While the students chattered and theorized away, Elara folded her arms across her chest and listened to Caldwyn’s response, his hand lifted in warning to keep the Queen calm. “Can you be sure that whoever or whatever came through the portal is following Cyne? Truly? I assume you’ve sent someone out in search of whoever sent the pulse?” Elara nodded her confirmation to Caldwyn’s statement, blue eyes glittering icily in annoyance as the mage inhaled a deep breath and then loosed it, deciding not to prod the vampire Queen’s anger any further. Instead he turned to his students once more and walked among them, leaving Elara to lean her hip against the door frame and observe still. For awhile, she didn’t really notice what they were talking about until she caught a few choice words from a few young ones and the pieces slid into place. The Sundering. Caldwyn wanted to attempt to reverse the Sundering... but... would that re-activate the portal if it was destroyed first?<br/><br/>The Queen opened her mouth and made a few steps forward to speak but was startled to see almost every young eye turn up and gaze at her in surprise. The students hadn’t realized she was there just yet and now they watched her. Fear was on their young faces, as if they knew she disapproved but dared not speak against her about it. Elara sighed and folded her arms to look at Caldwyn again. “You do realize that what you’ve just had them proposition is impossible, do you not?” She asked gently, rather than railing at the elder, hybrid of vampire and human mage both.<br/><br/>“I think not, my queen. Because the portal still works, which means there is still a flow of magic in this realm, despite how hard it would be to tap into it and use it to undo the effects to our environment.” Caldwyn responded, his manner seeming more excited than he was before as he considered the possibilities of a fully enchanted Arcadia once more. “Vampires would have to adapt to the environments changes while mortals who have stumbled into our realm would flourish, but one day, our species may live alongside mortals and not be seen as so different or to be feared of, my queen.”<br/><br/>“There’s a problem with your plan, Caldwyn.” Elara looked directly at Cyne as she spoke. “We have to destroy the portal. The council wants any bridge between us and the other realm sealed. They fear mortals learning of our weaknesses if whoever or whatever came through late last night is permitted to return. They want it destroyed as soon as possible.”<br/><br/>Caldwyn’s brows lowered at the thought of damaging a conduit to magic that most had to strain years to access and touch, while the portal itself rippled and overflowed with magic. “They’ve made this an order, haven’t they?” Elara nodded and squeezed Caldwyn’s arm sympathetically. “They have. You should prepare yourself to do it today.” She looked at Cyne and gave him a sad expression. “Cyne... when he does this... you do understand this will become your home... permanently?”<br/><br/>******<br/><br/>The crew of fleet-footed vampires who Elara had sent out to find the interloper from the portal were not stupid. They were trained in stealth, in intelligence, rather than brute force and murder. So it was with startled expressions that their noses smelled a mortal, a magic-using mortal, so close to the castle and yet still not close enough to impose an immediate threat. Wisely, they lingered back and waited, planting themselves around an area between where the scent was strongest yet, and the main entrance to the city-like surroundings of the castle, stretching on and on the flat plain. Their patience was rewarded as the brush rustled with movement, and trained eyes honed in on the area before two guards swiftly pounced, reaching into the branches with finesse to pluck out the mortal that had assaulted their senses so. “Don’t struggle. We’ve not been sent to kill you, if you’re what came out of the portal last night.” One of them said swiftly.