Midnight in Nebula's Hostel Room,
A beautiful Full Moon Night and in this night Moonlight filters through the sheer curtains of the small hostel room. Nebula lies in bed, her breathing slow and even, eyes closed, a good silence or peace in room when with a creak voice a person suddenly came in room with silent steps like they practice this type of walking.
An intruder came with light steps it came near Nebula and see her takeout a shiny thing and splash,
A bottle filled with strange liquid put near Nebula, some liquid splash on her body,
Nebula who was just meditating in sleeping position, not asleep notice the intruder. Moments ago, her spirit also notice the someone came near the room,
Nebula pretend to be sleeping but the liquid when touch air turn into vapor and Nebula feel sleepy, she is loosing consciousness also her energy flow is disturbed which can results in breaking of her connection with Celestial make him useless in this situation,
However Celestial putting active effort, purifying all the poison from her body and removing everything from her sheets, there is no traces remain in air,
It is a colorless amd odor less liquid so the intruder don't notice.
While doing this Celestial also use [Share Sense] spell to show who it is,
A maid cover in black robes also her face is cover make it unable to know who it is, However Celestial see under her black robes in a plain uniform steps inside, eyes darting around. Believing Nebula is asleep, she tiptoes to the bed. Lunir, invisible to most, watches from the corner. She go towards Nebula's closet and The maid pulls something small and silver from her pocket,
It is a pendant etched with dark runes, she take it and open it holding like that show a space filled with black liquid,
She carefully with a metal thing put it on clothes, the part turn black and get back normal like it disappear completely however it was there, just not visible.
Just as the maid turns to leave, Nebula remains motionless. She take a look at Nebula with big smile on her face,
"Tomorrow, I will get peace and prize"
She said, believing that she has gain success,
After the closed Celestial feel any being that is neat their room and find the girl in the hallway going towards the exit,
In room,
Nebula wake up and go towards the closet and see nothing wrong However her sharp senses feel a smell of spirit fruit, a rare fruit that can instantly recover energy and can be sense by someone with very good smell sense or mana detection ability
"Wow, If I wear it no one can tell any problems in clothes not even a trained and talented person, mix with my smell and energy it can hide easily" Nebula said to herself
"She is going outside to meet someone, I think someone bribed her to do it" Celestial who manifest said
"Tell me what she have done" Nebula command her spirit and a light cover her clothes which tell Celestial is analyzing the things on clothes
"Amazing, I know it, Demon grass, spirit fruit, little bit of yellow fungus flower, poison lily, also some other stuff, a potion that attract and make monsters excited, when came closed go berserk and anyone, a complicated one" Celestial gave it's analysis report,
" Remove it"
"yes"
Celestial remove the potion, while Nebula wearing clothes to go out silently,
Nebula cover herself with Dark energy to hide while following the maid
Hallway Outside the Room,
The maid sneaks down the corridor. And get out of hostel without anyone notice and also meet with another person came from hostel in same clothes or look like same clothes, they talk and going towards a direction in the garden
Nebula on other hand reaches the far end, ready to go out to follow them however someone taps her shoulder. She whirls around—startled—only to see Cellena, Nebula's classmate, hand still raised.
"You shouldn't be here this late," Cellena says coolly, her violet spirit flying in form of orb flickering faintly beside her.
Nebula clearly shock by it " Why are you here"
Cellena who notice Nebula clearly said "someone, maybe a maid put something on me and also do something in my closet"
"As expected" Nebula put her hand on Cellena's shoulder and feel the disturbance in her energy flow and smell on her, a glow envelope Cellena and she feel ease " Thanks" She reply
"Let's go"
Cellena's spirit using it's wind powers tracking the maid from winds and they all from the shadows and eventually see her meeting a cloaked figure near the edge of the school grounds, Cellena's spirit feeling danger stop it cautiously, a high-ranking member of the Academy council fully cover but the power and situation is indication. Their voices are faint, using a spell to restrict anyone to actually listen to their conversation.
" Damn it, why this caution"
Cellena wants to strike — but Nebula advises patience. "We need more. Let them think they're winning."
"yes, you are right" Cellena take a deep breath and said it "Let's go to my room and clear things"
After this all things in room get clear and they both go to sleep so they will be ready for tomorrow because it will be a big day.
Next Day,
Professor Sylphus stands at the front of the class, her staff tapping the floor with arcane authority. "Today, we test your bond with your spirits. Real combat. Real monsters."
A circle form on the ground and everyone in the room suddenly Teleport to a place filled with trees, there are 2 other Assistant Professor present if something unexpected happened,
The class is led out of the academy grounds into the enchanted forest. An isolated forest made near hill behind the University ground filled with small monsters like Slime, elemental rabbit , Elemental birds, like this.
" Students, you can hunt individually or in group however the more Mana cores you get the higher you points get the one who get highest point will get extra marks in final exam scores or one day complete leave application approval"
The professor declared create a reason for those who don't want to waste their time on this because these two offers are very tempting.
" Really, can i get it?"
" I am looking Forward to it"
" Huh, I will get it"
"if you get a problem send the signal"
She gave them a badge that will send a signal when user get serious damage or can simply use to send signal, if needed.
Some approach both Nebula and Cellena but they rejected them and make their own team, go inside the Forest,
Someone who see it smile, know that how things will go when he see a monster see towards and slowly go towards them on it's own
" Soon, you will see it, the result of your standing "
A cold declaration