<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Headmaster Andarlin's Office</span></div><br/>Kleris was more at ease with Andarlin's reassurances, both for the lack of expulsions (at least that night), and that he took the report seriously with a focus first on defending the school and students.  At least it seemed less likely Arisad could command an entire city of wizards to break down Redhurst in his pursuit.<br/><br/>As Horishkad returned to the ring, it was both a relief and unsettling: he didn't have to see the alien entity silently floating along with him, but suddenly wondered how aware and active it was in the ring, especially during all the unusual encounters he'd had at the school.  He tried to reassure himself it was clearly a rather aloof and alien being, and probably didn't even consider his nocturnal activities, let alone judge them.  He didn't have time to worry about that any longer, though, as he was escorted to the school's auditorium with the others.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Redhurst Auditorium</span></div><br/>Joining his party, he felt awkwardly out of place in wet, dirty, torn uniform, surrounded by deans, while everyone else was more appropriately still in rumpled sleepwear.  He couldn't imagine what the other students were thinking, but seeing the head of security up front made sense to him, being a concrete symbol of just how serious the situation was.  The headmaster's announcement seemed rather heavy and abrupt, but honest as well, placing a large amount of trust in the assembled students to stay calm and follow directions.  Kleris kept staring forward at the headmaster, hoping their little party could avoid too much attention as the direct cause of this whole disruption; he didn't want the others' reputations to be dragged down as dangerous troublemakers and truants.  Surprisingly quietly and calmly, the students were grouped off and led to their respective homerooms.<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Nammor School of Enchantment</span></div><br/>It was reassuring to hear Dead Hentru's indignance and defense of his students, knowing that, even when their just comeuppance eventually came, the faculty's first reaction was to protect their charges.  As they started their abjurations and divinations, layering redundancies and contingencies, Kleris cast<em>detect magic</em>himself.  There was so much around, however, on each student, the grounds, the very air, it was dizzying to keep concentrating on it all and not be dazzled or disoriented.  The teachers discreetely conferred about their business while Kleris instead turned his attention to his friends and fellow students.  Rensha was wound like a tight spring, and he worried she might snap with the unrelenting pressure of waiting.  He couldn't leave Lillin, though, especially after her fight with Zull, and kept a reassuring arm around her.  He also met Artaxes' gaze and gave a reassuring grin and nod, trying to convey his trust in their faculty and the defenses of Redhurst.  After several hours, even Arturon started to buckle under the tension, so Kleris sent a soft<em>message</em>to him and Artaxes, letting Lillin hear his whispered reassurances as well.  "It's going to be alright.  Preparation is a wizard's strength, and backed by the reputation of the school and headmaster, I doubt Arisad will even come here.  He has a nation to take care of, and some petty distraction isn't worth declaring war on a stronghold brimming with powerful mages ready for any contingency.  We're just here to keep a headcount, and we can all rest easy by morning..."  He wanted to believe it himself, and tried to keep his voice light and casual, free from the tightness that wanted to close up his throat as he sat entwined with Lillin.<br/><br/>[Perception 2+7 = 9<br/>Diplomacy 16+16 = 32]<br/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;">Day 52</span></div><br/>Despite the timeless feeling of waiting for a potential hurricane or holocaust of magic and destruction to rain down upon their heads, the stars and bodies moved uncaring in their paths, bringing morning, a new day, and a new hope to the school.  With Hentru's announcement, they were able to stir themselves from their reveries, step outside, and find reassurance on not only a new dawn, but a new cityscape of skyscrapers all around them, and a ship flying like the future's hopeful potential.  As Kleris stood outside, stretching the tension from his body, he soon felt the exhaustion catch up from last night's exertions and terrified waiting.  "I don't know whether to go to breakfast or to bed and wait for dinner.  What about you, Lillin?  I'll stay with you as long as you want."  He could only hope that there weren't any classes today, giving them a chance to recover and reorient themselves to a new plane.