Arc 10: Faint of Heart

## Episodes

* Episode 80 - Mission: Improbable
* Episode 81 - Old Friends
* Episode 82 - I Have a Mouth and I Scream a Lot
* Episode 83 - Power to the Pebble
* Episode 84 - Croissant Confluence
* Episode 85 - Ghurt Intentions
* Episode 86 - The Snack Episode!
* Episode 87 - A Sight for Sore Eyes
* Episode 88 - What was Left Behind
* Episode 89 - Promises of Bread Pudding
* Episode 90 - Plan B (for Burn)
* Episode 91 - Heartburn
* Episode 92 - Precious Powder
* Episode 93 - In the Dark
* Episode 94 - The Reverent
* Episode 95 - Ashes to Ashes

## Synopsis

The students had split up to complete various night time escapades. Mira and Delnys went to Underbough's office to find clues about his murder, finding evidence that a jade dagger was used, and having a vision from Empress Terassis. During this, Serinepth and Winsler had travelled deep under the school to the Polisherium, where the giant golem Sto smoothed the Tear of an Angel Winsler acquired from Seltie, and crushed Tol after Phillip fell in a river made of the Tear shavings. Integrity had travelled into the sewers on the request of the Progenitor to find and kill whoever was behind the Ascendant archway. she found a large serpent who introduced herself as Neska, the last Ascendant.

Neska offered to give Integrity power, so she could also become an Ascendant. Integrity instead chose to run, which infuriated Neska into chasing after her. Integrity managed to hide in the maintenance tunnels, but was soon accosted by a crazed and sunburned looking Teb, who demanded she return his orb. Mira awoke from her vision to find the Enchantment Tower on fire, and Artis nowhere to be found. She and Delnys managed to escape, and returned to her dorm. Serinepth, Winsler, and Phillip walked through the passages under the school until they finally emerged in the Necromancy department. Winsler explained that he and Kurt had been building a golem, and the Tear was the last piece they needed. While in the department, they overheard Angelika Lindeman enter with another person, talking about how they had done something with Artis.

The trio followed Angelika and her companion, who turned out to be Allena. They went into a hidden room, where piles of pebbles were stacked near a grate in the wall. While they watched, a pebble emerged from the grate that told Allena, Winsler, Serinepth, and Phillip to meet someone in the kitchen pantry in two days time. After the trio made their presence known, Angelika explained that the pebbles had given her the instructions to start fires around campus, including the Enchantment tower. Artis had found them as she and Allena were starting the fire, so they had knocked him out and put him in a storage cupboard.

They went and freed Artis, and after making sure they knew where the others were, they agreed to meet up the next day to talk about what had happened. Integrity slept in Winsler's room so he could help keep an eye on Teb, who was still demanding the orb. In the morning, Kurt woke Winsler, and together they completed their golem, "Yog". They sent them to make yoghurt then everyone met up in Serinepth's room. They all told each other most of what had happened, though left out some sensitive details.

During the meeting, a memorial service for Headmaster Underbough was announced, and the students and Artis decided to use that time to complete any tasks they needed to do. Mira and Delnys left to see Neska, while the others went to the kitchen and Sunken Hatch.

Mira and Delnys arrived to Neska's chamber, where she forced them to join her on the ground and eat the dust. This resulted in them sharing a body in a vision of an empty Sheoran garden. Meanwhile, the others arrived in the kitchen to find Yog had made a mess. They took Teb back to his cave, and gave him the Orb of Reverence back.

When Mira and Delnys were able to leave the vision, Neska asked if she had anything of Terassis' that would have stopped it from working properly. When Mira replied that her arm came from Terassis, Neska bit it off and ate it. Delra ran out of the chamber in shock, eventually reuniting with the others and deciding to go to Artis' cottage. Angelika and Allena were left behind.

As the students processed what had just happened, Artis and Inegrity had a joint vision of the Progenitor asking them to kill Neska and each other. The next day, Artis brought Professor Allaro to see about getting Mira a prosthetic arm. He also gave Winsler a *Staff of Fire* in preparation for a potential fight with Neska.

Phillip had to be taken to the Infirmary as his exposure to the liquid in the Polisherium caused him to go blind. Serinepth stayed with him for most of the time until it was time to meet the person in the kitchen pantry,

As all the students named on the pebble arrived in the pantry, they were met by Cannon Nathan, who carried explosives and told them the pebbles also told him to meet them there. As they spoke, whispers filled the room telling them to go to Professor Nalder in the Abjuration Department, and the burn the "*world-snuffer*". They decided not to listen, instead going to the department to tell anyone there what they were being forced to do. They found Professor Flaegon Deeptar, who listened to them and said she would pass on their message to Professor Nalder.

Back at Artis' cottage, Mira had been attempting to play the lyre with her mage hand, but was getting no results. Delnys walked over, and asked how she was doing. As the conversation continued, Delnys said that both Winsler and Artis had given her strange and vague relationship advise, and asked how Mira felt about her, romantically. Mira confessed she had a crush on Delnys, and after thanking Mira for telling her, Delnys said she needed to sleep.

When Winsler and Integrity returned from the Abjuration Department, the students and Artis talked about the orbs, before also going to sleep. Serinepth had stayed behind to watch over Phillip. As they slept, both Serineph and Winsler had dreams about their families and homes burning, and a voice chastising them for not burning the Abjuration Department. While Winsler ignored it as a scare tactic, Serinepth agreed to find and destroy the "*world-snuffer*" for it.

The next morning, she found Profesor Nalder who agreed to give her this item that he had created, on the condition that she sign a paper saying he had helped a student for his application to the headmaster position.

The rest of the students woke in the cottage, and discussed how they could kill Neska. While Mira was reluctant, she agreed to come along as she was the only one of them who could help if they got hurt. The students re-entered campus, and made their way to the Cannon Lab. They convinced Professor Bonzalez, who ran the department, to give them some barrels of black power as well as asking for Cannon Nathan's help. After seeing that Serinepth had the world-snuffer, Cannon Nathan agreed to cause a distraction in the Enchantment Tower to lead people away from it, supposedly so they could blow up the snuffer without anyone getting hurt.

The group also retrieved the fancy hat that Winlser had gotten Mira in Isathil, and several diamonds from the Necromancy Department. They then walked through the sewers to Neska's chamber, finding it abandoned. Using some of the black powder, they opened the sealed archway on the other side of the chamber. Looking in, they saw a long hallway lined with skeletons, all bowing towards the central walkway. After walking for ten minutes, they arrived at a stone door with carved snakes, and pushed it open to reveal the basement of the Old Chapel.

As they realised where they were, Artis burst in on them from the tunnel. He was disappointed they had decided to just leave, and told them he would come with them after handing out items he hoped would come in handy. This included the jade dagger for Integrity, a ring for Serinepth, the *Staff of Fire* for Winsler, and a letter from Delnys for Mira.

They went back to Neska's chamber and set a trap, lacing the dust with black powder so they could try to blow her up. After they waited for an uncomfortably long amount of time, Neska re-emerged, with the Orb of Reverence embedded in her forehead.

The students fought the powered up Neska the Reverent. Winsler blew up the sand and summoned Poji the Dream Chicken, Serinepth shot many *Lightning Bolts* at her, Mira inspired her friends and negated many of the spells Neska tried to fire back, and Integrity slashed away at her with her own dagger. In return, Neska collapsed the ledge they were all standing on, and summoned several human clones to fight alongside her, all with a replica of the orb in their foreheads. Integrity managed to pry one of these orbs free, destroying the clone, and causing Neska's snake form to visibly diminish in power. As Neska cornered Integrity in the centre of the room, she carved Neska's underbelly open, and finally killed the Ascendant.

The students returned, battered but victorious, to Artis' Cottage. They found the Concourse attendant had been attacked and killed, and the cottage itself had been wrecked and torn apart. Delnys lay to one side, severly hurt with bloodshot eyes and grey skin, Mira immediately rushed over to help her. Artis ran outside where he found Teb, lying dead in the garden.

As they were trying to process what had happened, the Progenitor summoned Integrity to their chamber. They congratulated her on finally killing one of the other holders of the orbs, and in return gave her part of their power, turning her into a warlock.