had occurred.  A voice boomed out from above the garden.

REMELIA EPSTEIN: FIRST OBSTACLE CLEARED.

Silence reigned amongst the class for a long moment before Vivian finally broke the veil of disbelief which had settled over them, a few students slowly lowering their hands from where they had gone so far as to cover their ears.

“...Just for the record, I’d not suggest attempting the same… Not unless you’re looking to break your wrists.”

Though she supposed it was unfair to provide hints or warnings to the others, she had to acknowledge the fact that Remelia’s display had shifted the status quo.  When it came to the subject of male pride in particular she knew that after watching the obstacle be destroyed in a single shot by someone half their size, at least one of the boys would be falsely confident in trying something equally stupid.

Though it isn’t stupid if it works.

She reminded herself, still genuinely surprised by Remelia’s outcome.  Things were already looking to be an interesting year.  After a few moments, it was Naiara who spoke up next, her wolven ears twitching ever so softly.

“So if I understand this correctly, the only requirement is that I move from this side of the wall to the other?”

Vivian blinked.

“Yes, that’s correct--”

No sooner than the words had left her mouth than Naiara vanished. Her form melting into the shadows in an almost undetectable instant, fading into nothingness entirely.

NAIARA: FIRST OBSTACLE CLEARED.

The announcer's voice boomed out, and in that moment heads really started spinning. The remaining members of class X13 were starting to feel disgruntled about being left behind in such dramatic fashion, some more so than others.  Cassius and Seren in particular were openly frustrated, expressing their distaste regarding the validity of the methods as though some rule had been violated.  Vivian softly reminded them that they were free to challenge the door at any time, in any way, a fact which quieted them but did nothing to diffuse their frustrations.

Of all people it was Fenn stepped up next, though it seemed to be more out of distaste for the goings on around him than out of motivation to defeat the challenge itself.  He was muttering something about 'insufferably loud people' as he sauntered up to the door, his movements unnoticed by some as he took his time examining the obstacle in front of him.  Running his hands along the door, feeling it out, establishing that it was heavily built but still wooden-- held shut by a strong metal locking mechanism.  Argent watched with focused curiosity, trying to tune out the grumblings of Cassius behind him and center his senses on Fenn as the boy unclasped the tome at his waist and flipped open its pages.  Soon after the apathetic sorcerer began chanting in a low voice, so much so that Argent couldn’t hear the words at this distance, but he understood immediately the presence of old magic. It was rare for spellcasters to actually chant in this day and age, most utilizing either words of power or signs.  Energy flowed around Fenn’s arms as he structured his incantation, holding out an open palm as a ball of coalescing flames gathered there.  The ignited mana spun and danced, swirling inwards on itself with ever increasing density until the orb was more akin to a liquid than an open flame, like a ball of molten lava.  The display of power held everyone’s attention now as Fenn pushed his palm outwards and forced the orb into the door’s locking mechanism, pressing it slowly and steadily through the door like a superheated drill. The concentrated flames ate greedily through the doorway in a matter of seconds, roaring and sputtering as they left nothing but ash and liquified metal in their wake.  Extinguishing the flame, the energy vanishing from this plane of existence, Fenn waited a moment before gingerly pushing on what remained of the door and watched as it swung open.  

FENN COBALT: FIRST OBSTACLE CLEARED.

Jaroth came next, though his technique was extremely anticlimactic after the displays which had preceded it.  In the first normal method to be seen, the young rogue made his way up to the door on silent footfalls, glancing casually at it for a moment before kneeling down and digging through one of the toolkits at his waist.  With a set of thieves' picks and a slim, long-bladed dagger, it was only a matter of moments before the lock gave way with a simple click.  Jaroth pushing open the door and stepping out of sight as the announcing voice boomed out his success. 

JAROTH GAUGE: FIRST OBSTACLE CLEARED.

Shizuka followed in short order, taking only a moment to re-affirm with Instructor Liamra that reaching the other side of the wall was the only condition for success.  After being assured that she would be passed so long as she crossed the barrier, the masked bunny girl nodded quietly and took off at a jog, distancing herself from the wall by some ten meters. From her new position she took off at an angled approach and darted directly towards the obstruction in her path, kicking off from the ground with a power that brought back the sense of wonderment after Jaroth’s casual lockpicking as her body soared acrobatically through the air, leaning into a flip which placed her neatly atop the wall.  Turning in a slight pivot, she looked back at the remaining members of Class X13, giving their instructor a gentle salute before hopping backwards off the ledge to land on the other side.

TAKASU SHIZUKA: FIRST OBSTACLE CLEARED.

And then, somewhere off in the far distance…

REMELIA EPSTEIN: SECOND OBSTACLE CLEARED.

“WHAT?!”

Seren spat, her slit pupils flaring to life with renewed indignance.  She shot the instructor a look that could kill, before pushing her way to the front of the group.  Argent had been kneeling with his pack, his mind moving like a slow but steady machine as he rummaged around for a few items, looking up when he was roughly jostled aside by Seren in her movements to be the next to challenge the obstacle.  He caught the winds of dark mutterings under her breath as she passed.

"Make a joke out of me, will you? I'll show these morons..."

As soon as there was an open shot between herself and the wall, the golden-blonde kicked her way forward and ran in a dead sprint towards it.  The priestly boy, Matthias, grit his teeth and took in a sharp breath as he watched; muscles tensed for movement as though he were about to run out after her as she dove headlong for the wall. Argent watched in wonder as she leaned into the movement, actually running up the wall for series of steps before kicking off in a jump.  The class’ eyes widened as she appeared to throw herself off into the open air, away from the wall.

“What is she doing?!”

Matthias blurted out in frantic questioning, but he was answered by none. Instead the onlookers watched in confusion at first, and then awe, as Seren’s leap brought her into contact with a second, invisible wall.  A shimmering pad of force, visible only as she touched it, the raw energy rippling at the point where her feet connected as she again made a step or two and kicked off from this new barrier.  This process would be repeated back and forth from wall to summoned barrier to wall as she flew like the wind between the two, her long scarf streaming violently behind her like a dragon’s tail.  Each barrier was, upon closer observation, what seemed to be an individual shield of force that was summoned into being just when Seren needed it and dismissed once she didn’t.  It was an ability which Argent believed he recognized, and although nothing complicated on the surface, if his assumption was correct then it was a third tier Art.  He looked to Instructor Liamra for any signs of recognition or surprise in her face but found her to be happily stonewalling the class, her expression quietly locked in her subtle little smile.

SEREN ULFRECHT: FIRST OBSTACLE CLEARED.

The pressure was real now. With half the class past the first obstacle and Remelia somewhere off beyond the second, the classmembers left hanging behind were beginning to feel the weight… Well, at least Argent sure as hell was.  Looking around at those still with him he found that only two of the others seemed remotely disturbed.  Cassius and Matthias were obviously straining, the former of the two most vividly upset by the turn of events taking place, but  Izadura, Leif, and Haana... Well. Hanna was meditating or asleep, Izadura was sitting cross-legged on the grass carefully polishing the blade of his katana, and Leif was excitedly chasing his own tail in wide circles... to put that in perspective simply.

With there seeming to be no other immediate takers Argent moved the resources he had retrieved from his pack to the satchel at his side and the slots on his belt, placing the items into uniquely formed leather divots meant for holding vials and potion bottles.  Slinging his pack up onto his shoulders, he gave Instructor Liamra a smile.

“Time to get to work.”

He said to both her and himself.  Approaching the door, he followed in the steps of Fenn as he carefully examined the structure before him.. Pleased to find that however sturdy the walls might have been, the door itself was solidly built of a standard wood and iron construction.  That made things much easier, as he reached for the bottles at his waist.  

Water. Salt. Dissolve the two together. Aerate it fully.

He walked himself through the process mentally, creating a simple form of saline by channeling the smallest amounts of arcana into the phial through his fingertips, causing the water within to be roiled with freshly moving oxygen making up the smallest of bubbles.  Shaking the solution gently, it was time for a little bit of help from slightly less mundane ingredients.

Needs a catalyst to speed the process, something with physical kai-- Moonbloom should do it. Powdered Cowltops for a bit of acidic bite... Fenguttr chitin & Sealer’s Garnet to top it off, with just a touch of iron to get it nice and angry.

After all the ingredients had been condensed within the phial, Argent dropped a few small shavings of iron into the bottle of liquid, watching its contents became more like syrup as the reactive agents within hungrily dissolved the metal. Rusting it into nothing faster than one’s eyes could follow the change.  With a grin, Argent shook the bottle around a few times, siphoning a small amount of his own arcane energy into the compound once again before pouring it on the hinges of the door.  The pegs and brackets holding everything in place turned red with rust at an incredible rate, the solution corroding the metal in seconds. Divots and pockmarks became full open tears, tears which soon reduced the hinges to scraps, scraps which were then eaten away to a faint orange dust.  Defeated by its own weight, the door fell away. 

ARGENT FARRUINE: FIRST OBSTACLE CLEARED.

Argent couldn’t contain his pleased grin as he turned a glance back towards the others, tucking the empty potion bottle back into a slot at his waist.  He immediately wished he hadn’t.  At this distance it was impossible for him to see what his miniature instructor was doing, leaving only the obvious disgruntlement of Cassius to greet his gaze.  Clearing his throat and turning back towards the door, he stepped through the threshold.  Immediately upon crossing to the other side it was as if a gust of wind blew him from his feet, a sensation of vertigo overtaking his body and convincing him that he was falling somehow, and yet before he knew what had happened he was standing upright in a different area facing a tall woman with sandy blonde hair.

“That was an interesting little trick. I guess you were serious about what you put on your entrance papers, huh?”

She questioned the dazed Argent, watching him with a bemused smile as she tipped her head slightly to one side.  Small crystalline ornaments dangled from her pointed, half-elven ears as deep earthen eyes watched him carefully.  She wore the armour of a High-Elven hunter, standing with a large and unique looking crossbow draped over her shoulder with one arm whilst the other rested a hand on her hip.

“You okay kid? Haven’t teleported much before?”

Argent took another moment or two to steady himself, waving a hand upwards to indicate he was fine before straightening up and meeting the woman’s eyes with an apologetically sheepish smile and a forced chuckle. 

“Sorry about that..”

He paused, her first statement about his entry forms registering with him all of a sudden.

“Aha, I guess the secret’s out then... I meant what I said-- I’m looking to become an Alchemist.”

The woman nodded lightly, though she gave him a tentative look.  There was obviously something more she wanted to say, but instead she chose to move on with the matters at hand.

“Right. The name’s Chelsea Spinette, and i’ll be overseeing the minor combat challenge you’ll be undergoing as your second obstacle.”

The name had a familiar ring to it, causing Argent to pause again as he looked up at the impressively tall woman. She was lithe and trim, with obvious musculature visible in her legs and arms.  His eyes rested for a long moment on her crossbow, which seemed to be an unusually heavy-set weapon for an elf.  It was a conglomeration of ironwood and mythril, woven together in a way that he knew only an ancient elven smith could achieve. 

“Not that I don’t appreciate the gawking, but you’re going to fall behind.”

Instructor Spinette joked, causing Argent's cheeks to flush slightly as he pulled himself together.  He looked around the environment now, finding that they stood within what appeared to be a sort of stone-carved arena. It didn’t seem as though any of his classmates were present, either.

“Am I the only one here?”

“Yup, this one’s all you. The test is more or less first come first served at this point. You’re not likely going to cross paths with the other students again until the end.”

Gesturing for Argent to move out into the center of the platform, she moved to the side after he was in position and gave him a questioning look.  Nodding his readiness, Argent dropped his pack off to the side and took up a fighting position.  Chelsea raised her brow slightly at how loose and nervous he looked, but all the same she made a small arcane gesture and began her summoning.  Runes appeared on the ground across from Argent as the power manifested itself, swirling in a circular vortex as a creature phased into existence within.  

“Ooh, you got a big one. Luck-yyyyy~”

Chelsea chirped happily.  Argent felt anything but ‘lucky’.  He knew the art she had used, a basic version of Summon Creature.  He understood that the entity manifested by the art was somewhat random, determined by a mix of the Caster’s ability, a reflection of their own personality and spirit, and the world energies present in the area of summoning at the time.  Given Chelsea’s obvious affinity as a hunter it was no wonder that he now stared into the predatory glare and dripping fangs of an impressively large Orodaen grey wolf, still, the logic behind it all didn’t make him feel any better as the monstrous lupine creature charged him head on with a ferocious snarl.  Its jaws snapped just past his waist, clipping his cloak and tearing loose a section of fabric as he narrowly managed to dodge.  Reaching down to his waist, Argent drew a long fighting knife from the leather catch at his belt.  It was a broad, single-edged weapon which could have nearly been classified as a shortsword in terms of length, but which would be more accurately labeled as a variant of seax. From the sidelines Chelsea watched with interest, he was quicker than she had expected him to be, but still his movements seemed shaky to her.  Inexperienced, and unsure.  It made sense given what she knew of the boy, after all, if he was looking to become a potion mixing, solution forming Alchemist; he belonged in a world of desks, beakers, and books.  Not in the field with monsters and mercs.

As quickly as it had come the first time, the wolf doubled back on its movements and was already upon Argent’s position again.  Swiping at him with a heavy paw and snapping violently at his legs.  It was unusually intelligent behaviour for a wolf, actively using more than just its jaws, making Argent keenly aware that he would have to be especially considerate of this creature’s properties as a summoned monster and not merely some feral mutt.  Narrowly he evaded the teeth of his enemy, having been expecting them to come, but the unnaturally sharp claws from the monster’s paw struck against his shin and tore through the leather guarding deeply enough to draw blood.  Gritting his teeth against the sting, Argent took actions to ensure he wasn’t the only one bleeding in this exchange, slashing outwards with his blade at the side of the creature’s head as its bite missed him.

The trade of blows created a momentary distance between them, both assessing their damages and adjusting their read on their opponent during the small tactical pause.  Argent could tell his wound was deep but it had not reached the bone, while his attack on the wolf had done pitifully little.  Its thick hide and fur had prevented his knife from finding true purchase, leaving the ‘damage’ as little more than a missing chunk from the creature's ear and a shallow cut leading across its muzzle.  The beast licked its snout, tasting its own blood and growing more irate than before.  It let out a loud, wailing howl which Argent knew he would hear again later haunting his dreams.

Fighting this animal in close quarters is going to get me killed.

The thought was clear in his mind, but what was the solution?  He knew that melee combat was not his strong suit, and beyond that, his lack of raw physical strength and low-level equipment meant inflicting lethal damage on Chelsea’s summon would be difficult.  He needed a plan, and he needed one quickly, the gears of his mind turned furiously as he searched for an out. Weighing his options and making a conscious effort to slow down his breathing, Argent forced himself to be still and find his calm.  He had been letting panic take its hold, reacting on reflex due to how quickly the fight had been upon him, and that was just it; He had been reacting rather than acting.  He was playing on the enemy’s field rather than forcing the wolf to play on his.  Lightly his hands reached down to touch something at his waist, hesitating as though he could feel Chelsea’s eyes upon him.  Glancing her way he found that indeed she was watching most carefully, more than a little interested by the glint of silver she had seen underneath his cloak as the wolf had torn it.  Pulling away from the objects hidden at his belt, Argent shook his head.  He didn’t want to show his trump card just yet.  There had to be another way.

Take a breath. Fight smart, find the answer.

He faced the animal head on, standing firm as the wolf lowered its head from howling and moved into another rush.  This time Argent didn’t dodge, instead stepping inward on his opponent and crouching low as the wolf closed in on his position.  His left hand moved towards his boot as the right hand gripping his seax swung in a wide arc, looking to parry and push away the grey wolf’s hungry jaws.  The impact was jarring, twisting Argent’s wrist uncomfortably and causing him to drop his weapon-- but he succeeded in forcing the attack aside and avoiding being bitten.  In that same moment his left hand would continue its work, drawing another knife out from his boot and bringing it forward to drive into the center of the wolf’s chest using both his own strength and the animal’s existing momentum.  The blade sunk deep, drawing a pained yelp from the creature as the two of them broke apart again, giving Argent all the opportunity he hoped he needed.

A small cylindrical object dropped between the two combatants as he split away from the wolf, pulling his cloak up over his eyes.  Chelsea squinted in an attempt to see what it had been, and immediately regretted doing so as a sudden burst of blinding white light overtook the arena with a resounding BANG.  The sound echoed off violently between the walls, shaking everyone present but particularly the wolf with its more attuned senses, causing the creature to recoil inwards on itself with a whimper.  Dazed, deafened, and with a knife sticking out from its chest; a normal creature might have called it quits and ran, but a summoned monster knew only the fight to which it was called.  In a last ditch assault it squared up on the boy responsible for its condition and snarled, activating a low-level self buff as it began to charge forward.  The ability rapidly began to heal the creature, pushing the blade out from its body as the muscle reformed-- but the wolf’s rattled mind and senses had failed to notice other critical details taking place in the fight. Argent had not been standing idly by whilst the results of his flash grenade held the animal hostage.  After creating some three meters distance between them, the boy had hurled out two more objects into the battlespace.  One burst upon the ground and erupted into pools of silvery, translucent liquid which spread rapidly and held a multicoloured sheen against the light.  The other spun mid-air as it fell and scattered a number of thin-bladed, four pronged caltrops across the stone floor with an ominous jingle.  As the wolf charged forward, just before reaching the tiles slickened with mana grease it cried out loudly as the steel caltrops mercilessly pierced upwards into its forelegs and paws.  Throwing off its coordination and causing the animal to slide into an exaggerated skid as it hit what was effectively an oil slick, the mana grease coated its body and fur as it slid across the stone like a wet bar of soap.

At the slick’s end Argent stood in wait, torquing his body into a heavy kick just as the creature came into range, sending the wolf right back into the puddle of mana grease.  With a sense of victory in his eyes, the boy raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.  Only the smallest spark of arcana revealing that he was invoking a simple art.  It was nothing impressive in terms of magic, not by any stretch whatsoever,  a low-level cantrip known only as ‘Kindle’ which permitted the caster to ignite easily flammable materials within close range and line of sight... But mana grease, as it so happened, was more than easily flammable.  The puddle all but exploded into flames, surging into an inferno with such force that some of the caltrops nearly acted as shrapnel, thrown off around the amphitheater with small pinging noises as they struck the stone.  The wolf, charred and partially shredded, lie motionless in a heap before its summoned essence faded away. 

ARGENT FARRUINE: SECOND OBSTACLE CLEARED.

Argent let loose the breath he had been holding in a sigh of relief, looking up to the heavens for a moment as though thanking the Gods.  As Chelsea began to head down to meet him, he dug around in his satchel and retrieved a vial of reddish-brown liquid, unstopping the cork with his teeth and splashing its contents across his wounded leg.  By the time she reached him the injury was healed.

“Not to sound like a broken record, but again-- That was an interesting little trick.”

She stated with a coy smile, repeating in part her earlier words from the first trial.  Chelsea would be the first to admit that the display had surprised her, and in a way she was proud of the boy for passing the test… Yet some part of her still held onto some deep-seated reservations about all of this.

“So you passed.  Good Job.  But may I ask you something?”

Looking up at her, Argent nodded his head.

“Why didn’t you join the Alchemist’s College?”

He seemed taken aback by the question, shrinking away and looking at his feet.  Chelsea watched with grim patience as he scuffed the stone tile with his boot, frowning.  She wasn’t going to break the silence until he did.  Finally the boy seemed to find the words.

“I.. Well.. I didn’t want to live that way.”

“What way? You mean rich?”

Chelsea almost scoffed.  There was nothing but money in Alchemy, especially if you became well renowned.  A sponsorship from a Guild or even a Noble would set you up for life.  All the resources, materials, and luxury you could ask for so long as your potions were up to par.

“Well, n-no.. ... But I mean, also yes?”

He looked pained, his eyes losing their glint and seeming to become empty inside.  There was a deadness there which caused Chelsea’s chest to tighten, but she held her tongue, forcing Argent to continue on.

“It's not that being rich wouldn’t be nice, I'm certain.. But I just.. I can’t spend every day at a desk, you know? Buried in books and scrolls, focused purely on meeting some demand or quota. I don’t want that life. I want to see things, do things. I want to go out into the world and leave a mark that's bigger than what kind of price tag putting my name on a potion bottle fetches.”

He took a long pause, closing his eyes as he breathed in deeply.  When they opened again they had recovered a portion of their energy, and there was a determination within their depths.

“I don’t just want to be an Alchemist… I want to be an Adventurer.”

Chelsea was taken aback.  That had been a substantially more detailed answer than she had been expecting, and not only that but it demonstrated a level of deep consideration which was not the norm amongst sixteen year old Academy freshmen.  It left her to wonder what kind of life and background this kid had come from exactly. What kind of things had he experienced before coming here?

“I see… Well, as long as you’re sure.”

She stated flatly, moving the matter to the side without any further prying.  They were in the middle of an exam after all, and if Argent wanted to be here, then all he had to do was prove that he could hack it… So far he’d been doing a pretty good job.  Unorthodox perhaps, but a good job nonetheless.

“If you’re ready to go, I’ll send you off to the next obstacle.”

“Yes, please.”

“Right on, kiddo. Oh, and don’t vomit on Souva when you get there, or he’ll murder you.”

“Wha--?”

Argent started to question but he was already gone, the breath stolen from his lungs as that same plummeting sensation overtook his body.  His stomach turned in a loop and he felt himself choke down a gag from deep within, crouching down slightly and putting his head between his knees to help hold himself together.  His vision swam and blurred until suddenly he was making out the fuzzy outlines of grass, and a pair of armoured boots.

“Up and on your feet, maggot!”

A booming voice rang out from above, its tone gruff and full of aggression as it barked out.  Argent did his best to scramble into a straightened standing position, his stomach lurching in protest as he almost lost his guts.  Before he could hunch over again, a large metallic fist reached down and grabbed him by the back of his cloak, hefting him into the air and setting him upright as though he were a doll.  Argent found himself staring into the scowling face of a hard looking military man. Or, well, probably ex-military if he was here at the academy now.  Scars lined the side of his cheeks and face, with a particularly large one crossing directly through the bridge of his nose.  The arm which had hoisted argent above the ground was a fully arcana-mechanical substitute, fitted with glyphs and forged from etherium steel.  The remainder of the man seemed to be organic, though it was difficult to tell beneath the heavy plate armour he wore.

“Is this what passes for Academy freshmen nowadays? Tch... I’ve seen worms with more spine.”

The man growled, hazel eyes lit with malice as he folded his arms over his armoured chest.  Argent was still gathering his bearings, but around him the world was slowly coming back into view.  What appeared to be a large obstacle course of timber and ropes set over a deep pit of sand loomed in the distance behind this new instructor.

“Let's get to it, freshman! I don’t have all Gods-be-Damned day! MOVE! MOVE MOVE MOVE!”

Argent was practically thrown in the direction of the obstacle course, barely catching his footing as he stumbled forward and broke into a jog.  Assessing it as he went, it all seemed pretty typical actually, a narrow ramp leading into a set of beams which spread across the expanse of sand.  There were gaps and bars, sections of rope and netting, portions of high-beamed walls studded with iron grip points.  About what you would expect from an endurance/agility course.  He might not have been the strongest fighter, not specially trained in a weapon or style, but Argent was reasonably athletic for his age and build.  Enough so that he felt a growing confidence as he started his way up the course, finding that he crossed the first several beams with ease.  Gaining speed now he advanced towards one of the sections with a divide, clearly intended for you to have to jump from point to point while maintaining balance.  He made for the gap, gauging his distance and breaking into a leap-- only to have the beam he was aiming for suddenly swing away from him to the left whilst another from chest height swung into him from the right.  The impact sent him hurtling off the obstacle and into the sand below with a rough thump, his rib cage aching mercilessly as he sputtered and spit the sandy grit out of his mouth.

“What's the matter, freshman?! Never seen a moving platform before?”

Souva’s harsh voice barked from the side of the course.

So that’s how it's going to be…

Fifteen minutes in and Argent was getting clobbered, already he had been forced to dig into his pack for a healing vial just to soothe his aching body after being battered and bashed around, thrown from the height of the obstacles again and again. Though his open-fingered gloves were specifically chosen for the dextrous nature of his alchemist’s work he was regretting them now,  wishing for a full leather pair as he nursed his ropeburned digits. Many portions of his exposed skin were torn from repeated impacts with the course's sand pits, his clothing grimy with soil and sweat.  Every time he thought he had a portion figured out something new would blindside him with calculated efficiency. It was almost as though the course itself knew his next moves.

Whoever designed this was a demon… A genius, but a demon.

“You give up yet, maggot?”

He could only close his eyes as Souva snapped at him yet again.  The berration had been unceasing from the instructor every step of the way.  It was as though the armoured warrior was trying to break him even worse than the course itself was.  Swallowing hard, Argent sat up and stared out at the obstacles again.  He was so close he could almost taste it.  Hell, he probably could have tasted it by now, if it weren’t overpowered by the flavour of his own blood in his mouth.  Spitting out a small puddle of the crimson liquid in question, he forced himself up to his feet as the healing potion he drank earlier finished up its work on his body.  Fresh vigor flowed through his legs, his aching grip strength returning to him in spurts as the burns and tears on his hands and arms sealed away.  He was going to beat this stupid course if it killed him. Which, if Souva’s jeers were to be believed, it was probably capable of doing.  Pushing that lovely thought aside, Argent focused on what he hoped would be his final plan. Checking over the equipment at his belt, he made sure everything was in place before withdrawing a small vial and placing it in his mouth.  Ignoring the taunts from the Instructor, he took his time to prepare a few other small things, before centering himself with the starting ramp and beginning his way up the obstacle.

Gotta make this count... Let's get to work!!

As it had been the first time, the beginning meters of the challenge were simple. Argent’s natural athletic ability allowed him to easily navigate the narrow slants and beams.  As he came upon the first leap there was no hesitation, throwing himself into a jump but this time turning in the air to face the second swinging beam.  Catching hold of it and letting it swing him along, climbing onto its top after it came to a halt.  This brought him into a position where he could either manuever back into a maze of beams or go straight for a field of hanging ropes if he could make the leap.  He could, and he did; though no sooner than his weight pulled down on the rope did it activate a mechanism which caused the head of the support from which the rope hung to begin rotating wildly in a circle.  Faster and faster, the obstacle had him hurtling almost horizontally through the air by the time Argent made his next move.  Hanging on for dear life, he estimated the angle and timing of his swing and cracked open the vial in his mouth.  The featherweight tonic effectively removed the pressure he created from the rope, bringing the mechanism to a grinding halt.  Releasing his grip, an unfortunate side effect of his weightlessness was the greatly reduced power of his slingshot effect, but it was enough of a throw to get him within range of the iron-studded climbing walls.

Clapping his hands together, Argent pulled them apart with a signed art and a subtle fluctuation of mana.  A dull aura of electricity fizzling about his palms for a moment as the Lesser Magnetization took effect.  Using his own weightless fall and the pull of his arts, the boy brought himself straight to the climbing wall.  He began to ascend quickly, ready for what came next.  Sections of the wall suddenly lurched out at him, like spring loaded punches lying in wait to knock an unsuspecting challenger clean off the obstacle.  Argent tangled his body like an acrobat, or perhaps more accurately a contortionist, moving from one ridiculous position to the next as he gained height on the wall whilst sprawling himself out of the way of the strike points. A feat he was only able to perform thanks to the benefits of his magnetic grip and currently weightless body.  Soon he was to the top of the wall, which lead into a steep slant on the other side and dipped back to a series of beams.  Breaking into a run down the slope, Argent’s hands went to his belt and claimed a handful of stones he had picked up and situated in his pouches.  Throwing not one, not two, but three stones at varying points of the obstacle, his eyes watched intently as a series of beams swung wildly after detecting the movements of the stones.  They wove over, under, and around one another in a pattern that would have strained the eyes of a street artist specializing in cup-ball tricks.  Finding the platform he desired amongst the mix, Argent threw himself forward, diving between two other swinging beams to catch hold of his target, dangling off its edge for a moment before pulling himself up and scrambling along down its length.  

He had done it! Or so he believed, this being the furthest he had come as he closed in on the final zipline leading back down to the grass.  He felt a surge of satisfaction as his hands closed around the device, and he began sliding down the line towards his success.  He was picking up speed, not only due to the slant but due to his own returning weight; and then he saw it.  A faint shimmer in the path along his way to the ground, almost like.. A spiderweb.. Or.. 

A wire?!

Argent couldn’t believe it, talk about something that would actually kill him! It was so thin it would cut through him like a hot knife!  His returning weight proved now to be his worst enemy in two regards, as it not only brought him towards the danger faster but also made it increasingly more difficult to lift himself and avoid it.  Straining with all his might, he pulled himself flat as he could, his legs curling slightly at the knees as he struggled to get into the position.  This was it, he was going to be cut in half on his first day at school.  Letting out a desperate yell, he pulled with all his might and straightened himself into a plank, a cold shiver tingling through his spine as he felt the faint brush of the wire against his back.  Below, Souva clicked his tongue in disappointment.

ARGENT FARRUINE: THIRD OBSTACLE CLEARED.

“Tch.. Fine. I guess you pass. Barely. Just know that those beastkin girls make you look like a joke.”

Souva spoke through gritted teeth with a ‘can’t be helped’ sort of shrug.  Argent was about to blow a gasket on this man, words about almost being killed ready to burst out of his throat as he opened his mouth to yell, but he was gone before they came out. Argent fell through the teleport and landed flat on his back with a groan.  A second or two later, his pack materialized through the warp and fell directly on top of him with a thud.  A hearty chuckle broke out alongside him as he slowly pushed the bag off his chest.

“Yikes. You okay there, rookie? You look like Souva pummeled you himself.”

The beastkin standing above him commented with a wolfish grin, made all the more convincing by his pointed ears and idly swishing tail.  This instructor was perhaps the youngest appearing adult so far, with messy brown hair and lively hazelnut coloured eyes. He was dressed in simple combat pants and a bright red tunic trimmed with black patterning, a heavy broadsword hanging from a loop in his belt.

“Yeah.. I’m good.”

Argent muttered, swallowing the other things he wanted to say.  Standing up and brushing himself off, he looked at the beastkin swordsman in front of him.  The man couldn’t have been further along than his twenties, but there was a sense of power around him that Argent couldn’t shake.  It reminded him of the subtle feel possessed by many of the mercenaries he had met whilst traveling with the caravans, an aura of unseen strength which rarely matched their demeanour or appearance.

“Excellent! You’re going to need your strength for this one.  Obstacle number four-- the real deal combat test.  I hope Chelsea got you allllll warmed up with that first session, because it's time to step into the big leagues.”

The wolven fighter turned towards a series of wide gateways in the wall, each paired with a switch by the doors which covered them.  Argent could only suppose that there were monsters behind.

“Well. As big as the leagues get right now for students like you, anyways.  Names Ward, by the by.  You ready for this?”

He didn’t wait for an answer.  Pulling the switch caused its attached door to open upwards with a whoosh, retracting into the wall above and making way for a handful of skeletons to come rushing out.  They were basic monsters, some of the simplest enemies one could expect to find in most ruins or dungeons, but there were five of them and they were armed to the teeth. Sword and board, battle axe, two spears and a mace.  Argent didn’t think for a second of trying to draw his long knife.

I tried to avoid showing you off for as long as I could, but it's now or never.

Argent apologized mentally to the objects at his hip, reaching down with his right hand and drawing upwards what would initially be perceived by most as some variant of pocket crossbow.  Its sleek grip leading into a curved guard and trigger, with a length of alchemical silver gleaming outwards from its center.  A twenty millimeter barrel, to be exact.  Zeroing in on his target and pulling the trigger unleashed a murderous roar of flame as Argent relayed his arcana into the weapon, igniting the shell loaded within with tremendous force.  The heavy steel projectile hurtled from the weapon and struck the front skeleton directly in the center of the shield which it carried, splintering the rounded wooden guard to pieces whilst blowing apart the skeleton’s arm and ribcage.

“Oh-ho?”

Ward mused from the side, ears perking at the blatant display of firepower. It wasn’t every day that an instructor at this academy got to see something new. There was a resounding click of metal as Argent flicked the weapon forward, his thumb depressing a lever on the side which allowed the weapon to break open from a hinge at the chamber, the burnt-out husk of a spent bursting shell ejecting out into the air with a wisp of smoke trailing behind it.  With practiced ease, the boy loaded another identical shell and snapped the weapon shut as he leveled it upwards with the next skeleton.  The shot hit the battle-axe wielding undead center mass, obliterating it in a hailstorm of shattered bones.  The other skeletons were rushing now, picking up the pace of their advance as Argent backpedaled to buy himself precious seconds to load another shell, this one held in a blue casing.  He directed the pistol towards the ground at the feet of the spearbearing skeletons, firing with a burst of winter air and the frigid smell of tundra.  Needling shards of ice shot outwards, striking the ground and freezing it solid in a cold snap.  The first skeleton slid slightly but made it past the obstruction, whilst the second was bound entirely to the ground by the ice.  Well within range of him now, the first of the duo lunged at Argent with its spear.  He parried it aside with the length of his pistol, swinging his arm in a low arc outwards and away from his body.  This kept his weapon down and enabled him to slot another bursting shell throughout the movement, quickly bringing the weapon to bear and blowing the offending undead’s skull clean from its frame.

Ward watched with a smile, mildly impressed.  The boy’s combat skills were basic, little more than the fundamental parry or dodge, but what more did one need when packing that kind of firepower?  Still it was a matter of simple fact that against enemies faster and stronger these sorts of antics would not work so well, but for the moment however, the sheer power of Argent’s weapon seemed more than enough to bridge the gap when paired with his effective handling.  His aim was true and his reloading fast and efficient, making it clear that if nothing else the boy had trained hard to be proficient with this unique weapon.

The final two skeletons came into range now, the mace wielding undead closing the gap first whilst the remaining spear user fought its way free from the ice.  The timing of it all resulted in a two pronged attack, the first skeleton rearing upwards to swing down in a heavy smash whilst the other angled in from the side and stabbed with the reach of its polearm.  Argent raised his pistol against the first, firing with the expectedly lethal effects.  As the incoming spear closed upon his body, he spun to the inside of it, stepping along the length of the shaft and closing the distance between himself and the enemy as his off-hand dipped into the depths of his cloak.  Emerging with a second pistol grasped in his hand as he finished the motion, angling the weapon outwards as he came to a stop and blasted the final skeleton into nonexistence.

ARGENT FARRUINE: FOURTH OBSTACLE CLEARED.

As the last enemy fell away, Argent straightened to a full standing position. Trails of smoke danced from his weapons as he spun them in his hands, pushing his cloak back with a sweeping motion as he holstered them at his waist.  Ward applauded energetically as the boy looked over at him with a grin. 

“Now that was something! Are you and Naiara priorly acquainted, by any chance?”

Argent tipped his head at the question, wondering what exactly that might have meant.  His confusion seemed to be all the answer his instructor needed however, Ward continuing on without missing a beat.

“Hmm, no matter. Yours did seem awfully different-- might I trouble you to see them a moment?”

There was a slight hesitation in Argent’s movements, but he reached down to his weapons and relinquished one to Ward without protest.  The beastkin looked it over curiously, turning the polished alchemical silver over in his hands.

“What is this called, exactly?”

“An Argent Pistol, sir.”

The beastkin raised a brow, looking up from the weapon to meet Argent’s eyes.  The boy nodded.

“My own make. Honestly, it’s unlikely that many other people could use them effectively.”

He began to explain, drawing the second pistol and opening the chamber, pointing to some of the finer mechanical internals.  

“The shells each are capable of priming on their own, but these weapons aren’t just setting them off kinetically.  These sections of the grip are enchanted heavily with Relay, allowing me to channel arts through them… I built them specifically around my ability, to.. Well.”

Pausing again, Argent thought about whether or not he really wanted to be spilling everything he had.  It wasn’t that he didn’t trust the Instructors or that he thought they’d abuse the information, but possessing a unique art was not something everyone achieved, and the nature of his art specifically was incredibly rare. Arts and their use were commonplace, that much was true, but the skill to effectively weave arcana into powerful effects was much less common.  Everyone in the realm was born with an affinity for at least two aspects, whether or not they knew how to use them. An aspect being one of the thirteen pieces which made up the Arcanasphere, or in other words the inherent weave of mana and life which held reality together. Among these aspects, nine were considered the primary attributes of the sphere.

Elemental, Physical, Psyche, Spiritual, Arcane, Light, Dark, Chaos, and Order. 

Between these nine aspects, accessed or formed by a conjunction of two or more in most cases, the four higher aspects made up the fringes of the sphere. 

Time, Space, Creation, and Destruction.

Argent’s unique art was one from the higher aspect of Creation. Enhance Reaction, or as he had come to call it, Catalyze. A spell which allowed him to dramatically augment occurring reactions by channeling his own arcana into them, whether they were chemical, alchemical, or even sourced by other arts.  It was the kind of thing that any Alchemist, or the Alchemist’s College in particular, would kill for.

Or kill me over.

He thought grimly. A hidden piece of his determination to stay away from such organizations, and all the more reason that he hesitated to finish his sentence in that moment. Thankfully, Ward seemed to catch on in some respect, waving away the explanation promptly.

“I get it. You use channeled magic to set off those shells, which I assume you also make yourself?”

Thankful for being given an out, Argent nodded his head with a smile. His sense of pride returning as the wolven beastkin continued to admire his invention.  After a thorough examination Ward spun the weapon around to hand it back to Argent by its grip, watching with a faint twitch of his ears as the boy holstered it.

“I’m impressed.  I’ll be looking forward to seeing how you keep up with your courses, Mr. Farruine.”

“Thank you. I’ll be giving it all my best.”

“I’m certain you will. Now then, you ready to be off?”

“Ready as i’m going to be.”

Argent replied with a bit of a wince, putting a hand over his stomach.  Ward laughed his hearty laugh, a wild sound comparable to barking, but warm and filled with energy.  

“You’ll get used to it, I promise.”

The sensation of teleporting was every bit as uncomfortable as before, but Argent found that he recovered more quickly from it this time around.  Finding himself in the first section of the garden, he looked up to see the smiling face of Instructor Liamra as she fluttered in front of him. 

“Oooh, good job Argent! I’m so proud of my little class~”

She squeezed his cheek with affection, looking back at the other members who were present. It seemed he wasn’t the last to make it here, which made him feel awfully relieved considering several members would have started on the later obstacles well after he had.  Though, as he took it all in, he realized that a few of the members present WERE in fact some of those who had gone after him on the first obstacle. Remelia, Seren, Izadura, Shizuka, Naiara, Cassius, and Leif were all present. Including him along with them meant eight members of the twelve from their class stood here in the grass, indicating he had finished further down the list than he had started, though not by much. Waiting for the little pixie to let go of his cheek, Argent rubbed his face slightly as she finally released her grip, a bit of a flush to his features.

“So.. What are we doing now?”

He asked directly, learning already that with Instructor Liamra he needed to get straight to the points and do everything in his power to keep her on track.  The fae flitted upwards on her shimmering wings, leaving a faint trail of sparkles in her wake.

“Waiting for the others, of course! The last phase of this test requires all of you. Now go on, go and sit with your friends~”

Friends, huh…

The group on the fringes of the garden seemed anything but friendly.  Each stood more or less apart from each other, not a soul speaking in between them, with hardly any signs of social interaction at all.  Frankly the atmosphere being put off by Seren was downright threatening as far as Argent was concerned, and Cassius’ blue eyes were fixed in a thousand-mile stare which couldn’t be described as anything other than venomous. For what it was worth the others in the group didn’t seem to be the least bit perturbed by this, though Argent couldn’t help but think that perhaps that very nonchalance played a big part in feeding the anger of the other two. Swallowing the apprehensive lump in his throat, Argent made to walk towards the group.  A few pairs of eyes moved to meet him.  Cassius turned his glance away almost immediately with a dull ‘hmph’, but Shizuka held his gaze and offered an acknowledging bow of her head, her velvety ears flopping slightly forward from the movement.

“Hey there.. Shizuka, right?”

“Mhm... Argent?”

Her voice was like silk, almost musical in a sense as it drifted upon the open air.  The faintest hint of her traditional accent lingering around the edges of her speech, though all things considered she spoke the common tongue very well.

“Yeah. A pleasure to actually meet you. How were your obstacles?”

“Hmm... Simple. But they are meant to be more of an assessment than a test, yes?”

“Ahaha… Yeah..”

Argent rubbed the back of his head slightly, his fingers dipping into his hair as he sweated that one out.  He should have supposed that after a display like the one Shizuka had made of clearing the first wall that she wouldn’t have struggled with the other tests they’d been given.  All the same, her no-nonsense demeanour hit him hard when he thought about his own performance.  He had made it through, but he wouldn’t have referred to portions of the experience as 'simple' by any stretch.  His eyes were drawn to the side where Seren stood with her arms crossed, impatiently tapping her foot against the ground.

“Have you uh.. Been waiting long?”

“Mhm.. A little while, now. Twenty minutes? Naiara and I were the first ones...”

That came as a bit of a surprise. Argent had assumed that since she was also present, Remelia had plowed her way straight through the entire event.  After a show of force like the one she had made, it spoke volumes about the kind of skills the two beastkin girls must have possessed in order to have beaten her out.  Especially when Shizuka had been the fifth to clear the first obstacle. He looked over at the other individual in question, the wolven girl with the hair colour of a fading twilight sky. Her intensely green eyes held the same predatory depths as the Orodaen grey wolf he had fought during his second obstacle. With her black as the night cloak pushed slightly to her sides now, he noticed that she was carrying what appeared to be an extremely sleek framed crossbow, its components all stained a deep charcoal black much like everything else the girl seemed to own.  He wanted to ask about it, especially after the comments Instructor Ward had made, but he felt more than a little apprehensive about approaching the wolf girl right now.  Especially when Shizuka was actually talking to him.  Deciding he was better off sticking with what he had going for the moment, he asked the bunny-eared beastkin another question.

“What kind of fights did you get?”

“A giant huntsman spider…  And zombies.. You?”

Off in the distance, Haana appeared in the garden as Argent thought about Shizuka’s answer.  The idea of someone with her kind of agility facing off against a mob of shambling zombies was an almost laughable image.  Talk about never standing a chance.

“I had a grey wolf to start out. Skeletons to finish it up.”

“Mhm... The second battle is always undead?”

“That seems possible... We could ask the others?”

Argent looked around for their classmates, the closest of which happened to be the solemn wolf girl. Behind them Jaroth popped into existence within the waiting area, he was a little cut up but seemed otherwise fine, still grasping a composite shortbow in his hands as Instructor Liamra gave him a brief checkup.

“Mhm.. Naiara?”

Shizuka called her over, gesturing mildly with one hand.  Despite being the one who had suggested asking, Argent felt himself tense up as the other beastkin’s gaze drifted over in their direction, and he was outright impressed with how casually Shizuka bid her to come.  On footsteps that he couldn’t hear, Naiara tread over to them as though a weightless spectre against the grass. He could almost swear the greenage didn’t even bend beneath her feet, and as she spoke her voice somehow felt like nighttime shadows sweeping over the landscape at the end of a day.

“What do you need, Shizu?”

“We had a question.”

“Hm?”

Naiara turned her eyes from the bunny girl to Argent, making no effort to hide the way she sized him up and down.  Her expression seemed unimpressed, but her demeanour remained perfectly polite.

“What is it, then?”

Shizuka looked at Argent. Argent struggled to look at Naiara and not his feet.

“We were curious about your combat tests. We theorized that the second battle might always be against some form of undead.”

The wolf girl tipped her head in thought, nodding slightly after a few moments.

“That would hold, on my end. I killed a Swampcrawler and two Ghouls.”

An involuntary shiver made its way down Argent’s spine, both from the unflinching way Naiara used the word killed in her sentence, and from the mention of the massive centipede creatures known as Swampcrawlers.  Predatory insects which lurked in wetlands and made a killing off unsuspecting prey, which often included careless people.  Ghouls were nothing to take lightly either. Like a mix of orc and zombie with twice the hate for other living creatures, they were more agile than most other undead, and their claws could cause several paralytic or draining effects depending on their origin.

“Glad I didn’t get those..”

He admitted somewhat abashedly, though Naiara only shrugged at his words.  Her tail swishing idly from side to side as she was distracted by the appearance of Matthias in the distance.  Argent turned his eyes in that direction as well, following her distant stare.  The young priest looked more relieved than anything else, his hand over his heart as Instructor Liamra flew over to greet him and give him the rundown.  His robes were torn and bloodied in places, but it seemed whatever wounds had been underneath were long since healed.

“Only one more...”

Shizuka commented, nodding her head towards Matthias. Looking around and counting up their classmates, Argent tried to remember who it was that was missing… His scrutinizing eyes moved from face to face, each of them vaguely familiar to him now, and suddenly it clicked.  The last one missing would be the first one he had met.  Fenn.  The blue-haired boy who had melted down the door at the first obstacle. Argent quickly vocalized his conclusion on the subject.

“It’s Fenn who’s last up. What do you think could be taking him so long? His arts seemed strong at the first challenge...”

“The obstacle course.”

Naiara responded bluntly with zero hesitation, and Shizuka nodded.  It made immediate sense.  Mages were notoriously non-physical, and beyond that, Fenn didn’t seem like he had a drop of motivation anywhere in his body from what had been seen of him so far.  The boy was indifferent to the point of being lethargic, with his dead violet eyes and slow going attitude.

“Hope he makes it..”

No sooner than the words left Argent’s mouth did the boy in question appear from the aether, dropping onto the ground in a flat heap before shuffling gradually and disgruntledly back to his feet.

Gods, he even falls slowly.

Argent thought to himself, vaguely wondering if such a thing was actually possible. Instructor Liamra was all over Fenn in an instant, and before long he was fixed up and situated with the rest of the class.  With everyone in attendance, their mini instructor moved to the front of the group and drew everyone’s attention inwards with a wave of her arms.

“Alright class, you’ve all made it to the end. Yay! Congratulations to everybody~!! Hehe… I'm afraid your last task will be the most demanding, but don’t you fret. That’s why you get to go as friends!”

Her words drew stares, and it was Cassius who would abruptly speak up.

"Care to explain a little, please?”

His inquiry came across as more than a little annoyed, despite the curt addition of please at the end.  The pixie towards whom it was addressed didn’t seem to mind, her bubbling persona still barreling down at full throttle.

“Yes, yes I will.  The fifth obstacle is a test of dungeoneering, a lovely forray through a small labyrinth, if you will~  And you’ll be going in teams of three, chosen by the first four to complete the other trials!”

She beamed out at her students, as though this was the best most exciting news in the world.

“That would be of course, Naiara, Shizuka, Cassius and Remelia.”

She gestured for the four in question to step out of the group and take up positions spaced out from one another, which they did without argument.  The aura of displeasure emanating from Seren throughout this process was practically tangible, but once they had settled into their places, they began the process of picking out members of the class to accompany them.  The teams ended up as such:

Naiara, Izadura, and Fenn. 

Shizuka, Argent, and Jaroth.

Cassius, Seren, and Matthias.

Remelia, Haana, and Leif.

“And that’s that! Alright my little lovies, its dungeon time for you~”

Instructor Liamra announced, summoning up a teleportation circle in front of each of the groups as she did so. Just looking at the swirling vortex of illusionary runes was already starting to make Argent’s stomach knot with anticipation, and not from the idea of being sent to a dungeon.  No, he was more concerned about the damn teleportation itself!

“Be good and be safe, all of you.  Oh, and don’t forget-- Whichever group finishes first will get bragging rights!”

She teased with a wink.  The playful goading worked just as it had back at the beginning of the first trial, Remelia immediately stepping forward and vanishing into the teleportation circle with her group not far behind.  Cassius moved to enter his circle as well, apparently over and done with whatever hangups had been slowing him down before.  Argent looked from one of his teammates to the other, exchanging nods.

“Time to get to work!”