Welcome to Gaia! ::

Micha'el stuck closely next to Lottie, who was similarly staying close to him. They were like siblings with how close they had become since meeting at Hope Academy. Lottie could remember when he first arrived. He was a pale young boy who woudln't talk to anyone. At first she thought he was afraid, or was being bullied. But instead he chose not to talk to anyone. After weeks of relentless effort she finally got him to accept her, and ever since he's been more open to friends. She's also the only other person that knows his secret, the only one that would ever believe him when he says he had a brother than tried to destroy Non-Magic Earth. He says no one remembers because... it never happened. But she trusts him. He looked happy here though, the sighs of this city were captivating everyone, even Alexis was joining in with the girls from Merlin. Lottie couldn't help but be slightly jealous, all those girls from Merlin were so intelligent, they could weave clothes from magic or could synthesize them from chemicals.

The conversation almost went dead after Ivan replied to Laxion. His eyes searched in front of him until Lumina finally said something, "Big fan, by the way". She sounded like she was being deadly serious, but there was an edge like she was trying to contain herself. Lil P' then chimed in wwhilst surprising Laxion, who didn't realise he was there. "Yeah" he said, "she particularly thinks the dark haired one is particularly attractive"
"P'!" she retorted, but he rolled his fiery eyes. Laxion at the moment was filled with a strange chill followed by a heatwave, did she mean Nyru? How awkward. "Y-you mean Nyru?"" he let out a small chuckle "he's uh, actually taken"
"BY HIM!" Alexis could be heard shouting back, Lumina, upon realisation let out a laugh too and covered her face as if embarrassed. "Goodness who'd have known"

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Exiting on the other side of the city it was like coming to a new scene entirely. Where the fields and woods were greener on the west, on the east side of the city everything have a steely blue reflection to it, or a ghostly faint glow. The forest was dense, save for some clear spots under the canopies. Some roots of trees glowed a luminescent blue. It wasn't like a dark, dank forest at all, more like a forest kissed by twilight where the sun couldn't reach. Atop a cliff Lucas came to a stop and the groups were told to hush. "I do hope you're all ready to be paired!" Lucas announced. Another silence fell over the team as the forest waited below the cliff and off into the distance. Alexis was first with her academy. "Wizards! Scientists!" she began, her hands firmly resting behind her back covered in luxurious blonde hair, "As you've always been taught, you're expected to adapt! Your pairings will be random!" there was a bout of whispers suddenly as Alexis raised her hand high into the air and with a snap of her fingers a blue light flickered. Moments later a web of blue lines appeared between the students, to find their pairs they had to unravel the web and find where their line led.

Laxion thought about how he could go about this, staring at the group fo students before him he thought about using military standards like he was used to in the Asmodius Corps. But he coudln't do that to them, he was never even a student here how would he know what to do. Then he remembered, what would Ruby want? Was it by chance that at that same moment he caught a glance at someone ina red cloak and hood. At first he thought it was her, his chest imploded but after a few moments he gave into what he knew, shes gone he told himself. Swallowing, he took a firm stand and spoke up, "I understand you're a school of honing your own specific areas of strength, and that uniqueness and personal choices mean everything. I want you to pair with the person of your choice, keeping in mind your ability to fight together and learn from eachother." It wasn't long until some obvious pairings were made, like Lottie and Micha'el who seemed to glue themselves even more tightly with eachother as if to warn everybody else that they were taken.

Nyru, with Claudia, wondered how to pair their students. They were standing in an organised group, like well trained soldiers without the faceless helmets and standardised armour. It was good to see Ravencrest starting to show uniqueness in it's students now, with different weapons and armour from each other. But they all acted like true adults still - to be expected of Ravencrest at least. "Got an idea?" he asked Claudia at the chest pieces standing before them.

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Once all the pairs were made attention moved back to Lucas, who finished the announcements of their first mission. "This mission is to set an example of your skills and abilities for the future tasks lying ahead. In this forest are many metallic orbs consisting of varying colours, it is your mission to track these down, and after claiming one for your pair, return to this cliff safely. As with any mission, this forest is by no means meant for children. As you should know from your independent research Otherearth is faced with the threat of the Vardent, incredibly powerful and deadly creatures of nature. Once this is over you're free to explore Evermoon City. Good luck Students

Nyru was still astonished when she looked up to him with a smile, the memory was sweet. He always fondly remembered the days he grew mature with Claudia, the two had been at odds daily to begin with, but it soon developed into a loving friendship. Now nothing could separate them. "Our Shadow Beasts" he muttered quietly, looking out to the students now looking down at their shadows. With a grin he exhaled threw his teeth and leveled his eyes on her, "it's been a while since we've used that technique... maybe here we can" he looked up and over to the expansive forest.

It wasn't long till the pairs were all made and they were ready to take on Lucas' mission. "Any last words?" Lucas asked, and as if she was biting her lips to keep quiet Alexis' voice sudden burst out "Lets show 'em what we can do! If you all get back first dinner's on me!". As if like a wick catching fire Laxion watched from his squadron and clenched his fingers tightly into his palms. There had always been friendly rivalry between them, but this was bigger game! Laxion's tone suddenly become more like an army general, taking the lead and giving the order, "I may not have been a Hope graduate, but believe me when I say you're going to leave those walking calculators in the dust! Don't let them relish in your failure!" there was suddenly an uproar from both small armies. Nyru and Claudia on the other hand stood silently, with their students, watching as if it was all petty. There was a moment of excitement though that could be seen on both Claudia and Nyru's lips, like vipers ready to strike in the shadows as they exchanged a glance. Turning towards the Ravencrest students, Nyru didn't have to shout, he only said "you know what to do".

Lucas pulled out the Purevelion blade, the hilt was the only part visible, the rest vanishing out of existence in sunlight. But sometimes there was a glimmer reflecting angelic light across the grass. He turned around to face the cliff's edge and when he lifted his hand up the dozens of orbs materalised at his palm, glowing vibrantly. In another second he striked them with his invisible sword and they all went soaring through the sky and into the forest, waiting to be found. With that the students were free to go! It was an organised chaos just then, Lucas though stood seemingly unphased by the students running past him, whipping over head, flying through the air on arcane magic. Some ran down the cliff, some devised ways of flying to reach the far orbs first. Micha'el and Lottie however were one ofd the few left at the end. They didn't have recoil to propel them into the air, nor the speed or endurance to run down the cliff. They had the Aria. "ready Lottie?" Micha'el asked, she gave a nod. Micha'el pulled out the Aria and let it hover before him, the pages opened and skipped through to a specific page before it began to glow and plant white lines and runes onto the floor. After a few more moments the light dimmed and vanished. He clapped the tome shut and suddenly a wispy white essence like pure clean smoke, glowing white, trailed around his neck, then down to the floor and hopped past Lottie until suddenly it got larger and larger. It didni't stop until it was twice the size of Micha'el and with a hush the essence blew away, revealing a wonderful white feathered Gryphon. With a wink and a wave to Laxion, Lottie jumped on and with Micha'els command they were both soaring into the distance.

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"Over there!" Lottie pointed out towards the ground, there was a glimmer of light reflecting through a tiny gap in the tree canopy. "Did you see one?!" he asked, she nodded, "definitely! Let's go down before someone else finds it!" Micha'el didn't get the chance to command the beast down before she was leaping up and over one side of the Gryphon and falling. Micha'el rolled his eyes and stirred the animal down. Below, the forest was silent and harmonic, a slight hum resonating the magical energies of the Star Elves' existence on this place. There was a rustle, and suddenly Lottie appeared beneath the leaves. She grabbed a branch and swung, letting go and landing on the ground securely. She was shortly followed by Micha'el on the Gryphon. The moment it touched the ground it's body washed away into white aura as Micha'el walked up. They had found themselves in a grotto, surrounding them was the clear forest, it wasn't actually too dense, but before them was a small pond with water gushing out a crevice in the rocks. Beneath the water was that glint of light again. "Found it!" she announced, jumping forwards to the ponds' edge. But as she did the water groaned. "uh... wut?" she tilted her head.

The water rippled and it began to curl round and round as if something swam in circles. From the water then spawned a creature like a snake with draconic features. A minature serpentine dragon made from glass-like skin, tinged slightly blue, with no limbs. It was giant, and it's battlecry was too.

"Charlotte!!!!" Micha'el yelled out in a plea that she might dodge the monster's attack. It's long and thick tail came down inches from her body as she jumped away, it crashed into the ground,w ater and dirt flying up into the air as it let out a dragon-like growl. Lottie pulled out her glaive and dived in for an attack on the Wyrm's tail! The monster felt the sting and almost immediately whipped it's tail into her gut, sending her soaring past trees and boulders. "No!" Micha'el's gut twisted seeing her hit so hard, so eh retaliated with the Aria's power. Letting the book hover behind him he brought his forearms together to form a shield before him, a holy white cross appeared and defended from the blast of magical aura exploding in his face. When it cleared, two white-steel hand crossbows formed from glowing white aura at his fingertips, the bolts were white-hot divine light. Shot after shot the wyrm took a bolt along it's slender body.

I have to help!, with every piece of enery she could find she ran back through the woods and closer back to Micha'el and the monster. When she got there she jumped up into the air and shouted "IRON MAIDEN!" The call was like a trigger and Micha'el stopped immediately. The crossbows vanished and the Aria floated in front of him, with a push of his hand a white light shot towards the snake, the ground lit up with runes and magical circles untl suddenly shackles of white light were holding the beast down. From above, Lottie threw her weapon with a mighty cry and trailing behind it were the spectral blades of fallen soldiers. When the glaive hit it shot straight through the creature's glass-like skin, and then the dozen other blades followed through too. The body fell limp. Slowly the wyrm's skin burned away with blue fight, and the magical essence within itself lingered like a ghostly aura. "Oh right!"
"that was too easy" Micha'el admitted, stepping up to the pond again as Lottie walked into the shallow water to grab the orb. "That thing wasn't a Vardant, we should hurry before we get a chance to meet one"

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"Here are your trackers" Lucas came to the gathered adults and gave them small glass devices. Lumina took hers and looked it over, looking at the front and then the back before copying Alexis and pulling on the sides to stretch it bigger. Lucas, ignoring the sound fo a few minor explosions in the background, explained "when the students were given their crystal balls as keys to this mission, they were also linked to these. You can keep check on their vitals to make sure they don't come into any real danger." Laxion was already scrolling through, and Nyru saw that he was quite eager. "Who are you looking for?" he asked, but Laxion sort of made a funny noise and a weird face, "I... I'm not sure. Who is the girl with the red cloak? I can't find her on here". Alexis almost gulped, "... red... cloak?, it was like they were soldiers suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Alexis shook off her thoughts just as Laxion had done a while before. Well, or it was having to purposefully take a step away from Ivan who seemed to be pretty close to her blonde locks of hair. Lumina looked up, "She's one of the Hope students, I have never taught her before though... but you're right, she isn't on the list of students here. Is the system up to date with the last minute entries?"
"It's impossible to not be" Lucas confirmed. Lumina could remember that look the girl gave her on the ship, a chilling stare that felt like she was staring into her soul.

Micha'el and Lottie were running through the forest attempting to get back to base, but that cliff felt like miles away. Flying over the canopy was much quicker than going underneath like they have to do now. Trees whipped past, they launched over large roots that stuck out the ground and they ducked under the odd wisp now and again that got in their way like a giant blue firefly. "What d'you think these are for anyway?" Lottie asked, running alongside Micha'el. He gave her a short glance and hopped, "I think I might have overheard Lumina and that creepy teach say something about teams."
"So we're half of a complete team?"
"That would appear to be the idea". A sound roared out above anything else around them just then, it made both of them widen their eyes in disbelief, it must be a pretty big Vardent to make the ground vibrate.

"That is true" Lumina buried her chin in her fist, unsure of what to make of this information. Lucas watched over, seemingly working everything out in his head, "It's a possibility she doesn't have either of us, but I can't remember the last time that's happened. Either way, Lucas was r-" the sudden yelling of a familiar voice coming from below the clifftop broke her concentration as they all looked up. Tsuna. "...Trouble?" Laxion repeated, taking a step forwards and looking down at Tsuna, she was almost as small as a bug. "Who is?!" Alexis yelled back, meanwhile Lumina scrolled through her device with Vince, yet neither of them could find someone in mortal danger, everyone's levels were safe. "Laxion, Vince" Lucas ordered, and with a knod "go". He need say no more as Laxion returned a nod and a short glance at Vince before throwing himself over the cliff edge. A flurry of air exploded behind him as he spun out his double-sided spear. Within moments he was on the ground with Tsuna. He waited for Vince before going ahead to follow Tsuna.

"WOH!" Micha'el was stopped dead in his tracks when a blue glowing spear shot past his head and embedded itself into a tree trunk beside him. He lost balance and dropped down to hit butt when he heard the laughter of another student. "HEY, THAT'S RUDE" Lottie shouted, somewhere across the way. Micha'el looked up and said two students, one has cylinders filled with electricity on his back, whilst the other seemed to have an assortment of glowing spears on her back. Merlin students Micha'el muttered. "We can't let you get back before our school does!" the long haired blonde winked with a gesture as if to salute. "I don't think attacking us is part of the rules" Micha'el let out as he brushed himself down. But this time the boy replied, he had messed up spiky white hair and giant gauntlets, "who care's about the rules! We're in a forest with monsters! Hey, Sersay, maybe we shoudln't waste our time on these shrimps", the girl chuckled innocently, looking oddly kind. Lottie wondered if she was just letting him act like a bully because she was oblivious to it or stupid. Micha'el said "I think you're wildly mistaken."
"YEAH!" Lottie let out with a power fist in the air. But the scientist with the wacky hair got ahead of himself, yelling out something vague and then pulling back his fist. When he released his body shot forwards as if dragged by his fist towards Lottie's face. Micha'el blinked, and suddenly the boy's fist collided and was glued with a glowing white magic. Inches from her face. Lottie stuck out her tongue and lifted up her glaive, an attack faster than he could see burst his left mechanical fist as it shattered to the floor. He still couldn't move, as if completely syndicated. Sersay let out an irritated groan and ran over to him, whilst Lottie and Micha'el walked by without a care.

Alexis turned to Lumina as the boys ran with Tsuna, "is it possibly someone could have stolen an orb from one of your students?". But Lumina seemed taken aback, "... I don't believe so. None of our students should have left campus before we left after getting the acceptance orbs."
"Could someone have come to campus?" Lucas asked calmly, to which she responded "why... yes. It's quite plausible". Alexis and Lumina seemed to suddenly tense, whilst Lucas remained calm and looked back over the canopy. He was filled with a strange sense of uncertainty, as if something was happening above his control. But for now... it was who, or what? And more importantly why? He would only act when he needs to, for now... he would like to control the situation and keep it down low.

There are more pressing matters for him to be worrying about...

Laxion and (omg im SOOOOOO sorry i called him Vince, it was late at night crying sweatdrop ) Ivan ran past Verdant and strangely no students, they must have spread out farther for the orbs. Good, Laxion thought, at least if there was a real threat here they won't get involved. But the pesky Verdant, they hid amongst nature, as bark or roots and whipped out to get a scrap of you when you least expected it. Ancient beasts, he had to remember, they were on this world since its first breath of life - they aren't to be underestimated. When they finally got to the area that Tsuna ran from they didn't need to be convinced that something deadly was here. Way up a cliff face where the forest continued they could see a ghastly gas, it looked poisonous. Laxion observed every aspect of the cliff-face, Ivan was correct, he wouldn't get up there quick enough.

Laxion tilted his head as if weighing up an idea, as if he was going to do it anyway but Ivan might not be happy. With a spin and a thud Laxion held out and stamped his spear into the ground beside Ivan, "hold this" he said, leveling his gaze on him, "hold tight". Once Ivan had a tight hold Laxion's grip tightened and the spear's head shot up and way over the cliff's edge at the summit. Once the metal rope tightened Laxion' let go and the spear erupted from the ground and whipped up to meet it's other half on the cliff, taking Ivan with it. Laxion coudln't help but grin as he watched Ivan's rag-doll body fly up. He'll land properly, he hoped. Otherwise why would he be on this trip. Flinging his arms back he released a torrent of energy that propelled him up and over the cliff. By now he had forgotten if Tsuna was still with him, but the monster up ahead was huge, yet it wasn't moving. And atop it was a girl wrapped in red with a white sword, accompanied by a darkness on it's edges. Squinting, Laxion looked confused - this girl, she took it down all by herself? "Hey!" he said, "you there! What happened?"

((listening to Wings from RWBY :'( ))

Laxion hit the floor and was suddenly beneath Ivan who used himself to get Laxion out of harm's way. Blowing out from his lungs and staring at the man in the eyes in surprise he waited for Ivan to get off and attack. But when the two of them stood up the student had already decapitated the monster with a clean cut followed by beautiful petals that flew away in the breeze, following the head that rolled down the cliff. Laxion watched it tumble down closer and closer to Tsuna. When he turned back a feeling in his chest made him stutter. Everything blurred, he felt sick, his stomach was twisting and his eyes felt like they were spiraling. But the girl stood out crystal clear. He thought he heard Ivan say something to her but he couldn't hear that either. There was a clang as Laxion's spear hit the ground and rolled against Ivan's foot. Was he holding it? Laxion couldn't remember. Did he still have hands? He couldn't feel them, or his feet for that matter. When he let out a small gasp he knew his knees hit the floor, they were too wobbly. He looked pale, white as if he'd just seen a ghost. He let out a broken sigh, shaky but he gritted his teeth together tightly, blinking and recollecting himself. HE squinted, looking behind him trying to ignore it, trying to convince himself that this wasn't real. He didn't want it to be real, even if his heart did he knew, she could not be her. Ruby was dead.

And this was cruel.

This pain... it hurt so much. If this was the torture of seeing someone you were close to back from the dead, then he did not want it. Taking in a huge breath again he looked up at the student ahead, "R-" he bite his teeth again, he coudln't say it. Didn't want to but he had to. That sword. It pulled his voice tighter, his eyes got blurrier just thinking about it, those petals, it was Ruby's! No one elses! "...Ruby?" he asked. His eyes stared deep into her soul, "Ruby- is... that you?" he squinted again, twisted his head and finally looking back at her again, "P-please?"

Laxion didn't pay much attention to the fainting Vince beside him, he did watcht eh petals go by him though and wondered why she wanted them to be alone. But a she approached they were at similar heights and he felt more confused than ever. Her touch, he knew it was her. In reply he managed a feeble "half" of a year, "... why, Ruby-" She apparently wanted to confirm that used to be her name. She even commented on it's difference to what could be anew name she's adopted for herself. She offered him the chance to call her Ruby though, for being old friends. Through his blurry eyes though he managed to stop himself from crying anymore. "...old friends?" he asked, not replying to her last comment yet. "Y-you loved the name we gave you?" Laxion then stood, wiping away his tears and commanding his spear to fly up to his hand. He swallowed. "Ruby... what happened to you? You died. And now- now you're calling yourself Euphemia? We mourned you for months, why didn't you contact us or- or done something? The Guildeam even erected a statue of you in Neutral City."