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[IamanElfCollaborator]

"Anything I can use to identify him? Did he mention anything we can use to track him down?"

[SeriousConcentrate]

"No, sir. He has a teleportation arte, or someone was watching him who has one like mine. He did mention Ruthenia. If I'm bein' honest though, sir, I'm not sure if it's an actual target or if he just dropped that name to get us to look over there while they attack somewhere else."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"....right. I'll have to check with my contacts. Thank you, Miss Riesenberg."
Professor Greyhame looks somewhat troubled for a few moments, considering her words.

Professor Estelle surges through the bushes nearby, her fists glowing green from her Arte.
"Don't worry! You're....safe..."
She processes what has happened, before her eyes dart to Professor Greyhame.
"....Arunas. I see you've met my students."
"They seem reasonably competent, Sheila. You've gone a good job teaching them. We're going to need to talk to the Order headquarters. Do Layla and Olison know?"
"About the Seekers? First time I've heard of them."
"We'll need to read you in, then. This is a matter somewhat beyond the students."

He turns to Rika, Reeve and Lin.
"Students, you have my apology for getting you involved."

[SeriousConcentrate]

"Nothing to apologize for, sir. You saved those people's lives."

[RedMageCole]

"But the longer you leave it, it might get infected...! Don't worry, I won't be long... Just please let me know if you have wounds after battles, okay? I don't mind healing them..."

Arnett would eventually finish his gentle brush stroke— pulling back and smiling to Delwyn for the first time since the battle began. "Good as new!"

[Aurorix]

"A-ah... I see..." Astrea couldn't help but feel a bit useless. She was probably the worst person in the class to be asking that question. "I think we're about to head back though, so we'll have to part ways for now. I do hope we can meet again in the future Alya, preferably not in the heat of combat either."

[Chevaleresse]

"I don't mind being involved in anything if it involves taking down people like that."

[IamanElfCollaborator]

"....I hope so too. S-sorry, I have to go. It was....nice working with you."
Nodding to Astrea, Alya walks off.
[Now Playing: Theme of The Seekers of Calamity ~Those Who Sow Darkness~]
Meanwhile....
In a nearby copse of trees, a shimmering shape fades into existence.

Justice glares at the young man that brought him here. The Alphinite in his staff slowly fades.
"...Wisdom."
"Betraying us, are we, Justice?"
"I gave my word. I also gave my word that no harm would come to the people of the village, boy. I have honor."
"What kind of operation do you think this is, some kind of fantasy novel? We're fighting a war. There's no room for honor here. Besides, we couldn't be having you rat us out."
"Unlike you, I keep my eyes on the true enemy, the Order. Those people did NOT deserve to be in the crossfire!"
"Did you not swear an oath to Mercy to serve him with your life as the rest of us did? You're delusional if you think these peasants will amount to much in the face of his plan."
"You wretch-!"

"Children. Behave."
Wisdom and Justice stop their squabbling as the imposing figure of Obedience appears.

"You swore to me that nobody would be-!"
"There are acceptable casualties to any war, Justice. If you truly wish to wage war on the Order, this is the price you pay. I would punish you....but Mercy has given me orders to simply ensure you are unharmed. You are needed."
"Bother. We couldn't get someone else?"
"For what, exactly?"

"If you'd paid any attention at all, you know. We have business in Ruthenia. I have expected someone so devoted to our cause to pay attention when the Master makes his wishes known."

A voluptuous, tall and dark Lupis woman strolls forwards from the trees, her white-furred tails swaying with her stride.
"Not quite so bright, are we?"
"I'll have no words with a sycophant, Silence."
"Hm. You seem touchy, my dear. Perhaps, next time, don't make promises you can't keep?"
"Sorry I'm late!"

The young, pink-haired woman runs into the copse. Obedience immediately snaps towards her.
"Penitence. Where were you? You were supposed to assist us with the raid."
"....I was...."
"....."
"...I was making sure stragglers didn't get away."
"....hm."

Obedience studies Penitence for a while, glaring at her, their masked visage betraying nothing. Penitence's face is equally as stony, not giving away anything about her true acts during the raid.

"....Penit-"
"Obedience. If she says she was helping, she was helping. Leave it."
Obedience's head turns towards the final member of the Seekers to approach them.
"...Temperance, I assume I do not have to remind you of your place. You are my subordinate. Your place as to who I choose to discipline is irrelevant."
"And Penitence was handpicked by the Master. If he trusts her, you should too. If she says she was helping, she was helping."
"....here we go again. Shall we simply consider what we found today?"
"Well, if our returning scouts are correct, the Heart of the World isn't there. The informants we had lied. However, my sources, as I'd said repeatedly, saw the thing in Ruthenia. We should've gone there in the first place."
"Mercy's will is absolute. We do as he asks. You have worked with him long enough, Wisdom."
"And he hires me for my brains, not for my obedience. After all, enhancing Fiends is....a challenge, to be sure. But one with my intellect should be able to do it."

Obedience fixes Wisdom with an icy glare, but finds themselves unable to reply for a few moments.

"...we have our orders. Gather what you have to. We move to rendezvous with the Master and the others soon. Justice, in future, consider your choice of words. The Master's kindness is not infinite. Penitence, I am not done with you."

With that, they make to leave the copse, Silence and Wisdom in tow, leaving Justice, Temperance and Penitence alone. When she was sure the departing trio were out of earshot, Temperance looked towards Penitence.
"...you were saving them, I assume? The villagers?"
"....no, no, I wasn't, I-"
Suddenly, the swordswoman puts a hand on Penitence's shoulder, making to walk away.
"...the Seekers of Calamity is not a place for those who are weak of heart, Penitence. You can trust me to keep your secret."
With that, she walks away, with Justice staring at Penitence.
".....more courage than I, girl. I envy you."
"....I'm just....was I wrong about the Order? They...surely this isn't right."
"Hmph. Make no mistake. The Order is the enemy, Penitence. Do not forget that. The others, however, are not. The innocent deserve no part of this."

With that, the determined Salis disappears into the trees, leaving Penitence alone with her thoughts.

And her thoughts were of that white-haired Lepis girl. True, a scar across her nose had changed her face, but it was one she recognised.

"...Katya. Was that.....really you? Did you....escape?"
Several hours later...
The party descends back at Solrise Academy, and a whirlwind of questioning by some Order officers ensues. You tell them what you know and saw; that a group claming to be the Seekers of Calamity attacked Blackby with a mixture of Fiends and human forces. Most of the unconscious Seekers were arrested by the Order, detained to be tried in court. A manhunt for the ones called Justice and Obedience, however, continues.

The mood, however, is reasonably light. Nobody was seriously hurt by the Seekers, and Blackby seems to be poised to resume normal activities tomorrow. The mayor arranges for a gift to be made to the classes who saved his village, a reward to the tune of 2000 rhea.

Of course, you have other things to worry about. For one, the Solrise Intra-Class Exhibition Tournament is coming up.

[Now Playing: Free Time Theme (Default) ~~Afternoon~~]
Free Time is now in session. All players have five Activity Points. All facilities are accessible.
The party gains 3000 thalers in allowance and another 2000 thalers from the village.

Spoiler: Activity Point Counter (click to show/hide)

Astrea: 5/5 (Personal Study: 1/3)
Arnett: 5/5
Cattleya: 5/5
Delwyn: 5/5
Kaya: 5/5
Kruger: 5/5  (Personal Study: 2/3)
Reeve: 5/5
Rika: 5/5
Mordecai: 5/5
Mus'ad: 5/5  (Personal Study: 2/3)
Orrel: 5/5
Lin: 5/5

Facility Caps:
Greenhouse: 5/5
Stables: 5/5
Forge: 5/5
Alchemic Laboratory: 5/5
Gymnasium: 5/5
Training Room: 5/5
Dining Hall (Class Meal): 1/1
Library: 5/5

[GodofGamingRWBY]

"Do not worry Professor, everything turned out fine in the end. The villagers are safe, all thanks to our combined efforts."

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

With the events of Blackby having concluded, giving Reeve yet another moment to add to her ever growing list of achievements, Reeve was able to refocus on academy life once more. The Intra-class exhibition tournament was rapidly approaching now, and the prodigy of the Polyions had to ensure that she was in peek performance. That, combined with their recent victory, was enough reason for Reeve to decide to make yet another class wide meal for her comrades in 3-F, finally putting the mudfish she had been saving for several weeks.

Still, even with that decision plus her weekly work at the Academy's stables, Reeve hoped she'd have time for the Sauna. She hadn't had the time to relax in quite some time.

Reeve will spend two of her Activity Points, one for the Dining Hall and one for the Stables

[Swordstar]

The end of the battle had been unsatisfactory, to say the least. True, their main goal of saving the village had been a success. No innocents were hurt even. But there was an ache, an unfulfilled desire for justice... and answers. The tragedy that had claimed the life of his father, two others mentioned he didn't even recognize... He needed answers. But. He also needed to talk with someone first.

He found his brother not long after they returned. Walking up to him, Orrel hesitated for a second. He'd always tried to protect his kid brother from this sort of thing. From the tragedy of their father's death, to the doubts he had about the Order, doubts that were freshly awakened in his mind. But now... Now he had no choice. Their father's name had been evoked by a group they were now sworn to fight. It was time.

"Hey kid. Probably about time we sit down and have a talk about dad, huh?"

[Aurorix]

After returning to campus, the upcoming tournament would not leave the pegasus rider's mind. Fear and anxiety were the most prominent emotions that followed those thoughts. A lot of eyes and high expectations were probably going to be chained to her as the new student in the class, not all of those positive either. What scared her the most of all was letting down her new classmates. If it was just her that gets affected by her failures, but it could place a negative stain on her classmates as well. She could not let that happen! She has a couple commitments to uphold, like her work study and basketball practice at the gym but she has to figure out what little free time she will have left to go and prepare for the upcoming tournament.

Astrea will spend 4 AP:
2 AP at the Shrine of the Sculptor to gain 1 CON,
1 AP at the Faculty Office to progress on her personal study,
& 1 AP at the Gymnasium to gain +3 DR next map

[SirAston]

Kruger's mind is still racing about the events that have passed during the "excursion" earlier. But for now, he needs to focus on being at top performance for the upcoming tournament.

Over the course of most of the avaible free time, he fine-tunes his knowledge about and training of fencing, and studies to, at least partially, correct his current lack of magic defenses. To combat his restless mind, he also spends time at the shrine meditating.

He wonders what he could do with the remaining time. There are many opportunities and chances to take. As Kruger was thinking about it, he gradually but surely starts to feel very heavy and sluggish.

"Nh... Today took more of a toll from me than expected... Only one way to remedy this..."

He enters the sauna.

1 AP in Personal Study, completing it and gaining Thrusting C *insert fanfare here*
1 AP in Library, increasing RES.
2 AP at the Sculptor's Shrine.

[RedMageCole]

Arnett was a bit more sulky than usual today as he went around and did his activities. Doubt clouded him as he had some difficulty choosing— but that would have to wait as Orrel ran into him. Arnett paused, then fiddled with his hands.

"I... I guess it is that time, mhm..." His nerves were pretty overwhelmed, especially as the topic related to the mess that was that last battle. However, Arnett believed he had a right to the truth... Even if he couldn't handle it.

As he went off with Orrel, Arnett thought about how he would spend his free time later...

Arnett spends:
1 AP in Personal Study
2 AP in the Greenhouse

Later in the day, once Arnett made his way to the faculty office, he ran into Kruger. He blankly stared for a moment, before realizing why he was so confused— pulling out a ring.

"Oh, Kruger? I found this ring... I think you'd find it more useful than I would. I can hold onto one of your whetstones if you need...?"

Offer to trade Chance Ring with Kruger's Whetstone.

[SirAston]

Kruger gets approached by Arnett.

"Oh?"

He looks at the ring for a second.

"How thoughtful of you. Then again, you always cared for others as far as I've observed. Probably far more than you take care of yourself."
"... Please do the latter more often though, Arnett. Just as you want us to be well, we want you to be well as well"

Accept trade.

[GiglameshDespair]

---Gymnasium---

Astrea would see the diminutive cat already at the gym, pondering racks of weights, but not seemingly touching them.
"..."
"Oh. Greetings, von Celeste. Is that right? To say the von?"