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 Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:07 am
Tucking pale strands once more behind the tip of her ear she let lose a very soft sigh of relief, happy to have not bothered him with her continuous babble. "Thank you for those kind words, and more." She flashed him a dazzling little grin before letting it fade to a gentle, though sincere smile. It was usually easy to talk to him, and she wondered if perhaps it was due to the gentle similarities she could see between them. She suspected so, but that wouldn't really change anything. She look forward to future conversations and encounters with Veryuu Lian-Hyun.
"A fool, you are not. It's not a usual thing to linger on thoughts that are so outside of your usual line of thinking." She was guessing soul magic didn't had never blossomed in his family tree. "I wouldn't expect many young fighters to think much on soul conduits until at least attending the academy for a short time." She and her ilk would be an asset to the Noble Retainer, and in time, Veryuu and the other lunarians on the path of the warrior would learn to harness that asset.
The topic of the dead was a comfortable one, and she was happy to return to it. "I value the presence of those that linger for the love of others. I have never come across any spirits of my own line, though I have had conversations with ancestors of others." It was those spirits that Shin favored, and for rather selfish reasons. As the only outlet for watchful spirits, she garnered the adoration and attention of the dearly departed, and she had grown to crave that. Neglected by her own family, but a wash in love from the whispering ghosts.
Internal thoughts had allowed her gaze to wander, and glance around them showed the crowds thinning. There was a moment where duty insisted she move on to her own classes, but she pushed it aside. She had not yet met another noble student she had found worth her time and attention, and she was loathed to let the opportunity slip away. Besides, she was ahead of the game where school work was concerned, and missing a class or two would certainly not hinder her progression in becoming a soul conduit in the near future.
Pursing lips, she returned sea foam eyes to the pale young man before. "If you don't mind my asking, where does your family reside?" Her own family owned a large stretch of land in the mountains. A large and wealthy estate with many adjoining buildings and carefully maintained gardens and ponds.
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:32 am
Amane had noticed Liu's budding disgust when he'd dropped the piece of asparagus, as if Liu thought he would just put it in the salad. That wasn't good for anyone's health, of course he'd never do that. He was amused by the thought that he'd ever do such a thing. Even his parents didn't do that, not even when it was just the three of them dining.
He had been listening to Liu talk, distracted and preparing his salad, when he let himself become mesmerize by the preparation. The next time he looked up, Lien was exclaiming something. He looked behind them: there was someone trying to remove an outer robe, which had caught fire. Amane didn't pause. He soaked a cloth in cold water, and scooped both cloth and some water into a small bowl. "I hope one of you gets enough water, I'm going to help them get the robe off." Amane said, looking behind him as he strode over to the person. He was sure they were already on their way to help, but he didn't really look; he was preoccupied.
Amane took the soaking cloth out and used it to help the person get their robe off without hurting himself, reducing the fire a little. He would have told them to simply smother the flames on the ground, but by the time he reached them they'd managed to get the over robe half off already, so it was a simple thing to separate it. He occupied himself with the fire and the others, making sure that between them the fire as well as the person were taken care of.
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 6:43 pm
.................
Someone had caught on fire. It was actually sort of funny, though Liu would never admit it for fear of sounding inconsiderate and ignorant. But really! The boy was jumping around, hopping on one foot now, and not doing a thing to try and save himself. What a poor sense of self-preservation.
Well, Liu wasn't about to let the kid die. Watching Lien freak out, and Amane grab some cold water and a towel - they were helping, and wow! They had unbelievably fast reflexes. Seeing as that was the truth, he just followed Amane's orders and sprinted over to the other end of the room. Finding a large kettle (well, now, anything would have to do at this point), he quickly filled it to the top with cold water and then blinked, moving his way quickly toward the injured student and Amane. Liu felt sort of stupid holding a huge kettle of water and doing nothing with it, so he set to work dousing the smaller fires near the student in water and handing the kettle of water wordlessly to Amane once he was finished, convinced that the other boy would know what he meant immediately.
There was still a large amount of water in the kettle - and well, Liu didn't really know how to deal with fires. Ah! Noticing the student, he fumbled with his robes, reaching into hidden pockets and mumbling, before he dragged out a rather huge bottle of ointment. It was what he used for scratches, burns, cuts - anything you could think of, and the ointment always worked.
"Here you go." Liu smiled. He had another few bottles somewhere else ...
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 7:49 pm
Cais blushed due to the compliments. "Thank you." he put, simply. Sharing information about his life with others was a relatively new concept, even after being at the Academy for so long. It was better than he could have imagined and a lot better than he had remembered from his first day. Placing his own asparagus in boiling water he turned to start another conversation, but was cut short due to hysterical yelling.
Turning slightly in his chair his eyes laid onto a boy who had somehow managed to catch himself on fire. Cais stared, but caught a good glimpse of him. "Again?" He sighed and went to move, but was shocked by the quick response of Amane. Noticing the group go to work to calm and treat the boy he planted his butt firmly back on his chair. The Lunarian in question was one prone to accidents, or so he had been led to believe, so it wasn't that out of the ordinary, at least not to him. Though admittedly when he met the Lunarian he couldn't believe he had actually cut off his own hair in swords training. He bit his lip lightly to keep from smiling or laughing, he sincerely hoped he wasn't injured... but couldn't help but find the humor in his situation.
His attention thinning from it he turned and scanned the room. Many students were still staring at the previously-in-flames boy while others were cautiously staring at their own fires. Cais wasn't bothered by it. To work in glass was to be around fire constantly. Fire and sand. That had never been a problem for him, though in this situation the fire was unpredictable adding a small sense of danger to the already foreign cooking. He stared at his equipment, wondering if he would take any of the skills with him.
Pulling his head out of his deep thoughts,he turned his attention back to Liu as he handed over a bottle to the fire victim, "That's a good thing to keep on you," he commented, holding back the secondary comment of why the instructor hadn't any herself. For that matter, why had she not been paying strict attention to her students? Something seemed off to him, but he couldn't place it. Then again, being in the cooking class to begin with was off, so he didn't cater too much into the emotion. "Are you all planning to be fighters?" he asked, posing the question to the entire group next to him. Even if they didn't answer, as someone being lit on fire was quite a spectacle, he wouldn't hold it against himself that he didn't try to socialize with them.
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 9:11 pm
ooc/ i didn't know how to catch up sooo... ;D
Isayu has fallen asleep. He realized this as soon as the shrill sound of panicked screams lifted him from the slumber he'd fallen into only a few moments before. A yawn slid past his full lips and he looked around, catching the sight of his peers trying to calmly get the poor Lunarian out of the predicament he'd gotten himself into. Eyebrows arched and Isayu ran a hand through his silvery-white hair, mussing the already permanent bedhead look that seemed to haunt him. Though it was horrible that the other had caught on fire, Isayu couldn't help but feel a laugh building up in the back of his throat, threatening to break through at any minute and make everyone believe he was as heartless as he could sometimes look.
A question pulled his attention away from the current spectacle and he focused on the Lunarian's words. "I am," He said indefinitely, once again running a hand through his hair and ruffling it even moreso. "The parents, you know. If you're not a fighter then you're a no one." He laughed dejectedly, sliding back so he could sit onto the counter closest to him. Isayu smiled lazily over at the boy that had earlier introduced himself as Cais. "And now that I've answered your question; I have one. What are we supposed to be doing?" Another laugh, his eyes glancing over at where the Lunarian-on-fire was slowly being put out. "Other than turning ourselves into fried fish."
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Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2010 11:58 pm
The sounds of a sweltering day reached Bataar’s ears as he relaxed in the shade of a large tree, just a few yards from the Academy’s training ground—cicadas sang, and he could have sworn he’d heard the liquid whisper of his own sweat trickling down his face. The memories evoked by the location brought forth helpless little smiles every once in a while, both in his eyes and on his mouth. Of course, he’d initially wanted to look serious—the kind of guy that had a strong, mysterious aura about himself—but he’d failed miserably and had ended up playing some messed-up version of tag with a few of the students lingering around. Although now the day had grown too hot for activity, and nearly all of them had disappeared.
In fact, it was probably smarter of him to return to his own dwelling in order to wait out the heat, like every other sensible Lunarian had today. Bat sighed and stood, swiping away perspiration from his forehead as he began a leisurely stroll throughout the campus, losing himself in a memory or two along the way. One particular recollection about the time he’d whacked Jianyu in the face with his boot prompted a triumphant little snort, and he almost didn’t notice the man who was standing perhaps ten feet away.
The Mongol immediately knew that the stranger didn’t belong at the Academy. There was a remarkably cold smirk on his face, and his dark eyes revealed a sort of morose amusement. His weapons looked well-made, but Bat had a feeling they were only attached to his belt as a last resort—it was evident just from the guy’s build that he much preferred breaking people’s necks with his own hands. That was the impression Bataar had gotten, anyway. A shiver ran down the fighter’s spine, and he felt himself tense up, his muscles going taut under his dark skin.
The man grinned, and then he turned on his heel and left, prompting a sigh of relief from Bataar, who hadn’t realized he’d been holding his breath. He tried to relax again, and failed, feeling much too alarmed after registering the man’s foreign presence; there had been something about him that had been entirely too ominous for the maroon Lunarian’s tastes, and Bat nearly felt sick to his stomach just thinking about it.
A sense of foreboding filled the Lunarian, and he stood in place, appearing exquisitely uncomfortable. Something was certainly wrong within the Academy.
[[ Do not reply to this yet. Just keep going as you have been. Nobody should notice Bataar yet. ]]
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 2:49 am
Cais looked beyond his group at the Lunarian boy he hadn't noticed before. Guess he must have been asleep, he thought, smiling towards him. The commotion behind them had calmed and the classroom, though on-edge, went back to a state of normalcy. Isayu's words fell on Cais with a reflecting truth, one he had witnessed several times during his Academy career. Parents were overbearing and wanted the best, which in most cases involved becoming a Fighter. He nodded in agreement to the comment.
"We're supposed to be making a cold asparagus salad, I believe." He said, thinking back to the beginning of the lesson... which he had zoned out from himself. Nervously he looked at the work he had already completed. He was getting there slowly, but even he was aware of it's sub-standard quality. "Liu and Amane helped me, I'm sure they wouldn't mind assisting you as well. Taking my advice might lead your food to resemble his robe." He said, pointing back towards the scorched Lunarian. He was merely speculating about Liu and Amane, but figured they wouldn't mind sharing their knowledge with yet another. "And besides the fried fish, you haven't missed anything incredibly exciting, unless you appreciate the complexities of boiling water." He smiled a little and stared at his boiling asparagus. "Oh!" He exclaimed, turning back to him. "I don't think I caught your name before... I'm Cais." He said, feeling he at least owed him a proper introduction.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 6:42 am
Turning his head away from the boy (who really wasn't that injured, just a little scratched up; nothing beyond first degree burns), he noticed Cais' flippant remarks. Really, then? Were there people in the academy more clumsy than him? Sure, Liu was sadly a clutz - however he was smart, and he knew that he wasn't to approach fire for any reason unless it was for cooking (which he somehow found a way to avoid accidents within). "Ah, well, I get pretty scratched up myself ..." The Chinese boy said, smiling and scratching the back of his neck. Blinking, he noticed Cais' wandering gaze towards the teacher - who appeared to have fallen asleep. Shocking. "I find it rather strange that she didn't wake up due to the ruckus~" The boy frowned slightly and murmured some reassuring words to the injured kid who stood there, still looking shocked.
Then, walking back to Cais and a new boy (hmm, he really hadn't noticed him), Liu pulled out a chair and smiled awkwardly. Ah, when it came to the Fighter issue again~ Liu was sick and tired of thinking about his career choice, but he was also too lazy to confront the Director of the school and change his classes. After all, if he didn't become a Fighter, his grandfather's dead spirit would probably come and haunt him - not to mention kick his a** for good measure. "Same here," Liu said, dryly. Whenever it came to the subject, as he preferred to call it - well, the aura around the small boy's body became almost dark. It was horribly depressing to know you were weak, and Liu also found that a reason to keep at the goal and keep working, keep fighting. "The old man's dying wish~" He muttered as an afterthought, barely aware of saying it.
Yawning slightly (boy, socializing was tiring), Liu stuck out his tongue and blinked, having remembered Cais mentioning his name earlier. "Ah, do you need help then~?" Liu said, smiling, as he propped his head upon his sleeve. Ew. It was scorched. Now his sleeve was dirty. "Also, welcome~ my name is Jing Liu."
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:59 am
Dai turned slightly pink at Lien's compliments, "I... thank you." A natural at cooking? Him? How if his brothers knew what he was doing right now, it would cause them to erupt in laughter--not something Dai would want to happen. But at the moment he did feel rather pleased with himself as Lien spoke. His ears twitched at the mention of swordplay, admittedly that was something he was good at. "I could teach you if you want." the offer came out naturally as he did not realize what he had said until it was out. He did not regret the offer but it was just a bit too direct to him, he hoped he did not appear overeager.
But this suggestion was cut off when the commotion started. Dai did not know when or why the student had caught on fire but of course the room was in panic. Dai was one of the people to panic the most. He did not show it in his exterior but seeing one boy have flames on him make him pretty nervous and he did not know what to do. Most looked as if this sort of thing happened normally! That was one thing he could not comprehend as the boy that was on fire was put out and given medical treatment. Well, that was one boy worse than cooking than he was.
Dai composed himself, his expression going back to his normal grim one. He turned to Cais as he spoke, "I'm definitely going to be a fighter." he said rather determinedly. After all, this was his self-proclaimed goal in his life, to be recognized as a brilliant fighter. He looked around afterward, curious to know who else would take the path to be a fighter. Another boy answered the question as well, who apparently was sleeping this whole time. Dai shook his head in disdain and introduced himself. "Making a salad..." he paused, remembering he needed to introduce himself to the other as well. "Hello, my name is Dai." with that he returned to his cooking tasks after seeing that the new boy was being helped by two others.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 3:34 pm
Lien relaxed as the crisis was diverted. He looked down at his vegetables, which were almost ready. He had been right, the water was far too hot to use to put out a fire, but he still felt like he hadn't been able to do enough to help, and it was a really wretched feeling. Rather than let it get to him, he went over the the boy who had caught on fire and checked him for serious injuries. Luckily, he seemed fine, and as he came back, Lien nodded his thanks to Amane. The other boy had been more able to act than Lien had, and although Lien felt like he had let someone down (invisible memories of his parents, perhaps), he was grateful.
When he came back though, they were already on another topic of discussion, career paths. Lien waited for a lull in the conversation, and then quietly offered his own plans. "Back home I used to study White Crane Shaolin. My brother and I had a teacher who mentored us, and I plan to continue my studies, eventually use a staff. in combat." His plans were predictable, once Lien was set on a path, it was hard to veer him off it. It wasn't tradition or anything so noble as that, just force of habit. His parents wanted him to serve the Nobles, but as for how he served the Nobles, he was just going to do so in the way he knew best.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 6:26 pm
Veryuu was somewhat taken aback by her smile, quite oft he had a chokehold on his own emotions, limiting physical expressions of such. However, the girl's smile rather made him rethink his stance on the matter. Inclining his head, he allowed his own lips to quirk upwards, "You are most welcome." Though he thought the thanks, truthfully, rather superfluous, something to be assumed. Then again, with the lot that seemed to fill the Academy these days, perhaps a listening ear and proper demeanor was something now less-valued than it ought to be. All the more reason to value Shin-mu as an acquaintance. She would certainly satisfy his grandparents' prattle on his viciously anti-social habits. 'You'll never meet girls that way', his grandfather was all too fond of harping. It was moments such as that when he terribly missed the closeness that he'd once sustained with his sire, yet one more grievance to add to the the list of precious people snatched by Fate's clutching fingers, greedy old crone that she was.
"Well, I try to allow my mind the luxury of many paths of contemplation, and I had thus far failed to do so in such matters." He explained, already having duly admonished himself for his ignorance, but at the same time afforded himself high praise for seeking about a remedy for the gap in his knowledge. Certainly, with Shin-mu as a friend, he would be well-schooled on the journey of a soul conduit, which at the very least, though it stirred a certain amount of sympathetic emotion within him, would also be light conversation at the dinner table for when his grandmother became unusually prying. They meant well, but the frosty teen always felt that they were trying to shatter his protective layer of ice and dig around in his innermost parts. And that was something he was unwilling to allow.
Oh gods, with her going on about the those deceased in such a manner, he felt a certain swell of hopeful elation that even he could not suppress, uncharacteristic though it be. For a moment, it arose to steal his breath, and he fumbled with the hem of his garment for a moment, attempting to tenaciously maintain composure. Surely he couldn't ask, it wouldn't be wise or fitting to make inquiries of such a personal nature. "I...sometime...I will have to speak with you of my mother and sister..." He murmured, "Though I daresay the chance you've encountered them is...low, at best..." His gaze, usually less than timid, fell as he spoke, an uncharacteristic waver touching the tones of his voice. Though the ludicrous thought had been planted in his mind that...somehow, if he could bring words from those lost to his father, it would be the first step towards reparations, and the erasure of his sins.
Now all thoughts of classes had for a moment been banished, and taking a slow breath of fresh air that hitched on the intake, almost disappointed in himself for the lapse in his defenses, yet another imperfection in his icy walls. He was going to have to remedy that. "My apologies..." Already expressing remorse for words carried on a thread of emotion and impulse. There were things that no one could make amends for, least of all living...the sort of existence where waking up each morning left a bitter taste in one's mouth.
Ah, there...a better subject, seizing upon it with a sort of relief, he nodded, "Ah, my father still resides near the mountains, at the estate that my mother's parents gifted to my parents when they were wed." Curling arms over his chest, he clicked nails softly against one another, the simple action relieving some of his tension and upset. "However my grandparents reside adjacent to the Noble District, and that is where I am to be staying as I continue my studies, as access is made easier that way." And finally, he would get to see at least passing glimpses of Haote, that at least the one, cheering fact about this entire disaster. "And you?"
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 7:58 pm
PROMPT Welcome to the Academy.
It is an extraordinarily intimidating place. Tall, white walls that seem to stretch miles high; golden trim lining the doors and the frames of each room; an imposing steel gate guarding the front entrance...it is a grand building, filled with many, many years of education, intelligence, intricate relationships...
...and secrets.
You are new to the Academy. It is your first day. You are expecting the day to go smoothly, to have a calm, yet hopefully interesting first day in the school that will train you to do what you love.
The day has been relatively normal so far. You have gone through it without noticing anything really amiss.
However.
In the midst of one of your classes, there is a large, fearsome noise, somewhat similar to an explosion. When you go to find out what has happened, you find deserted classrooms and masked strangers. The Academy is supposed to be a place of learning for all, a neutral ground where one is not afraid to mix with both Legion and Nobles...but what is this? Who are these people? What have they come here for?
...and what do they want? [ This is the second part of the prompt. Think of it in terms of both a metaplot and a "Choose Your Own Adventure" of sorts (very loosely, though). The staff characters, and perhaps even some NPC's, will be interacting with your characters to see how you respond to certain situations. Be careful to look out for their replies to you, however your roleplaying previous to this prompt should flow well with your responses after this response.
REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE ONLY ACADEMY STUDENTS!! You should NOT have a weapon, and you should NOT be particularly skilled in fighting, UNLESS it is relevant to your character's personality and history. ]
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:48 pm
Liu closed his eyes, languishing in the silence - everyone was still exclaiming about the fire-boy, and that didn't concern him anymore. He'd done what he could, and personally, Liu didn't really find catching on fire that bad. He'd caught on fire before. Though not all over his body, like the boy today; only on his sleeve, and he had a tiny scar down his arm that proved it. Either way, Liu was quite sure that he could tend to himself with the ointment. After all, his mother had made it herself, and that made the ointment fail-proof. Smiling to himself, he glanced at his companions and felt reassured - they were all such good people, filled with all types of fuzzy thoughts and happy rainbows. Or at least that's what they made him feel like~
And then he heard it.
A huge sound, a huge tremor, and the unmistakable feel of an explosion. Liu stood up in a flash, staring at where the noise had come from - a corridor to the left. It was not the corridor they had entered from, and students all over the Cooking class had paused, seemingly frozen in time. Nobody moved, and shock reigned in most of their eyes. What was the cause of it? How could the Academy be attacked? It could only be a chemistry accident - a fluke - a training exercise, Liu heard whispered remarks, and he knew no one wanted to believe it. However, if there was one thing Liu knew how to do, it was to live in reality. He had long since learned to never dream and always keep his grip in life, because people could attack you from behind so easily... and yet, the only thing Liu realized was just how weird it was that they had decided to attack when so many new students had arrived. It was bizarre.
His attention had been long diverted from any of his friend's remarks; his reflexes had come to life, Liu's eyes flitting around anxiously. Oh sure~ Liu sucked when it came to actual combat, but he sure as hell had the talents and the skills passed on from his ancestors to achieve the status of a well respected Fighter. His ancestors. A sudden burst of bravery, a quote from his grandfather: "Protect your mother. Be a man.", and Liu knew what he had to do. At that moment, he didn't care that he had no fighting skills - he didn't care that he couldn't wield a sword without cutting himself. And most of all, he didn't care that he was weak. One day, Liu would have to take the initiative, and he decided - no, he knew - that day was now.
I'm going to make you proud, old man.
Touching Lien and Amane's arms (which, god, he really didn't even get how he was starting them up this time) and motioned towards the door. "We should check on that." It was probably the coolest and most composed thing that Liu had said all day, and he was impressed with himself. Briefly. Now, he just hoped Amane and Lien would be able to lead him the rest of the way - as far as they had hinted, both had sufficient practice in fighting, and Liu knew that would help. He was quite sure they would be engaging in some sort of combat - Liu only hoped that the lessons from the old man would come to some sort of use. Looking at the other group with a quick glance, he had known that traveling around in a huge group would be like waving a sign and saying, "Fufufu~ just attack here, okay?" Oh no, he wasn't against the other students, Liu just trusted Lien and Amane the most.
Protect your mother. Be a man.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:08 pm
As if the kitchen accident was a herald of disaster, things fell apart. The second sign came in the sound of a crash so large that Lien thought it must be tearing the earth apart, and he looked around in alarm. There were no signs of incident in the classroom, besides some confusion. Doubting that what he had just heard was the signal to change classes, Lien made sure his stove was cool before doing anything. When Liu told them to go to the door, he went first. He had to protect the others, which meant he needed to make sure it was safe before anyone else. Slowly, he leaned on the door and pressed his ear to it.
Nothing but the thumping of his heart. To calm it, he thought of home, of the night sky he always saw when walking back to the house in the evening. Whatever had happened outside needed dealing with, just like the paddies had every day. But every day, he had always come home under that sky. He would see that sky again, it was the natural order of things. He believed in that more than he believed in the earth tearing apart.
With that image in his head, he slowly slid the door aside.
The halls were empty, and once again it looked like everything was normal. Lien was puzzled, but everything seemed fine, so he tentatively stepped into the hallway in front of him.
That was when he saw the first masked figure. Eyeing it carefully, Lien slowly stepped back inside. The figure looked more foreign than everyone else he had met in the school. Less approachable, more dangerous. Lien wasn't used to strangers, but the ones he had met so far never masked their faces. The figure didn't look like a student or teacher, and Lien hadn't seen anyone like that before class started. Feeling worried about his "family", he looked back at them, Amane and Liu especially. Heading over to the other two he had adopted first, he murmured, "There's a strange masked man outside."
He would do what he had to if the man turned out to be hostile, but underneath all the protectiveness he felt for his group, there were more faces in his mind, those of his real family. Though Lien's actions were as dutiful as he was raised to be, the people who raised him were making his heart ache right now. Clearly this wasn't a normal situation from the way the teacher was reacting.
He thought of the night sky and let out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding. "Should we wait here where we know it's safe, or go out and find out what's happening?" Unconsciously, he looked to Amane. Amane was the unspoken leader of this group, and Lien addressed him the same way he'd address his father in such a situation.
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Posted: Wed Aug 11, 2010 9:26 pm
The hallways were empty. Not a person in sight and it almost seemed that a forlorn breeze was running through as if to accentuate this fact. Xiu tried to hurry back to the classroom. He had left for a moment to go to the bathroom and hadn’t expected such a drastic change in the school. It had gone from welcoming to foreboding in the span of an hour.
He was nearly to the classroom when the entire school seemed to shudder. The ground rolled beneath him and Xiu tried not to shriek as he grabbed a nearby wall for support. The tremor lasted for only a moment, but the loud sound that had occurred still rang in his ears. Panting harshly, Xiu looked about wildly to find the source of the explosion. There was nothing. Only the faint smell of smoke tinged the air. What...happened?
Wishing desperately that Bai Hu was with him just then, Xiu tentatively continued to make his way down the hall. He scanned the area, completely on edge and wishing he had just stayed with all the people in the classroom. It was a relief when Lien poked his head out of the doorway. Xiu nearly called to the male when it was obvious he wasn’t seen, but the breath froze in his chest.
There, just a few doors down from his destination was a masked…man? No. The thing, person, seemed smaller. A woman then? He wasn’t sure. Xiu felt his fear spike suddenly as a few more people joined the first figure. Hunching over, he held back a whimper, telling himself to suck it up. What would the general say to him? Probably laugh. Well, Xiu wasn’t about to be laughed at by some…ghost. He’d prove himself and get back to the classroom!
His first few steps were tentative as it felt like he was being watched. Then, he was sprinting for the classroom door, trying madly not to slip. Where they chasing him? He didn’t dare look down the hall to see. He stayed focused on the door and cried out in utter relief as his hand curled into the latch.
Xiu slid the door open, flung himself into the room and into someone’s body, and then slammed the thing shut. “There’s masked peopled out there!” He hissed fanatically and unnecessarily at Lien, for that was who he’d fallen into. Face stark, Xiu trembled slightly as he white knuckled Lien’s shirt, looking worriedly at everyone around.
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