Tales of Amarist: Young Heroes (A Christmas Break RP)

[Venom]

Tales of Amarist: Young Heroes

Magic. . . It is a wondrous and awe inspiring power. It is what allows men to become gods and it is also what brought Amarist out of the Dark Days. Before the discovery of Magic, Amarist was a land filled with hundreds of clans and tribes that were constantly at war with each other; chaos reigned and there appeared to be no hope of change in sight. However, thirty years ago, a small sect of visionaries dedicated to changing Amarist, developed a way to channel Magic into devices that could never work without a rich power source. In order to distribute Magic on a widespread scale, massive Towers were constructed to serve as Magic Factories that continually produce Magic and deliver it throughout the land through a complex series of underground pipes. This discovery launched the people of Amarist out of the Dark Days and into the Magic-Industrial Revolution. Today Amarist is an innovative and prosperous land that uses the power of Magic to power many technological inventions that have revolutionized the way people live and function in society. From carriages that no longer need animals, to a constant source of light, Magic has enabled the citizens of Amarist to become an intelligent and progressive people. 

Across the land of Amarist there are a handful of special academies that are dedicated to training a new generation of Amaristians to be the leaders of tomorrow. The most prestigious of these academies is Magus Academy of Eve City, the most prosperous and modernized city in all the land. The academies often specialize in one particular field such as magic, combat training, politics and so on. However Magus Academy is the only school that offers a curriculum that encompasses all of these fields and more. It is a rigorous process to get into Magus Academy and even tougher to stay in but what the students of the academy don’t know is that they are about to face their toughest challenge yet . . .

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Hey guys. Okay so basically this RP will be taking place in a high fantasy setting such as Lost Odyssey, Skyrim, and Zelda within the context of the Magic Industrial Revolution, a time of discovery and intrigue where magic serves as a power source for a number of technological advances. As you have read we will be RPing as young students at Magus Academy who are soon to come face to face with their toughest test yet.  If you have any questions concerning the boundaries of the magic technology feel free to PM me. This is going to be a fairly simple and linear RP as far as the plot goes but feel free to be as creative as you want with your characters and their interaction with the other players. Here's the sign up sheet and I look forward to getting back into RPing.

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Key Terms and Map:

Magic-Industrial Revolution - Term defining the current time where magic has give rise to a new society brimming with prosperity and new technology. In this new age, roughly 1 in 10 people are born with a natural affinity for magic.

Magic Waste - Dust-like particles that are the relatively harmless by product of all magic devices. It can cause serious mutations, though, if one comes into contact with intense concentrations of it.

Magic Distribution and Regulation (MDR) - Affiliation that organizes ensures magic is being regularly distributed throughout the land by way of a controlled method.

Tower City - A Tower City is a city that has been developed near and around a Magic Tower. They are typically the most magic driven areas in Amari.

Map -

Outline - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Eok1J7ixTIamCNZIq6vAp2mR0w4hxJC1I34D50qY7t0/edit?authkey=CMvYxK8N

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Name: (First and last)

Age: (15-18 years relative to the race you choose)

Gender: (Male or female)

Race: (Human, Elf or Dwarf)

Appearance: (Please be as detailed as possible)

Personality: (A detailed paragraph will suffice)

Abilities/Weapons of Choice: (Please be as detailed as possible and keep in mind our character‘s ages when deciding on your abilities and weapon proficiency)

Bio: (A detailed paragraph will suffice)

Other: (Any other miscellaneous information you'd like to include)

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Name: Xavier Young

Age: 18

Gender: Male

Appearance: Xavier stands at just a hair over six foot and weighs roughly 180 lbs; he has a rather athletic build, being not too big but not too small either, and very defined muscles, with emphasis on his abdominals and biceps. He has smooth, tanned skin and his complexion is very handsome. The most immediately noticeable thing about Xavier is obviously his blue hair. Ever since his magic abilities began to surface as a young child, his hair has slowly changed from its natural black hue to an eye-catching tint of blue. He styles his hair in such a way that it falls down to just below his ears and frames his face nicely. Three thick strands of hair fall naturally over his face to partly hide his left eye from view. He has crystal blue eyes which will sometimes turn an icy white when he summons up a more powerful magic spell.

As a student at the most prestigious Magic institutions in Amarist, Xavier is almost always seen his school uniform. The blue haired lad takes great pride in his enrollment at Magus Academy and will, more often than not, don his school uniform even when not on the Academy’s grounds to boast about his status. His attire consists of a cerulean dress shirt and pants, and a standard issue, white, twin-tailed coat.

The shirt features small silver buttons running down the middle featuring the Magus Academy logo of a large, script M with an A of identical font placed in the middle, though Xavier rarely buttons the top two; he prefers not to have the collar tight around his neck like most male students wear their shirts. His pants fit loose enough to allow for a wide degree of flexibility and mobility but do not appear baggy in any way. At first glance, one can notice that Xavier’s coat has had a few extra modifications. His coat features ornate, flowing designs that run down either side that are the same cerulean hue of his shirt and pants, along with matching trim. It has a tall collar that often stands up to reach the middle of his ears and the cuffs are fastened with the same silver buttons as those that run down his shirt. There are two pockets at waist level and finally there is the Magus Academy logo printed on the left side of the chest, placing it right over the heart of the wearer.

Xavier wears a pair of tall, obsidian colored boots along with a pair of soft, leather gloves to match. The boots, which are designed to be a lighter weight than common boots, feature a singular leather strap with a metallic buckle running across the top of each boot. The gloves are decorated with a long, white cross on the top that with a cobalt gem secured in the middle. Lastly is his silverite necklace, a precious family heirloom that was passed down to him by his father. It features a beautiful sapphire gem that is rumored to have been a been a magical stone used to summon catastrophic thunderstorms.

Personality: Xavier is a very arrogant individual. He believes almost everything should be about one thing, him. His arrogance makes him a very formidable opponent but can also lead to his downfall sometimes. The raven-haired archer hardly ever shows anyone respect, unless they're good friends, rich and famous, or they are very skilled in battle. Xavier gets very focused upon entering a battle, and will not rest until there has been a decisive finish. It is his desire to be known as the best , at whatever he does, that drives him to train hard and never forget when he falters.

Many of those that encounter Xavier will come to know soon that he is willing to do almost anything to win. He absolutely hates being bested in any type of contest and when losing he has a habit of sometimes making up various excuses for losing or even admitting he was wrong in an argument. He has sort of a cynical sense of humor and can sometimes come off as a bit cruel to those who don't know him well. Some people get the misconception that Xavier holds fast to the idea of “only the strong survive” but this isn’t really the case. He does think highly of himself but he is smart enough to know that the world cannot function properly without the people below him doing the jobs people of his stature are not willing to do. Xavier however must always be wary of himself for he knows that if he begins to let his pride take control it could lead him down a path of darkness. He does like to be around others, mainly so he can hear compliments about himself, but does enjoy just spending time with his good friends. He is a very exuberant and energetic young man who loves what he loves and hates what he hates.


Abilities/Weapons of Choice: Xavier was born with a strong affinity for magic, specifically that of wind and electricity. He can channel his magic into offensive attacks, such as Shock or Arrow Storm, and defensive barriers, such as Cyclone Shield or Sturdy Storm. Xavier often uses his magic to enhance his physical traits, allowing him to not only be a threat at distance, but also fight at the heart of the battle. Physically, Xavier is very agile and adept at using quick strikes.

Along with his magical abilities, Xavier is a remarkable marksman and makes use of this with his primary weapon, Cloud. Cloud is a beautiful, hand crafted recurve bow that was crafted from Sylvanwood found deep in the Eluvian forests. This special wood, believed to be magic by some, gives the weapon great strength and flexibility while still being very lightweight. The metallic accents on the bow have etched in them the images of great archers of the past and shine a bright silver in the sunlight. Xavier’s second weapon is a steel katana, named Zephyr. It boasts a magnificent blade with a brilliant sheen and features a handle wrapped in stingray leather that has been dyed blue. Its guard is a metallic obsidian in the shape of a tear drop. Zephyr is kept in a blue sheath decorated with silver inlay. Xavier has shown the ability to imbue Zephyr with an electrical current that stuns the victim’s nerve endings in the area of a cut but is not yet as proficient with his melee weapon as some other students at Magus Academy.

Bio: Xavier was born into a very wealthy and prestigious family, one of the few families that managed to stay above the majority during the Dark Days and later on, was one that received many of the latest technological advancements, courtesy of Magic, well before they were ever issued to the public. As such, he has always been given whatever he desired on a silver platter. When he was six years old, Xavier began to show signs that he had the ability to wield magic, something that was worthy of taking notice. One year later, he was recruited by the Magus Academy in Eve City and soon became a permanent student there. Over the years he learned how to control his abilities and focus them into certain spells, as well as being trained in archery, swordsmanship and other various arts of war. Xavier also received an education of the highest degree, though he never was the most diligent student. He is currently in his final year at the secondary level of Magus Academy and has won a number of awards during his tenure at the institution in the fields of physical fitness, archery and wind and electric magic.

Other: N/A

[Picard]

Name: Faye Chen

Age: 18

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Appearance:

Faye usually wears a simple lengthy, frilly crimson dress for most occasions, preferring simplicity over extravagance. Other times, she is seen in flowing black robes and shorts, allowing for ease of combat and emphasizing her femininity.

Personality: Faye has the graceful bearings of a knight, fitting of her origins. Loyal, honorable and disciplined, she has a calm and collected personality, with a sense of pride (not to be mistaken for arrogance) in her skills as a martial arts master. She usually speaks in a respectful and polite tone, though she can be very stubborn about her beliefs and can sometimes be resolutely outspoken about things that clash with her philosophies. Due to her strong sense of justice and fairness, she would help anyone in need, even go out of her way to do so, much to the annoyance of some of her friends. Faye despises underhanded tactics and foul play, preferring to fight fairly and squarely against her enemies, and she prefers not to kill anyone as much as possible, unless the situation is dire enough to call for it.

Abilities/Weapons of Choice:
Martial Arts Mastery (A Rank) – Faye is a master of Ba Ji Quan, a martial art featuring dynamic, short-range power and famous for its elbow strikes, as well as Aikido, which is performed by blending with the motion of the attacker and redirecting the force of the attack rather than opposing it head-on, thus requiring very little strength to utilize. Whereas Ba Ji Quan is ideal for breaking her opponent’s guard, Aikido allows her to disarm her foes and take their weapon for herself, thus giving her an edge in both offense and defense. Faye combines her prowess of martial arts with magic, creating explosive attacks that would take her foes down quickly.

Battle Continuation (A Rank) – Strength of vitality for predicaments. At A Rank, it is possible for Faye to fight even with deadly injuries and remain alive so long as she does not receive a decisive fatal wound.

Guardian Knight (B Rank) – Temporarily raises combat capabilities when protecting others.

Staff Mastership (C Rank) – In addition to her unarmed combat, Faye is skilled in using staffs defensively, mostly for the deflection of projectiles in order to close in on her enemies for close combat. She usually carries a vermillion staff with her, named Crim, which has a removable end that conceals a small blade, turning it into a spear for mortal blows.

Charisma (C Rank) – Increases the ability of allies during group battles.

Fire Elemental Affinity – Strong affinity to the fire element. Boosts fire elemental magic.

Bio: Hailing from one of the stronger clans that reigned over others during the Dark Days, Faye Chen continues her family’s tradition of knighthood, raised throughout her life to serve Eve City as its shield when she is older. Trained in martial arts at a tender age, she had discipline and the virtues of being a knight drilled into her by her father, who was more of a mentor to her. Discovered to have inherited the gift of magic from her mother at nine, she is thus sent to the Magus Academy by her father in hopes of becoming a knight that would live up to their clan’s noble reputation. Through the rigors of hard work and perseverance, Faye had effectively learned to refine her powers and incorporate them into her own mixed martial arts of Ba Ji Quan and Aikido, earning her a high standing in combat trainings.


Name: Norah Bright

Age: 17

Gender: Female

Race: Human

Appearance: http://imgur.com/a/8s7gx

Personality: Perceptive, resourceful and avidly competitive, Norah is a brilliant magus with a tomboyish streak and a haughtiness that more than compensates her short stature. Despite appearing outwardly studious and extravagant, she is secretly a slacker with a tight-lipped purse, relying on her natural intellect to pull her through her academics and spending wisely to only appear as a spendthrift. Her only diligence is in pouring magic into her expensive jewels, which acts as storage of her excess magic power produced throughout her life. While she might seem harsh and cold to outsiders, Norah is in fact a warm-hearted softie, affectionate and loyal to her friends, protecting them even at her own risk. Nevertheless, that does not spare them of her overinflated ego. Amongst her closer friends, she is rowdier, and can be somewhat playful and teasing. Regardless, she is a completely different person in combat. Norah faces each battle seriously, though she prefers not to fight at all, fancying underhanded tricks and traps to ensnare and take down her enemies instead.

Weapons:
Ensis Fluxus (Sword of Constant Motion) – A weapon that exists as a mere navy hilt in its inactive state, Ensis Fluxus is activated only when Norah Bright provides it with magic from herself. In its active state, a translucent azure blade flows out of the end of the hilt continuously and will extend ad infinitum, until the user stops her flow of magic into it. To shorten its length, Norah has to withdraw magic from the hilt back into herself. The blade functions akin to a whip, capable of moving and bending according to the laws of physics. Despite being in a state between that of a solid and liquid, its sharpness is parallel to that of steel. Due to its fluid nature, Ensis Fluxus can be very confusing to fight against.

Magic Jewels – Because the amount of energy a magus can release at one time is restricted by bodily limitations, Norah has been able to accumulate all of the magic generated by her body during her lifetime through jewel crystallization. As with practicing of sorcery, charging these jewels has become a daily process for her. Currently, she possesses five of said jewels, containing the energy she had saved since her childhood, each costing a ludicrous amount of money to create. Each jewel is equivalent to a top grade spell, though they are something of a desperation plan.

Abilities:
Subversive Activities (A Rank) – Norah is an expert on traps and obstacles to delay and disable her enemies, in order to delay or avoid battles.

Martial Arts Mastery (C Rank) – Trained in Tai Chi Quan, a martial art similar to Aikido, using opponents’ force against themselves. Unlike Faye, Norah is much less skilled, having begun at a later age of ten. Against a master of martial arts, she would most likely lose in a match of pure unarmed combat.

Battle Continuation (D Rank) –Norah is unable to fight once she receives a heavy injury due to her low defense.

Self-Hypnosis – Norah is able to lull herself into a self-induced trance, clearing her mind of all thoughts. In this state, she is incapable of using magic and thus Ensis Fluxus, as well as Subversive Activities, but her Martial Arts Mastery increases to B rank and Battle Continuation to A Rank. She is only able to use Self-Hypnosis after sustaining near-fatal damage.

Ice/Water Elemental Affinity – Strong affinity to the ice/water element. Boosts ice/water elemental magic.

Bio: Being the daughter of a professor of the Magus Academy, there was little wonder how Norah Bright managed to enroll into the institution, though not by unorthodox means. Descended from a long line of magi, much pressure is placed upon her to excel and prove herself the best of the Bright bloodline, for she boasted the most magic potential amongst all of them. Before she even begun to study in the Magus Academy, her professor father already started teaching her the basics of magic, giving her a head start in school, which, in conjunction with her talent, allowed her to skip a year in even a prestigious institution such as the Magus Academy. She is currently in her final year at the secondary level of Magus Academy, and is one of the likely candidates to become valedictorian of their year.

[Venom]

It was a nice, brisk morning in Eve City; there was a slight breeze blowing, the sky was perfectly clear and the winter months were finally ending, bringing back some green to the naked branches that typically decorated the city. A young man dressed in cerulean garb stood in front of a mirror adjusting his clothes and flattening out unsightly wrinkles. Xavier moved over to his coat rack near his dresser and slid on his white, Magus Academy coat that signified him as a secondary level student. His roommate had already departed for the school buildings even though classes were not going to start for roughly another half an hour.* Xavier was currently taking a few classes from the standard course load such as history and science but along with the typical classes he was placed in an advanced magic class along with a handful of other students who specialized in wind and electricity magic. Then of course there was also his combat training classes where a variety of fighting techniques and weapon specializations were taught. The blue haired teen was one of the top archers in the Academy but had recently been focusing on honing his abilities as a swordsman; he had been beaten convincingly by an upper level student two years ago that swung the tide of the fight in his favor by managing to close the distance between the two combatants and forcing Xavier into a close quarters fight. The battle dealt a mild blow to his pride and since that day Xavier has focused more than ever on his swordsmanship.

Finally satisfied with his appearance the young wind mage grabbed his necessary books and departed for class. His four story dormitory was populated by a collection of boys close to his age numbering close to three hundred total male secondary level students. The total enrollment of Magus Academy recorded at the beginning of the academic year was 2,476. This was a record number for Magus Academy's brief history and, as the apparent result in the increased frequency of new magic wielders, Xavier had seen enrollment icrease by a small percentage every year for the past seven years. The male to female was fairly even but, luckily for Xavier and the other boys, was skewed in slight favor towards the female side as there were a large number of families in the outer rim of New Eden who were still in the process of acquiring a consistent supply of magic from the underground tunnel system that was still under construction that far out from the Tower located in the city of Amere and thus still needed their young men to stay and work.**

The Magus Academy grounds were spread out over a five-hundred thousand square meter plot of land that was acquired twenty five years ago by the original founder, Valentius Argo. It was a beautiful campus that featured excellent architecture that truly exuded a sense of modernity, forward thinking and higher learning. In the spring, like it is now, students were often seen out on the various green lawns in the afternoons studying, eating, socializing or exercising. Magus Academy was a very special place and was seen by many as the focal point of progress in the land. But for now, at least to Xavier, the only thing that mattered was making it across campus to class on time. He wasn't known as a morning person and was late to his first class more than a student of his standing should be. His first class was World History and on this particular morning he just barely managed to slide through the classroom door just as eight o'clock arrived.


((*OOC - For secondary students like our characters, lodging for males and females is arranged in separate buildings and individual rooms house from two to four students.))
((**OOC - I've designed a map for the continent of Amarist as well as a small outline summarizing each area and various landmarks that can be found in the opening post.))

[Lord High Summoner]

Time to dust off the old keyboard

Name: Kor Alamaire

Age: 17

Gender: Male

Race: Elf

Appearance: Kor is a very distinct individual, even for an elf, he has never been one who could easily blend into the crowd when it came to looks and normalcy. His skin is a deathly pale white that you'd swear glows in the dark, and on more than once his sleeping body has been confused for that of a corpse. To accentuate his pale skin, his lips are a dark blood red that are the only part of his appearance that shows signs of life. Kor's eyes are a deep icy blue that pierce through the air and send chills down the spine of even the most hardened souls. His hair flows down to the mid of his back and shines with a dark sheen with a few highlights of assorted colors weaving their way through the various unkempt strands. Though his hair looks rough and mangled, it is actually quite the opposite and has the texture of fine silk, which is an attribute granted to him through his elven lineage.

Around his neck he wears a small dark pendant that strikes out violently against his pale skin and draws in the eye when noticed, it's design that of a wheel surrounded by spikes with what appears to be a closed eye in the middle. His clothes consist of several layers and several different shades of deep black, his under clothes being the lightest color and his top layer being the darkest. From what can be seen he wears a dark shirt with elvish runes inscribed in intricate detail, so intricate that would one not know they were there they would swear it only to be the fabrics weaving. His pants, which are made up of the same type of material, are less rune inscribed but endowed with natural magics woven into the material to prevent them from hindering his movement in times of need. On top of all this he wears a dark leather robe that falls to the ground and wraps around his entire body easily, it too endowed with magics of protection in order to keep him safe in times of great need. Lastly, Kor's boots are also remarkable, as for though they are sturdy as any mountainside, they weigh as much as a single feather, allowing for maximum maneuverability.

http://images.wikia.com/repotgc/images/1/13/Graverobber.jpg

http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20110225050752/repotgc/images/d/db/Graverobber-Epilogue-repo-the-genetic-opera-4197729-800-500.jpg


Personality: Kor is a strange young man, his tastes in life vary widely from those that are generally accepted as the social normalcy, but he doesn't let the social stigma bother him. He spends a great deal of time in seclusion, choosing to read the great works of past scholars rather than partake in the great deception of the cliques around the academy. However, even though he does not care for the attention of many people, he does appreciate the company of a few close friends. When the need arises, Kor is a very eloquent speaker and his voice has a magical effect that entices people to listen to his words, luring people into a lull quite easily. As for his temperament, Kor is quite cool headed and usually remains emotionless throughout the affairs of a day, never really betraying the tumultuous feeling of his inner being. Though when the strain becomes to much his personality begins to shift to a more maleficent nature.

Kor is plagued by two distinct halves of his personality, the divine and holy side of his character, and the evil raw decaying bile that is his necromatic tendencies.This causes a great rift in his personality at times, forcing him to rock between his usual calm and collected self, to a manic and eccentric madman who  holds on to but a strand of sanity.

Abilities/Weapons of Choice: Kor is a student of two magical arts Holy magic and Death magic. His knowledge of both is evenly matched and his level of mastery is at the level of an adept, just about novice and apprentice. He can both cure someone from their afflictions, or cause them.

His weapon of choice is a quarterstaff that his is also at an adept level of mastership, being taught the ways of the staff being part of his studies while being trained by the elves.

Bio: Kor was raised in a secluded village in the outskirts of the elvish countryside, where the great and old forests of the elves meet the barren mountains of the northern territories. The reason for this was due to his family namesake, he had been born into a very unique clan of elves, who had been sworn to a very secret art of dark magic. The reason for their seclusion? Many who went through the rigorous training did not keep their sanity and ended up turning against the very ones who trained them. Although Kor was not the greatest elf to receive this training, he did manage to retain his sanity and graduated from the confines of the village, being sent to the magic academy to learn the second half of his studies, that of holy magic. Although he openly admits to being a student of the arcane arts, specifically those of divine magic, he has not yet told a soul of his black magic upbringing, lest to bring the wrath of those who do not understand his work.

[Picard]

Slice of Life

Dawn had yet to break upon the horizon of Eve City, and traces of winter lingered in the air while the darkness of the night still veiled the clouded skies above. Fogged breaths escaped Faye’s lips as the scarlet knight shot rapid kicks into the pillar before her, followed by swift elbow strikes and several blindingly fast punches. Backing away from her target, she exhaled slowly and quietly, marking the end of her practice session. Maintaining her skills and her fitness had become a daily regime for her, and she had made it a point to train herself every morning before classes begin. Drying her skin with the towel hung upon her shoulders, she strode purposefully out of the garden and back to her dormitory, where she shared a room with three of her classmates.

When Faye pushed the door aside, she was greeted with a familiar sight. Norah Bright was unmistakable, with her ostentatious hair of ebony and ivory in equal halves, sitting wordlessly by the study desk, with a yellowish parchment laid out upon its surface. A magic circle was drawn in the navel of the ancient paper, and a rubicund gem rested atop the center of the ring, glowing luminously from within. Similar to the martial artist’s exercise, the seventeen-year old magus diligently poured magic into her jewels every morning and night, an instruction left by her professor father. It was a wise idea, but an expensive one, for jewelry with immensely high magic storage capacities were particularly rare and not at all affordable to most. And yet Norah has five of them. Still, if Norah were to re-sell the gems with her magic fully-charged into them, she could earn back more than twice the amount she had paid for the originals. After all, the Bright bloodline was one of the oldest in history, and their magic potential tended to strengthen with each passing generation.

“Early as usual, Faye.” Futayo Mitotsudaira’s low, boyish tone shattered the silence, and Faye’s attention turned towards her roommate. With beautiful ultramarine hair that flowed down to her shapely thighs and a peach-like complexion, Futayo was undeniably one of the belles of the Magus Academy, with an elegance fitting of royalties that even the redhead strived to follow. The Northfieldian’s spear, the Tonbo-kiri, leaned against the side of her bed, a weapon she inherited from her ancestors and was never seen without. Unlike Faye and Norah, Futayo’s affinity was to the wind and electricity magic, allowing her to emphasize on striking through unparalleled speed like that of a dragonfly, though elemental differences had never stopped them from becoming friends, especially since the Eastern lancer aspired to become a knight of Eve City as well. “Done with your routine?”

“Mm, I’ll be ready after a quick bath,” replied Faye pleasantly, reaching into her drawer for her uniform and undergarments. To the left of her bed was another student, already dressed to depart for school, a piece of toast hanging from her mouth as she pulled up her socks. Claire Edelfelt looked up at the fire magus with emerald irises akin to liquid helium, and her snowy white hair poured down her shoulders when she leaned forward for her shoes. A girl of few words, Claire was considered one of the hardest to approach and understand due to her usually emotionless visage. Nevertheless, Faye had somehow become friends with her over the course of the few years spent together in the same room, though Claire had not become any easier to read for her. Originating from Oshvale, her brand of magic varied substantially from the rest of her roommates. It enabled her to materialize weapons out of thin air, known as ‘Projection’. “Leaving already, Claire?”

Claire merely nodded, consuming the rest of her toast as she left the room. Faye watched as the door closed with a soft click, then proceeded to the bathroom to wash up. Norah was done with her magic infusion as well, depositing the jewel into a safe beneath the study desk before beginning to change for class, tossing her nightgown haphazardly onto her bed, not bothering to fold her messy blanket and straighten the sheets, a sign of laziness other people would not have expected of the model student. Grabbing a small carton of milk from their communal fridge, she bade Futayo a quick good-bye before leaving the dormitory, not bothering to wait for the fire magus.

“I’m back,” came Faye’s voice, causing Futayo to turn and look. The redhead’s hair was still slightly damp, a few stray strands adhering to her skin, but she was otherwise dressed to leave. “Let’s go.”

Futayo Mitotsudaira: http://imgur.com/a/tEBPh
Claire Edelfelt:

[Lord High Summoner]

As morning came it found Kor as it did any other day, already fully awake and devoting himself to a fervorous study of the books that he brought with him from his home village, even though he had almost entirely memorized each word from the tomes spread before him. This was his ritual, to study each text until he could recall every word of every page by memory, it kept his training at the forefront of his mind at all times and most importantly kept his thirst for the art in check. As the first rays of morning light pierced through the heavy drapes that lined his windows, Kor recoiled in shock as if he'd been delivered a blow, he wasn't one to openly welcome the brightness of the sun. As he sat there staring at the ceiling, blinking away to sun spot that had just been imprinted into his eyes, Kor tilted his head to each side and a bone crunching crack emanated from between his shoulders and a sigh of satisfaction escaped his lips. With this, Kor closed his books and collected them from his desk, the dorms would be exploding into life soon and he could not afford someone to walk in and catch him studying the black arcana. As he had done every morning previous to this one, he made his way to the false tile in the corner of the room, disenchanted it's illusion charm and hid the stack of books underneath the floor, resealing the enchantments as he finished.

For the next several minutes Kor simply sat down on the edge of his bed and allowed his mind to wander all over the information he had just absorbed, letting it seep into all the crevices of his consciousness. By the end, the noise from beyond his door began to grow ever louder and his mind could no longer adequately focus on the task. Begrudgingly, he pulled himself away from the bed and made his way around the room to finish his morning routine, which merely consisted of hygiene and throwing on some clean school robes. With his morning routine completed, Kor grabbed his pack of books and headed on his way to school, while he wasn't the first to leave he was still ahead of the massive rush of people that waited until last minute to leave. As he stepped out into the morning air his lungs filled with the refreshing clean air, while it was not the same kind he was used to in his home among the elves, it was far batter than that of the major human cities.

His morning walk took an hour to complete, he lived in one of the furthest dorms out, mostly because it wasn't highly populated due to its distance from the schoolhouse.  Along his walk he passed the massive towers that littered the campus, as well as the picturesque scenes of the flora and fauna awakening for the day. It was this little act each day that gave Kor a smile, for it played to his more divine side rather than that consumed with learning about death. As he grew closer to the campus Kor's mood began to shift and he shifted his mental state to lock away the part of his conscious focused on the death magic, it was a technique he had learned to not alert any of the wards and enchantments designed to keep dark magic out of the campus, he also knew the staff had a knack for weeding out those who were not in pure thought. As he passed through the familiar halls, he made his way to his first class: World History.

[Venom]

As soon as Xavier sat down in his desk, his two friends, Joshua and Dorial wasted no time chastising him for his consistent lateness.

"If you don't start getting to class on time Professor Cason is going to reprimand you." Joshua whispered.

"I know, I know. But I've told him before that I'm just not a morning person." Xavier replied.

"Yeah, well maybe if you didn't spend so much time staring at yourself in the mirror in the morning you wouldn't always be late." Dorial added with a cheeky grin on his face.

Xavier simply grinned and shook his head at the remark; he knew it was all in good fun. Joshua and Dorial were not only Xavier's closest friends they were his roommates this year and had been for the past three school years. Dorial was a water specialist and Joshua had the gift of earth magic, specifically the ability to control and shape stones. The three of them pulled out their books and notes and prepared for what would be an onslaught of notes for Professor Cason was notorious for the speed at which he lectured.

Man this class is boring . . . Xavier thought to himself as he looked around the room focusing on just about everything except the lecture that was being given by his professor. There were roughly twenty-five students, including himself and his two friends, in this class and the young wind mage was at least somewhat familiar with everyone of them. However there was one exception: Kor. It wasn't anything personal against the kid but with Xavier always being among the ranks of the so called "popular crowd" and Kor spending a good amount of his time on his own there was never any real chance for the two to get to know each other. Xavier always wondered why someone would choose to live their lives as somewhat of a social pariah during the time of your life where you're supposed to have the most fun and make friends but as he continued to ponder on that thought his mind began to drift on to new subjects whenever his brain latched onto something else within his current state of mind.

His thoughts were all over the place this morning because of the field trip that was scheduled for later that day. He and a group of his peers had been selected to go on a school sponsored trip into the forests north of Eve City for field trial where they, along with a handful of their professors and upperclassmen serving as chaperons, would get their first real chance to test their abilities against wild monsters. This was something that was absolutely prohibited at Magus Academy unless it was designated by the Academy as official school business and even then permission for these wild ventures were only granted to older students. With that being the case, Xavier was sure that all of the students that would be attending were going to be roughly the same age as him and have near the same amount of experience that he did, even though he had not seen an official roster. The group was scheduled to leave an hour before noon which meant Xavier, and the other students going on the trip, only had two classes that morning and would be released at ten o'clock to make any preparations they had forgotten to attend to the night before. Xavier was obviously excited for the chance to showcase his skill against real live monsters, albeit monsters who, for the most part, posed no serious threat to a group of young magi with their well-above-average abilities. The wind mage hardly ever passed up an opportunity to be the center of attention and if things went according to the plan in his mind the day would end with himself returning as the most impressive student in the group. There were only a few students at his level of study that he knew of that could hold their own against him in a combat situation so Xavier never really even considered the idea of the other students outshining him on this day.

Xavier was woken from his day dream ego trip by the shuffling of students getting their things together and the teacher dismissing the class. When he looked down at his paper to see how much of the notes he had managed to write down he noticed that his half of a page was somewhat lacking compared to the two full pages Joshua and Dorial had written. No matter though, as it was pretty commonplace for him to simply get the notes from either of them at his own convenience.

"So you ready for the big trip?" Joshua asked as they all three were walking to their next class.

"I've been ready for this day since they told me I was selected for it." Xavier answered.

"Well you guys will have to tell me all about it when you get back." Dorial exclaimed. Unlike Xavier and Joshua, Dorial wasn't very skilled in combat but more than made up for it with his excellent intellect. Unfortunately for him, though, this trip was almost entirely based on combat training so he was left behind.

"Don't worry, Do," Joshua said, using Dorial's common nickname "Xavier's gonna try and hog all of the monsters so I'm sure it will be pretty boring for the rest of us."

"Hey, don't blame me if you can't keep up." Xavier replied back with a hint of competitiveness in his voice.

They boys continued in their spirited discussion as they soon made their way to the last class for the day, at least for Joshua and Xavier. In just a little over two hours Xavier would be boarding a taxi with his fellow classmates that would give them their first taste of live action. That time couldn't come soon enough.

((Joshua (minus the giant sword):http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=fantasy+hero#/d97r9i))
((Dorial: http://browse.deviantart.com/?qh=&section=&q=water+mage#/d2kwq14))

[Lord High Summoner]

The day dragged on for Kor, his morning classes were the slowest of his schedule and offered him little in the way of a challenge for his mind. It didn't help matters that today was the day that he was supposed to tag along with a group of warriors to a field test of their powers. While he was not true fighter, at least as far as the academy knew, he was one of the best healers at the academy and there was sure to be need of his powers by the end of the day. As he left his history class he caught a glimpse of his fellow classmate Xavier. He had never really talked with the guy, he never really talked to anyone that much honestly, but the few conversations he did have with his peer were memorable.

As he trudged through the academy to his next class, Kor began to feel a twinge deep inside him, a stirring that he had felt briefly before during his time training before the academy. For that moment, a dread came across Kor, but as quickly as the feeling came it disappeared. It stopped him in his tracks though, and it took several minutes to shake off his fearful reaction but he did compose himself and continued on his way.

The rest of the day went off without another incident, his last class flashed by and he found himself with a smile, even the cold-hearted Kor wasn't immune from the pangs of adventure. This was the first time that he would be able to put his skills into a battle environment and he was interested to see how he truly stacked up against the rest of the academy's white mages.

[Venom]

Soon enough the time had arrived. It was fifteen minutes before 11 o'clock and all of the students selected for the special field trip had gathered at the northern gate of the Academy. The sun had risen a little higher in the sky since the day begun but the air was still crisp and cool, perfect weather conditions for a day in the outdoors. There were fourteen students who had made the list, including Xavier, who would be chaperoned by two professors, Professor Stephen Hawk and Professor Ivy as well as two senior students who Xavier did not know. Xavier stood next to Joshua off to the side of the crowd of students who were all chattering excitedly about their first chance at getting some live field experience.

"Attention students," came Professor Hawk's voice over the talkative bunch of students "if you will all do me a favor and please remain quiet for a moment I'm going to call roll and make sure everyone is here." Professor Hawk was a well established teacher in the field of wind magic and was Xavier's favorite professor. He was a very jovial and optimistic man that was short in stature but made up for it by the overwhelming care and devotion he had towards all of his students. Professor Hawk knew most of the students on the list fairly well but read through the roll just to be safe.

The roll call sheet read:
Kor Alamaire
Vargus Aventus
Norah Bright
Faye Chen
Claire Edelfelt
Jensen Farholl
Jasmine Kiel
Lillith Maro
Futayo Mitotsudaira
Cyler Rose
Ysabella Sarmonte
Joshua Sirrdar
Xavier Young
Elric Zazo


Each student responded with "present" as their name was called and after a quick inspection of everyone's gear the group had piled into the two taxis that were to transport them to the woods north of Eve City. These taxis were now quite common throughout the wealthier provinces of Amarist but seeing a carriage on wheels powered solely on a small magic generator housed at the front of the cab was still a sight to behold by many of the older citizens of the world. During their lifetime they had seen Amarist go from a chaotic and backwards land to a continent of prosperity and order all made possible through the conversion of magic to a reliable energy source. Some members of the younger generations took this new power source for granted because it had been around their entire lives but to anyone who knew a little history of Amarist in the years before magic knew how blessed they were. Magic may have been around prior to their lives but they would be the ones who would truly get an opportunity to expound of the awesome possibilities magic held in store for the world, whether they be good or evil. This was one of the primary points of emphasis all of the Academy professors and administrators tried to instill in the malleable minds of their young students.

The ride through Eve City was smooth as expected and their taxi continued on past the city limits into the wilds of the north. Xavier and Joshua had mainly kept the conversation just between the two of them. This was quite an important day for the both of them and neither of them were very interested in sharing any glory with their fellow classmates. Anxious and excited chatter filled the cab as the edge of the woods became visible; a few students crowded the windows to try and catch an early glimpse of any strange sightings but at the moment the woods seemed rather ordinary. Just a few minutes later, the taxis had reached the drop off point for the group. Professor Hawk and Professor Ivy stood before the students as they went over the guidelines for this field experience test once more.

"Alright students remember, Professor Hawk and I will be dividing you all up into two groups of seven. I will take one group and Professor Hawk will take the other and Marlo and Jameis," she pointed to the two senior students "will be assisting us. We will head in separate directions and will allow each group a limited amount of freedom as you explore the woods and encounter various monsters."

Professor Hawk stepped in and added "As I'm sure most of you already know from the discussions we've had in our meetings arranging for this trip most of the monsters you encounter will be tarantulas, dire wolves, ghouls, fighter bees, rabid bats, Woodwalkers, and squirrelfangs. These are all monsters you should be able to handle so you will be responsible for defending yourselves around these creatures but in the event of a more powerful monster showing up Professor Ivy and I, along with our assistants will step in to handle the situation*. Now if there are no questions or concerns we can get started right away."

Professor Ivy began to divide up the students for each group. “Alright the students with me will be Vargus, Jensen, Jasmine, Lillith, Cyler, Ysabella, and Elric. The rest of you --Kor, Norah, Faye, Claire, Futayo, Joshua, and Xavier-- will go with Professor Hawk.”

Xavier was glad to be in the same group as Joshua and of course he was also delighted to see that they were going to be accompanied by a few pretty girls, especially Futayo Mitotsudaira; Xavier had had his eye on Futayo for some time now but for some reason he could not approach her as easily as all of the other girls of the Academy. There was something about her that was almost akin to intimidation, though Xavier would never admit such a thing. Perhaps it was her excellent proficiency in the same magic field as himself or maybe it was something else; either way, the blue haired boy knew there was something different about her.

Shortly after the names were read, the two groups splintered off with their appointed professor. Soon enough the young magi-in-training would be getting their first real taste of combat outside of the Academy grounds.

“Alright students,”  exclaimed Professor Hawk “into the forest we go!”

=============================

* All of the monsters listed are from Golden Sun. You can find them at this link: http://goldensun.wikia.com/wiki/Category:Monster_lines

[Picard]

Wildy

“Argh, this place is full of mosquitoes! I got bitten five times already! I’m so itchy…” Norah complained incessantly ever since stepping foot into the forest, much to the annoyance of her fellow classmates. Faye sighed. She had long since gotten used to her companion’s whines, but she had hoped that it would have lessened when it came to the field trip, considering that it was an eye-opening opportunity to witness other students in action, as well as gauge their own abilities. Not to mention being able to fight real monsters for a change. A stationary pillar was not exactly what the redhead would call a good opponent. Instead of being excited, the ice mage had been, fittingly, a wet blanket.
 
Faye scratched her cheek awkwardly, embarrassed by her friend. No doubt the other classmates were becoming irritated by the genius magus. “I thought you’d be happier about this trip, Norah.”

“I was, but we’ve been walking in this filthy, muddy place for twenty minutes straight, and not a monster to be seen! The only enemies thus far are these bloodsucking insects! I’m gonna go nuts soon!” exclaimed Norah angrily, swatting away futilely at the flying bugs. She cast a glance at her spear-wielding friend, pouting gloomily at her, saying, “Why doesn’t she get bitten at all? It’s not fair!”

Futayo chuckled, responding placidly, “I have an electric field cast around myself. It keeps the insects at bay.”

“Why can’t you just put an ice-elemental barrier around yourself?” asked Joshua, evidently intolerant of the hot-headed ice magician.

“You must be at the very top of the bell curve, aren’t you?” snapped Norah, not even casting a glance at him. “Read more.”

Faye exhaled deeply. Norah was more than capable of getting herself on the bad side of others. The redhead patted Joshua on the shoulder, smiling apologetically as he turned around. “I’m sorry. She’s usually not like that. She just really dislikes bugs to the point of paranoia.”

“I’’ll try being nicer if you’ll try being smarter.” Norah snorted in derision. Enlightening others was such a chore. “Hmph... The laws of thermodynamics, people. Ice mages have to use more mana than other elemental mages because our powers go against thermodynamic laws. To achieve the same effect as Futayo’s insect-repelling barrier, I’ll have to spend twice the mana. It’s too cost inefficient, not worth splurging my mana over.”

“But you’re one of the most gifted mages here. You have more than enough mana, don’t you?” pointed Marlo, apparently puzzled. The remaining three girls cast resigned glances at each other. It would've been better if the conversation ended there.

“If we end up walking here for hours uneventfully, and then a real threat pops out, we’d all be screwed if I ran out of steam, wouldn’t we?” came the haughty reply. Suddenly stopping in her tracks, Norah looked around the party, searching for something. “Didn’t anyone bring an insect repellent with them?”

“I did,” uttered Claire softly, holding the repellent spray up.

Norah looked murderous. “Why didn’t you tell me that in the first place!?”

Claire tilted her head to the side, looking confused. “You didn’t ask.”

[Venom]

Xavier and Joshua laughed softly at Claire's response to the young ice mage, Joshaua laughing mainly to cover up the ignorance of his question. However Norah did raise a valid point; where were all the monsters? Sure this forest wasn't the most dangerous place in the world but there should have been at least a sign of living creatures in these woods and yet so far there had been none whatsoever.

"So Professor Hawk, why exactly haven't we seen any monsters yet? Did they run in fear once they heard I was coming?" Asked Xavier with a tinge of humor in his voice.

"As likely as that proposal sounds, Xavier, I'm sure there are some creatures around here somewhere. This is quite a large forest after all and we still have yet to venture into the Deep Woods, though I was not expecting we would need to go that far." Profesor Hawk sounded calm and collected in his reply but Xavier had been around the man long enough to detect a sliver of suspicion in his tone.

"Maybe if we split up we would have a better chance at finding some action." Xavier suggested. He was getting tired of walking around at such a slow pace. If he were to have his way Professor Hawk would simply turn he and Joshua loose in these woods to wreak havoc on whatever monsters were unlucky enough to cross paths with the two young magi. The slow pace of walking in a group was really starting to put a damper on Xavier's experience.

"No, I cannot allow that. One of the reasons we are allowed to take young students like you all out into the field is because of our devotion to keeping you all within our sights. Now, let's not get discouraged; we'll simply continue on into the forest and I'm certain that soon enough you will all get a chance to showcase your abilities." Little did the professor know that the chance they were all looking for was soon to be upon them and it would be on a grander scale than any of them had imagined.

. . . .

Deep in the heart of the forest, a dark figure stood in a clearing of the woods before what appeared to ancient ruins. He was surrounded by a small horde of Ghouls as well as a pair of Dread Hounds at his side. There were small stone pillars all around, encircling a stone structure that resembled a sizable burial tomb. It was covered with vines and leaves and other vegetation and was visibly worn down significantly  from the environment, evidence of it having been built in a time long past.

"So this is the Forest Tomb?" Spoke the dark figure in a smooth tone. "I was honestly expecting more of a challenge in finding this one. He turned his head to peer back at the five deceased Hobgoblins who had once guarded this tomb. These monsters were typically a strong challenge from some of the most experience warriors in Amarist individually and yet this man, if he was indeed a man at all, had cut down a handful of them without breaking a sweat. Suddenly, there was a break in the silence. A group of three ghouls came bursting through the wood line in urgency.

"Master! Master!" They called out as they knelt before him, breathing heavily.

"What is it?" He asked, turning his eyes back to the vine covered tomb.

"We were scouting the forest just as you ordered and we came across a group of kids led by a man and a woman. We saw just before they split up and came into the forest." Exclaimed one of the ghouls.

"Children exploring the forest with a pair of escorts? Why should this be of any concern to me?"

Another ghoul spoke up. "We stayed close to them and overheard them talking and they are from the Magus Academy, Master! They're coming deeper into the woods. What if they want to steal the orb from you, Master?!"

This greatly agitated him. "Do you honestly believe that something so precious to me as this orb could be taken so easily from me by a group of children?!" This man did not like for his power to be questioned, especially by those who were meant to serve him.

"N-no, Master! I didn't mean it like that! Please forgive me! No one could ever steal from you!" The ghoul pleaded for forgiveness as he bowed submissively to his master. Obviously these monsters had been conditioned to serve this man without ever questioning him.

"That's what I thought. However I would very much like to keep this place a secret. The only reason this forest hasn't been cut down at the will of these humans is because fortunately very few if any know of the legend of this place. Although, I suspect even if they did know of it the magic surrounding these woods would keep it safe from those weak creatures. I want you three to take the rest of the ghouls with you and find those humans. You shall be rewarded when I see their heads separated from their bodies. If just one of them escapes . . . I will slaughter you all."

The ghouls nodded in fear at their masters orders. They signaled for the rest of the ghouls, numbering roughly thirty-five, to follow them into the woods. It seemed that the young students from Magus Academy were about to get exactly what they had been searching for.

[Picard]

First Contact

“So I said to him, ‘If brains were dynamite you wouldn't have enough to blow your nose.’ He was so pissed off! And then I…” Norah’s tale was cut short by Futayo, who was leading the group beside the teachers and the senior student, her spear raised to the side to halt the party. The ice magus fell silent immediately, noting her ponytailed classmate tensing up. As usual, the honed warrior was the first to detect danger, but Claire was always the first to strike. In the blink of an eye, a pair of silver sabers materialized in the Oshvale mage’s hands, and she hurled them simultaneously into the darkness of the woods.

“W-wait! What if they’re the other group of students?” exclaimed Marlo, extending his arm out to stop her, but a moment too late. There was a disembodied, bloodcurdling scream following the dull thud of the blades making their mark, taking the group by horrifying surprise.

Faye whipped out her staff in a defensive stance. “Humans don’t make that sort of noise.”

“Footsteps too light,” replied Claire softly, a rapier forming into her grasp. “So I attacked.”

“Claire’s ears are the best amongst all of us. She grew up in a harsh environ,” added Futayo, reflecting her classmates in the sheen of her Tonbo-kiri.

“Sounds like a ghoul to me. And they usually come in packs.” Norah reached into her pocket, drawing a couple of talismans out and placing them on the ground in front of their party, mumbling something under her breath as she did so. When she returned to her feet, she spoke, “Alright, let’s retreat!”

There was no arguing her order, for everyone thought the same. It was not wise to allow themselves to be ambushed by the enemy with no routes of escape. Futayo and Faye decided to be at the rear of the retreat to defend their friends from the oncoming threat, while Claire summoned a crossbow into her free hand. As the ghouls charged out of the bushes, a sudden explosion shocked the creatures and destroyed the first few of them, making the rest hesitate to advance. Norah laughed at the foolishness of their enemies as she ran, stopping abruptly and stomping one foot on the earth while the others continued to flee. Ice spread out from where she struck the soil, creating a slippery area to delay her foes. Chuckling to herself, the magus hurried back to her friends, listening closely for the tumbling and clumsy crashing of the ghouls. “Ha! It worked! Dumb suckers fell for it!”

They eventually reached the clearing where they had separated from the other group, an ideal location for combat. Between the ghouls and the residents of Magus Academy, the latter were the more skilled of the two. Their victory was more or less secured. Futayo stepped forward, her spear aimed at the incoming ghouls. “Come! Futayo Mitotsudaira is here!”

[Lord High Summoner]

As soon as the first ghoul dropped to the ground, Kor began to mutter cadences as fast as his lips could possible pronounce them. It was his time to prove his worth for this expedition; as a white mage he was in charge of placing the wards and buffs so that everyone could stand a better chance, as well as make a few mistakes. The first wards that Kor placed around the group were of the general protection variety, things that would prevent cuts and piercing of the skin. As he finished the cadence for that particular ward, the group had maneuvered to the clearing and they awaited for the rush of ghouls to attack. As quickly as his voice dropped, he inhaled deeply, it quickly sounded off again as he prepared to buff the group with added strength to make quicker work of the ghouls.

"Everyone, I've made it so that you can receive a few blows from our enemies, that doesn't mean you don't have to defend, but it does leave you room for mistakes if the occasion arises. Also, I've embedded some extra strength into you, so don't feel as if you have to strain your body to it's absolute limits to hurt these ghouls."

Kor shouted over the loud crunching of the forest floor, as the ghouls finally broke free of its grasps. Had he been alone, Kor would have simply attacked him with his knowledge of poison and other debilitating magic. However, with so many bodies around it would be difficult to pull off the magic without somebody noticing and blowing his cover, for now he would stick to the white arts.

The group broke to meet the oncoming rush of attackers, with Kor standing on the front line with his quarterstaff ready to go. It had been a while since he had been able to show off his skills with the weapon, but flashy displays were the last thing on his mind, his eyes raced across the ghoul that was headed in his direction. As the monster was three paces away, Kor dashed forward and cracked his staff across the neck of the ghoul, forcing its momentum to shift towards ground, and as it fell he connected his knee to its face, causing it crumple to the ground.

A smirk crossed his face as he rolled left to engage the next.

[Picard]

Clash

Futayo’s mind worked quickly as she scanned the battlefield. Six to the left. Eight to the right. Seven in front. Four to the rear. Even terrain trailing off to lower ground in her twelve. One ghoul down by the end of Kor’s quarterstaff in a mere blow, suggesting low defense stat. Despite attacking in a pack, they lacked tact and coordination. They would only be capable of getting in each other’s way. The Northfieldian smirked. She was more than a match for the clumsy ghouls. Raising the Tonbo-kiri before her, parallel to the earth, she took a single step forward, and in an explosion of wind magic, shot forward like a speeding bullet. The resultant collision was akin to a truck meeting a bike, with Futayo being the former. Three down, and the four directly behind stumbling and falling, pinned under the deadweight of their crushed allies. She made quick work of the surviving quartet, swift jabs of her spear into their skulls.

At that same moment, Faye and Claire worked in sync together to Futayo’s eight o’clock; the redhead breaking her opponents’ guards with precise strikes to her enemies’ joints, and the white-haired partner firing the killing shot with her auto-reloading crossbow. Three whistles of the wind. Three ghouls dropped dead. Claire’s aim was impeccable. The martial artist whirled around with a spinning kick, slamming a ghoul behind her to the ground. Claire drove her rapier through its heart immediately, without missing a beat following Faye’s strike. While the former never killed, the latter had no qualms about taking lives. Nevertheless, their teamwork was excellent. In the next moment, the remaining two ghouls were dispatched as well, leaving their side of the combat complete.

A violent blast shook the soil beneath them, tearing everyone’s attention to the source, which was at their rear flank. Two frozen ghouls, or rather, whatever that was left of them, for most of which were reduced to mere ice shards. Norah’s black-and-white hair fluttered with the wind from the explosion, a triumphant grin on her face indicating that the detonation was her handiwork. Pulling out the hilt of the Ensis Fluxus from her skirt pocket, she strode towards the last two ghouls before her, both frightened by the trickster mage’s antics. A slivery blade flowed from one end of her weapon, slithering across the ground as it touched terra firma like some serpentine creature.

“Hey… ever been bitten by a snake?” asked Norah with a snicker, trying to contain her laughter. “Once it sinks its fangs in… it never lets go.”

With a jerk of her arm, the blade jumps upwards, pouncing like a coiled viper towards one of the ghouls, taking them completely by surprise. While the ghoul had tried to escape, it dodged in the wrong direction, misled by the lifelike weapon’s slippery movements, and the blade found its mark, right in the center of its heart. The flowing metal ran back towards the hilt after the hit, shortening and retracting like a cat’s claw, waiting to strike at its next victim. The last ghoul was not so foolish to stay, but it was in ill luck, for even fleeing proved to be an insurmountable task now, for the ground had turned into a carpet of ice, causing the foul creature to slip and fall. Before Norah could land the final blow, however, an arrow bolt had already found itself home in the monster’s skull.

The ice magus glanced over at her friend. Claire simply clicked her crossbow, nodding at the Bright magician. The end of the battle was near.