Dangerous Lessons: Outside the Ruins

[Calahrena Tanillis]

Calahrena and Egeria had been gliding over the parameter of the ruins. Since Lysander had stayed on the ground the duo had decided it would be best to take to the air again. Luckily both had studied quite a bit of magic and did not have to find a high place to take off from. It cost Egeria a bit of energy but it was worth it to get the desired height in a lesser period of time. The first thing they had taken note of was the instructor coming back to the outside. The Winged Sentinels thought it a bit curious that he had not stayed with his students. They surmised that it must be part of the lesson, and they had been ordered not to interfere too much, not unless someone was in imminent danger.

The ruins would be too tight for Egeria to enter, but Calahrena wished she had. Kione was skilled but she would have felt better if she’d been able to join him in the ruins. They would undoubtedly split into groups and it would have been nice to have two agents to spread around and try to find the assassins before they struck.

Not long after the instructor had exited the ruins the two noted others coming out as well. First it was two people Calahrena did not know, and then the centaur. Both wondered why they were already coming out, they could not have possibly explored the entirety of the ruins yet.

“Paris is not with them,” Egeria intoned, “We should go check it out.”

“Agreed,” Calahrena responded.

There might not have been anything amiss, but they would have been remiss not to ask. The reason they were there after all was to make sure the Duke’s son was protected. Egeria tucked her wings in and dropped a bit before spreading them again and riding the currents. Griffins were one of the few species that could actually perceive the air currents naturally.

In mere moments Calahrena steadied herself as Egeria made a smooth landing, her silver black-tipped wings flapping as she did so.

The two did not speak with one another as they approached the group. When they were within hearing distance, since they had landed just a little ways away so the wind did not buffet the students, Egeria spoke. Both had caught sight Avera's cut, and taken note of the centaur's limp. Obviously there had been some sort of accident. Calahrena surmised that the boy must have just offered to bring the girl out, as he appeared fine.

"What happened? Where is everyone else?"[/b

[Kione and Zandyr]

By the time the Sentinels land Zander has already gone up to the group as well, peering into the ruins every so often just to make sure Kione or Paris weren't coming out. He strained his ears, but didn't hear anything bad. The instructor was healing them in turn, first Siwel and then Avera. None of them seem alarmed, even those who are injured. Zander had asked them already if Kione was hurt and they'd said no, and then if Paris was and they seemed to think that was odd, but said no again. Then Calahrena is asking her question as well.

“I tripped” Siwel says.

“I picked up an old knife.” replies Avera.

[Calahrena Tanillis]

Calahrena nodded as they answered Egeria’s question. She figured Lysander would have a grasp on the situation, but if anything had happened he could not go into the ruins as adeptly as she could.

“You must be more careful,” Calahrena said dismounting Egeria in a deft motion. She did not have her lance with her but her sword was sheathed on her waist. Thinking for a moment Calahrena decided to ask a few more questions before she decided whether to go in or not. Accidents could happen, true, and it sounded innocent. But the assassins would be skilled. No doubt they would want to weed out the students without leaving a trail of death behind them. “I assumed you broke into groups? Whom was paired with whom?”

[Siwel]

“I am careful.” Siwel respond. Centaurs are known to almost always keep their feet. They don't have hooves like a horse as many think they should, but their feet are cloven and thus they have better balance and climbing abilities. “I don't know what happened. I didn't feel myself trip on anything, but suddenly I was falling.” He gives a little shrug. He has no reason to think foul play was at work or that there is an assassin among them. “I was on a team with Rineth, Ileemi, Menora, and Paris. The others were all together.”

[Calahrena Tanillis]

Calahrena nodded as the centaur spoke. He did not understand why he tripped which led her to believe what she suspected. The assassin was at work. Kione was still inside, but he was not with Paris. The Ravnirav boy was with him, but even still. The assassins would have split up no doubt. Two people from both groups had taken wounds of some sort. Avera did not say she was suspicious of what happened to her but if Calahrena was willing to gamble she would have bet one of the assassins had made sure she cut herself and had relied on Tristal’s gallant nature to escort her out. Her restlessness, doubled with the fact Kione had somehow managed not to be on the same team as Paris firmed her decision.

Since they had been in two groups however, Calahrena assumed they went in two different directions. “My lord,” she said looking at Tristal, remembering his noble station, “Come with me and we’ll make sure nothing has happened to your other friends.” Without waiting for his consent, she went passed them muttering a spell that would allow her to see in the dark without needing a torch.

[Tristal]

Tristal thinks Calahrena is being over reactive. Why would anything else have happened to the others just because Siwel tripped a little or Avera picked up a dangerous item that cut her? Both injuries are so minor they're already healed. Tristal is pretty sure the rest of them can take care of themselves and if something more happens they have friends ready to help them out, just as he did for Avera. He only did that because she too is prone to overreacting, but in the opposite way of saying she's fine and letting it get infected out of some strange fear of weakness. He doesn't think being smart is being weak. He does not follow the rider. He sees no reason to, and doesn't have to follow her orders. She didn't wait to discuss the matter with him, and he's not going to chase her down to explain himself either.

[Siwel]

Siwel has already healed and sees Tristal is not going to follow the rider. Siwel can never be a rider for obvious reasons, but he had entertained notions in his childhood of being in the Falourn cavalry. He went the way of the mage instead, but he could still join the cavalry in a few years if he so desired. As good as the griffons are, they're numbers are low and they can not win any war or defend the region alone. Siwel could tell that the rider was annoyed or worried, maybe both. So he picked his staff back up and followed her back into the ruins. Maybe it's nothing, maybe it's something. Either way his grade requires him to be in there exploring.