Katya couldn't help but awkwardly laugh at Faris's face as he listened to Venka and Nya relay the "brilliant" strategy they came up with. After they finished, they looked at him with grand expressions, to which he replied with after a long sigh.

"So… you are saying that the plan you came up with. The brilliant full proof plan, is to hit them, really, really, really hard, together." His expression grew wider as they nodded excitedly. "That's fucking brilliant, I love it, best plan ever, ten-out-of-ten brilliance, the gods themselves weep in joy and pride that their creation could ever come up with such an intricate plan."

"Really?!" Nya began excitedly.

"No!" Faris yelled indignantly. "Are you insane?! You just told me that your packs had been stolen, you are missing your magic stones, and If I'm correct, each of you three had some pretty decent equipment and had a large store of magic available through those stones. I never felt how much was put in, but given that they were inherited heirlooms and likely stuffed to the brim with magic..." He glances up as he thinks, "They'd have to be if a year's worth of magic isn't worth your time. But anyways if their stuffed to the brim with that much magic even Venka would have some trouble, as I'm sure they would go after her first, putting effort into draining her wards first before the rest of you can do anything, such a straight forward battle would be stupid."

Nya pouted dejectedly, and Venka patted her on the side. "Don't worry big sis, he'll come around to your genius eventually."

"Goddammit when'd you two become best friends?!" Faris asked incredulously.

"Girlish intuition. We've determined we aren't rivals in any way, so we can be friends." Katya replied with a wink, much to Faris's chagrin.

"I for one think it is beautiful that their lovely hearts opened enough to accept each other's friendship." Morgan began with a smile. "It shows just how genuine their lovely hearts truly are."

Faris rolled his eyes. "Alright, so, before we get too off topic, what were your tests, and how did you pass them? I'll reveal mine and Venka's as well, but I think you already saw the results yourselves."

Nya was the first to speak, raising her left hand she grasped her bow. "The wandering blade developed a magic piercing technique, it's not full proof but it allows someone to bypass someone else's wards even if they have less mana. I demonstrated that I could hit rapidly moving targets enchanted with the ability to shift the air around them and with a pretty strong barrier blocking projectiles. It is similar to the rider swords but the magic is not inherit in the tools, only a legendary blacksmith could do that, and neither the Commerce and Engineering Guild or the Researchers of Arcane Mysteries can even attempt to replicate blades of Elvish quality yet, but they have slowly begun to try and catch up to dwarven make, but even with that, the dwarves continue to progress."

"I demonstrated the ability to heal severe injuries such as organ rupturing and internal bleeding." Katya said, smiling a bit. "I also demonstrated the ability to create a barrier that only blocked as much as it needed to, which wasted less energy allowed me to pour more back into strengthening that barrier. I also demonstrated an innate understanding of the nature of water, and was able to invoke it's true essence." Faris's mind went back to Eragon's utilization of the skill, even a few seconds of such a task would be beyond Faris's magical reserves, and Eragon had been alarmed with how much energy it took.

"It was a pretty stormy day." Morgan admitted. "I demonstrated understanding of the weather patterns, and my magic was strong enough to hasten the lightning downwards unto the test dummies, which for me were solid marble." He also shrugged. "I also had a habit for collecting static electricity" He showed his gloved hand, which had a lightly glowing yellow calcite in the shape of a tiny ice berg, and the other side, which had a citrine calcite in the shape of a clean-cut round diamond. "I have a spell that dries the air around me, which makes it easier for my clothing to build up static, another spell absorbs the trace static into the crystal, which was enchanted to collect it. I collect it constantly, my ability then to truly shoot lightning is a magic bolstered connection with this built up static electricity.

Faris nodded, they were all amazingly skilled compared to what he remembered about the original members of Du Vrangr Gata, and they had collected a lot of energy over the years with their gemstones, even if they utilized it in order to fuel those spells, it still required a good grasp of the vocabulary of the ancient language, and an in depth understanding of what they needed to do. After testing their physical and mental abilities he discovered that they were all relatively well-rounded individuals. The beginnings of a plan began to formulate in his mind as he rounded them up.

Bergan, member of the council of thirteen, not Faris's father by the same name, looked at his compatriots with ire and exhaustion. They had conspired to find ways to manipulate Faris and Venka in undetectable ways, but Trianna had been thorough in her coverage, no moment could be exploited, they had even planned to harass him when they discovered that he had left the protection of the school and city and had spent time in the forest, but when they spotted the witch-child Elva, they knew Angela was near, as powerful as they all were, a combination of Elva and Angela would be too much for them. Their deliberations had exhausted Bergan, who had struggled not to strangle Rakus every time he pressed Bergan to release any information he may have had on the children's vulnerabilities, both physical and mental.

"I think I already told you that I would have no part in their being manipulated my fellow council members, as it is, I think the important thing is to prepare for Vanir, he will be with us today with his two guests."

"But that is why it is important to entreaty those children, they would be of great interest to Vanir and the elven kingdom as a whole, it would do for us to have such gifted persons in our power."

"They are not your play things!" Bergan yelled, slamming his fist.

"Calm down Bergan." Lord Jaya rumbled; eyes closed in deep thought. "Do not let yourself be distracted by such emotions, we must do everything to secure humans as a race worthy of the same prestige and respect afforded to Elves and Dwarves, and you know as well as I do that the fastest way to achieve that is through a demonstration of great military and magical might and the showing of a stable and united land."

Bergan scowled and looked away, but did not refute Jaya's words.

Lord Jaya continued, turning to look at each member. "I have to admit we have been beaten, with those children under Trianna and Nasuada's protection, and with the fact that 5 of you have already made it clear you would rather give the children freedom, we do better to bring them into our good graces."

Rakus winced when he heard that. "About that though, it seems they will be partaking in a duel."

"Oh?" Jaya stated, interested. "What happened?"

Cecilia spoke, "It seems my little sister, along with Sona's daughter and Rakus's grandson had gotten into an altercation with some older pearl students, and took them up on a duel that shall take place later today. Faris and Venka had agreed last minute to ally with them. This has peaked the attention of many students, mostly due to Venka's addition."

"That's because all of you fools decided to spread the rumor that Faris didn't in fact break the statue, and that it was the reaction from Venka's display of magic that weakened the foundations. True he used a bit of the residuals, but he would have been able to destroy the statue with or without that and you know it." Bergan growled angrily. "You tried to get them to resent each other through the disparity of treatment!"

Lord Jaya looked at Bergan until the latter looked away, he turned to the group. "Alright, but why did you wince Rakus? What is the issue?"

"The issue… my lord is that before they had joined Venka and Faris had gone to one of our mediators to report that the girls had stolen Venka's magic stone. The investigators stated that due to the duel's proximity, they could not confiscate the stones due to the chance it would give an unfair disadvantage to those second-years."

"But there is no provision like that in the rules!" Bergan began.

"No, there isn't but it is precedented, a two years ago a student argued that the altercation led to a stone's stealing, which meant both parties were at fault, and thus either punitive measures or combat be taken. Very few students ever accept the punitive measures so the mediator simply stated-"

"You mean he openly lied to them?" Lord Jaya spoke. Rakus winced at his tone. "I must think on this, everyone is dismissed."

As the members filed out Lord Jaya remained sitting before, he turned to his side once they all left. "Enter"

Walking in to the room was his daughter, removing her hood and scarf-like wrapping she kneeled before him.

"Father…" She said, smiling.

Lord Jaya smirked at her expression. "I take it you met young Faris my daughter, what was your opinion of he and Venka."

"The girl was nothing to write home about, her magic is indeed stupendous, but she had no sense of danger, if I had cast a spell of death, she would be done for, by now and from my observations Faris had convinced her to place several high level wards on herself, I myself am impressed with the level of detail they went into, I don't imagine any normal spell casters piercing through every layer, and even then only a special mage or weapon could bypass it, in that regard she's competent enough, in a few years she could likely take the continent."

"That was within my expectations," Lord Jaya mused. "And what about the boy?"

"He tasted delicious, he prefers mint and honey tea it seems." Seya smiled as she stated that.

"You and your dangerous habits." Lord Jaya murmured, clutching his head in annoyance. "I hope you didn't try to kill him."

"I was actually surprised, a combination of Jade Root and Seithr Oil normally bypasses any magical wards, he had no wards against physical attacks and magic he could block or dodge, which is likely by choice given how thorough his magical blockings were." She smiled, "I fought him mentally, there are few like him father, he faced me with ferocity, fighting physically and mentally, I actually had to cease holding back to defeat him."

The older man shifted in surprise over her revelation. His brow furrowed in thought. "Are you sure you aren't overestimating him?"

Seya smiled wider, "Father, I promise you that he is a special talent. In fact, he has an interesting way of fighting, every time he strikes physically a mental attack is sure to follow and he changes his tempo frequently to throw one off guard. And he had several distinct fighting styles, each with their own purpose. He is no master at any of these, but has such advanced competency in so many different forms that one could call that a mastery on its own, in one year I would even believe that is he had a magical power closer to Celica's he would be eligible for a seat in this council."

"By that logic my darling, don't you deserve a seat?" Celica had the second lowest magical power amongst the council, which was still higher than most diamond ranked mages, in fact, each member had power enough to impress most elves, though even then impressing an elf did not mean that they had surpassed them, or even rose to being their equals, but that was where the stones came in. For Faris to be evaluated so highly by his daughter, Lord Jaya reconsidered how he had been approaching them.

"True, I may very well be on the level of your council, father," Seya said, licking her lips as she remembered her recent fight. "But I'm a special case, that would be an unfair comparison."

Jaya leaned his head on his fist. "Do you know who denied them the right to investigation?"

"I believe it was a fourth year Gold Initiate by the name of Surmon, under you orders by proxy of the Researchers of Arcane Mysteries to try and do anything to wear down the children emotionally when it could be found."

"Hmmm. Relay orders to cease and desist those orders, from now on the children are to be treated like they are normal Pearl Initiate students. And give Surmon orders of promotion, he is to be 'officially' announced the rank of Blue Topaz and given orders to travel to Surda to aid them in the campaign."

"What should be done 'unofficially' father?" Seya asked, stifling an excited yet vicious smile.

"He… got into an accident, it seems that some travelling rogues aided by a rogue magician found him and robbed him before he could retaliate, with his crystal gone his meager power wasn't enough to stop them."

"Oh, father you are just awful!" Seya said, laughing. "He was just following orders."

"If you wish I can spare him my daughter, his family did make a sizeable contribution to the Researchers of Arcane Mysteries." Jaya stated with a smirk. "I don't want my daughter thinking little of me now."

"No father, I'd never think little of you. Besides," She grinned, "my favorite part is watching the hope die."

Lord Jaya laughed at his daughter's flippant way of stating such cruelty. Whoever Faris was really, to impress someone like his daughter took something. Dismissing her to her tasks he retreated to his thoughts as he contemplated how best to meet Vanir and the two elven children.