Peeks out from behind the curtain...
"Umm...Taron...guys...this thing is still regenerating..."
Thinks about it for a second, then says to Taron
"Maybe you need to dismiss it? Or when it gains consciousness you can control it?"
Thinks about it some more
"...or I could cast death knell on it.."
Spin looks at the foot of the creature hanging out form behind the barrier, "Can't you.. ya know.. just... magic it to death? Do we even know what it is yet? I mean, shouldn't we just keep it unconscious til we know more? Just seems a bit early to kill it without knowing all it has to tell us."
Exasperation clear on his face, Taron tries to dismiss the phtisic. Nothing happens. By now the bullet hole has healed completely. Taron punches the thing to make sure it stays out, but the instant it touches the bare skin of his fist it dissolves into a fine blue mist. Thrown off balance by it's sudden disappearance, Taron falls right into the mist. Luckily, it seems to have no effect on him as he stands, and it dissipates on it's own.
"That was weird. At least it's gone now."
Nasima moves over and puts her hand lightly on Fei's shoulder. "Don't listen to these guys, big fella; it's perfectly possible to practice non-violence here, it just takes more work. I've been through a lot of the stuff everyone's describing and haven't hurt anybody yet."
She removes her hand, thinking, and twists her mouth. "Ephebe's right, though; this is a really weird place to be if you're specifically supposed to not fight. Also, maybe you could spend more time practicing more non-punchy arts? For a non-violent guy you sure are awfully good at hitting things." She brightens. "Hey, are you in any Deep Meditation classes? I'm signed up for a couple hours of that every day, maybe I could see you there and help you out. I've only had the couple classes so far but they've been just wonderful. There's a magma elemental in my morning class named Percival who has some pretty intense anger issues that he says he's already feeling better about after just two days. Maybe the class can help you come up with ways to assist in these...fights or whatever without having to be so...punch-'em-up-y'." She makes a couple silly little shadow boxing moves. It's pretty obvious to all the warriors present she's never actually thrown a punch in her life.
Nasima moves over and puts her hand lightly on Fei's shoulder. "Don't listen to these guys, big fella; it's perfectly possible to practice non-violence here, it just takes more work. I've been through a lot of the stuff everyone's describing and haven't hurt anybody yet."
She removes her hand, thinking, and twists her mouth. "Ephebe's right, though; this is a really weird place to be if you're specifically supposed to not fight. Also, maybe you could spend more time practicing more non-punchy arts? For a non-violent guy you sure are awfully good at hitting things." She brightens. "Hey, are you in any Deep Meditation classes? I'm signed up for a couple hours of that every day, maybe I could see you there and help you out. I've only had the couple classes so far but they've been just wonderful. There's a magma elemental in my morning class named Percival who has some pretty intense anger issues that he says he's already feeling better about after just two days. Maybe the class can help you come up with ways to assist in these...fights or whatever without having to be so...punch-'em-up-y'." She makes a couple silly little shadow boxing moves. It's pretty obvious to all the warriors present she's never actually thrown a punch in her life.
"I believe I am in an afternoon class, in order to practice body kung," Fei says with a nod as he pulls a schedule out of his sketchpad. "Although this has already been changed once today..."
He absently makes an adjustment to Nasima's arm as she throws one of her 'jabs'.
A look of disappointment falls on his face, as he sighs and puts th onyx back in his pouch
"Probably had a neat skeletal structure, too..."
A look of disappointment falls on his face, as he sighs and puts th onyx back in his pouch
"Probably had a neat skeletal structure, too..."
'Sima giggles. "I think I'd need more than form adjustments to be of any use in a fist fight, Fei, but thanks." She smiles at him. "Lemme see your schedule, if that afternoon class is with Yasui then I'll see you there. I think it has to be; as far as I know she's the only Master here of that particular discipline."
Nasima's hair is swirling up into an inquisitive ponytail and seems to be regarding Fei, or pointing at him, or something. If the sylph is aware of this at all, she gives no sign of it.
" Everyone's awake in the infirmary now, if you're still going to go see them."
"Yes. It will be easier to explain the plan to them all at once. Are you coming along or do you need to get back to work?"
"Yes. It will be easier to explain the plan to them all at once. Are you coming along or do you need to get back to work?"
Ryo shakes his head.
"I'm staying here and going through at the recorded data I can. There has to be something that can help us identify who the Hunter is and how he's managing his attacks."
"Just remember to leave out the part about Lysander joining in. He can be a sort of secret weapon if things go according to plan."
** spoiler omitted **
Ephebe looks at Taron quizzically.
"Four years?" she murmurs, her eyes taking on a hazy golden glow. ...big plans....right path....can't see direction....no, this is the right path...
Her eyes clear and she staggers. "Oh, dear...I don't think it's such a good idea taking divination this term...I feel woozy..."
"Looking at the future that revolves around me.. when I've yet to make any permanent decisions? You'll never figure it out in time." Taron says as he wiggles a finger disapprovingly at Ephebe.
"Yes. It will be easier to explain the plan to them all at once. Are you coming along or do you need to get back to work?"Ryo shakes his head.
"I'm staying here and going through at the recorded data I can. There has to be something that can help us identify who the Hunter is and how he's managing his attacks."
"Just remember to leave out the part about Lysander joining in. He can be a sort of secret weapon if things go according to plan."
"Alright, if that's what you think is best. Let me know as soon as you find anything."
She walks through the wall, as the path through the stone is the fastest way to reach the infirmary.
"Looking at the future that revolves around me.. when I've yet to make any permanent decisions? You'll never figure it out in time." Taron says as he wiggles a finger disapprovingly at Ephebe.
"No, you don't understand. I'm not doing it on purpose. Kronos is collapsing several concurrent realities and I don't know why," she said, abruptly sitting down. "And it makes my head hurt," she complained.
"It probably doesn't help that you started being active so soon after recovery." Taron says as he leans against a wall. A moment later he deliberately takes a step to the side.
Aananda steps through the wall and looks around.
"Why is Ephebe sitting on the floor? And why did you all let her out of bed in the first place?"
"I was unconscious and I doubt anyone else here(except that guy, Fei) could have stopped her from getting out of the bed."
"I'm fine by the way. Just had a 600 pound monster leap from my brain and go on a rampage."
Kamenwati waves at his mother-in-law.
"Hi Mrs. Sunwake."
'Sima giggles. "I think I'd need more than form adjustments to be of any use in a fist fight, Fei, but thanks." She smiles at him. "Lemme see your schedule, if that afternoon class is with Yasui then I'll see you there. I think it has to be; as far as I know she's the only Master here of that particular discipline."
Nasima's hair is swirling up into an inquisitive ponytail and seems to be regarding Fei, or pointing at him, or something. If the sylph is aware of this at all, she gives no sign of it.
Fei hands over his schedule for Nasima to inspect. He looks up briefly as he catches motion in his periphery then looks back down.....then looks back up again quizzically to have a brief 'staring contest' with her hair.
Mrs. Sunwake's earthgliding arrival then commands both of their attentions, and the rather comical moment passes. ;D
"I was unconscious and I doubt anyone else here(except that guy, Fei) could have stopped her from getting out of the bed."
"I'm fine by the way. Just had a 600 pound monster leap from my brain and go on a rampage."
[blink, blink]
"Okay, I want explanations and I want them now. And then we're going to go over the plan we've come up with to catch this guy. And someone help Ephebe back to bed."
"I was unconscious and I doubt anyone else here(except that guy, Fei) could have stopped her from getting out of the bed."
"I'm fine by the way. Just had a 600 pound monster leap from my brain and go on a rampage."
[blink, blink]
"Okay, I want explanations and I want them now. And then we're going to go over the plan we've come up with to catch this guy. And someone help Ephebe back to bed."
"Excuse me," he says to Nasima with a bow as he quickly scoops Ephebe up and carefully sets her back in the medical bed before going back over to the sylph's side, politely waiting for somebody else to start the conversation. :)
She sighed. "Thank you, James. Now, somebody capable of a clear explanation tell me what happened."
"Pretty much what he just said. Turns out getting angry, being a psychic, and being new to emotions in general is not a good thing."
"I blame Kam." Taron jokes.
Fei steps forward and bows deeply to the instructor.
"I...am not certain of how this began, but a creature borne of this one's mind," as he nods to Taron, "was roaming the halls. It was trying to locate Nala, and possibly kill her. Krays, another kobold - a professor Vakkler I believe - and I were able to stop it from doing so."
"It was capable of regenerating its wounds until Taron came in contact with its unconscious form. It dissolved into a blue mist at that point."
"Pretty much what he just said. Turns out getting angry, being a psychic, and being new to emotions in general is not a good thing."
"I blame Kam." Taron jokes.
She frowned. "Let me see. Keep it in your surface thoughts."
She will telepathically examine the surface thoughts of both Taron and James to get an accurate picture of events.
She gasped. "Taron! That's the monster that has been stalking the school attacking students for months! We honestly considered closing the school."
Fei steps forward and bows deeply to the instructor.
"I...am not certain of how this began, but a creature borne of this one's mind," as he nods to Taron, "was roaming the halls. It was trying to locate Nala, and possibly kill her. Krays, another kobold - a professor Vakkler I believe - and I were able to stop it from doing so."
"It was capable of regenerating its wounds until Taron came in contact with its unconscious form. It dissolved into a blue mist at that point."
She took a steadying breath. "Thank you, Fei. That's actually quite helpful."
Nasima's hair settles back down into its usual random swirlings and flowings. She nods at Fei, then points at a class on his schedule. She mouths the words 'I'll see you there' and smiles, then hands him back the printout and returns her attention to what the Sunwakes are talking about, or as much as she could understand, anyway.
The smile drops from Taron's face faster than Spin did when he was hit by a boulder.
"What?! Why didn't anyone say anything? I just thought it was a nightmare! If I had known it was real..."
The smile drops from Taron's face faster than Spin did when he was hit by a boulder.
"What?! Why didn't anyone say anything? I just thought it was a nightmare! If I had known it was real..."
"Because we had no idea it was connected to you..."
She walked over and hugged him.
"It's okay, Taron. I'm not mad at you. But we have to figure out a way for you to control this. I'm glad you have emotions now. It's a good thing. We just need to help you manage them a bit more."
She took a steadying breath. "Thank you, Fei. That's actually quite helpful."
He bows again and steps back.
Nasima's hair settles back down into its usual random swirlings and flowings. She nods at Fei, then points at a class on his schedule. She mouths the words 'I'll see you there' and smiles, then hands him back the printout and returns her attention to what the Sunwakes are talking about, or as much as she could understand, anyway.
He takes back the schedule with a nod and a quick smile, then also returns to listening to the instructor.
"It was quite resilient, that beast. It took a few scorching rays and a harm..."
She nodded. "I've heard the descriptions of the attacks...but it disappeared when Taron touched it...that's good, that gives us some idea of how to deal with it."
"If no one is around you during an attack....given some time I can make a magic bracelet for the three of you that you can use to summon one of us."
"When I showed up, Fei had it in a full-nelson... that seemed pretty effective in dealing with it." He looks around, "or was that not waht you meant?"
"If no one is around you during an attack....given some time I can make a magic bracelet for the three of you that you can use to summon one of us."
"That sounds like an excellent idea."
"And speaking of attacks...the other thing I need to talk to you all about..we've come up with a plan for potentially luring out this Hunter. Since the most recent attack on Ephebe failed, he's likely going to be trying to make another move and soon. And the only way we're going to catch him is to draw him out...by making Ephebe look vulnerable to an attack. Now, notice I said making her look that way. I fully expect all of you to continue to protect her, and that will hopefully make all the difference. I don't like this. I don't like putting my daughter back in harm's way, but I don't know what else to do. She's in more danger if we don't find this Hunter and stop him. So, to those ends, Ephebe, I want you to enter the Snipe Hunt tonight. It's exactly the sort of chaotic environment that could mask a real attack, which is why we think he'll strike there. We'll all be keeping a close eye on you. James, since you're not allowed in the hunt you can keep an eye on the outside. Especially in the healer's tent since that was where Ephebe was supposed to be tonight."
"When I showed up, Fei had it in a full-nelson... that seemed pretty effective in dealing with it." He looks around, "or was that not waht you meant?"
"Neutralizing it is good. Getting rid of it is better."
"Well, it could be fun if I enter as Ephebe. I'm pretty good at lookin' like people. That way you don't have to actually endanger her. And I can be slippery when people attack. You guys gotta have my back, though."
he looks around at all the eyes watching him, "Or ya know... some other smart plan."
Ephebe had to fight back a feeling of panic at the thought of Spin placing himself in danger. She wasn't going to say anything. She wasn't. It was just something she was going to have to get used to.
"It...could work," she said, "but then where would I be? It would have to be somewhere where I couldn't be spotted. And it needs to be somewhere nearby in case things go wrong," she added stubbornly.
he looks around at all the eyes watching him, "Or ya know... some other smart plan."
"The idea of a decoy does have merit. If this 'Hunter' you speak of is forced to divide resources to achieve success..."
...professor Vakkler...
...professor Vakkler...
"We'll get to working one them today up till the hunt also any of you who can cast arcane spells and want to help that's good. So were going to turn the Snipe Hunt into a real hunt. Sounds good to me. So I'm guessing I can release all my restraints if the hunter shows up?" Asch asks as he thinks about what all to bring to the hunt.
...professor Vakkler...