Alyana rose, bowing her head first at the Master Dracosi, then at the three ancients that sat together.  Her dark eyes chose no one in particular to rest upon, and yet it seemed as though she were speaking to someone directly.<br/><br/>"Though the ranks of the Bloody Hand were decimated, I have already made great strides in creating new forces.  I have found a planet rich with Arcane blood, and I myself have turned more sorceresses to our side in the last month than were turned in the last three years.  Though our ranks are sorely depleted, I estimate that they will be stronger than they were before the fall of Lady Malis in no more than three months."<br/><br/>She bowed her head again, her eyes falling on the Ancient that had voiced her interest in the status of her guild for a only a moment before she seated herself.  Again, she fell into silence, sitting as still as the stone her seat was made of, taking in everything, without seeming to be paying attention to much of anything.  In the shadows she could feel a body, though when she searched them she came up empty.  She looked up at the Master Dracosi again, watching him as the Council continued, her first test of competency completed.