Aleks looked at the young man behind the desk and stated concisely, "I am Aleksandr Nigil, and I need to speak with the Headmaster urgently. It is very important that I speak to him as soon as possible."

He stood there expecting a flippant response or hemming and hawing about how busy the Headmaster was...

"I'm sorry, but Archmagister Fenwick is in a meeting at this time," the fellow stated. "Would you like to make an appointment?"

Aleks bent low and put his hands on the edge of the desk, gripping it tightly to keep himself from grabbing the secretary by his shirt and throwing him against the wall. Aleks leaned in and said slowly and calmly, "It is an emergency. I was sent on a mission by the Headmaster and something very baaaaaad is happening. I need you to let him know that it concerns Khione, Prince Eurus, the Princess, and many other important people. I need to speak with him, now."

Aleks did his best to keep calm wall holding back the flood and attempted to use a tone to impress upon the urgency of his issue...

The lad looked up, a frown on his face. "Again, I'm sorry, but Archmagister Fenwick is in a very important meeting with Archmagister Tomlin from Aspire. If it's so important, then I'm certain that they are discussing the matter as we speak," he replied curtly.

"Now, would you like to make an appointment?"

Aleks face paled immediately after what the secretary had just relayed to him. His fears were made manifest and again, he was in a position with seconds to make a decision. Tomlin was there either talking with a co-conspirator or was there trying to bring him over to his side. He had to get help for Khione, Chloris, and Calais soon, but it was a possibility that Headmaster Fenwick was in danger. Aleks could look for a healer or barge into the meeting to confront Tomlin but if Fenwick is already on his side, that is two wizards against one newbie Sleepwalker. He had to make a decision.

The question that ran through Aleks' mind was: Was Fenwick a pawn or a bishop? It was in fact Fenwick that had sent Khione and Aleks out on his initial foray at the behest of Jadesong Fire. But did he do it because he was complicit in the plans or providing assistance that was requested by a sovereign? There were too many unknowns.

But then everything fell away, and it became clear. None of that superfluous information mattered at that moment. He needed to get his companions healed before anything else. No matter what Aleks would need help, and he had to help them anyways. If Fenwick was not under Bael's thumb, then it is likely that if negotiations failed, there would be a fight and conversely, if Fenwick was on Tomlin's side then Aleks would still need help against the two powerhouses. So the decision was made.

But he had to attempt to warn him, "You don't understand. The Archmagister Tomlin is part of what I came to speak to him about. Do you not know what is happening to Aspire, right now, as we speak? It is being laid siege to by the Archmagister. You have to call the Headmaster and warn him, now!" From the look on the secretary's face, it becaome obvious that his plea was falling on deaf ears for whatever reason.

Exasperated but not defeated, he attempted one last plea, hoping that the strength and urgency of his final plea would at least be regarded, "I understand this all sounds crazy or maybe you think the Headmaster can handle any issues that arise, but what if I'm right? If nothing else, if you have someone, anyone that you care about on this campus, get them away from here. If you can, get away yourself. I implore you to think about yours and their safety when it turns out I am right. If you must stay, if there is any type of commotion that comes from the meeting area call any and ALL help... security, faculty, advanced students, whomever. Archmagister Tomlin was working for Bael and he is destroying his own school and Aspire at his bidding, what do you think he will do to this place if it does not go along with his wishes? I'm going around to warn others, quietly."

Aleks quickly left the area to head to the healer, to vie for their assistance with his friends. He had lied at the very end, in case Fenwick was with Tomlin, it would be harder to nail down where Aleks was heading. But Aleks had a small ray of hope because it looked like in the end, he may have gotten through to the secretary, if but a little consideration.

OoC
*1st roll was to convince secretary to interrupt the meeting & 2nd was to get the secretary to save himself and anyone he cares about.
12:21, Today: Aleksandr Kai'Amari Nigil failed (no successes) using 4d10. {Pres + Persuasion}.
12:43, Today: Aleksandr Kai'Amari Nigil rolled 1 success using 4d10. {Pres + Persuasion}.

The young mage behind the desk looked slightly alarmed, but it probably had more to do with Aleks' passionate demeanor than with the lad's words, of which the apprentice remained dubious.

He seemed relieved when Aleks finally left.

Soon enough Aleks found the infirmary, where another young attendant was working dilligently. She was shelving bottles and facing the labels. "Hi," she said cheerfully as Aleks walked in.

Aleks said, "Miss, I need your assistance. There is an emergency and several people are in dire need of healing. I know this is very abrupt, but could you please follow me? Because they are hurt so badly that it seems in their best interest not to move them, please help?" Aleks stood there pained, as he waited for her response.

Roll Manip + Persuasion.

16:13, Today: Aleksandr Kai'Amari Nigil rolled 1 success using 3d10. {Man + Persuasion

"Oh, ok..." the young woman said. She seemed somewhat hesitant to leave her post, but it was an emergency, after all...

She followed Aleks.

Aleks led the young woman back to his room and opened his door. He motioned for her to go in and looked at the two women on his bed and the sword form of Calais off to one side. "We were just in a battle at Aspire and just barely made it out of there. Please help them. One was hit by craft attack through a scion in eidolon form. The pink-haired woman was already unconscious when we met up with her, unfortunately. And that sword over there is the eidolon form of her brother," he said as he pointed at Khione, "Please, hurry and help them." The last statement coming out less like a command and more the quiet plea of a child in earnest.

Tears threatened to come, but Aleks stayed strong as he followed the woman to the bed and stood beside his mentor.

Once she saw the "emergency," the medic was definitely more motivated to assist. She quickly moved to Khione and Chloris, producing a glowing vial of liquid from a pouch on the inside of her robe. After pouring a bit on either of their foreheads, she moved to the weapon form of Calais.

"I'm not sure what to do...," she admitted. "My spell cannot fix this damage..."

After a few moments, Khione and Chloris started to awaken.

"What do you mean? Do you need him in human form? Or do you know someone who can heal him?" Aleks asked her in quick succession, worrying for Khione's brother.

When he saw Khione and Chloris stirring, he walk over to Khione and knelt beside the bed waiting for her to fully rouse...

The young woman shook her head, a bleak expression on her face. "There is no biomass to heal. I'm afraid that he requires Craft far greater than mine," she said.

"I... do not know of such a healer."

Chloris begain to stir. "Uggnn..." the knight groaned.

Biomass? Aleks thought to himself. He knew what the word meant in mundane scientific terms, and it didn't completely make sense. He silently surmised that it must have a different significance in regards to healing magicks and humans or maybe just Scions. Before he could ask her to explain, Chloris was waking.

He watched her as she groaned, before he asked, "Chloris, are you OK?" Genuine concern was noticeable in his tone.

Her eyes fluttered open after a few moments, and she struggled to sit up. "W-What is this place?" she asked, clearly confused from the ordeal.

Aleks got up and walked over to Chloris and clasped her hand, "It's... ok. You're ok. We are at Sorcery Collegium Budapest. I brought you here with Khione and Calais. You were knocked out when we got to the throne room. You three were all badly injured. But we have another problem... I'll wait to explain as soon as Khione wakes up."

"What do you remember?" He asked Chloris.

"I remember... Jadesong... Bael..." she replied. "Did we win?"

It was Khione's turn to stir.

Aleks gently patted her hand as he made to stand as he said, "If you can call it that. When Lamia and I got back from the Vault, you were unconscious and the army was destroyed. Khione was about to give in to his demand but I talked her out of it. By making a huge sacrifice, I was able to relinquish his hold on me and my soul, so she didn't have to go through with the marriage. We ended up fighting Masamune and Bael; he almost obliterated me completely, but Khione saved me and was badly hurt in the process. Eventually, we were able to destroy Jadesong-Bael. Calais is in bad shape because of the blast that he took, and this healer said that she can't heal him, so I don't know what to do. I gave up my mage..." Aleks was cut off mid-sentence and quickly went around to the other side of the bed as Khione stirred.

"Are you ok?" He bent down as he asked Khione and tried to help her sit up.

As soon as Khione woke up, and Aleks helped her sit up straight, her body began to emit a warm glow. She was trembling. "I... I feel like I'm on fire," she uttered through partially clenched teeth. Her eyes were shut, but even through the lids, Aleks could tell that they were glowing brightly.

The bed started to shake, trying to levitate off the ground, as well as various small objects in the room. A desk chair hit the ceiling, along with writing utensils and a lamp. A wind began to stir, chilly in contrast to Khione's burning skin.

"My... ring.... I need it," she managed.

Aleks could feel the heat emanating from her as the cool wind whipped through his room. His head snapping in various directions as he watched the items being tossed about.



Aleks quickly responded by pulling her ornate ring off of his pinky and placing it into the palm of her hand which was now in his. He enclosed her fist inside his own and held her hand in both of his for a moment. He waited with breath held as she fixed whatever was happening to her.

He could only surmise that it wasn't too unlike the effects of what happened when Chalice had forced her incomplete goddess form before. That time it was killing her but now that she was an Ascendant, maybe her focus was needed to keep in check her abilities that she was still not quite fully ready to wield. It was only speculation, but he waited... hoping for resolution.

Khione took the ring and after a moment, things calmed down. The winds stopped, levitating objects fell back to the floor, and Khione reverted back to her appearance before her forced Ascension. She slid the ring back on her finger for the time being. "I-I'm on the verge of true Ascension," she said quietly. "My focus also acts as a seal... To keep the goddess bound, my soul suppressed."

After another moment of deep breathing, collecting herself, Khione added, "This is... Budapest. Why... here?"

He took in what she was saying, and it aligned with his previous hypothesis. He responded to her question, "After you and Calais saved me from having my existence obliterated, you were knocked out and both of you looked terrible. After trading a few more blows with Bael Shiva, I finally unleashed the killing blow with Lamia's aid. His ichor... his blood, was like lava that was creeping towards you three. I asked Lamia for a portal out of the throne room and once I gathered you three up, I got all five of us through the portal as fast as I could. I didn't have time to grab Masamune with the situation we were in, and I didn't take the chance of seeing if Muramasa could drink the ichor for a couple reasons. When I realized where we were, I put on the only clothes I could find and went to look for the Headmaster and a medicant," Aleks sighed before he bagan again, "We have several issues to contend with. One, this apprentice does not know how to heal Calais. Two, Ethan and Lorei might be in trouble because he is no longer answering my messages. Three, I don't know where Lamia and Mistral Star have gone. Four, I don't know for certain if Masamune was destroyed by Bael's ichor. And lastly and probably the biggest issue, Tomlin is here in a meeting with Fenwick."

He paused for but a moment to let her drink that all in but quickly got back to business, "You have a decision to make because whatever choice you make, I am here to follow your lead. We don't know if Fenwick is already working with Tomlin or if Tomlin is here to convince him to join him. Sooooo... are we going to go confront Tomlin, find a way to get back to Aspire to help Ethan and Lorei, find someone to heal Calais, or is the first priority to get back to the throne room to clean up the mess and get you on your throne? What are we going to do?"

Aleks stood ready to follow the orders of his mentor, friend, and sister...

Khione's eyes tightened closed. The woman was clearly frustrated. "I...I don't know what to do," the normally collected knight quietly admitted. "It's too much..."

For the first time ever, Aleks witnessed Khione break down in sobs. She covered her eyes as her body shook, and she yelled through her tears.

"What do you want from me, Aleks?! Everything I knew was a lie! My master betrayed us all!" she said, "Tomlin is almost certainly here to either kill or recruit Fenwick, if they aren't already allies, and unless this sword can be effectively reforged, my brother is dead!" Khione agressively waved her hand, indicating the ruined Ame-no-Murakumo. Then there was hex-spill surrounding the throne of Eurus, the throne she was supposed to be claiming at that very moment.

"I don't have all the answers, Aleks. I...I.. don't know..."