Asch missteps when he hears Amada's missing allowing Taron's latest kick to connect with his torso. He then hears his name yelled out he rushes off to find Amada slumped over. "Amada what's wrong!"
Vakkler leaves his classroom in a sour mood. he stalks the halls, glaring at anybody he sees (even teachers).
"Ah, there you are. I've been looking for you. We need to talk. Do you have a minute?"
She smiled, completely oblivious to his glare.
Vakkler blinks. "I suppose."
Vakkler blinks. "I suppose."Vakkler leaves his classroom in a sour mood. he stalks the halls, glaring at anybody he sees (even teachers).
"Ah, there you are. I've been looking for you. We need to talk. Do you have a minute?"
She smiled, completely oblivious to his glare.
"It's about our newest student. Solivala. He er, told me about the difficulties you two had during his first class. Believe me, I sympathize. The first time I had to deal with him I actually threw him out of the school until he could learn better manners. While he's brilliant with machines his social skills are...to be honest he has the social skills of a small toddler. He has to learn even the most basic ideas of respecting boundaries, speaking respectfully to those in authority, not insulting people just because it's what he thinks is honest. It can be hard keeping up."
"I know that you're a brilliant teacher. Sure the students complain, but they learn what they need to know. I'm not questioning your teaching skills one bit. But this is a bit of a special case. Do you think you might possibly go a little bit easy on him? At least until he gets the hang of the whole being around people thing?"
"It's about our newest student. Solivala. He er, told me about the difficulties you two had during his first class. Believe me, I sympathize. The first time I had to deal with him I actually threw him out of the school until he could learn better manners. While he's brilliant with machines his social skills are...to be honest he has the social skills of a small toddler. He has to learn even the most basic ideas of respecting boundaries, speaking respectfully to those in authority, not insulting people just because it's what he thinks is honest. It can be hard keeping up."
"I know that you're a brilliant teacher. Sure the students complain, but they learn what they need to know. I'm not questioning your teaching skills one bit. But this is a bit of a special case. Do you think you might possibly go a little bit easy on him? At least until he gets the hang of the whole being around people thing?"
"I don't think you understand. Agarthians don't have many dealings with drow, but we kobolds know them well." Vakkler looks uncomfortable. "He's not insulting by mistake. Drow are by nature sarcastic, sadistic creatures, and he's just acting by their own social standards. I don't think honesty is the problem here. And I don't think giving him special treatment will improve matters in the least. Sorry, miss." He shrugs and turns to leave.
"Vakkler, wait! I'm going to pretend really hard that you didn't just say that. Ascribing motives to a student based solely on their looks is against everything this school stands for! I thought you were better than that. Even if he is a drow, which is actually in question, Solivala is hardly a typical member of that race. He just doesn't understand how to relate to living beings. He's...like a sentient machine, really."
"And don't call me miss! As if I were a student or something! You know my name perfectly well."
"Vakkler, wait! I'm going to pretend really hard that you didn't just say that. Ascribing motives to a student based solely on their looks is against everything this school stands for! I thought you were better than that. Even if he is a drow, which is actually in question, Solivala is hardly a typical member of that race. He just doesn't understand how to relate to living beings. He's...like a sentient machine, really."
"And don't call me miss! As if I were a student or something! You know my name perfectly well."
Vakkler shifts. "I do, yes.
"Now, look, I'm not 'ascribing motives'. I'm telling you that the drow teach different morals than the Agarthians. It's thus likely that the student is unused to your social standards. I'm trying to help him learn them, and he's lashing out like a spoiled brat."
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Yes, I know the drow teach different morals...for crying out loud, you know what I am and what that means. There's not a lot of underdark that's going to be a huge surprise. Even less so for my mother who has had more than sufficient time to explore the entirety of it. And she says that Solivala is no drow. I don't disagree about the tantrums. I believe I mentioned how poorly my first encounter with him went. But the truth is he doesn't understand any living creature's social standards. I've explained to him where he was in error in his conduct. Hopefully that will fix the problem. You just need to use extra patience with him."
"Vakkler, I would much rather keep him in your class. He needs the socialization frankly. But if you won't teach him, then Mother has agreed to tutor him privately. At first I thought she was crazy to be offering such unprecedented support for him, but since he saved my daughter's life I've reevaluated considerably. Whatever he actually is, he needs our help. As an educator it is your responsibility to help your students."
"I'll think about it. Goodbye, miss."
The kobold turns and hurries outside.
Amada's eyes seem unfocused staring at nothing. Her eyes seem to refocuse when whe hears Asch. "I...I don't know I rememer drinking my water and now...I don't know I feel weak." She says weakly as she grips Asch's hand.
"Krays, can you check her for poison? She definitely has some kind of magical effect on her, but I can't pin it down to anything specific," Ephebe said, her eyes taking on their draconic appearance as she studied Amada intently.
Krays will cast status on Amada, and if it is poison, he will then immediately cast neutralize poison
Caster check:
"Hmmm...It would appear she is infected with a posion by result of a curse. I can't remove it, do you have a shell for that?"
"What do you mean a poison! Do something!" Asch growls his teeth elongation and his fingernails hardening as he grips Krays' shoulder his face reminiscent of a feral animal twisted in rage.
Ephebe fumbles through her ammo belt, finally coming up with a break enchantment shell.
"Here, we go. But it's ummm...it's one of the ones that is difficult for me to use. But I'll try.....Chill, Asch. If this doesn't work, we'll take her up to the infirmary. Somebody there can cast the spell. Now let go of Krays who is trying to help, by the way..."
Once Krays is safely loosed from Asch's grip she chambers the round and takes aim at Amada.
The spell starts to go off and then fizzles.
"Dammit! I'm sorry," she added apologetically. "Come on. Let's get Amada up to the infirmary. They'll be able to help at least."
Asch shakily releases Krays leaving small tears in his shirt. He closes both hands into fist so tightly that his fingernails cut into his palms.
"Sorry Asch..."
He'll go along with the others to the infirmary...
Raises an eyeridge
"Into an undead? How or in what way? What lead you to that conclusion?"
"Undead? What do you mean?" Asch asks quietly his mind troubled with possibilities.
"How would I know.....no.....he couldn't have found us here...."
"How would I know.....no.....he couldn't have found us here...."
"I can think of at least two ways he could have if he were really determined. Both of which spell even more long-term trouble for our side."
"Then... that leaves only my father....." Asch says quietly.
"Your father...?"
"So I guess that leads to the next obvious question. Why would he do this?"
"I mean besides the obvious reason of being evil. Most of the evil things I've run into like the two for one option: Evil and gets a goal accomplished. If this were just punishment he would have picked something that would have turned her already. So the question is, what does he want?"
"It seems to be to hurt Asch in a many ways at once..."
Comes into the infirmary carrying another student over his shoulder and holding a black bundle with a stick as far out from his body as he can.
"Hey, I don't know what this thing is, but it zapped Kinli pretty hard when he tried to examine it."
He dropped the bundle and turned around to put Kinli on one of the infirmary beds. As soon as the bundle hit the ground it broke open and a hologram sprung up.
"...Or he wants Asch to do something..."
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"...Or he wants Asch to do something..."
"Dual purpose evil. It's a thing. Like monologuing. They just can't help themselves."
"Asch, based on what happened to Kinli, I think you're going to have to go pick up those papers."
"....that...bastard.....I swear when I find you I'm going to rip your god forsaken head off!" Asch says as he takes the papers to see what's going on.
"Yeah, that should do the trick. Even vampires need a head to survive."
Asch silently stares at the papers before turning around and walking out of the infer mary. He heads towards his and Amada's room to get ready. ~How could you be so foolish! You should have known he'd try something. Now you've pulled the one person you truly care about into this. I'll go by myself that way no one else can get hurt and I can end this madness once and for all.~ He thinks to himself as he grabs extra shells and bullets from their room preparing to leave.
Ephebe looks at Krays. "So, if I had to guess, I think he's planning on leaving without us. I don't know about you, but I'm thinking we shouldn't let him."
She looked at Amada. "You going to be okay? Well, I mean aside from the obvious? It's up to you, but I think you should probably stay here. We don't know how this curse will effect you as it progresses. I mean, we know the end result if we can't stop it, but we don't know all the stops on the way. And I think it would be better for you to be here where they can help you. But it's your call."
"This seems like a well baited trap. I don't like the idea of him going alone either."
Ephebe nodded, and with Amada's agreement prepares to go.
"I'm going to buy us a little wiggle room here. I'm going to put you in an area of Slow. It'll last for a few days. Should double your time."
Once she had Amada surrounded by the magic field she prepared to go.
"Let's go grab the stuff we'll need. We're going to have a hard time catching up to Asch now, but somehow I think we'll find a way," she said with a fierce smile.
"Ok...I'll head back to the room and grab stuff and meet you out side Asch's..."
Ephebe sped away. She was a lot less worried about being in the halls alone now since she was usually traveling them at high speed.
She got to her room and threw a few things she thought she might need into her bookbag. She slung the bag over her shoulder and sped toward Asch's room. She got there just as we was leaving.
"Not so fast. We're going too. We'll have to wait a couple minutes for Krays cause he doesn't have super speed, but he'll be here. And if you're going to give me the whole noble speech about how you don't want anyone else to get hurt because of you, then stow it. We're your friends. You need our help. And we're not exactly helpless. If you try to leave without us, we'll just follow you anyways. And we can pretty much do that to anywhere. So you should just give up gracefully now. Also, I put Amada in a persistent Slow, so that should give us a few extra days."
Krays will come running down the hall...wearing a damn nice robe and wielding an ornately carved darkwood staff...that seems to be in and out of the shadows in some places...
"Ok...i'm here...whew...."
"See, Asch, I told you. And you can just forget about arguing. As a note when the Champions of Time and Death say that they're going to help you whether you like it or not, the correct response is Thank You," she said, grinning.
Nods in agreement...
Ephebe spots what appears to be a small pocket watch rounding the corner. It freezes upon seeing you, the moments pass as you stare at each other. Then suddenly the pocket watch flees down the hall at a supernatural speed its tiny limbs swinging wildly, half way down the hall a massive toll like that of a colossal bell can be heard. When you regain your senses from the sudden sound the pocket watch is nowhere to be seen, only the ringing remains.
"I have been requested to come with you."
A voice sounds behind you. Solivala was standing atop his dark cloud with a small open book in one hand titled "Classic Social Behavior" by Rylehtin'akksavith. His orbs slowly orbiting and his pocket watch sitting atop his shoulder swinging its legs with a pleased expression.
[blink, blink]
"That bell....it sounds kinda familiar...."
"And, ummm, who requested you to come with us?"
"Ryleh as she is most commonly called. She requested it, I have agreed for a time."
An orb breaks orbit to form a small tentacle that flips the page for him, it then returns to orbit resuming its former shape.
"Well....I'm not gonna say I won't argue with Grandma, cause we all know I most certainly will. But I pick my battles. Besides, if I've got a Grandma-sanctioned bodyguard then Mom will have less reason to ground me for the next century. Okay, so apparently this guy whose name I only kinda got the one time he saved my life is coming too. Umm...what's your name again?"
"I am Solivala, a Black Ring 8th Bal mage."
He takes a moment.
"I suspect that would not be common knowledge anymore. In that case a upper tier wizard."
Ranks among the Al-Sharaz mages were based on a system of "rings". A black ring 1st bal was considered the lowest rank for a Master. Only a few dozen mages held enough power to gain the rank of black ring 8th bal. Such mages were among the most powerful and only a few others held higher ranks or the ability to enforce it.