V5 Incline 19: Test-Taker Einervaene

"Einervaene, have you seen him? Have you seen my love?" Rianta-chira asks me as I'm otherwise left to my devices at a small table. I look up from my thoughts, turning towards her and the guest house we've been temporarily assigned since we arrived at the Academy.

I shake my head at Rianta-chira's question, turning back to the table as she joins me. Things are certainly tense across the confines of the school. The speaker system throughout has been going off since we arrived for a while now. Nothing about Nin, however...

My eyes wander, and I look at where we've been staying. It's been a few days now. We came here and were left alone somewhat at first. Then Nin vanished earlier today and nothing since. I doubt it has anything to do with what Frihdeicalkbr told us about how this is not our main dwelling.

We've barely seen Nin-kischu the whole time we've been here. He's been coming in and out of our lives as of late without a word to say. Worried is the least of emotions regarding him right now. No one has told us anything, and he's too enslaved by his fears to tell us anything. He's my friend, and there's nothing I can do for him for the time being, and...

"Attention all students! Attention all students! Please make way to the King Kaishelin Debate Chamber!" the Academy's speaker system repeats, its alarming sounds sounding so dire in any other circumstance.

"Would we go to that...?" Rianta-chira asks, her confusion bringing us both to our feet again. We look on at the crowds of students on the move. So many of them, almost as if it's all of them. If I was perhaps happier, I might be in awe at how Suhurlodst is a small city's worth of students and staff. Some of whom are travelling by magic or more simple means.

"U-Uh... I... I guess we go? We are technically students to some degree, I guess. As far as I am aware? Either way, it might have something to do with Nin, with how urgent this all is. It's probably best for us to go." I tell my friend as we head out and walk the path all these other people are walking. We do not know where to go, but this otherwise horde of students is giving us a very good rough idea.

In time, it settles in that we don't need their help. The building alone is so distinct and ornate in its design that it stands out on its own. A mountain-like shape that towers high above the skyline of Suhurlodst. Even if it is but one of many round, towering buildings.

Rianta-chira stops, "Can't we go find my love first?"

I turn to my friend, an uncomfortable sigh breaking open my lips. I don't know what to say. How am I supposed to...? I guess I need to try...

"We aren't going to find him in this crowd... Besides, even when this wasn't happening, we could barely find him, remember? You nearly collapsed from exhaustion when we did it on our first days here." I tell her, not sure how to explain it to her. She has been paying attention. She knows what is going on. So why is this so hard for her to grasp?

I get she's worried, I am too, but-

"You know I can't just leave him on his own..." Rianta-chira nearly cries as she hides her face behind her hands. She looks up from them, looking about as the other students get ahead of us. A looming problem settles into both of our visions. The ever-growing number of guards which have begun to populate the grounds of the Academy.

All within the time frame of since we arrived... When Nin arrived. There's even now a base or camp of some description on the Academy's grounds. All in all, this seems a little excessive when I know full well Suhurlodst has its own security...

I return my attention to my friend, pulling her in close and hugging her tight, "I know, I know. But we need to just try and keep positive about it, once this is all done and dusted, we can get on with what we came here to do and forget it ever happened."

"Positive...? There's nothing to be positive about," she whimpers as I find myself stroking her hair. Each parting of her rose-petal-coloured hair leaving me with a desperate longing. Mother did stuff like this when I was worried, and it helped, and I want it to help my friend. Still... No, no.

I'm doing this to be there for my friend. One who has done nothing but open up to me more and more as of late. It's assuring to know she's willing to see me in that light. More and more as a friend when the idea of friendship is all the more important to us right now.

"Well, let's just go to this thing first and then we can have another look for him? They have no issues with us using magic on campus so long as we aren't endangering anyone with it." I suggest, bringing up something we had initially given up on with how vast Suhurlodst is as a school.

"Ok..." she says, turning away and heading off, a slight waggle of her tail to each step. A ghost of smile comes to my lips, and I walk after her, catching up in no time. We've lost time, but we're not lost compared to how many people are still coming. However, it's certainly a moment to appreciate Suhurlodst for how many people are actually here.

The King something Debate Chamber is a vast building, a trait only emphasised by its segregation of people by their associated House. More and more people like me and Rianta-chira are coming by us. And in no time at all, a girl with a fluffy tail comes to our side, joining us as we make our way to our seats.

"What's this all about? I have studies to get back to..." she complains bitterly, making herself comfortable to my right, her claw-like nails rattling against the chair's armrest. Her tall, furry ears twitch my way, eyes following suit with a glare.

I look away, keeping my eyes forward so my staring doesn't cause any problems. If she makes an expression, I can't see it. Any problems she has with my actions go off in her head. Mental complaints I'm not privy to.

Yet, even with this girl offsetting the tone of the grand chamber, something still feels very off. So much attention is garnered towards the central platform of this building. All the way to one spot. A podium that has been reinforced in a cruel, spiked manner. Entrapment of the most blatant kind.

A trap for...

A prayer goes through my thoughts. This podium at the chamber's centre, it isn't going to be...? I can only hope that for all its nefarious looks it isn't going to be for... The chamber suddenly turns silent as the man who brought us here walks up onto the podium. Noise returns, and all manner of gossip whispers about, incoherent at every point.

Frihdeicalkbr.

"Quiet, please," he goes, his voice absurdly loud in an unnatural manner. A mixture of magic and the shape of the building, no doubt.

"Finally..." the girl next to me complains, her sentiments echoing about from many others.

"Quiet! Now, thank you. As I am sure you are all aware, these past few cycles and or days have been quite hectic with the current addition of Thrurstradtur's City-Guard setting up on the campus of the Suhurlodst Academy of Arcane Learning and Understanding. You will now find out why. So, I now present to you the cause of it all, a new student of ours, one Nin Urtuan," he explains, my heart collapsing in on itself as he steps aside, the building lights shifting.

The girl next to me snaps to her feet, leaning over someone else's chair, "I'm sorry, what...?"

I look at her, watching her expression as it strikes me as familiar in the literal sense. She knows Nin personally? Yet, as she goes quiet, I look away and towards the podium again. All as Nin-kischu steps up onto the platform. Thousands of hateful glares on him.

Nervous doesn't even begin to describe what I'm feeling... I've no idea what he's even going through right now. There's no confidence in him at all. It's like looking at a child who has been cornered by shouting adults...

"My love..." Rianta-chira whispers in disbelief, the last quiet sound in the chamber.

The chamber collectively rises up in uproar. Our section being the quietest for the most part. Everyone who calls themselves a native of the land, however, they're frothing with rage and hate. I can only think the discrepancy is because of... Because of how I saw Nin when I first met him for what he was. I did not know of the gravitas of what an 'osibindah' is.

By no means is Oddity House quiet, though... And it's only getting louder as primal instincts settle in.

My face sinks into my hands as I take it all in... The impossible pain, I take it all in. My friend is right there, looking like he's about to break down from the pressure of what he's on the receiving end of and I can do nothing. There's nothing I can do for my friend, there's nothing either of us can do for him!

He has to stand there, on his own, and... And take all of this nonsense!

"WHY IS THERE AN OSIBINDAH HERE!?" is the cry of outrage that shakes the room. The walls bounce the words back with eardrum-bursting force... Only making it harder to handle... Only making it harder to forget.

It's a cry of hate I don't think I will ever forget...