"It does. It sounds like we need a way to increase self-confidence and a way to make the minds of the students more confusing for outside sources. This has been a great help, Ms Zamarosok. Any advice on reversing the enthralling process?"
"Uh...well that depends on how it was done. If it was quick and dirty like they didn't care about preserving the mental abilities of the victim...there isn't really any fix. Maybe a wish or something. You can break the control, but they're still broken. If the mind is still intact but just controlled, the best way to break the link is to highjack it and send a lot of pain through it to the controller. They'll drop the control in order to protect themselves."
...the best way to break the link is to highjack it and send a lot of pain through it to the controller..."
"I can work something out. Is there anything you could do to the same effect? Taking over the mindless after their freed and getting them out of the way would be appreciated as well."
...the best way to break the link is to highjack it and send a lot of pain through it to the controller..."
"I can work something out. Is there anything you could do to the same effect? Taking over the mindless after their freed and getting them out of the way would be appreciated as well."
"I...don't know. I've never tried anything like that before. I think it might work. If they are conditioned to obey and the orders stop they would be looking for direction. Either that or if their mind was damaged enough they would just keep trying to fulfill the last command they were given."
She fidgeted nervously.
"We're not asking you to control and army, Nala, just get some fellow students out of harm's way. I'll consider it a favor done for us, and anything that makes it easier for everyone to get out of this fight is a great thing." He says calmly.
"We're not asking you to control and army, Nala, just get some fellow students out of harm's way. I'll consider it a favor done for us, and anything that makes it easier for everyone to get out of this fight is a great thing." He says calmly.
She looked nervously around at a group of people that had no reason to tolerate her let alone treat her well. Jiminy glared at her and she quickly looked away. Without her thralls she was entirely without allies. She could use all the good will she could get.
"Okay. I...I'll try at least. I can't promise more than that."
Meanwhile, in detention, Nasima has finished her book and now has her arms folded on her desk and her head resting on her arms. Her hair is floating straight up off her head and slowly, dreamily flowing itself into nonsensical shapes as she sleeps.
"...zzzzzzzzzzzzzz..."
Professor Relkav is in a bit of a snit as he argues his case to Dennis.
"Mr. Buttercup, I paid my money for this match. I didn't pay it for some 'continuation'. I want my one hundred silver--ten gold will do.
"I also want my bet on Blackscale moved to the next game, since you seem to have decided now is a time for changing the orders. The twenty silver will apply to Blackscale' later performance.
"In addition, the interference which I understand has taken place distracted Blackscale. He managed to take control of a ghost of extreme power. I won't insist the ghost be counted as a snipe, but since it wasn't a necessary foe for Blackscale and he nonetheless beat it handily, it'd seem fair."
"Nice try. You think my argument will be any less utterly inescapable after twenty-four hours? I'd be willing to bet five times what I bet on Blackscale that it won't be. I'll see you then." The kobold--about a third Dennis' size--glares at the minotaur and stalks off.
Nasima rubs her eyes sleepily as she steps out into the hall. "It's so weird for things to be so quiet. Where is everybody? Gosh I need to find out where Ephebe is, and Krays and the others!" Concentrating, the sylph begins to question all the Little Guys she can find as to the whereabouts of her friends.
"I won't insist the ghost be counted as a snipe, but since it wasn't a necessary foe for Blackscale and he nonetheless beat it handily, it'd seem fair."
"I won't insist the ghost be counted as a snipe, but since it wasn't a necessary foe for Blackscale and he nonetheless beat it handily, it'd seem fair."
She was back in the maze. It had changed since last time, the shrubbery walls replaced by stone, but she was certain that it was still the same maze. She looked at the large opening right in front of her feet. She had narrowly missed falling into the oubliette. Someone had pulled her out, but she couldn't remember who. Everything was a blur. Whenever she tried to remember anything it was like her thoughts were surrounded by impenetrable fog. She backtracked away from the pit and once more began wandering through the maze. She was looking for something, but she didn't know what...the walls rearranged themselves behind her as soon as she turned away...
"We're not asking you to control and army, Nala, just get some fellow students out of harm's way. I'll consider it a favor done for us, and anything that makes it easier for everyone to get out of this fight is a great thing." He says calmly.
She looked nervously around at a group of people that had no reason to tolerate her let alone treat her well. Jiminy glared at her and she quickly looked away. Without her thralls she was entirely without allies. She could use all the good will she could get.
"Okay. I...I'll try at least. I can't promise more than that."
"That is all we ask. You will need to be prepared at a moment's notice. We cannot know for certain when these people will strike next."
Nasima rubs her eyes sleepily as she steps out into the hall. "It's so weird for things to be so quiet. Where is everybody? Gosh I need to find out where Ephebe is, and Krays and the others!" Concentrating, the sylph begins to question all the Little Guys she can find as to the whereabouts of her friends.
Fieri elbowed Jiminy sharply in the ribs just as he opened his mouth to say something. He glowered at her and she glared right back.
"Behave," she mouthed silently.
Ryo nods at Aananda's statement.
"You are free to go now, Nala. Do you have any questions you'd like to ask before you go?"
*sulks*
Ryo nods at Aananda's statement.
"You are free to go now, Nala. Do you have any questions you'd like to ask before you go?"
"Ummm....no," she said nervously, eager to be out of the room.
After Professor Sunwake and Spin leave with Ephebe, the pavilion returns to its steady state of chaotic normalcy, with a few more waves of students coming in before the Hunt is declared over.
Once the last of the injured students has been healed, the staff runs a quick inventory of supplies used, then start breaking things down. Most of the equipment returns to the Infirmary, while the pavilion itself and the temporary cots return to the Materials and Supplies Building.
Fei starts pushing the first of many loaded palettes back to storage, expeditiously and without complaint (to the surprise of most of the adult staff and some fellow students). :)
Once Nala had left the room, Aananda sighed and sat down. She massaged her forehead as if she had a headache.
"Okay. There's two possibilities we're looking at. Either the Hunters will go to ground hoping to get another chance later on after we've relaxed our guard. Or they'll start taking crazy potshots hoping to get lucky before we find them. So we'll have to be constantly vigilant. Ryo will work on tracking them down through the network that our prisoner is still connected to. In the meantime, I want you," she said, looking pointedly at Taron and Jiminy, "to follow the same precautions that we've set out for Ephebe. You go nowhere alone. James, just to be extra safe, you're going to stay in Dennis's room for a couple of days. Since Nasima's roommate is currently engaged in a long conversation with a patch of granite I don't think she'll notice if Ephebe uses her bed for a day or two...Where is Nasima anyways?"
"I'm not sure where she is, Aananda, but I do know I'll stick to Taron like his own scales."
"You don't have to call her by her name you know.." Taron mutters as his new 'bodyguard'. Kam flinches at the thought, but it's just barely noticeable .
"I'm not sure where she is, Aananda, but I do know I'll stick to Taron like his own scales."
"You don't have to call her by her name you know.." Taron mutters as his new 'bodyguard'. Kam flinches at the thought, but it's just barely noticeable .
"Thank you, Kam. I know I can count on you."
The corner of her mouth quirked up just a little. "Don't push, Taron."
"Ryo, can you locate Nasima? Fieri, you pack enough of Ephebe's things for a couple of days and bring them to Nasima's room. One of you will need to carry Ephebe there. Sort it out amongst yourselves. As for the rest of you, get some rest. You've got class in the morning if nothing else."
Figured Spin will take care of Ephebe, and heads back to his room
Just before the students are released the door bangs open revealing a tall man with a squirming halfling in his grasp. "Headmaster, I found this student going through another students belongings." He says his voice emotionless. His eyes widen when he sees Amada standing in Asch's arms. "GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER YOU VAMPIRE!" He yells out as he drops the halfling to the ground as he pulls Amada away from Asch.
Just before the students are released the door bangs open revealing a tall man with a squirming halfling in his grasp. "Headmaster, I found this student going through another students belongings." He says his voice emotionless. His eyes widen when he sees Amada standing in Asch's arms. "GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER YOU VAMPIRE!" He yells out as he drops the halfling to the ground as he pulls Amada away from Asch.
Amada couldn't help but bust out laughing at her brother's violent reaction from seeing her with Asch.
"Well hello to you too dear brother!"
Amada gives him a big hug with a smile. She lets go and quickly starts holding Asch's hand again.
"How was your day today big brother? How is your wife Aislin doing? I haven't seen her today, would you mind giving her these?"
Amada opens her purse and peeks around inside. After rummaging around she managed to pull out a small box of rock candy in Aislin's favorite flavor (passion-fruit). She then pulled out another box of her brother's favorite mixed nuts.
"Asch and I picked these up the other day, these rock candies are for your wife and these nuts are just for you. I know how much you like them"
"Why do you do this to your self? I'm not sure where you seem to get the idea that I 'stole' your sister. Now all you have done is acted like a fool in front of all these people." Asch asks as he holds Amada.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here? And you why didn't you let me know my sister and her.....friend were enrolling?" He asks both Amada and Ryo.
"Because I was trying to keep family relations between teachers and students unknown to everyone. Because I am not required to. Because I knew you would have a.. loud reaction if I did?" Ryo replies, an eyebrow raised as he gives his reasons.
"Yea see that's why he didn't tell you. Because your insane, I mean really do you have any emotions other than anger?" Asch says with a shake of his head.
"Yea see that's why he didn't tell you. Because your insane, I mean really do you have any emotions other than anger?" Asch says with a shake of his head.
"Asch, that is enough! Especially coming from you," she added dryly.
"And you...I don't believe I caught your name. I'm Aananda, the PE teacher."
"...but....I understand Sir." He said as the fire goes back down and his voice retains its emotionless tone.
|So easily cowed aren't we Aleister? What a pathetic demon you are, I mean really what could that human do to you? If only you'd allow your self to let go or let me fight through you think of all you could do.| A dark whisper sounds in the back of his head with promises of violence.
She gets a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach as she looks at the new teacher. Something not right. She couldn't quite put her finger on what, but she would definitely keep an eye on him.
"Asch, that is enough! Especially coming from you," she added dryly."And you...I don't believe I caught your name. I'm Aananda, the PE teacher."
"But its true have you ever talked to him? Its creepy how his eyes seems lifeless and his voice is so cold.....errr ok I'll stop." He says as he sees the look she gives him.
"But its true have you ever talked to him? Its creepy how his eyes seems lifeless and his voice is so cold.....errr ok I'll stop." He says as he sees the look she gives him.
"Asch, that is enough! Especially coming from you," she added dryly."And you...I don't believe I caught your name. I'm Aananda, the PE teacher."
She sighed. "Asch, if I had ever spoken with him I wouldn't have introduced myself, now would I? Why don't you guys head back to your rooms now. The last thing we need is more drama tonight. And just to be clear, Tamrin will NOT be pleased if he finds out that his apprentice has been getting into fights with teachers while he's been gone. Think about that."
"I'm Dark Knight Aleister Kane. Headmaster Ryo hired me on as a heavy and light weapon specialist."
Spin has a moment to think, Who teaches medium weapons, then? before he disappears out of the door to carry Ephebe to Nasima's room.
"Ok...ok. Ready Amada? We'll catch up with your brother later." He says as they head towards their room.
"I'm Dark Knight Aleister Kane. Headmaster Ryo hired me on as a heavy and light weapon specialist."
She nods in acknowledgement. "I see. Well, Aleister, I hope the students aren't giving you too much trouble. They can be a bit of a handful."
Jiminy starts to leave, but Fieri quickly catches up.
"Nuh-uh. Not without me you don't. Or did you miss that part about not going anywhere alone? I'll walk you to your room so you can pick up a few things, then I'll walk you over to Dennis's room before I drop off Ephebe's stuff."
She laughed when he stuck his tongue out at her. "Face it, buddy, you're stuck with me for the duration. Get used to it..."
The argument continued as they headed down the hall and out of earshot.