Nala gulps. Unfortunately she recognized the truth in Professor Relkav's words. She was lucky she wasn't dead already. She nods reluctantly.
"Alright."
Nala gulps. Unfortunately she recognized the truth in Professor Relkav's words. She was lucky she wasn't dead already. She nods reluctantly.
"Alright."
"Good. Now let's head to the Headmaster's office. He may be a seer, but the man is still a lot saner than the alternatives."
Down in his 'creche', EJ moves across the surface of the room consuming all the trace cellular matter - a snack. He practices 'talking' by forming air pockets throughout his body then forming holes of various shapes and surface tensions and forcing the air out in measured 'breaths'. Were he not alone, any listener would hear a disjointed conversation between five different voices, two of them singing lyrics from the band practice session.
Sinh stalks the halls, stunned at the whirlwind events of the last few days... cursed coins, poisons, new lifeforms. What next? He decides to keep a closer eye on all these folks starting with...
1 = Ephebe
2 = Krays
3 = Nala
4 = Nasima
5 = Spin
6 = Vakkler
Decided, he tracks the duplicitous girl down, watching her from a distance.
The darkness gave way to twilight. She was inside a maze. She started walking, but was soon hopelessly lost. She turned around and jumped, startled as a woman was standing behind her. It wasn't someone she recognized. The woman smiled gently and reached out to pat her arm.
"It's alright, dear. I'm sorry I startled you. It's hard not to sneak up on someone here. Walk with me for a bit?"
Ephebe nodded, feeling so confused. They walked in silence, the woman leading the way seeming to know just which turns to take. She looked back at Ephebe. "You're worried. About the future."
Ephebe nodded. The woman smiled. "The future is a lot like this maze. Even when you're going in the right direction you can't see it. Just remember, child, lonely isn't the same thing as lost. Ah, here we are."
The maze opened up into a circular clearing with a door seemingly to nowhere in the center. The woman kissed Ephebe on the forehead. "Time to wake up, dear." And then she pushed her through the doorway.
"Good. Now let's head to the Headmaster's office. He may be a seer, but the man is still a lot saner than the alternatives."Nala gulps. Unfortunately she recognized the truth in Professor Relkav's words. She was lucky she wasn't dead already. She nods reluctantly.
"Alright."
"Should something be done with this creature...?" Fei asks, turning back to the blue beast on the floor.
"...As...it may be regenerating as we speak." (O.o)
Spin walks back into the cafeteria, flinging water from his hands and trying to avoid looking embarrassed.
I mean, who gets lost in the bathrooms? And who needs bathrooms that big? It's like a whole town full of just toilets!!
He's pulled from his internal diatribe by the shocking lack of people in the cafeteria. He looks around, seeing a few shocked-looking kids, some over-turned food trays where his friends had been, and he just catches the recognizable back of Mr. S.'s uniform as he rounds a corner down a hall.
"Mr. S.! Mr. S.! Wait up! What's going on?" After three steps he spins into his collie-Spin form, lean legs carrying him in long bounds down the hall after the familiar faculty member.
Looks down at the 'thing' on the floor
"Wow, resilient little thing. Perhaps I should ask Taron to call it off..."
Casts Message to Taron
"Please call off your beast, or I'll have to kill it. We have Nala, she will cooperate. Taking to headmaster now."
Looks to Fei
"We'll see what happens...jsut sent a message to Taron to call it off. Be ready, just in case..."
Looks down at the 'thing' on the floor
"Wow, resilient little thing. Perhaps I should ask Taron to call it off..."
Casts Message to Taron
"Please call off your beast, or I'll have to kill it. We have Nala, she will cooperate. Taking to headmaster now."Looks to Fei
"We'll see what happens...jsut sent a message to Taron to call it off. Be ready, just in case..."
"A place like this should not have so much violence," he replies softly as he nods and interposes himself between the creature and the other three as they head toward the Headmaster's office.
Ephebe heard a strange sound in her ears. It sounded like someone was in pain. And then she realized that it was her. Everything hurt. Her eyelashes hurt. And felt like they were made out of stone. She couldn't quite summon the strength to open them.
She sat beside her daughter's bedside feeling utterly helpless as she waited for Ephebe to wake up. She smoothed Ephebe's hair back from her face and had to stifle a grin when Ephebe moaned. The nanites were working. Ephebe was going to be okay. It was all she could do not to break down and cry with relief.
Krays' attention seems occupied for a second as he absently looks off to the side, then breathes a sigh of relief. He and H'Tor exchange a look, and Krays smiles as H'Tor pats him on the back.
"Mr. S.! Mr. S.! Wait up! What's going on?" After three steps he spins into his collie-Spin form, lean legs carrying him in long bounds down the hall after the familiar faculty member.
The janitor turns, smiling at the youngster, "Ah, young Spin!"
His mood becomes grim as he answers Spin's question while hustling down the corridor, "I think shenanigans are afoot, young sir. Miss Ephebe was poisoned and taken away, others rushed off in all sorts of directions, and Miss Nala disappeared rather abruptly. I've a nose for these sorts of things and I'm tracking down the frosty little maid." His emphasis on the last word suggests he finds her purity a matter of speculation.
Spin returns to his own form and falls into place with Mr. S. as they talk. When Mr. S. mentions the attack he notices a subtle shift in Spin's fingers.. they stretch out, becoming dangerously sharp. "Is she okay? Ephebe.. not Nala. Something about her makes me uncomfortable, despite how nice she tries to be to me. So we're going to find Nala now?"
Nala walked slowly, not wanting to provoke Professor Relkav as he still had a crossbow trained on her. Her mind whirred as she desperately tried to think of some way out of this. So far she hadn't come up with anything.
"I can't rightly say, young Spin. Many folks rushed to help her and there's no lack of healers here... so that's good." He nods, "We're going after Nala, yes. I think a beady eye needs to be kept on that girl - a mischief-maker that one."
They wind through the corridors quickly, using Spin's keen senses, Sinh's 'nose for trouble', and following the general sound of commotion and argument. They round a corner in time to catch sight of Vakkler leading a deflated Nala away.
"I can't rightly say, young Spin. Many folks rushed to help her and there's no lack of healers here... so that's good." He nods, "We're going after Nala, yes. I think a beady eye needs to be kept on that girl - a mischief-maker that one."
They wind through the corridors quickly, using Spin's keen senses, Sinh's 'nose for trouble', and following the general sound of commotion and argument. They round a corner in time to catch sight of Vakkler leading a deflated Nala away.
Vakkler nods. "Hello, Mr. Sinh. There's been an incident."
Keeps an eye on Nala
Keeps an eye on Nala
"Student, make yourself useful and get rid of that...blue...thing. I don't want to fight it twice."
Sinh nods politely to the kobold professor. "Yes, Master Vakkler. I saw some part of that." He casts a hard glance at Nala. "Is there anything me or young Spin can help with? We thought to keep an eye open seeing all the strange events that've been happening."
Sinh nods politely to the kobold professor. "Yes, Master Vakkler. I saw some part of that." He casts a hard glance at Nala. "Is there anything me or young Spin can help with? We thought to keep an eye open seeing all the strange events that've been happening."
"Certainly. Find Taron Sunwake and put a stop to this nonsense. If he's still in a vengeful mood, I may have to fight off another one of those things."
"Student, make yourself useful and get rid of that...blue...thing. I don't want to fight it twice."Keeps an eye on Nala
"It would be most...disappointing if we had to," Fei replies, not taking his eyes off of the creature. He did not look back to see who Vakkler was talking to specifically. (^.^)
Sinh bobs his head, "Yes, sir." He turns to Spin. "Well, young Spin, you are welcome to come with me if you want... but I think there won't be much in the way of excitement."
He heads off to track down Taron - unsure exactly how he's going to 'stop' whatever it is that happened here. But since, as Master Vakkler said, it was nonsense... well... Sinh was just the man to stop it. He never brooked nonsense, shenanigans, or lollygagging. No sir!
"Student, make yourself useful and get rid of that...blue...thing. I don't want to fight it twice."Keeps an eye on Nala
"Sir...? I sent a message spell to Taron askin him to call off the beast. I don't want to kill it if I don't have to...I'm not entirely sure it's a summoned creature..."
Casts Message to Taron
"Please call off your beast, or I'll have to kill it. We have Nala, she will cooperate. Taking to headmaster now."
A light, almost shrill voice sends back the reply.
::Um, hi, it's Ammy. Didn't mean to eavesdrop. Taron is almost unconscious with exhaustion. What beast?::
Sinh stops in his tracks at the comment from Krays. Clearly things are not quite so cut and dried.
Casts Message to Taron
"Please call off your beast, or I'll have to kill it. We have Nala, she will cooperate. Taking to headmaster now."A light, almost shrill voice sends back the reply.
::Um, hi, it's Ammy. Didn't mean to eavesdrop. Taron is almost unconscious with exhaustion. What beast?::
Looks perplexed
Casts message to Ammy::Its a blue spiky thing that looks remotely like Taron...it attacked Nala. We have her, and are taking her to Headmaster. It's been defeated, but is regenerating...don't want to have to kill it::
"Thank you for bringing them here." Headmaster Ryo sighs as he looks at the captured students.
"So much potential.. Okay then, no more Mr. Nice Headmaster. Explain yourselves." He says, voice laced with compulsionary magic that almost makes the air shimmer.
Nala's familiar, a fiendish viper in an icy blue color, poked its head out of her purse. Its tongue tested the air, sensing confusion and distraction.
::Now, mistress.::
Nala hastily cast a silent, stilled confusion spell, and made a run for it.
Krays' Save:
H'Tor's save:
Krays turns and casts Hold Monster on Nala
DC: 22 Will
H'Tor fumbles about...
And mentally babbles incoherently...
Krays gives a quick look to H'Tor...
Nala desperately runs down the corridor away from her captors.
"Dammit!...Fei, stop her!!" Krays crys in frustration as she shrugs off his spell. He recovers H'Tor, and the bumbling skeleton turns into a fine black mist and melds into the shadows at the feet of Krays' robes (takes 6 seconds). Then he gives chase...
"Oi! Where do you think you are going, girl?"
The janitor/monk catches up with her in three easy steps , putting a restraining hand on her shoulder.
Looks perplexed
Casts message to Ammy
::Its a blue spiky thing that looks remotely like Taron...it attacked Nala. We have her, and are taking her to Headmaster. It's been defeated, but is regenerating...don;t want to have to kill it::
::Looks like him? Someone may be trying to shift blame. Taron can't summon. May be safer to keep it knocked out.::
Vakkler fights back the spell. He raises his crossbow, but pauses.
1d20+14
"Oi! Where do you think you are going, girl?"
The janitor/monk catches up with her in three easy steps , putting a restraining hand on her shoulder.
1d20+14
Nala struggles in his grip, but can't quite break free.
"No!" she shrieks, "Let me go! If you turn me in to Ephebe's family, they'll kill me!"
Stops, and looks confused...then looks back to Fei and the blue thing
"Fei, Taron can't summon apparently...do you know what thing is by chance? Ammy says it couldn't have come from Taron..."
Looks to Nala
"Did your former partner send that thing after you?"
1d20+14
"Oi! Where do you think you are going, girl?"
The janitor/monk catches up with her in three easy steps , putting a restraining hand on her shoulder.
1d20+14
Nala struggles in his grip, but can't quite break free.
"No!" she shrieks, "Let me go! If you turn me in to Ephebe's family, they'll kill me!"
"Then it's a good thing we aren't turning you in to the family. You are going to the Headmaster." Vakkler walks over to Nala, crossbow up. "Attack my mind again and I will shoot you so full of holes your own thralls won't recognize you."
Nala struggles in his grip, but can't quite break free.
"No!" she shrieks, "Let me go! If you turn me in to Ephebe's family, they'll kill me!"
The janitor gives the girl a quick shake, not unkindly. "Don't be daft, girl. If they wanted you dead, it would have already happened. Now SETTLE DOWN and no more monkeyshines. We are going to see the Headmaster. You aren't going to die. And that is that."
The janitor gives the girl a quick shake, not unkindly. "Don't be daft, girl. If they wanted you dead, it would have already happened. Now SETTLE DOWN and no more monkeyshines. We are going to see the Headmaster. You aren't going to die. And that is that."Nala struggles in his grip, but can't quite break free.
"No!" she shrieks, "Let me go! If you turn me in to Ephebe's family, they'll kill me!"
Stops, and looks confused...then looks back to Fei and the blue thing
"Fei, Taron can't summon apparently...do you know what thing is by chance? Ammy says it couldn't have come from Taron..."
Looks to Nala
"Did your former partner send that thing after you?"
Fei shakes his head.
"I do not know what this is. Is there not some way to imprison it with magic?"
Stops, and looks confused...then looks back to Fei and the blue thing
"Fei, Taron can't summon apparently...do you know what thing is by chance? Ammy says it couldn't have come from Taron..."
Looks to Nala
"Did your former partner send that thing after you?"Fei shakes his head.
"I do not know what this is. Is there not some way to imprison it with magic?"
Nods
"Yes, but I don't know the spell to do it with, not permanently, anyway. Besides death, that is..."
"Then it's a good thing we aren't turning you in to the family. You are going to the Headmaster." Vakkler walks over to Nala, crossbow up. "Attack my mind again and I will shoot you so full of holes your own thralls won't recognize you."
"Well, it can't be worse than what the Headmaster will do to me! He's Ephebe's uncle! So, so much for your assurances that you're not turning me over to her family. You don't even know the half of it. They're monsters! Monsters that should be eradicated! And you just let them walk freely around this school like there's nothing wrong!"
"With your permission, Master Vakkler?" Sinh turns the girl around gently and starts walking towards the Headmaster's office. He keeps her tucked protectively against him. Only the simmering look in his eye speaks to the fact that his grip is more of a restraint than a way to comfort Nala.
"Miss, no one gets dead while I'm around - monsters, Headmasters, or no. I got a rule about that."
"Then it's a good thing we aren't turning you in to the family. You are going to the Headmaster." Vakkler walks over to Nala, crossbow up. "Attack my mind again and I will shoot you so full of holes your own thralls won't recognize you.""Well, it can't be worse than what the Headmaster will do to me! He's Ephebe's uncle! So, so much for your assurances that you're not turning me over to her family. You don't even know the half of it. They're monsters! Monsters that should be eradicated! And you just let them walk freely around this school like there's nothing wrong!"
Snickers
"I wonder where she could have possibly heard such nonsense?"
Nods
"Yes, but I don't know the spell to do it with, not permanently, anyway. Besides death, that is..."
"Very well," he replies as he goes over and strikes the creature.
"Then it's a good thing we aren't turning you in to the family. You are going to the Headmaster." Vakkler walks over to Nala, crossbow up. "Attack my mind again and I will shoot you so full of holes your own thralls won't recognize you.""Well, it can't be worse than what the Headmaster will do to me! He's Ephebe's uncle! So, so much for your assurances that you're not turning me over to her family. You don't even know the half of it. They're monsters! Monsters that should be eradicated! And you just let them walk freely around this school like there's nothing wrong!"
*Clickclick*
"Really. Monsters, eh?" Vakkler chuckles as he gestures for Sinh to go ahead. "And you are?"