The wait for the two Great Mages to return took well over half an hour. In this time, Nora and Percy both began cultivating. Nora with her 'Dragon Kings Incarnation' and not 'Demonic Witchgod Transformations' due to it being far too otherworldy with the presence of another entity appearing through cultivation, while Percy cultivated his 'Tempering by a Thousand Cuts' in all its bloody goodness.
In their state of cultivation, time passed quickly. Percy's cultivation leaving massive amounts of blood all around him. The blood, endless and continuous, squirting in every which way.
The peace was soon disturbed by Sev bursting into the classroom and closing the door behind himself. "Well, things could've gone better..." visibly distressed, he wiped off a collection of sweat which had begun to form on his brow. Gathering his composure he began to chant a spell, "Darkness which hides in the shadow of the life. Grant us your protection in our time of need. In the name of our Lord Nerull, Dark Sanctuary!"
The vibrancy of the room dimmed, the colours darkened and lingering darkness enveloped the edges of the classroom. Truly creating a sanctuary through darkness. Nora marvelled at the power of the spell as she could no longer sense anything outside the room. Seemingly separating the classroom from reality itself.
"Nora, I managed to buy us a few days before the Lightcrows come after us. They didn't take it to well when I said I found an inheritor... We need to leave tonight, Percy and Great Mage Mirlie meet up with us on the way to the Mage Tower. Headmaster Thurmond believes that we'll leave in three days time. Hopefully, the confusion distracts him long enough for us to escape his influence. Meet me at the Academy's front door when the moon is at it's highest. Until then, hide within the grandmaster array under your bed. It should be enough to keep you safe until then. I gotta pick up some things for the journey."
In a single movement, Sev dispelled the Dark Sanctuary he created and the classroom regained its vibrancy and colours. Reconnecting the classroom to the Academy once more.
"Let me take you both back to your dorms. We gotta keep on the down low for now..."
-
It didn't take long for Nora and Percy to reach their dorms. The two students creating another stir in the school as once again they were being escorted by one of the few Great Mages in the school. Let alone the single black mage of the entire Academy.
They soon separated and entered their own rooms. Nora patiently waited while cultivating until night time slowly overtook the sky and the moon peaked in the sky. She had made some good progress in her cultivation while she waited.
Having long memorized the path towards the school entrance, she carefully made her way towards the Academy's entrance. To her comfort, Sev was waiting patiently for her in the doorway of the Academy.
"Thank goodness you made it, I was getting worried..."
"It was just a few hallways, what were you expecting?" Nora replied
"Nevermind that, let's get going..." Sev clearly on edge as they began to make their way away from the Academy. They made quick pace as they reached the little town around the Academy. The dead of night leaving the streets bare and desolate.
The night was in complete silence if not for a pitch-black carriage waiting for Sev and Nora at the edge of town.
The longer that Nora and Sev took to get to the carriage, the more Sev became far agitated. Only finding relief once they both entered the carriage. Nora couldn't help but note that something was off about the carriage driver, as he was cloaked from head to tow and sat completely still, far beyond lifeless.
Nora was about to ask about the driver before Sev answered her question, "Don't mind the carriage driver, he's a contracted ghoul that's been with me for countless years. You can trust him..."
As they set off, Sev began to cast a myriad of spells, all in an effort to erase the presence of both himself and Nora from any curious onlookers.
"Nora, this is for you," Sev reached into one of the pockets on his robe and handed Nora an ornate ring. The ring itself holding the appearance of an ouroboros, the ancient symbol of a serpent eating itself. "This ring once belonged to one of my comrades. He has long passed but now I hand you this ring in hopes that you, once you've become powerful enough, avenge his wrongful death at the hands of the Lightcrow Family.
Nora gratefully received the ring. Upon putting the ring onto her left pinky finger, she immediately recognized the ring. This ring truly was a spatial ring.