Group 1
[18] Ileen Knight - watching from outside of the ring
[26] Selim Faust - Left, already upstairs
[8] Percival Rainwood
[12] Wyatt Starkey
[14] Emmanuel Min Requiza - did nothing

Group 2
[10] Hanako Tone -
[27] Dan Palmer - Gone
[5] Bridget Collins - Gone
[29] Caelan Stewart - prepared actions
[15] Margo White

@Emmanuel Min Requiza had started to daydream mid-fight. He could have ended Hanako if he was given enough time. The Slytherin seemed pretty useless in the ring. However, you have to play to win, this fight being no exception. @Caelan Stewart was prepared if Emmanuel was going to continue his onslaught. A standoff of sorts, Emmanuel did nothing so Caelan did nothing also.

These teams were the strange exception. Most of them had left. A bit of blood stained the floor but Ileen never entered, she just watched on and let Percival and Emmanuel do all of the fighting. Selim had already left, he did not even wait for the match to start. Wyatt and Emmanuel did nothing, they were merely loitering in the midst of the fray.

@Percival Rainwood had more loyalty than @Hanako Tone had as he entered the ring, contrary to the the pleas of his teammate. it was not to fight, it was to save Hanako.

He would attempt to grab Hanako's arm, (as there was no post he gets an evasion attempt as per the basics of combat) and the boy would try to pull himself away.

Percival attempts to grab onto Hanako. [Grapple]
Attack 3
Evasion 15

He would miss Hanako, the noddle-armed youth would slip away, the slipperiest snake. Hanako would not be pulled from the ring and Percival was not going to stand next to him. He was not as suicidal.

Ileen Knight was not going to fight, she was going to watch. Her curiosity had earned her one truth, something was behind Victor. Something was holding him up. The boy so damaged he hardly seemed alive. In truth, he barely was.

She would touch his shoulder and she would feel something cold. So cold as if she had entered an ice box, quite the contrast to the damp, stuffy space her housemates shared.

Her cool eyes would search past Victor.

Observation behind Victor.
Wisdom Roll: 13 (wisdom) + 7 (wisdom)
DC 20

She would see it, something that meandered about the perimeter of the room. It seemed to have a process to it. This darkness, without shape of form, this disembodied amalgamation of darkness that was near imperceptible. It would patrol the perimeter of the basement and then it would finally pause behind Victor. His knees would buckle slightly but there would be no change in the boy's features as the shadow paused behind the youth. It would not linger long and then it would leave, but it would appear to have taken notice in those near. [Likely Jack who is in a separate thread but according to his narration insistently remains in front of him.] this would now include Ileen, not that there were eyes or even a head that would cock to the side with curiosity.

She would feel it, he made no attempt to evade her touch. His flesh felt like buttery leather stretched over his bones. He was thin, too thin. It was sickly. But his body was there. Human however might be a stretch.

She would look at his eyes, they used to be Blue, well a blueish grey not that she ever paid attention to such things since she barely knew him. His eyes were now bright green. They seemed to glow, they were noticeable. As she stared...

Romantically look into Victor's eyes
Wisdom: 9 (roll) + 7 (wisdom)
DC 20

They might have been fascinating, even lovely had then been on another face. But she would learn nothing more.

His shoulders were askew. Her gaze would travel down from his piercing eyes.

Observe his higher shoulder.
Wisdom: 5 (roll) + 7 (wisdom)
DC 20

She could not glean a reason why, only that it was wrong. That his very carriage was twisted.

“Who are you?”

His answer was simple, but odd. "The Victor."

Interacting with | @Victor Moore

Ileen flinched as she touched the boy’s shoulder. She felt the soft flesh and the sharp bones under her palm - it felt wrong, as if someone had tried to patch him up and abandoned some anatomical necessities. He not only looked like barely bones and skin - he was. How was he even alive in this state?
But that was not the only thing that shocked the young Slytherin girl. The moment she had touched his shoulder, she had the feeling of having dipped her hand in a bucket of ice water - almost as if she'd reached into one of the ghosts of Hogwarts.
Also her eyes caught something even more threatening. It seemed like there was a bodiless shadow patrolling in the tent. When it stopped behind the boy, the darkness did something to him. But what? Ileen couldn’t put her finger on it. Also, she could hardly believe her own eyes. First the hand, then this darkness - what had they all gotten themselves into?! She felt the unwanted attention and a shiver ran down her spine. What was that?

Paralyzed, Ileen still held Victor's shoulder in her clutches. The cold started to spread in her body as the creepiness of the whole situation sank in. The eleven-year old girl was afraid. Afraid to hold on to that broken boy, afraid to let go because she wasn’t even sure if he would manage to stand on his own…
She blocked out the crowd and the events behind her in the ring. She put all her focus on that boy and the darkness. He was a victim, wasn’t he? The thoughts were rotating in her mind. At least his eyes seemed to be somehow human. The Victor? What was that supposed to mean?
Ileen didn’t know that one of her older house mates was called like that. She never had paid much attention to Slytherins or other students in general. Putting names to faces wasn’t something she was good at. In this case it probably wouldn’t help anyways.
“And who is with you?” The question escaped her before she had put enough thought into it. Her eyes were following the darkness that had started patrolling in the room again. Was there a pattern?
With a mixture of horror and pity she focused her gaze back on Victor. She was terrified, but at the same moment she wanted to help him - even though she wasn’t sure if there was much left that could be saved - and save from what? “Who did this to you? And who is still doing this to you?” Her voice was barely audible - it was more of a whisper, an attempt to ask him about his physical and also mental situation. Was he posessed? She had no idea why he would talk to her, a complete stranger. She just felt the urge to help and to run at the same time. To flee. To escape this whole mess.
When the shadow would pass her another time she would try to shield Victor and get between them. It was not a rational decision. She was not the kind of person to protect people she barely knew. No.. It had started with the boy so it could probably end with the boy as well. And if she did nothing, the panic would take over again. She couldn’t let that happen. If she could figure out what was wrong with him she probably could end this whole mess. If she could somehow cut him loose from whatever was playing or controlling him… It was the only chance and worth a try.

Action 1: Observation check if she can figure out a moving pattern of the shadow
Action 2: If possible, observation check if she further notices strange things about Victor
Action 3: If possible, trying to shield Victor from the Darkness next time it stops by [/center]

Ability: Sixth Sense
Stats: Sta:5 | Ev:7 | Str:3 | Wis:7 | Arc:6 | Acc:7

Percy’s warning was a bit slow to get through Hana’s head. Thinking no one would hit a frail kid like him, no defence were made and thus, the impact of the strangers push affected him more mentally than physically.

“ You- did you just- p u s h me? “ The first words he said after stumbling back from the force of the strangers push were soft and dazed- indicating he was in shock. It took a moment for him to regain his balance but as soon as he did- his voice, as well as his face, made a dark turn “ you P u s H e D m E !” . He wasn’t furious. No effort would be made to take revenge as he was too busy remembering the face who not only ignored the most logic way out of this, but opted to actually make an attempt to fight.

Dark skinned
Unusual energetic eyes
Hair with colours that looked like a mix of salt and pepper

Yea- Hana’s definitely going to remember him.

Before Hana could be tempted to shove him back- a team member of his spoke up. Was he...getting stood up? An odd sense of calmness rushed through him and Hana felt his eyebrows relax. Only to return again when Stewart said his speech was hard to follow. “ Excuse me, sir “ Hana decided not to comment more on that. Stewart did, in fact, stood up for Hana. Just as the regret for opening up his mouth in the first place sky-rocketed- the words Stewart said would stuck with him. Hana would remember him just as much as he remembered the guy that shoved him.

Speaking of his team members, he suddenly noticed there were fewer numbers on his side now. What-? When did they-

Hana had no time to dwell on his teammate's absence ( partly his fault for being too ignorant ) as his eyes quickly caught on Percival who reached his arm out. Alarms blared in his mind- flashbacks of the blossom ball appeared and before he could properly react, he pulled away. An unreadable expression fell on Hanako’s face as he stared at Percival but the way his body pulled away and the steps he took to create more distance between the two boys had said plenty.

“You...what were you trying to do?” Despite the low tone he used- the slowly bubbling up anger was evident. His eyebrows furrowed as he took back the arm Percival was so close to grabbing as if assuring it’s safety from any trances of pureblood goo. Was he trying to grab him away again? His questions were answered rather quickly and for a second the only thing Hanako could do was stare at the blonde Pureblood. After a few seconds passed, his unreadable face slowly morphed into clear anger.

“ Leave? “ He let go of his arm and took confident strides towards him. “ Are you serious? I wanted to leave this place the second that psycho said we had to take our clothes off! I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to leave the place like the rest of us but what I want to know is why you’re trying to take me away”.

First the blossom ball and now this? Hana knew well enough that it wasn’t him he was angry at. It was himself. Percival had tried to help him once again yet all Hana could focus on was how it took him less than 5 minutes to sell information on him to his teammates. They had never talked about that day since it happened and Hanako shamelessly took that as an opportunity to keep him slightly longer than he intended. Just having fun with him as he lasts- a part of himself says. But he feared something else was brewing the second he had another one that seems interested in him.

That brat, Opeila Seilun

Hanako had never felt such possessiveness for someone he had planned to leave behind sooner or later but there it was. She ruined everything. If it weren’t for her- perhaps he wouldn’t be having thoughts like this. Was that what he was trying to do when he easily betrayed him? It was unfair. Unfair that Percival didn’t do the same Hana did. Did Hana miscalculate how loyal Rainwood was? Miscalculation was common for him.


“ Do you like playing Prince Charming so much? What’s up with you and saving my ass all the time, huh? “

He couldn’t stop the harsh words coming out of his mouth in a sickening way. Like a poisoned knife sharped to its fine edges.

“ Hasn’t this happened before? When we had a dance party with those oversized bees? Is your head so thick that you couldn’t remember what happened? “

He was furious- that was clear enough with the look on his usually calm face. Anger looked so odd on the boy’s face. Wrath directed to him was common, but to others was a different matter. There was no playful grin or childish tone. In fact, it looked like Hanako was acting his age for once. An emotionally confused 12-year old that can’t make up his mind. Torn between his obsession with keeping Percival by his side and killing their relationship to save him the heartbreak.

At the moment, he chose the latter.

“ You want to know what I think? I think… you believe we’re closer than we actually are. Did my tolerance with your whole being give you false hope?” A sick grin appeared on his face- as if mocking Rainwood. It hurts- he noticed. It hurts inside yet why was he still talking. “I apologize “ he finalized sarcastically- a dead look in his eyes. To anyone else watching this, it didn’t seem like he was remorseful at all.

Hanako slightly pushed Percival- barely enough to move him. It wasn’t meant to hurt him- it was to signalize they were done with this conversation. Without another word, he made his way towards the exit- his back fully exposed to Percival. Perfect time to strike

“ Let this be a reminder, Rainwood. “ he said casually yet loud enough for bystanders to hear, without looking back. “ Do not cross your boundaries, again “ . His last words were muttered, loud enough for only himself to hear.

Mentioning:

Was Interacting: @Percival Rainwood [/mention]

Mentioned: @Opeila Winters @Caelan Stewart @Emmanuel Min Requiza and Groups 2 Folks

Action : Being a bad friend
-Slightly push percival ( not enough force to be considered an attack

S t a m i n a : 4 ♣️ S t r e n g t h : 3 ♣️ A r c a n e : 8
♣️ P o w e r A c c u r a c y : 7 ♣️ E v a s i o n : 5 ♣️ W i s d o m :3

()

Percival couldn't stop the shocked expression that came across his face as his hand met air. He couldn't believe that he had miscalculated grabbing Hanako's hand. It only took a second for him to realize that the other boy had actually evaded him. The other evading him hadn't even crossed his mind as a possibility, and therefore he hadn't prepared for that. Percival's brows furrowed up in confusion as he watched the other step back away from him. The other almost looked disgusted at the thought of Percival touching him. His mind tried to come up with a reason for the other's apparent disgust at being grabbed. Percival had grabbed the other's hand before, but this was the first time he had ever complained. Instead of answering the other's question, he responded with another question. "W. . .What do you mean?" he asked confusion clear in his voice.

It was Percival's turn to back up as Hanako walked towards him with large strides. He didn't know exactly why he did so, between the two of them Percival was stronger. Yet something about the look in the boy's eyes made him feel weak. The other looked serious and angry, something Percival had never seen on the other boy's face. To make matters worse all that anger seemed to be directed at him. He was at a loss for why the other was so upset with him. Was trying to grab Hanako really that bad? The boy felt a sick feeling spread in his gut as he listened to the shorter boy speak. Percival felt agitation creep on slowly as the boy contradicted himself in the same sentence. "If you have been wanting to leave why does it matter?" he snapped defensively.

The other boy's words only seemed to increase with intensity each time he opened his mouth. It felt like Hanako was repeatedly punching him in the gut, but instead of pain, he felt his insides twist up and his heartache. Percival grit his teeth as the other brought up what happened at the Blossom Ball. He knew that the two should have talked about it, but just like all a hundred of their many problems, they instead buried it down. Now everything they had tried to forget was rearing its ugly head in the worst possible time. "You were about to get attacked by a fucking bee! Did you just want me to let you get hurt?! he said his voice increasing in volume. It didn't even occur to Percival that he had yelled the last part of his sentence. Percival's hands had balled into fists by his sides as he tried to control his anger. It didn't make any sense to him why the other thought he had been in the wrong for trying to help him.

The boy's anger was rising like a tidal wave because feeling anger was better than the rejected feeling he was feeling underneath. Though he wasn't able to pretend his true feelings didn't exist for long. Hanako's next words shocked Percival to his core, and all he could do was stare at the other. He was sure his face expressed the change in his mood at the other's words clearly for everyone to see. Yet at that moment, Percival couldn't find it in himself to care.

'Hana. . .tolerated me? We aren't actually-.' even in his thoughts he had trouble finishing that sentence. The boy felt like he was about to be sick as it slowly seemed to dawn on him that the other seemingly never liked him. His mind looked back on the memories he had with Hanako as if trying to confirm that it was a lie. That Hanako wouldn't just lead him on for so long. Hadn't the two been friends when Percival had painted their faces blue or when Hanako taught him how to make paper cranes? Percival was certain that Hanako must have laughed or smiled at him to confirm that the other considered him a friend. Yet each memory his mind brought up seemed to be warping itself from reality. Hanako's smile had been replaced with a sneering Hanako in his mind. A Hanako that could barely stand the presence of him. A Hanako that wouldn't care if Percival just disappeared from his life. Had he truly been that blind to the other's true feelings?

The boy felt stupid looking at the more obvious signs. The incident at the Great Lake should have clued him in, but he had been too naive. No. He hadn't been naive, a part of him had known that the wooden bridge that symbolized relationship was burning down. The smoke should have warned him of that fact, but he had chosen to ignore it. Fantasy had always been better than reality. To realize the other had never cared about him while Percival had cared so much. Percival flinched slightly as the other pushed him away physically and emotionally. The boy felt red hot anger coil in his gut as he realized Hanako had just tossed him aside like he was a piece of trash. He twisted about to stare at the boy's back as he watched the other walk away. Percival felt his heart beat faster in his ears drowning out the majority of his surroundings. He didn't realize when he started taking clipped strides after the shorter boy. His own breathing getting faster and deeper. "I wish we never met!" he snapped. He didn't realize when his fist hooked to the right aiming for the side of Hanako's head.

Percival swore he could hear the crashing sound as the wooden bridge finally collapsed after months of withstanding the flames.

Interacting with: @Hanako Tone

Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 5 | Strength: 7 | Wisdom: 4 | Arcane Power: 8 | Accuracy: 5

Ability: Foul play

Some issues sorta killed this. Sorry. Got some posting here.

Group 1
[18] Ileen Knight - watching from outside of the ring
[26] Selim Faust - Left, already upstairs
[8] Percival Rainwood - attempted to punch Hanako., missed
[12] Wyatt Starkey - did nothing
[14] Emmanuel Min Requiza - did nothing

Group 2
[10] Hanako Tone - pushed Percival, might make him cry
[27] Dan Palmer - Gone
[5] Bridget Collins - Gone
[29] Caelan Stewart - did nothing
[15] Margo White - did nothing

@Percival Rainwood was having a domestic dispute with @Hanako Tone. Hanako should have turned tail and ran, Percival was bigger, stronger and had a greater propensity for violence than the Asian youth. They were pitted against one another in this ring, Hanako could have given up. He did not have to enter the ring, he was not built for fighting. However, Hanako betrayed logic, with large, confident, foolish strides he would enter the ring. Preserve his dignity but not his pretty face.

Hanako might have needed to be saved but he did not want to be saved. Why? Well, a hormonal issue would be to blame had Hanako been a young woman. Madness or pride the only other alternatives - how dare you save my pretty ass! Hanako should have led the poor boy on, he could have. Hanako was right, Percival's feelings were likely stronger for Hanako than his were for the fellow snake. Did not matter here or now, perhaps a mixture of guilt and stupidity fueled his actions from here on as he picked a fight, the final boundary being crossed as his delicate hands with piano-player fingers rather than brawler knuckles would push against Percival.

Hanako slightly pushes Percival
Attack 12
Evasion 1

His hands would make contact. With the combined power of a bouquet of flowers [flowerkid], he would push at Percival's sternum. Dumbfounded. Enraged. The hands would push him and Perrcival would stumble back. No injury. No harm. Just a broken heart and marred pride. enough to lash out and to fight back.

Percival attacks Hanako from behind with Hook
Attack 10 + 5
Evasion 14 + 5

In his rage, he would wildly miss and then do nothing more. It was easier to just stand there as his wild swing was easily and cleanly ducked under. After his failed retribution he would just stand there stunned perhaps... Stunned over his own inadequacy? Hanako's cruelty? Maybe he forgot why he was in the ring, but his Wisdom was not -that- bad, it was a whopping 4. No Einstein, he was also no paste eater (unless he was very very hungry).
_________________________________________

@Ileen Knight was not going to get between the two squabbling boys. She was more interested in this darkness that seemed to patrol the perimeter of the basement,. Outside of the ring.

Ileen: Observation check if she can figure out a moving pattern of the shadow.
Roll: 13

The pattern was simple and purposeful. Widdershins, the act of moving anti-clockwise around the perimeter of the basement. Moving through the crowd, but none of the Hogwarts students. The ring in the center, the circumambulation could be described as ritualistic. The darkness would walk to Victor and step inside, remain for a moment then take a single step back and resume the pattern once again.

Ileen: Observation check if she further notices strange things about Victor.
Roll: 16

She would look at Victor, his features were so badly marred it was hard to make out his expression. He did not seem happy, his eyes looked off. The color seemed unnatural but more than that they seemed sad, pained and angry. His posture suggested a feeble nature, he boy was barely standing yet he was commanding the room. Was it out of necessity? Desperation or dedication? His breaths were shallow, yet so many. His jaw would tense as the darkness entered him.

Ileen: Try to shield Victor from the Darkness next time it stops by.
Ileen. 12 + 3
Victor. 9 + 6

He did not look at her, but she would feel a cold hand bump her shoulder. The hand was unyielding, but she would see the hand dislocate from the forearm as he did so. He would not say anything, but his jaw would clench tightly and his eyes would briefly clench shut as the darkness entered him and started to try to exit. It would not escape him this time. In a faltering voice he would force out four words. "The darkness has claws."

Are we all forfeiting, nobody has posted in here in some time.

Interacting with | @Victor Moore

The dark brown eyes of the young Slytherin girl widened as she briefly turned away from the boy to follow the movement of the shadow. The uneasy thrill and the cold inside her seemed to spread further and she clenched her teeth, her hand still grabbing the shoulder of the - you could barely call ‘the Victor’ a person - figure in front of her. The eleven-year-old could not grasp what was happening around her nor classify it, but the ring as a ritual circle, the broken boy, the hand, the shadow - all the alarm bells were already ringing deafeningly in her head. Something was going terribly wrong here and she would try to get away. She doubted very much that she could really do anything about it anyways besides collecting as much information as possible before she would try to get help. If this was really some kind of creepy ritual and the ring was the center, could be there more hints and signs about it? Was there anything on the floor like a pentagram, as it always happened in bad muggle novels, or runes?

As Ileen's gaze followed the shadow that 're-entered' Victor, she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand in its way, even though she had wanted to prevent it from getting to the boy, but now it seemed unable to leave him. The boy seemed to be in pain - was he, the commander of the room, the victim? He hadn’t answered her question who was doing this to him, but a cold hand bumped her shoulder to get her out of the way.
His words send another cold shiver down her spine, but the girl was already determined to do at least something. If the shadow could not continue his ritual pattern, would that change anything? It was worth a try.
Her hand clasped his cold, pointed shoulder even tighter and she returned the look of the strange eyes without moving an inch to one side. "And does the darkness have a name?"

Action 1: Observation check if she can see something on the ground where the shadow was moving along (ritual circle).
Action 2: Observation Check if she can notice something special about the area which has been circled by the shadow
Action 3: Trying to stop the darkness from exiting Victor

Ability: Sixth Sense
Stats: Sta:5 | Ev:7 | Str:3 | Wis:7 | Arc:6 | Acc:7

I’m sorry for the delay!

Clarification - is anyone actually fighting the match? There is a team that has been waiting a month.

Percival didn't exactly know why he thought punching Hanako would do anything to help them. It had been a spur in the moment decision to deal with the negative feelings that squeezed his heart. Anger and rejection clouded his mind casting away any inhibitions about punching the boy he had only moments ago called his friend. Though his rage seemed to mess with his accuracy as the boy swung aimlessly at Hanako's head. Percival completely missing the black head of hair that was only a few inches away from him.

Immediately after the swing, he felt embarrassment crawling across his chest and neck making him feel hot and strangely itchy. He could not believe that he had actually missed Hanako especially when the other had been taken by surprise. Percival glared at Hanako's back head as he cursed his own stupidness. The punch was supposed to be a statement of sorts, that Hanako couldn't just leave him in the dust like a piece of trash. Failing at accomplishing his goal only caused a feeling of resentment to build in his chest.

Percival's embarrassment was momentarily swept away as he studied the shorter boy in front of him. Truly took the time to actually study him. Hanako's eyes had widened dramatically reminding himself of the saucers that teacups are served on. If the moment was any different he was sure he would have chuckled at the connection he had made. Though it was neither the time nor place to start laughing. Inwardly, Percival wondered if the boy had stopped breathing as well. The thought brought along more that came to mind as quickly as they came. Was he truly that powerful enough to steal someone's breath? He doubted that he was capable of doing such a thing, but the thought of being able to brought a rush of adrenaline and a dash of sadistic glee.

Sure he had completely missed the punch, but he had been able to scare Hanako. Percival had made the boy stop in his tracks frozen by fear. If the boy had actually taken a moment to look past his hopes he may have seen a boy who was not scared. Though Percival was never known to be someone to notice the details.

Percival gritted to his teeth as he realized he had been standing like a fool for the last couple of seconds. So wrapped up in his thoughts and feelings he hadn't realized how much time had flown by. This wasn't a good strategy for a fight. Pausing only gave the other person a chance to punch. Especially, when trying to show Hanako how he wasn't some weak little thing he could toss to the side. Percival's emotions blended back together as he thought about how the other must view him. The boy raised his right fist backward and aimed for the side of Hanako's face. Hopefully, with any luck he would be able to hit the other.



Percival could feel his mouth open slightly in surprise as his punch missed once again. "What the hell! Hold still!" he snapped embarrassment and rage seeping into his tone. Percival's face felt hot and he wondered if his cheeks were reddening. The boy stepped forward slightly before attempting to bring his fist up beneath the shorter boy's jaw.

Interacting with: @Hanako Tone

Stamina: 6 | Evasion: 5 | Strength: 7 | Wisdom: 4 | Arcane Power: 8 | Accuracy: 5

Ability: Foul play

Group 1
[18] Ileen Knight - watching from outside of the ring
[26] Selim Faust - Left, already upstairs
[8] Percival Rainwood - attempted to punch Hanako.
[12] Wyatt Starkey - did nothing
[14] Emmanuel Min Requiza - did nothing [July 28 was date of last post, presumed inactive]

Group 2
[10] Hanako Tone - punched, 260 health remaining. Disoriented secondary effect where there is a 5% chance that they will auto-miss their attacks for the next 3 rounds.
[27] Dan Palmer - Gone
[5] Bridget Collins - Gone
[29] Caelan Stewart - did nothing
[15] Margo White - did nothing

Whatever was going on between @Percival Rainwood and @Hanako Tone was going to end here and now. Hanako had rejected their union already. The felling blow was merely the final seal being broken along with conceivably Hanako's jaw. Hanako's choices were senseless, the seeds of bitterness being sewn out of selfish self-preservation. To win a round in a contest Hanako had no hope of ultimately being the victor in. They were too weak, at least at this juncture. Yet they had no intention of standing down. Rainwood would have to take them down and earn their victory with Hanako's blood.

His hand would curl into a tight, familiar fist. It was not the first time he had given someone a well-deserved pounding into the floor. What made this so different? Why did this hurt? Where did this rising sense of shame come from? He was too young to understand the callous nature of people, that the difference between friends and fiends was but a single letter. A minor trespass. A single conflict in intentions or ideals. That was all it took for everything to shatter and break.

Percival attacks Hanako from behind with Hook
Attack 19
Evasion 2
Damage: 140, 260 health remaining
Disoriented secondary effect where there is a 5% chance that they will auto-miss their attacks for the next 3 rounds.

His knuckles would hit Hanako squarely in the face, forcing the young snake's face to forcefully turn and look away. Hanako's head would feel as if it was spinning despite the fact that his head was in the same place. A copper taste would fill their mouth. Hanako was still standing, why Percival was staying his hand was anybody's guess. He could have finished Tone off. An elementary task. Rather he stood there, wasting his action economy looking at Hanako dumbfounded. He had done more than his teammates. It was as if the lot of them were staring off into space (Margo, Wyatt and Caelan). It was as if more than a month had passed in this matter of minutes and they had.

_______________________________________________________________

Victor was watching the fight. @Ileen Knight was not far. Really nothing more than a domestic squabble. Hurt feelings and desperate physical displays of violence that would never sate the bubbling ire and self loathing. During all of this, there was a darkness that ambled about the outer perimeter of this basement. Circumscribing the ring. Around and around the darkness would go... stopping for a spell in Victor. Only this time, there was a girl in the way.

White knuckles and clenched jaw. Victor was not going to release the darkness. Despite his fragility and obvious frailty, he was willing to exert the little he could. "Move aside girl," his warning came out in what sounded like a growl.

Observation check if she can see something on the ground where the shadow was moving along (ritual circle).
Wisdom Roll: 13

The darkness traveled no longer, housed within a glass cage. where it has been, there was no shimmering path. No tangible or optical record of their previous passing. Still she could recall the movements around the outer ring, the very perimeter of this basement. Outside the fighting arena. There was something marked on the floors. Dmitri would later mark one with blood and suffer the consequence for doing so. Five in total, the symbols hard to see. Just depressions in the floor. No light, no spark. Nothing like bookies and movies where the power seemed to be bursting forth like electrical current.

Observation Check if she can notice something special about the area which has been circled by the shadow.
Wisdom Check: 11

The shadow had made its way around the perimeter of the arena. The darkness never entered the ring, rather they circumscribed the setting. Outside the fight. On the periphery of the spectators. Markings on the floor, embossed into the hard surface. The darkness methodically traveled over each of the markings before returning to young Victor.

Action 3: Trying to stop the darkness from exiting Victor
Roll: 3

She would try to stand in the path of the darkness. She would demand answers, "And does the darkness have a name?" Victor was in pain. His knuckles white. The incessant intrusion of his peers. His unwillingness to cast them out, to break them. He would have to push her aside. To move out of her way, the pain was not hers to bear.

"I don't know, leave things be" The Slytherin hissed. "Just run. Or stay. I am fine." An obvious lie, not that he believed that the girl's intrusiveness was for his benefit. She was a Slytherin after all, there was nothing to be gained having a boy like Victor in her debt. No longer beautiful, Marion would never look at him twice in this state. Never the scholar. No legacy. No honored bloodline. He had nothing to offer, there was nothing to be gained except perhaps answers and his trepidation.