The Citadel of Sorcery

[Aiden]

The Lapis Spire

The man in his robes began making his way across the rest of the open chamber, which the two newcomers quickly noted was bereft of anything resembling cover either. And yet Christina was still smiling, and moving her way next to them. "Aren't you excited?! If you've got the talent you're a sure in!"

When Hassan reached the center he tapped his staff on the ground once, twice, three times - and then a black rip in the air opened before him. It felt cold as it stretched wide enough for three people to walk in side by side. Christina grabbed them both by the hands and led them in. "Come on!"

-----------------



It was a room. A simple floor, perfectly level. It had chairs, a desk covered in papers and nick knacks including a little bird dipping its beak against a flat surface. It was well lit by dozens of spheres gently orbiting over their heads, each one filled with a white light of pure mana.

That platform was floating in the center of a transparent crystalline sphere. Beyond it was a void - utter darkness.

At the center of it all, sitting at the desk, was their host.



She looked up from her papers with a smile, and stood from her chair with the grace that seemed to fit her youthful age. A staff appeared in her hand with a magnificent gem at its peak, and she walked around the desk to greet them. "Ah, Magus Verde - you have brought the candidate then?"

The woman, presumably Magister Mantala, motioned with her free hand to either of Sakura or Edelgard.

"Mmhm!" Christina, of course. "This is Magister Mala Mantala - you can introduce yourselves, right?"

[YOLF]

Edelgard

It was like a spirit sanctum more than a mage's abode, and Edelgard could not help but shiver at the complexity of the sorcery woven in around them. The presence of its master was not light to those who could see, but it was still not like the other she had met and sworn to, recently. The Edelgard of now would only bow towards her.

She banged her first over her chest, nodding lightly to the magister. "Edelgard," she said, eyes flitting towards the young woman with her. "Sakura's companion."

[SINIB]

Sakura

Sakura took a deep breath. She closed her eyes before clearing her throat. Edelgard may not have understood what was happening in this room, but she did.

It scared her. To know how much better they were than her in this field.

"Sakura Edelfeldt. I'm applying to join."

[Aiden]

Mala Mantala

Christina took a step back, looking between the Magister and Sakura from a spot next to Edelgard. She was grinning and holding her hands together almost as if in prayer.

The Magister smiled beatifically at her, a glimmer of mischief shining in her eyes as Sakura so admirably hid her nervousness. Her free hand extended itself, palm held up. "Please, have a seat, Miss Edelfelt and companion. I always have time for new potential."

Once they did she returned to her own chair, legs crossing beneath her magnificently made dress, and moved her hand in a circular motion atop her desk. A cup rose from a blank, lightless disk atop her desk, and the air rippled with warmth as she heated up... something. It smelled like tea. Two more cups appeared opposite her, ready for her guests. "Help yourselves. Our discussion of your admission, and where your potential would rightfully place you, begins."

She lifted her cup up to sip her tea, and sighed. "Tell me why you seek us, to start."

[SINIB]

Mala Mantala

Christina took a step back, looking between the Magister and Sakura from a spot next to Edelgard. She was grinning and holding her hands together almost as if in prayer.

The Magister smiled beatifically at her, a glimmer of mischief shining in her eyes as Sakura so admirably hid her nervousness. Her free hand extended itself, palm held up. "Please, have a seat, Miss Edelfelt and companion. I always have time for new potential."

Once they did she returned to her own chair, legs crossing beneath her magnificently made dress, and moved her hand in a circular motion atop her desk. A cup rose from a blank, lightless disk atop her desk, and the air rippled with warmth as she heated up... something. It smelled like tea. Two more cups appeared opposite her, ready for her guests. "Help yourselves. Our discussion of your admission, and where your potential would rightfully place you, begins."

She lifted her cup up to sip her tea, and sighed. "Tell me why you seek us, to start."

Sakura Edelfeldt

"I want to, need to go home. Both me and her. Starting here seemed like a good place to start."

Sakura said down, taking a cup of tea. She took a sip, taking the taste in.

"It's good, thank you."

[YOLF]

Edelgard

Edelgard sat warily, holding both her weapons - her own and the lent, wrapped up one - on the crook of her arm, and reached forward with a sigh for the tea. There were people she knew to drink such things around home the Wasteland, but it was purely medicinal. She knew some foreigners and humans especially, liked it as a leisure drink, but her worldview could not help but find it an affront against need.

The Forsaken raised the cup to her lips and did not sip, merely inhaling the flowering, mild scent. "Help Sakura, help myself," she said against the tea. "Learn about casters here. My countermeasures apparently... outdated."

The warrior glanced meaningfully at the girl besides her.

[Aiden]

Mala Mantala

One of the Magister's elegant eyebrows lifted in curiosity. Or possibly bemusement. Mala placed her hands atop her desk, folded, and seemed to consider both of them. Her eyes flicked over to Christina, who even now looked a tad downtrodden after hearing Sakura explain herself. Then the older woman with black hair sighed. "That does make this a touch more difficult, then. You are asking to learn our secrets, to partake in our traditions and our lore, for the purpose of... abandoning us the moment you get what you want."

Her staff seemed to float by her side on its own, upright.

[SINIB]

Sakura

"I don't see it that way, Magister."

She took another sip before putting her tea down.

Knowing the nature of this Nexus, leaving it would prove fairly problematic. During that time, I'll be sharing my secrets with you as well, will I not? It would be more of a trade than anything."

Sakura flipped her hair with the pomp of a noblewoman. "Furthermore, although I cannot speak for my friend, if the accomidations prove favorable for me, I am quite happy to return here after I pick up my sister."

[YOLF]

Edelgard

The forsaken closed her eyes, pondering on her words. She unfurrowed her brows and directed her straightforward gaze at the magister. "Still long-term investment. For both sides."

[Aiden]

The Lapidarian Society

Christina seemed eager to interject there, poking her head forward to remind everyone she was still present. "Well if it's the benefits you're worried about, you don't have to worry about those at all! There are so many!"

As she made a peace sign the Magister sitting behind her hid a smile behind her fingers. "Yes, that shall not be a concern. A trade then - one in which we shall hope to see results for all parties involved. Miss Verde seems quite eager," Mala said with a Look sent the chipper redhead's way. Christina blushed in embarrassment and pulled herself back, putting her arms behind her back and wiggling a little from being put on the spot. "So I shall have her explain the benefits on our end. Then, I shall examine what you have to offer us."

Christina coughed into her hand at that, and straightened herself up. "Right. So, since you're interested I'll explain the way our ranking system works. The benefits you get depend on how high you go." She motioned to Mala at her desk, who waved politely. "Magister Mantala is one of the seven Magisters, the ones recognized as the greatest of each of our seven colleges of magic. The colleges are: Alchemy, Binding, Elementalism (I'm here!), Geomancy, Rejuvenation, Spatial Studies, and Warding. Miss Mantala is the Magister of Spatial Studies, and you can see why."

The crystal sphere hung ominously, beatifically, in the abyss.

"Below the Magisters are the 77 Magi, like me! Each oversees the work of 11 of us. We each teach up to 7 apprentices, and we receive all kinds of benefits in exchange for sharing our work with our college." Christina leans in toward Sakura, and smiles mischievously. "I have so much grant money. And so many helpers!"

Mala coughs into her hand, interrupting and taking over. "Yes, that is essentially the gist of it. A Magus will take on apprentices, and the most capable of those is elected by the other Magi of their college to take the Magus' place should they retire, move up, or otherwise be... indisposed. The same is so for reaching the position of Magister."

Christina was all but hopping on her heels as the explanation from the Magister wrapped up.

"Even as an Apprentice you still receive financial and material assistance with your research - and should you graduate without the opportunity for advancement, you are given a position in one of our satellite enclaves in one of the other districts. Should you so desire, of course."

A big redheaded grin topped it all off.

"Sounds pretty great, right?!"

[SINIB]

Sakura

Sakura grabbed her chin, scratching the underside of it as she listened to what the two had to say. Her face was somber and thoughtful, not showing too much emotion from what the two had to say. It would be nice for any other magus, but one of the great Edelfeldt line?

The money was trivial. Even just accounting for the little that she had on her, it was still enough to construct an extravagant and elegant workshop. The support was enticing, but she figured that she'd be largely unable to train any apprentices beyond a basic level, considering how specialized her knowledge was.

And she would never give up the crest that her sister had granted to her. All of the knowledge within it was hers and hers alone.

With her ancient knowledge, combined with Sapphire, she would surely be granted an extremely high rank, potentially even above Christina. She wasn't entirely clear on her magical abilities, but she didn't seem like one of the higher ups. The bigwigs in the clocktower were far more intimidating than anything that she'd seen here.

So, once the explanation was done, Sakura smiled, giving Christina a little wave. "Mmm, well. It all sounds very enticing, but how am I to be tested for this ranking system?" She turned her body, striking an elegant pose as she regarded the two of them. "Am I to be tested in an arena? Will I be able to choose my apprentices?"

She smiled confidently as she implied that she'd surely be a high ranking member were she to join.

[Aiden]

Lapidarian Society

"There are certain terms to be set for your test, yes." Mala waved a hand across her desk, which vanished in a swirl of darkness. Then, the sphere began to rotate, the center platform splitting off the section where the Magister stood and the rest of it seemingly to extrude more material to make up a more complete center platform. Edelgard too was removed in a similar fashion, a section of the platform where she stood splitting off and hovering over the area to overlook things.

"You will bring with you only what your own knowledge has built." Her voice grew louder, echoing through the sphere. "I care not to see what the work of others brings you - anyone can cheat. I want to see only what your own skill with the magical arts can do."

Christina, seemingly prepared for what was to come, grinned and loudly cracked her knuckles together as she moved back to the other side of the platform. A magical barrier formed tightly around her body as she performed a brief incantation. "Don't hold back, 'kay?"

"Do not kill one another - but do not underestimate your opponent. And most importantly... try to have fun with it."

[SINIB]

Lapidarian Society

"There are certain terms to be set for your test, yes." Mala waved a hand across her desk, which vanished in a swirl of darkness. Then, the sphere began to rotate, the center platform splitting off the section where the Magister stood and the rest of it seemingly to extrude more material to make up a more complete center platform. Edelgard too was removed in a similar fashion, a section of the platform where she stood splitting off and hovering over the area to overlook things.

"You will bring with you only what your own knowledge has built." Her voice grew louder, echoing through the sphere. "I care not to see what the work of others brings you - anyone can cheat. I want to see only what your own skill with the magical arts can do."

Christina, seemingly prepared for what was to come, grinned and loudly cracked her knuckles together as she moved back to the other side of the platform. A magical barrier formed tightly around her body as she performed a brief incantation. "Don't hold back, 'kay?"

"Do not kill one another - but do not underestimate your opponent. And most importantly... try to have fun with it."

Sakura

Shadows burst out of Sakura's feet, wrapping themselves around her body almost instantaneously. "I don't want to hurt you, but I'm not going to lose, either!"

Sapphire was swallowed up into the shadow as Sakura assumed a stance, beaten into her by her sister. An impossibly black mist began to billow out from her feet as she reached into her shadow for several gems.

[Aiden]

Christina Verde

"Maybe you won't, but I'm gonna make you work for it!" Christina's eyes gleamed red as fire appeared in her fists, and she she swung her arms in wide arcs that met together at the center. "Haaah!"

Immense waves of fire shot out in the wake of her arm motions, the air around them rippling with the heat of their passage as they made their way around Sakura. Christina's hands guided them further as they went, expanding the wavefront of the inferno until it was unavoidable without space to move backward. Space that platform did not allow for.

"Hope your barriers are up to snuff!"

[SINIB]

Christina Verde

"Maybe you won't, but I'm gonna make you work for it!" Christina's eyes gleamed red as fire appeared in her fists, and she she swung her arms in wide arcs that met together at the center. "Haaah!"

Immense waves of fire shot out in the wake of her arm motions, the air around them rippling with the heat of their passage as they made their way around Sakura. Christina's hands guided them further as they went, expanding the wavefront of the inferno until it was unavoidable without space to move backward. Space that platform did not allow for.

"Hope your barriers are up to snuff!"

Sakura

Fire. Good. Predictable, considering her personality. Sakura ignored it, allowing her shadows to consume it wholesale, devouring the spells Christina threw at her and snuffing them out. She tossed a gem at Christina with her full strength. It hurtled towards the red-haired woman. "You'll need to make me move, first!"