Stahlhiem College of Magic

Rahvi grinned a little. She would be jealous of Ella if she had any desire at all to be put in the kind of company a witch hunter would present. Oh the places she'd go. "Don't worry about it, Ella. Steven's right. You didn't do anything. He did try to kill you, remember? I think hurting him with your words is probably allowed," she laughed, keeping the mood light. "Vulmar's the one who beat him bloody, anyway. I'd say he won't even talk to you about it. You have to tell me everything that happens. When do you have to go?"

Jagton moved off to go fishing, Mikida sleepily blinking around the room. Rahvi felt another question spark in her brain. Why so sleepy? Why was she always sleeping on someone? She was sure there was a condition that made you fall asleep at the drop of a hat, but Mikida was tired all the time, not just on occasion. It was another layer to the strange amalgamation of off-centre facts that was the tiny Verdantkin.

Glancing over at Borghild, Rahvi shared a concerned glance with Steven, and they all left the infirmary. Abruptly, Rahvi's face lit up. "On the plus side, I guess this means no more classes today! That means it's past time to explore! I brought supplies!"
 
"Hold on. We still need a map, cartography equipment, at least 40 feet of rope, lamps, canteens, grave dirt, iron and silver nails, climbing equipment, mining equipment, blessed salt, bribes, cold weather clothing, explosives, at least two weeks rations..."
 
Mikida listens to Rahvi as she tries to support Ella. Mikida thinks on her words, switching her focus between her and Ella. Mikida does this for several seconds before she makes her opinion known, despite it going completely against the flow of both mood and conversation. "Rahvi, I love the way that you come to the aid of others when they are in need. I like the way you treat people you just met like good friends. Sometimes, it makes me think that maybe I should try to be more like that, but right now, I don't like it."

Looking towards Ella with her half-open eyes, Mikida's gaze seems cold and piercing like that of an executioner, "Ella, right? Your ego might be just as bad as Thal's. I want you to listen to Rahvi and Steven when it comes to learning to forgive yourself, but that isn't where this is going to end. Right now, while the feelings are still strong, I want you to ask yourself why you did something you knew was wrong. Last night, you started a fight by throwing a pie at Thal. Today you felt backed into a corner, so you opened old wounds. In both of these situations, you placed your feelings before those of the people around you, and that put everyone in a difficult situation." Mikida's eyes animate, opening up fully for the first time that anyone has seen, she seems quite upset, "So why can't you understand that Thal feels the same way... He has a giant ego since he grew up getting everything he's ever wanted and never had to defer to anyone beneath him. He doesn't know how to handle the situation, so he takes extreme action. He likely doesn't tell anyone, but somewhere inside himself he regrets it. However, these feelings are constantly drown out by the seductive reassurances that we are justified in our actions. So, in no uncertain terms, I'm going to say it."

Mikida takes hold of Ella's hand and forcefully pulls her into a hug, "You have done something wrong, but everyone is capable of forgiveness. But, it is hard to believe in forgiveness when you can't extend it yourself. So forgive Thal, forgive yourself, and believe in the forgiveness of others."

Mikida goes quiet. She then lets go of Ella, and turns around with a bright-red blush across her face. "I'm sorry, I said too much. I... I think I need a moment to myself. You all should go have fun exploring."
 
Lyra stayed in her quarters quietly praying to herself, until she heard a the sound of the Dorm's door opening and closing and the sound of talons touching the stone floor. She gets up from her bed and runs out to the hallway to see Jagton and Karma looking for their quarters.

"Hey you! Griffin boy!" She called out to Jagton as she ran towards him. She stops right in front of him with a worried look in her eyes. "Is she ok? What's going on? Does the Witch Hunter know about this yet?
 
"She's perfectly fine. And the Witch Hunter knows. I think. Now if you will excuse me I need to buy fishing gear."
 
Be "Oh if you're heading out, I think you need a Void Born escort. Safety and all that and umm....what about that one girl....the one who attacked Thal the first time?"
 
Ella smiled at young Mikida. It was nice to smile, and it was nice to be hugged. Miki was right, of course, about what she should do, what the right thing to do was, but Ella's pride was something else entirely. She wasn't proud that her emotions endangered other people. She felt terrible about that. But standing up to a piece of shit like Thal was worth it, sweet even. She didn't care about his circumstances. She came from money and she wasn't a self-absorbed twat. At some point he had to be held accountable for his choices just like Ella was being held accountable for hers. She turned to Mikida.

"Thanks for shaking me out of that. And thanks for the hug. I really needed it. I don't know if I'm ready to forgive Thal for trying to kill us, but today was my fault. I didn't need to provoke him. I knew it would cause a fight and I'm sorry."

"And Rahvi, I'm terrified about tonight! I don't know about him not mentioning anything! I just hope he doesn't give me the Thal beating for endangering his whole family. I'm mean I don't think he will, right? Do you think he will? I don't want to think about it. Dusk. I have to go with him at dusk. And I'll tell you all about it, if I'm still alive."

She hopped down from the infirmary bed and coyly approached where Borghild slept. She felt terrible, sad, and angry all at once. She bent down and kissed her teacher on the head.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. And thank you for protecting me," Ella whispered.

She quickly stood up straight and rejoined her classmates.

"Did someone say something about exploring? I need to think about something other than all the trouble I've been getting us into."
 
Jagton went to his room passing Lyra and opened his chest. He rummaged around it before taking out a medium sized bag. He checked the bag to make sure his money was in it and put the bag in his bigger bag. Bag-ception.
 
With Jagton and Karma ready to do some fishing and the group wishing to leave, the two parties naturally meet up at the entrance. After explaining their intentions to the Void Born Guards, the students are joined by two Void Born escorts, one with red eyes named Inga, assigned to Ella, Mikida, Rahvi and Steven and one with golden eyes named Piter assigned to Jagton. The two Void Born guide the two to their respective destinations.

After 20 minutes, Igna had led her group to the city square, a large clearing with a fountain of a noble mounted knight wielding a sword in one hand and a tome in the other in the center.

"Ok students." She began with a very professional tone "Here's the very center of Stahlhiem." She points to different paths, which led to the different districts of the city. "Down the northern path is the Business District. There merchants and businessmen open up stores and sell imported luxuries. To the northeast is the Crafts District, where smiths, bakers, weavers and the like make and sell the results of their hard work. To the east is the Housing District, where the populous live, as well inns for visitors such as adventurers and dignitaries. To the west is the Noble's district and to the northwest is the Military District. You're not allowed there. Now that's done any questions?"

---

Piter leads Jagton down a southwest path for ten minutes to the city gates. After a small conversation with a city guard, the gate opens, allowing the two out of the city and into the outskirts. There Piter and Jagton walked for roughly half an hour before the two reached a fishing outpost, a wooden building next to a large river.

"Here we are my Lord. Finest fishing outpost this side of the wall. Just go in and do your business. I'll be out here if you need me." Said Piter
 
"Well nothing of interest in my opinion." Replied Inga "There's the various Goblin Huts, built near the College, but that's about it."
 
Rahvi's eyes lit up at the vast array of possibilities presented themselves to her. This outside world was wide and entirely new to Rahvi's Hammer Folk eyes. Stahlhiem was more than just a college after all. Briefly wondering whether the guard was going to follow them around the entire time they were in town, she clambered up onto the statue in the middle of the square and climbed as high as she could to see the town spread out beneath her. There were buildings stacked near to each other, vast gardens, swathes of green and smoking chimneys as she spun to survey each directions. The goblin huts in the distance past the college intrigued her but she decided to save that curiosity for after the guard had left them.
Instead, she pointed to the crafter's quarters. "North-east it is!"
 
"Uh-oh," Jagton said. He realized that he hadn't remembered to buy fishing gear. Karma looked up curious of what was wrong.

"We forgot to buy fishing gear." Jagton told the griffin. Karma began squawking in panic. She was running in circles.

"Wait a sec!" Jagton said. The female griffin calmed down. What could save them from their failure? Suddenly a brown ball slowly began to form around his hand. He pointed it at the lake. He was using beasts magic. Karma sat down to watch how this would play out. Jagton tried to focus on the biggest fish hecould handle.. After 30 seconds small fish began jumping around on the surface of the water. Karma stood up and took to the skies after a running start. After maintaining a steady flight she lowered her altitude so she was right above the lake. When ever she could she would take a snap at a fish. And every-so-often Karma would catch a fish.

After 5 minutes Karma had caught 8 fish. Then Jagton grabbed 4 of the fishes and a knife from his bag. Meanwhile Karma was chowing down on the other fish. Jagton slowly cut off the scales and skin of the fish. When those were off he continued to the organs of the fish he made a nice cut at the bottom of the fish and retrieved the organs throwing them aside to Karma. After that he cut off the meat from the bones and threw the bones and head to a pile for waste. He continued with the other 3 fish he had and had taken about 30 minutes for him to do this. His father could do it in half the time though. When he was done cutting the fish he took the meat and washed them in the lake 1-by-1.
 
As Jagton and Karma tende to their bounty, a pair of old eyes noticed the two outside and with an angry scowl, an old man with a peg leg comes out of the fishing lodge waving a cane.

"You damned kids! What in Ulrich's name are you doing to my livelihood?! You're stealing all the fish from my damned pond!" Shouted the old man


----

Inga watched the as Rahvi climbed and the Void Born tried to pull Rahvi off, but the Hammer Folk was faster then Inga had predicted. Failing to keep Rahvi from climbing the statue she watched as Rahvi surveyed the surrounding area.

"What the hell are you doing?! Get your ass down here before you break something!" Shouted Inga
 
"We have only taken 8 fish. Plus there is bound to be a lot more." Jagton replied looking at the man. Karma didn't really mind finishing up her meal. Since Jagton had finished cleaning the fish meat he got a medium sized rag from his bag. He had came prepares. He spread out the rag and put the fish meat on it. Then he tied up the bag with the ffish inside it. Meanwhile Karma walked to the pile of the fish head and leftovers. She ate those as well.
 
Rahvi cackled as the void born tried to pull her off the statue. Now it was starting to feel like home a bit more. She flashed a grin at Steven and Ella. "Shall we go into the city and find some lunch?"
Without waiting fo an answer she swung down a portion of the statue and slid off the horse's back and onto the ground. She took off towards the north-east.
 
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